January A to Z ❄️

Happy Wednesday, my friends!!! Well, we are almost half way through January, and I thought I'd share today just a few things about this sweet, cozy month! Sure, it can be cold, and it can feel long, it can even feel a little sad at times right off the heels of Christmas, but I have come to love this month, and today I thought I'd share a few reasons it's a favorite over in over house. This doesn't include everything, but hopefully it makes your January 14th a little happier and brighter!! So without further-ado, here are just a few reasons we love January! 

A fresh start

Well, I couldn't think of a better way to kick it off. Both January and this post. It just feels like a fresh start. There is something in the air on January 1st that just feels a bit refreshing. Of course nothing actually "changes" that day, but it can feel like a great time to just soak in the freshness and newness of a new month and a new year.

Budgeting

This is something that Pierce and I love to revisit most months, but there's something about January that just lends itself to budgeting. Checking back on Christmas while thinking about the month and year to come as well.. We love using the app YNAB, but I know there are lots out there that are great! 

Closet clean outs

Well, would it really be January without a good closet clean-out?! Hahaha there is something about putting away Christmas decorations that always make me realize we have some serious closet cleaning to do...

Deep cleaning

"Deep" is relative here, but there is something about starting fresh that is so nice to get the vacuum out, the surfaces dusted and have a clean, fresh start to kick-off the new year! 

Eating soups

     

Soups are just the very best thing to eat in January...they are cozy and warm on a cold night, and there's nothing better on those January days...

Fresh citrus

Citrus is just fresh, bright, flavorful and amazing in January...not to mention perfect for cold season as well.

Goal setting

Goal setting is a fun one that for Pierce and me started before we were married or even engaged. We made our way to Frothy Monkey one January 2nd and ordered a latte and a London Fog, and before we knew it we were talking about our 2018 and all that we hoped and prayed it would hold... We wrote different thoughts and ideas down on a napkin, and I will never forget when Pierce wrote "Tabitha" with a heart...little did we know, that was the year that we got engaged five months later and married five months after that. So every January 2nd since then, we always try to think about our year ahead. Now it looks like checking in with our "life goals" and making a few yearly ones to follow those, but it's a sweet part about the beginning of January for sure, even if nowadays it's more often at our home during nap time or after the kids go to bed instead of an afternoon coffee date haha 

Home

We love being home always, but especially in January, and especially in the snow. 

Icy Sledding

Well, it's no surprise that we look forward to snow days over here... I think that my teaching days still have me continually checking the forecast in January hoping, praying and waiting for some snow. It's just too fun when it does come! Two years ago, we had the best and most spontaneous night walking on our icy roads and sledding down an icy hill on a toboggan sled. I wrote more about it here, but it will forever be a favorite memory of ours, and we sure are hoping for some fun snow days again soon! 

January Cleanse

I had so many questions about this one, and it's something that has become a favorite of ours in January. It's also something else that started in 2018. I had some bloodwork done in late 2017, and a very kind natural doctor lead me to a "cleanse" of a sort to help correct some areas that were in need of help. She introduced me to the "GAPS diet," which I always say really did help shape and guide my young adult years. It was a blessing, and those few months were I dare say, pretty life changing for me. After so much improvement and health, I started adding things back in later that year, and have since found a pretty good happy-medium for most of our days and meals, but every January since then, we have always found ourselves wanting to go back to the basics so-to-speak. 

Pierce and I were dating when I first did it, and although he didn't do the whole thing with me, he and my roommate were so sweet to try so many meals with me, and some of those meals are still favorites to date. So now in January, we try to eliminate grains, sugars, and starchy vegetables and add in a whole lot of fruits, vegetables, fermented foods, and just good quality meals that we've all come to love. Throughout the years, we've adjusted, added, and figured out what just works for us... (We still make exceptions for Simple Mills brownies because well, almond flour and coconut sugar just seem worth it for our in-home date nights haha) But it's a fun part of every January for us for sure... Always so happy to answer any questions as well if anyone is on a similar journey as well!! 

Kindergarten Crafts

As a former teacher, I'm not sure if "crafts" will ever not be fun for me... When I have capacity, time, and the mental energy hahaha, they are a favorite, and I love most of all looking back on the sweet little hand and footprints!! You can find lots more "snowy" crafts here and all of my craft posts here. 

Lighting Candles

Candles are just the best for cozy winter days. I enjoy beeswax candles these days, and whether they are just plain beeswax or a clean vanilla scent, they sure make these January days a little sweeter!! 

Mile a Day

Well, it's no surprise that I love a good little walk, and a favorite goal in January is to do a mile a day. At this point, Jane has caught on and always asks if we still need to do "our mile." Hahaha 2024 was definitely our year of walking - you can read about that fun goal here. 

Nights being cozy

We love a good cozy night. Turn the fire place on and cuddle up with a warm blanket, and I am one happy camper. Football, a good book, a favorite show, they are all favorites on cozy nights. 

Outside Air

I feel like the air in January, snow or no snow, is just refreshing. Inside, it is so nice to be warm, but outside, it always feels so good to take a deep breath and let some of that fresh air just refresh and restore us in the winter when it's so easy to be cozied inside all day... 

Prayer Journal Reset

When I led a discipleship group a few years ago, we all made prayer journals that we could use throughout the year and that would hopefully lead to a life-long practice. I loved it so much and had so much fun putting mine together. Well, adding a second baby to our family made this prayer journal a tiny bit harder to keep updated, but this January, it's been so fun to reset some of my pages and add new pictures, pages, friends and family members and start the daily practice again. It's been a favorite part of January for sure, and Jane is asking if we can make her one, which of course, the answer will always be yes to something like that, so we have some work to do!! 

Quiet mornings

I love quiet mornings...and although those January mornings used to look like this back in 2021... 

Now they sometimes look like this, and although it's different, it's somehow just as sweet... You can read about lots of others here as well. 

Reading the Bible

Reading the Bible is always something we talk about in January... For the past several years, we've done a reading plan of sorts, but this year, we made it a goal to dig in deeper with some books, and we decided to start in 1 Samuel using our very favorite Warren Wiersbe commentary. (Please feel free to join us if you are looking for something to dig into this January!!) His "BE Series" is a favorite of ours. The introduction always says, "With your Bible in one hand and Dr. Wiersbe's commentary in the other, you will be able to accurately unpack the deep truths of God's Word and learn how to apply them to your life," and I have always found that to be true in the studies I've done!

Snow

Oh, snow. We love you. Please come soon!! ❄️

Tea

Tea. What is a cold January night without tea? We love hot tea and love drinking it at night, with cards, with a show, with our New York Times Mini Crossword that we currently have an obsession with hahaha you name it, tea is probably there, especially in January. 

pUzzles and games

Puzzles and games... We are a game family through and through, and we love a month when we have a few extra free evenings to play a card game or work on a puzzle together. We just got our next one in the mail and are excited to start! 

Verse of the Year

We always try to pick a verse to kind of make our "verse of the year." Just to think about, pray through, have written down, cling to throughout the months and seasons. Last year, my verse was 2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." It was the perfect verse for the year - I wrote more about the background of choosing that one here. This year, I'm honestly still trying to decide...I'm between a few, but it's a sweet part of January for us. 

Warm fires

Warm fires. If I could have our fireplace on 24/7 in January, I would. It's such a treat in the winter! 

eXtra rest

January seems to slow down a bit for us calendar wise, and we soak.in. the eXtra rest 😉 

Yummy Food

We just love eating a lot of yummy food this month. Sign us up for all the veggies and all the food cooked in dutch ovens and iron skillets...yum! 

coZy.

And lastly, January is simply just COZY. It's the best month for that in my opinion, and we just love soaking in this first month of the year!!! Cozy sweatshirts, cozy blankets, cozy weather, a cozy home, just one cozy month, and we are here for it all!! 

Well, and there you have it. January A to Z. Just a few of our favorite things about this first month of the year! Hope it helped brighten your January, and I'd of course love to know your favorites about this month too!! Thanks for reading and following along! And here's to wishing everyone a very great JANUARY day!! 

Sending lots of love!
XO
Tab