Month in Review: January 2026

January 2026 in Review

January started quietly, with some time off for the New Year and very little fanfare. After the pace of December, the month felt slower and heavier. We dealt with a mix of winter weather and health stuff, but also had some fun!

📊 Month by the Numbers

• Weight: ⬇️ 6.6 lbs
• Runs: 0
• Books Read: 2 
• Blog Posts: 14
• One Minute Memoirs: 4
• Savings: ⬆️ $160
• Debt: ⬇️ $393.70

Highlights

• A real winter arrived: January brought a massive snowstorm — over a foot of snow — which meant school cancellations, working from home, and a reminder of what winter used to look like here. It’s been years since we’ve seen that much snow at once.
• Health took center stage: It wasn’t my best month health-wise. Between multiple doctor appointments, a clogged ear that required flushing, and a frustrating uptick in migraines, January felt heavier than usual and required more patience than I would’ve liked.
• Busy school calendar: Between another Bingo night (football themed!), a school math event, and a school carnival for Holden, the kids’ schedules stayed full even in the middle of winter.
• Caleb’s Solofest debut: Caleb was selected by his band teacher to participate in his first-ever Solofest, where he played the French horn. A big milestone for him and a proud moment for me. He got an excellent score!
• Birthday celebrations: Caleb turned 11 and celebrated with Get Air and Texas Roadhouse, plus a 3D printer that quickly turned into a replacement saga. I turned 37 and went out of town to mark the occasion.
• Musical of the month: My aunt and I saw Spamalot. She loved it. I absolutely did not. You win some, you lose some!

📚 What I Read

A slower reading month, but I still managed to finish two books.

• Room for Rent by Noelle Ihli ★★★☆☆
• The Tenant by Freida McFadden ★★★☆☆

🏅 Favorite Book of the Month: The Tenant 
Books Read: 2
Yearly Progress: 2 / 100

🎬 What I Watched

• The Pitt (HBO Max): I now anxiously wait for Thursday nights to watch new episodes. It feels very old-school, like when you had to wait week to week instead of binge everything at once. This show is SO GOOD! (current)
• ER: I started this after catching up on The Pitt because I love medical shows and I needed something to fill the void! I’m about halfway through season one. I don’t love it yet — it’s a little slow and definitely dated — but I’m sticking with it. (s:1 e:1–11)
• Grey’s Anatomy: I started another rewatch. It’s still my comfort show. (s:1 e:1–3)
• Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story (HBO Max): A short documentary series that wasn’t great overall. I learned a bit more about the case, but it didn’t fully work for me. It kind of felt like they were reaching a bit with the cult angle. (complete)
• Handsome Devil: Charming Killer (Paramount+): An excellent true crime series. Easily one of the better watches of the month. (complete)
• The Deepest Breath: A fascinating documentary about free diving.
• Skyscraper Live: A nerve-wracking live Netflix event where Alex Honnold free-solo climbed a 101-story skyscraper.

Extras

• Loved: Celebrating Caleb’s birthday, hearing him shine at Solofest, and setting up spreadsheets to organize my life.
• Sucked: A rough health month with multiple doctor appointments, a clogged ear, and more migraines than I’d like.
• On the Menu: Holden and I baked a cake for Caleb's birthday, which Caleb then proceeded to not even eat (not a big fan of sweets... how is he my child?), plus lots of birthday freebies for me: McDonald’s fries, a Crumbl brownie, and a free bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes.
• Made Me Laugh: Holden, on the phone with a friend who lives five minutes away: “You haven’t had dinner yet?! What time is it in your area?”

Coming Up Next Month

• Kid events: Another Bingo night and more school events with the boys.
• Theater night: My aunt and I are seeing Wicked, one of my favorites that I've seen several times. Fun coincidence: Caleb is seeing it the same night on a school field trip.
• Looking ahead: Hoping for fewer health hiccups and a smoother stretch overall.

What I Learned

Not every month needs a big win to count. Sometimes the progress is quieter... showing up, managing what you can, and finding a few good moments in the middle of winter.

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