The Exact Reason You Were Born (One Minute Memoir)

A memoir of missing screws, miniature planes, and unexpected wisdom

Setting: September 2025 — a Home Depot workshop table, somewhere between paint fumes, pandemonium, and the lumber aisle.

Home Depot runs a kids’ woodworking workshop once a month. In theory, it’s wholesome family fun. In practice, it’s Lord of the Flies with hammers. Holden and I have been regulars long enough to know the drill: I wrestle the wood into something vaguely resembling the sample, and he Jackson-Pollocks the paint on top. Mostly we just try to get through without breaking the project... or losing a finger.

We’re not exactly a well-oiled machine. Usually it’s me risking my life holding nails steady while Holden takes a few enthusiastic whacks. Together we fumble and finagle, somehow ending up with something you can technically call a birdhouse, truck, or plane.

Last weekend's project was a wooden plane, and we were already off to a stellar start. First we lost a nail. Then we put a piece on backwards and had to be rescued by the two senior ladies running the workshop, who — thank God — seemed unfazed by the chaos.

Mid-assembly, disaster struck again. Holden was busy trying to line up one of the microscopic screws with its hole while I attempted, on our third try, to actually screw it in. It slipped right out of his hand and vanished. Cue the Great Screw Search of Aisle 12. First it was me, crawling under the table, realizing I’d reached rock bottom in the lumber aisle. Then Holden dropped down, face inches from the linoleum, scanning like a tiny TSA agent. Finally, the boy working next to us joined the mission. Three strangers, united by a single screw.

Minutes passed. Hope was fading. And then... miracle. The kid shot up from under the table, arm raised high, screw pinched between his fingers like the Holy Grail.

“I found it! I found it!” he shouted.

Holden, completely stone-faced, delivered his verdict: “This is the exact reason you were born.”

The kid blinked. “Maybe to help people,” he offered.

Existential crises usually wait until your thirties. Unless you attend the Home Depot workshop, in which case your life’s purpose shows up with a missing screw.

This post is part of my One-Minute Memoir series — short reflections on small moments that still manage to say something big.

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Christmas Movie Reviews 2025 (1)

It’s officially that time again: twinkle lights, predictable plotlines, and small towns that somehow look like snow globes. Every year, I dive headfirst into the cozy chaos of Christmas movie season, watching as many as I can from Hallmark, Great American Family, and beyond. These movies are hot cocoa for the brain — comforting, sweet, and a little bit corny — and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Here’s what I’ve been watching so far this season.

1. A Wisconsin Christmas Pie 

Great American Family | 2025 | ★★★☆☆ | Watched: Oct 31

A pastry chef returns home for the holidays and finds her family’s cherry orchard on the brink of closure. Between reconnecting with her high school sweetheart and entering the local pie contest to recreate her grandmother’s famous recipe, she’s torn between her big-city career and small-town roots.

I watched this one on Halloween as the kickoff to my Christmas movie season, and it was the perfect start. It had all the right ingredients (pun intended): baking, family legacy, and a second-chance romance. The small-town setting was adorable, the community feel was strong, and the emotional pull around family and tradition gave it just enough depth. It’s exactly what I want from a Christmas movie: cozy, predictable, and just the right amount of cheesy.

2. A Royal Montana Christmas 

Hallmark | 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ | Watched: Nov 2–3

Hallmark wouldn’t be Hallmark without at least one royal Christmas movie, and they kicked off the season with this one. A princess from a (naturally) fictional European country, overwhelmed by her royal duties, escapes to a Montana ranch she once visited as a child with her late father. There, she reconnects with the locals, helps save their popular Christmas dance, and begins to question what she really wants for her future.

I’ll admit it, the royal-themed Christmas movies are usually my least favorite. The made-up countries, questionable accents, and over-the-top fairy-tale plots always push things a little too far for me. While I did enjoy the western backdrop and the cozy community feel at the ranch, this one didn’t quite deliver. The romance lacked chemistry, the story dragged a bit, and it just didn’t have the spark of some of Hallmark’s best. Think Princess Diaries… but not nearly as fun.

3. A Prayer For Christmas

Great American Family | 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ | Watched: Nov 4

Children’s book illustrator Natalie is stuck in a creative rut until she discovers a little girl’s Christmas list unlike any other: a series of prayers asking Jesus to bless her family, friends, and widowed father. Moved by the girl’s kindness, Natalie quietly sets out to make each wish come true and rediscovers her own inspiration along the way.

This one was heartfelt and undeniably sweet, starring two familiar faces I’ve come to enjoy in Christmas movies (Shae Robins and Christopher Russell). The story delivered a beautiful message about kindness and faith, and the overall tone captured the spirit of the season. That said, it leaned much heavier into overt religious themes than I typically enjoy. While I appreciate Great American Family’s focus on wholesome storytelling, this one felt a bit too preachy for my taste. Still, it had warmth, charm, and sincerity... just not one I’d rush to rewatch.

4. A Christmas Angel Match

Hallmark | 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ | Watched: Nov 5–6

Two Christmas matchmaking angels are sent to Earth to help a pair of destined soulmates fall in love before Christmas. When the matchmaking department faces downsizing, they’re forced to work together despite their clashing styles: one by-the-book, the other spontaneous and full of holiday spirit. As their mission unfolds, they start to question whether they might be the ones meant to find love.

This was a cute movie, featuring one of Hallmark’s better leading men, Benjamin Ayres. I liked the unique concept and the mix of love connections woven throughout the story. That said, it fell a bit flat for me. I’m not big on fantasy-style plots, and this one leaned too far in that direction. It also missed that cozy small-town, community vibe I usually look for in my Christmas movies. Still, it had its moments of charm — just not enough to make it a standout this season.

5. Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper!

Hallmark | 2025 | ★★★★★ | Watched: Nov 7

After a string of unlucky holidays, cheerful weatherman Ted Cooper returns home to Lackawanna, NY, determined to make this Christmas a good one. A few accidents, and an Urgent Care visit later, he reconnects with old faces from high school, including a former crush who’s now a doctor. Despite his trademark bad luck, Ted might finally get the merry Christmas he’s been chasing all along.

This one was an absolute winner for me! It was funny and sweet, and Ted was completely endearing. I wasn’t familiar with Robert Buckley, who played Ted, but I absolutely loved him! He was charming, adorable, and genuinely likable. The romance felt realistic, the holiday cheer was abundant, and I’ll definitely be looking for more of his movies. Fun fact: I was thrilled to realize in the opening scene that it takes place in a city not far from me!

6. A Royal Icing Christmas

Great American Family | 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ | Watched: Nov 9

Princess Charlotte of "Marovia" escapes her royal duties, and a pending arranged engagement, by sneaking off to a cozy New England town for Christmas. Hoping to rediscover herself, she enters a local baking competition and befriends Luke, whose family owns the inn where she’s staying. As sparks start to fly, she must decide whether to return to her royal life or follow her heart.

Another royal movie, and another thumbs down for me. This one had all the usual pitfalls: a fake kingdom, forced accents, and plenty of cheesy dialogue. I’ll give it credit for a fun premise (a secret escape! A baking competition!), but the execution just wasn’t there. The acting was rough across the board — the lead actress was fine, but everyone else struggled, especially the male lead. It’s hard to enjoy a movie when the performances pull you right out of it.

... and that wraps up my first six movies of the season! I plan on reviewing in batches like this every week or two, so LOTS more to come!

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Recent Reads: October 2025

October was a slow reading month for me, due to a book that just DRAGGED and took me almost the whole month to read. On a positive note though, I did have a five star read, so there's that! 

Here's what my reading life looked like in October.

📊 Reading Stats

Books Read: 2
Genres: Fiction (2): Thriller (1) ◦ Horror (1)
Formats: eBook (1) ◦ Print (1)

Sources: Kindle Unlimited (1) ◦ Library (1)

Average Rating: 3.5 stars
Yearly Goal Progress: 48 / 100 books 

48%

📖 Book Reviews

📘  The Mirror House Girls

Author: Faith Gardner

Genre: Fiction ◦ Thriller

Publication: 2025

Format & Source: eBook ◦ Kindle Unlimited

Dates Read: September 23 – October 6, 2025

Rating: ★★★★★

When Winona rents a room at the eccentric Mirror House, she’s hoping for connection, but what she finds is a “family” led by a charismatic psychologist whose vision for self-improvement soon takes a disturbing turn. As loyalties shift and control tightens, the dream of belonging transforms into something much darker.

I’ve always been fascinated by cults, so this one had my attention from the start — and wow, what a ride. The story takes its time to set the scene, but once the tension starts to build, it doesn’t let go. Gardner does an incredible job capturing how easily people can be swept up in a charismatic figure’s ideology. The characters are sharply drawn, their motivations believable, and their descent unsettlingly realistic. I found myself flipping pages late into the night, cringing at the chaos but unable to look away.

If you enjoy psychological fiction that blurs the line between devotion and manipulation, this one absolutely delivers. The ending left me thinking long after I closed the book, and immediately searching for more by this author.

⚡Quick Take: A chilling, slow-burn dive into the psychology of cults. Equal parts gripping and unnerving.

📘 Gallows Hill

Author: Darcy Coates

Genre: Fiction ◦ Horror

Publication: 2022

Format & Source: Print ◦ Library

Dates Read: October 6 – 28, 2025

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

When Margot Hull inherits her family’s winery after the death of her estranged parents, she reluctantly returns to Gallows Hill, a sprawling estate built on cursed ground where hundreds were once hanged. The townspeople whisper about the land’s dark past, and when strange occurrences begin inside the dilapidated home, Margot starts to suspect the curse might be more than just a rumor.

Darcy Coates is usually a three-star author for me — her books make for fun, spooky diversions when I’m in the mood for ghosts or light horror. But Gallows Hill ended up being my least favorite of hers so far. At nearly 400 pages, it stretched longer than the story could sustain. The first half was painfully slow, with very little happening until the final third. Once the pace finally picked up, I was mildly invested again, but it never reached that level of eerie excitement I was hoping for.

That said, the side characters were surprisingly engaging, adding some much-needed life to the slow build. And the setting, with its creaking house, cursed soil, and creeping dread, was everything you’d want from a haunted estate story. I just wish the execution had matched the potential.

⚡Quick Take: Moody and atmospheric with a solid cast, but dragged down by pacing that keeps the chills from ever fully landing.

🎖️ Favorite Book of the Month

The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner

That’s a wrap on this month’s reads — here’s to another great chapter! 📚

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A Seat For One (One Minute Memoir)

A memoir of movies, solitude, and stepping back into life

Setting: August 2025 — A chilly theater in the heat of summer

The first time I went to the movies alone, years ago, it felt like rebellion. Buying a single ticket, sliding into a seat with no one beside me... it was awkward at first, then unexpectedly empowering. I realized I didn’t need company to enjoy myself. I could be my own.

A few weekends ago, I went alone again. I just had to see Weapons. Horror is my favorite, but I only have a couple of friends who share that love, and none of them were interested in this one. I thought about waiting until it hit streaming, whenever that might be, but why keep waiting for someone else, or for a someday that might be months away?

When the previews started, I felt that little thrill — mentally circling the films I wanted to see, anxiously awaiting the opening scene. I noticed I was the only person there by myself. For a second, I wondered if I looked strange. Then I stopped caring. No small talk required, no one whispering in my ear. Just me, my smuggled-in can of Diet Coke, and the movie.

The film was great: I jumped at all the right spots, covered my mouth in surprise, and watched anxiously as the story unraveled. Eventually, the credits rolled, the lights came up, and I walked out into the afternoon air. 

Alone.

On the way home, I debated whether I was brave enough to sit down at a restaurant by myself. In the end, I grabbed Mexican takeout instead. Maybe next time. Even so, the day had already given me more than I expected. It turned out I’d seen more than a movie — I’d seen proof that after so long of standing still, I’m finally moving back into life.

This post is part of my One-Minute Memoir series — short reflections on small moments that still 

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Month in Review: October 2025

🗓️ October 2025 in Review

October was a busy month of recovery and routine. My shin splints finally healed, the fall air rolled in, and life started to feel steady again... even if the weather on Halloween had other plans. From donut runs to school open houses, it was full of small, ordinary moments that somehow added up to something good.

Highlights

• Kept on running: I started the month hobbling through shin splints but ended logging more than a dozen runs. A trip to the local running store for a proper shoe fitting (ended up with Asics Gel Nimbus) made all the difference. The shin pain faded, though my knees are still adjusting.
• Open houses + book fairs: Both boys had their open houses this month, complete with Scholastic Book Fair stops and ice cream after at Byrne Dairy.
• Take Your Kid to Work Day: Both boys came this year! It was chaotic but fun. Kind of. Holden kept me on my toes, and Caleb was all business.
• Weekend at the cottage: A chilly, windy overnight getaway with my parents and the boys. 
• Fall traditions continued: Two more trips to Zarpentine’s for donuts, fritters, and apple pie bites, plus another visit to Kelly’s Apple Farm.
• Community Bingo Night: A night of chaos, prizes, and tears at the local community center. (Read the One Minute Memoir.)
• Fun for Holden: He attended a birthday party at Get Air, finished up his fall season of soccer, and lost another tooth on an evening run. Funny enough, Caleb also lost a tooth on a run a couple of years ago.
• Hocus Pocus movie night: This is an annual tradition with my two besties. Pretty sure we could quote the entire movie by heart at this point!
• Clue on Stage: First show of the theater season with my aunt. This one was short, funny, and the perfect kickoff to our annual season ticket tradition. 
• Almost migraine-free: After switching to my new preventative med (Qulipta) in September, I had only one migraine all month.

What I Read

This was a slow reading month for me, thanks to Gallows Hill taking me about three weeks to read. UGH. It dragged on and on, and took up almost my whole month. Here's to better books ahead in November!

• The Mirror House Girls by Faith Gardner ★★★★★
• Gallows Hill by Darcey Coates ★★☆☆☆

🏅 Favorite Book of the Month: The Mirror House Girls
Books Read: 2
Yearly Progress: 48/100

What I Watched

• Halloween Baking Championship: festive and fun, as always.
• Hocus Pocus: I've only seen this about a hundred times now...
• A Wisconsin Christmas Pie: my very first Christmas movie of the year, watched on Halloween night! 

🏃 What I Ran

Runs this month: 13

Total miles: 24.15 mi

Total time ran: 8:06:25

Fastest mile of the month: 17:23 (October 26)

Average pace per run: 23:51 | 21:45 | 20:56 | 19:45 | 18:18 | 19:48 | 19:05 | 18:38 | 18:07 | 18:55 | 17:25 | 19:25 | 21:22

Average monthly pace: 20:09 / mi (↓ 2:46 from September)

Notes: October was a turning point. I started the month limping through shin splints but ended it running more than I had in months years. The first week or so of the month, I wasn't able to run at all, but I showed up anyway and walked laps on the track. Even when it hurt. Even when it was hard. The new shoes from my fitting made a huge difference: the shin splints eased up, and I started to run again. I’m still slow, still walking plenty, but I’m out there. And that’s what counts. I do have some minor pain in my knees now, but it's nothing like before with my shins, and I'm working through it. Holden dropped off a bit with the running this month and only joined a couple of times, but Caleb was pretty good. He skipped a couple of runs, but he made it out there for most of them. We'll be racing at the end of November, so we'll keep on keeping on!

Extras

• Loved: Tons of writing inspiration; the return of my running groove; getting through October with just one migraine; a cozy Hocus Pocus movie night with friends, pizza, and dog snuggles.
• Sucked: The relentless rain and wind on Halloween; trick-or-treating in soggy costumes.
• On the Menu: Zarpentine’s apple pie bites and fritters; Kelly’s Apple Farm treats (apple crisp); Crumbl’s Dubai Brownie (a returning favorite), plus a Biscoff Pie and Tres Leches cake; Byrne Dairy ice cream and dinners; morning protein shakes at a new shop near Caleb's school after early morning band drop-offs.
• Made Me Laugh: Holden's open house life-size self-portrait, complete with plenty of teeth and a generously sized head; the boys finding motivation to run when fries and treats were promised after; Caleb to Holden in the car: "can you stop talking? I don't want to be talked to."

⏭️ Coming Up in November

• Turkey Trots: Two races planned: one the day before Thanksgiving (2 miles) and one on the day itself (4.4 miles).
• More training runs: Building consistency and mileage heading into winter.
• Thanksgiving plans: Family, food, and (hopefully) a quiet weekend after our races.
• Holiday season kickoff: Hallmark Christmas movies galore and cozy weekends ahead. I started my Christmas shopping in October and plan to get it nearly finished in November!

What I Learned

Consistency beats speed. This month reminded me that slow progress is still progress — on the track, on the blog, and in life.

So that’s it for me! See you next month!

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Run Through It

On raising a kid who doesn’t quit, even when it rains

The rain started soft, the kind that feels more like mist than warning. The track glistened under the lights, and for a moment it felt almost peaceful. 

So we started running.

For a while, it wasn’t bad. The three of us circled the track together, our footsteps steady against the drizzle. After half an hour, it turned heavier: chill creeping in, sleeves soaked, hair plastered to our faces. Holden and I called it quits. 

But Caleb didn’t.

From across the field, I called to him that it was raining harder, that we were heading to the gate. He didn’t even slow down. He said he wanted to hit three miles first.

So he did.

I watched him go, small and determined against the rain, each lap an act of quiet defiance, tenacious in a way that felt achingly familiar. The lights caught the mist around him, and for a moment it took me back to another night, years ago, when I ran through falling snow. The track was empty then, too. I remember the sting of the flakes on my face, the sound of my breathing in the cold, the rhythm of my shoes on frozen ground. I hadn’t wanted to skip a day. I had miles to hit. 

And I did.

Now here he was, running through the rain for the same reason I once ran through snow: because sometimes you just have to finish what you started.

He is so much like me. Obsessive. Stubborn. Anxious. I’ve often wished I hadn’t passed those parts of myself on to him: the restless brain, the refusal to quit even when no one’s asking him to keep going.

But he’s like me in the best ways, too. Determined. Driven. Unshakable once he decides. Watching him run lap after lap in the pouring rain, I realized maybe the traits I’ve spent years trying to soften aren’t flaws at all. Maybe they’re the reason we both keep showing up.

Some people slow down when the weather turns. 

We just keep running.

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