The mom juggling act is disconcerting. On one hand, we have icy storms and virtual days. On the other, we’re planning spring schedules and summer camp. This month, for me in particular, it is one day at a time. So in an attempt to slow down and talk about some things that have been making our days a smidge brighter, here are some of the things we loved so far in 2026.
Mary’s Loves
I feel like I hit the ground running at the start of the year, especially around my health and fitness goals. January became all about raising the bar, from heavier lifts to higher intensity. To keep my focus steady and my expectations realistic, I’ve been listening to The Willetts Podcast. Hosted by married coaching team Mav and Kait Willett, the podcast focuses on realistic health strategies, the beliefs that shape behavior, how personal growth influences relationships, and the importance of acting in alignment with who you want to be. It’s part tough love, part coaching session, part relationship conversation.
This year also means starting fresh with a brand-new planner. I ended up going with Sterling Ink’s 2026 Core Planner. TBH, it wasn’t my first choice since their Complete Planner sold out immediately; but since using it, I’m pleasantly surprised. It’s efficient and streamlined, giving me exactly what I need.
January was also my birthday month and one of my favorite celebrations was a bookstore crawl with Patti. One of our go‑to places is Phoenix and Dragon, a holistic and spiritual bookstore filled with books, tarot and oracle decks, crystals, and all kinds of metaphysical treasures.
Some Amazon finds I’m digging include:
- Chici Mama Spicy Chamoy Mango
- COSRX Niacinamide Peptide Booster Set
- Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places by Amy Bruni and Julie Tremaine – a spooky, story‑driven cookbook that blends recipes with paranormal history
- Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and Other Curiously Named Classic Chinese Dishes by Ying Chang Compestine and Vivian Truong – a comic book‑style cookbook that uses graphic‑novel panels to teach recipes and share the Chinese folklore behind their quirky names
As for the kids, the girls are gearing up for tee ball this season while their brother is scouting martial arts schools. In the meantime, they’ve been enjoying their Christmas gifts. Top faves include:
- Crayola Marker Airbrush Kit
- Hello Kitty and Friends: The Cookbook – my daughters are in a cooking phase, and the recipes so far have been surprisingly delicious
- Nerf Pyrostrike Megabow – the newest addition to my son’s Nerf collection, and yes, it is shockingly impressive for a toy
Patti’s Loves
I finished my first All-Star books of the year, Heart the Lover by Lily Evans, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, and The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Yes, these are ultra popular right now and I apologize if you have to wait long in the library queue. These were all super approachable and very satisfying to finish. Happy tears.
The extra “ice days” have given me a good amount of down time, so I was able to knock off one of our 2026 Bingo goals: finishing a project that was halfway done. I was able to finish up a paint-by-number that I bought for my mom (which she forgot about), a tiny greenhouse model that Mary gifted me two years ago, and I just started a snarky cross-stitch kit that I don’t remember when I bought. I’ve been doing these all while finishing up some audiobooks from the backburner.
February is a very Girl Scout heavy month. We have cookie sales (500-box goal), Girl Scout Day at the Capitol, and Annual Friendship Fair. The girls have also been collecting patches, signing up for a Science of Bees workshop and Minecraft camp. Support your local troops.
I’m being cyberstalked by Saltair’s Hyaluronic body serum and Retinol lotion, so that might find its way to me soon. Another sneaky internet find is this recipe for Sourdough Chocolate Croissant Bread that is now a house favorite.
Finally for Valentine’s Day, I’m heading across the pond to meet Troy for a long weekend in Dublin, Ireland, with a layover day in New York City. I’m prepared for the freezing, rainy midwinter and planned visits to the New York Public Library and the Old Library at Trinity College. In my carry-on, I have the first book in the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series, Bloom Supergreens gummies, and my Traveler’s Factory travel notebook (similar).
Our next chunk of blog posts will be bringing it back to the body, talking about the inner mechanisms and how their input affects our abilities and behavior. Follow along on Instagram for new reels and visit our Amazon Storefront to check out the Things We Loved from this month.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
~Mary & Patti
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