Month in Review: February 2026

February 2026 in Review

February felt steadier than January. Not necessarily quieter, just more productive. There were proud parent moments, real financial progress, strong reading momentum, and a heavy dose of true crime on my screens. Winter is still winter, but this month felt like tangible forward movement.

📊 Month by the Numbers

• Weight: ⬇️ 4.0 lbs (YTD: ⬇️ 12.2 lbs)
• Books Read: 5 (YTD: 7)
• Runs: 0
• Blog Posts: 8 (YTD: 22)
• One Minute Memoirs: 4 (YTD: 8)
• Savings: ⬆️ $3,230
• Debt: ⬇️ $3,981.45

Highlights

• Wicked (again): My aunt and I saw Wicked for the third or fourth time. It’s one of my all-time favorite shows and OMG “Defying Gravity”...  straight chills every single time! Caleb went on a class field trip to see it the same night, and he liked it. Maybe not as enthusiastically as I do, but I'm glad he had the experience!
• Leadership Award: Caleb won a leadership award at school. His teacher invited us to the assembly and we had to keep it a secret. When he walked in and saw us sitting there, he was genuinely surprised. I left work early on a Friday to be there, signed him out of school early afterward, and let him pick a celebratory treat: McDonald’s fries, just the two of us.
• 3D printer redemption: Caleb’s replacement 3D printer arrived and we’re officially up and running. Holden has already put him in business. 
• Another Bingo night: We signed up again. Caleb was frustrated when he didn’t win within the first five minutes. Holden was loud. The nacho bar, however, delivered. I keep registering us monthly — glutton for punishment?
• Tax refund day: I anxiously awaited this one. I used it to finish paying off my credit cards and significantly boost my savings. A major milestone.
• Health progress: This was my first full month on my new migraine regimen, specifically targeting hormonal migraines this time. I'm now on two additional migraine meds (I have an entire arsenal), and I was down to four migraines in February... not perfect, but noticeably better than January.

📚 What I Read

A strong reading month! Five books, mostly thrillers, and one clear favorite.

• His & Hers by Alice Feeney ★★★★☆
• What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan ★★★★☆
• Deep Cuts by Sera Elly ★★★☆☆
• Revelation by Carter Wilson ★★★★☆
• You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose ★★☆☆☆

🏅 Favorite Book of the Month: Revelation
Books Read: 5
Yearly Progress: 7 / 100

🎬 What I Watched

• TV Shows
• The Pitt (HBO Max): I stay caught up week to week. It’s so good. (current)
• Grey’s Anatomy (Netflix): Still deep in my rewatch era. Season one is pure MAGIC. (rewatch • s:1 e:4–9)
• ER (HBO Max): Slowly making my way through season one. (s:1 e:12)
• His & Hers (Netflix): Limited series adaptation of the book. (s:1 e:1–2)
• Full House (Hulu): Another slow rewatch. (rewatch • s:1 e:1–2)
• Documentaries & Docuseries
• Dave Not Coming Back (Tubi, 2020): A documentary about a deep cave diving expedition that turns tragic when a diver becomes trapped underwater. Interesting in parts, but not a favorite. 2 stars
• The Investigation of Lucy Letby (Netflix, 2026): Examines the British nurse accused of murdering infants in her care. Gripping and well done, though I’m still undecided on guilt vs. innocence. 4 stars
• Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart (Netflix, 2026): Revisits the 2002 abduction and investigation. Solid but not exceptional. I did learn a lot more about this case, so that was a plus. 3 stars
• Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert (Peacock, 2023): Explores the case that led to the Amber Alert system. Interesting and informative. I had no idea where the Amber Alert came from prior to watching this. 3 stars
• Wild Boys: Strangers in Town (Paramount+, 2026, 2 eps.): Follows two mysterious brothers who suddenly appear in a small town. I was excited for this one, but it ended up feeling odd and underwhelming. It was compelling enough, but there was just something so uncomfortable and unsettling about both of the brothers. 2 stars

Extras

• Loved: Seeing Caleb win his award, finishing off my credit cards, and hearing “Defying Gravity” live again.
• Sucked: Still having migraines... fewer, but not gone.
• On the Menu: Texas Roadhouse twice (the boys love it and I can never turn down their rolls) and discovering Drizzilicious mini rice cakes.
• Made Me Laugh: Holden confidently calling the Seahawks the “Seahorses” during the Super Bowl — and coming home from school wearing a random gold chain like he’d joined a middle school rap collective. A full saga. One Minute Memoir incoming!

Coming Up in March

March looks surprisingly quiet on my calendar, which feels rare. We have our monthly town Bingo night (yes, we’re still going), and I’ll be traveling at the end of the month for a work conference. Otherwise, I’m looking forward to a few calmer weeks. If the weather cooperates and we finally thaw out, I’d love to attempt a return to running.

What I Learned

Big milestones rarely happen all at once. They’re built in ordinary weeks: in spreadsheets, in small habits, in saying no to things you used to say yes to. February felt like proof that quiet consistency eventually turns into very visible progress.

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