My January Reads 2026

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Good morning, y'all! I hope you've had a fantastic week. Are y'all ready for the weekend? I know I am. Any plans for Valentine's Day? Today, I'm sharing my January reads! I know I'm a little late with this but that's oaky. 

Here's how my book recap goes. 

~I have included pictures if I have them and have provided links to them on Amazon so you can find out more about the books before you buy or check them out at your local library. 

~ If I left a more detailed review for a book, I'll include the link under the book so you can check it out. I leave reviews for books I really like or have received for reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and this blog. 

~If I receive a preview book, I'll include the release date for you.

~ Each book will have a rating in bold. I rate each book with a numbered star.

The rating system I use is as follows ~

*5 This book was amazing! I couldn't put it down. I loved the book so much that I either bought the book or planned to buy it to add to my ever-growing collection so I could reread it. 

*4 This means the book is definitely worth reading. I really enjoyed the book. I liked it, but not enough to buy it and add it to my collection. 

*3 This book was good. It wasn't the best book I've read, but I did enjoy it. I wouldn't need to read it again. 

*2 This book was okay. I finished it but had to force myself to. I probably didn't like the plot or the characters. The story just didn't work for me. 

*1 This means I didn't like the book at all, and I couldn't finish it.

This month, I only read 3 books. I've been busy organizing the house and helping Therese prepare for her new bundle of joy. 

1. The Christmas Cottage by Fiona Baker 

     Rating~ **** Stars

This is the 1st book in Fir Tree Grove Holidays series from Fiona Baker. There are four books in this series. This was a sweet holiday romance. There's plenty of holiday cheer. Vanessa heads home to help her grandmother, Mabel run her toy store during the Christmas season. While there, Vanessa meets Jackson, the owner of the local diner. Can he help Vanessa find her Christmas spirit? Will their friendship grow into more? With the magic of Christmas, it's pretty likely.

2. Starting Over in Sedona by Lynne M. Spreen

    Rating~ ***** Stars

This is fantastic read about a woman starting over. Sue Weston is tired of grieving her old life and her late husband. She's excited when her estranged sister contacts her and promises to leave her the family home and land in Sedona. Things don't go as planned, but Sue finds what she was searching for. This a great book about an older character. As I've gotten older, I love finding stories with characters around my age. I can relate to them more. A lot of the stories that focus on 20 somethings, I can no longer relate too. They seem to immature. There are two more books in this series, and I can't wait to read them. 

3. The Taming of a Wicked Rogue by Samantha Holt

     Rating~ *** Stars

This was a freebie from one of those stuff your Kindle days. It's a quick read. It's written fairly well. It's not the worst historical fiction I've read. Now a days, I find most of the "historical" fiction stories are too "modern" for me. The language, descriptions, and the plot are not realistic. The writers have done a poor job researching in my opinion. I was able to finish this one. There have been a few I couldn't. Rebecca and Lord Leonard have a past and reunite unexpectantly. Life changes drastically for them as they keep their connection a secret. 

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Till Next Time,

Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ February 8, 2026

Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.

 

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Till Next Time,

Monique

My Reading Goals for 2026

Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.

Hello friends! Today I'm sharing my reading goals for the year!

I'm a little late getting this post up, but I wanted to share my reading goals for 2026. My goal is to share what I read each month and a few book reviews along the way. I keep track of all my books on GoodReads. 

Here are my reading goals for 2026~

1. Read 125 books. This includes regular books, eBooks, and any new books I've added to my Sunday school lessons. I'm keeping the same goal as last year since I think this year will be a little busy with a new grandbaby!

2. Read 25 faith-based books. This includes my Bible study books, books about the Saints, and any other book about my Catholic faith.

3. Read 25 books from my Want to Read list on GoodReads. It is currently at 634 books. I just keep finding more books to add. It's like the old saying, so little time, so much to read. I think I might have read only 5 off the list last year. I want to make a better effort at this year. 

4. Read 20 books from my own bookshelves. I keep adding books whenever our library has a used book sale. I need to start reading through them. I need room on the shelves, so I have to read a few and make some room. 

5. Read/reread 5 classics. 

Do you have any reading goals? Any good challenges that you're doing? Any book recommendations?

I'd love to hear about them!

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Till Next Time,

Monique

14 years ~ Why am I Still Blogging (Sometimes)

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I recently saw a post from a fellow blogger talking about why she was still blogging after 20 years. One I was a little shocked because I've been reading her blog for years. I've watched as her kids have grown up, and it definitely hasn't felt like it had been that long. Boy, time flies when you're having fun.

It got me thinking, how long have I been at this? How long have I had my little blog?

It's been 14 years for me. I started back in November of 2012. I first started on WordPress and then decided to switch it over to Blogger. I had no idea what I was doing, but somehow, I managed it. I started out just wanting to share the ins and outs of our homeschooling days. At that time, trying to find information on homeschooling wasn't as easy. I've seen the world of homeschooling change and grow over the years through the different platforms of social media. I love seeing the growth. I'm a little jealous of all the information out there. I feel blessed what I did find back in the day and I hope that my little corner of the blogging world helped a few people out over the years. 

I'm happy I started this little blog back in the day. I'm amazed at how I've grown, changed, and all that I have learned over the years. I love the friendships I've made through this little adventure. I still keep in contact with a few homeschooling moms that I met online. They were there through the highs and lows. Friends can help any adventure feel right.

 

I'm proud that I jumped in. I was scared and a little unsure at the time. There were plenty of days where I felt like giving up. I wondered if anyone really read my posts. Did anyone really care about what I had to share? Were they enjoying what I was sharing? I'm thankful I stuck with it. I'm amazed that I just didn't give up on certain days. Self-doubt can be a terrible thing.

When I started this blog, I was a young mom of two amazing kids. Therese (Princess P) was 7 and Michael (Lego Man) was 8. We had been homeschooling for a few years already and I decided to share what we were doing. I planned all of our lesson. I researched, printed, and planned every lesson for them. No boxed curriculum for me, well except math. I loved sharing the books we were reading, the unit studies we were doing, and all the fun activities were we using. I did share a few other things along the way... fieldtrips, food recipes, vacations, etc. It was a wonderful way to journal about our homeschooling adventure. 

I often wonder why I started this little project. I guess thinking about it now, I'd have to say I needed an outlet. An adult activity. When you're a stay-at-home mom, sometimes you feel like you're losing yourself. You're so focused on being a mom and a wife, you forget who you are. I needed this little space to regroup. A place to sit back and relax. A place where I felt like I was conversing with other moms. It felt like going to your favorite coffee shop and visiting with close friends. It was my me time. 

I started posting slowly that first year. In the last 2 months of 2012, I only posted 9 times. Nothing big, nothing fancy. Just a slow start. As I got more comfortable, I started to share more and more. At the height of my blogging, I was posting 4 to 5 times a week. 

At one point in my blogging journey, I joined the Homeschool Review Crew! I loved this online community of homeschooling moms. We got to review homeschool curriculum and share about it. We had forums where we could share ideas, recipes, friendships, etc. I was part of this fantastic group for 5 years.  It was such a blessing to our homeschooling. I still miss this amazing group. I do keep up with a few of the ladies since they still have continued to blog even after their homeschooling journey has ended. A few are even still homeschooling (I'm a little jealous about that). 

The last 5 years have been a little different around here. I lost my purpose and my focus. The kids grew up and graduated high school. Michael graduated college. Therese will graduate next year. The years seemed to pass in a blink of an eye. 

I wasn't sure what to post, now. I had no idea what I had to share. It's hard when your life takes a new path. You're suddenly unsure. I felt like a small child learning to walk. Stumbling down a new path. I honestly felt like giving up and at one point, I did walk away. I decided to not post anymore. I wasn't going to delete my blog. I couldn't bring myself to do that. There were too many memories here. All the photos, the laughter and tears, the ups and downs. How could I destroy a living journal of my years with my family. I couldn't. so, I decided to keep it up but not write. Well, that didn't last long. I missed it. I missed the community, I had built. 

I will admit it's been hit and miss the last few years. Between 2022 and 2024, I only posted 80 times! I'm slowly making a comeback. I'm still trying to figure out my new path. It's forever changing. I'm now going to be a grandma, so that's a path I am heading into. I can't wait to share a few things. Oh my, all the new baby stuff is amazing. I'll be sharing my daughter's and I's favorite things!

So, my plan is to continue to share my life with y'all! Recipes, thrift finds, book reviews, and all things grandma (a young grandma)! If this sounds like something you'd like, stick around. Sign up for emails and stop by for a visit!

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Till Next Time,

Monique

Wednesday Hodgepodge~ February 4, 2026

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Hello friends!  I'm joining Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday's Hodgepodge. Each week, she hosts a weekly link-up that is a collection of questions for bloggers to answer. It's to help bloggers get to know each other better and have a little bit of fun! It's a great way to hang out with friends. So, grab a cup of coffee or tea if you prefer and join in on the fun. 

So, what is a hodgepodge? A hodgepodge is an unorganized mixture of various things, a jumble of items that don't belong together. 

Here are this week's questions and my answers for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge~ 

1. The Winter Olympics kick off on Friday, February 6th...on a scale of 1-10 how excited are you? (1= eh and 10=watching every event all day every day). What's your favorite Winter Olympic sporting event?  

I'd have to say a 2. 

I LOVED the Olympics when I was a child. I was a gymnast and dreamed of one day going to the Olympics. I wanted to be the next Nadia Comaneci or Mary Lou Retton. I knew deep down I wasn't going but it was fun to dream about it. 

For the winter Olympics, I'd have to say figure skating is my favorite event to watch. I've always wanted to learn how to do all the fancy stuff, but I've only skated maybe 5 times in my life. We didn't have anywhere local growing up to ice skate. I have skated at Rockefeller Center in NYC when I lived there. I'm not that good at it though.

I do like watching the opening ceremonies when they are good. I've been disappointed in the past. So, we'll see.

2. In other sporting news, the Superbowl (American football's championship game) will be played on Sunday, February 8th. So, tell us...what's your superpower?

I'm glad it wasn't a question about whose playing because I have no clue. I've never been a big fan of watching football on TV. I prefer to watch in it in person. I'm not a huge fan so it's not worth the money to me. 

So, my superpower? I have a way with animals. Every stray that gets dropped off finds it way to my house. Most of our cats have just shown up. They find me. I currently have one outdoor cat that will not come in. He won't be trapped and we can't touch him. I've been feeding him for about 4 years now. At first it was very random. Now, he shows up every day. We bought him a heated cat house and he is loving it. I almost touched him a few days ago. He didn't hiss. He just reached out and lightly tapped my hand as if to tell me no. He is definitely taking longer than any other cat, but I'll keep trying. 

3. Are you a romantic? 

Yes, most definitely. Lace, flowers, music, dancing, etc. I love the old time feel of things. Maybe because I didn't live in the past times, I find it more appealing. Things just seemed simpler. Life was slower. People connected more. They didn't seem to be distracted by all the craziness in the world. They weren't glued to their phones. I love the fashions from the past. The dresses and outfits were stunning. Woman and men looked stylish, not frumpy and sloppy. The attention to details was amazing. 

4. Blue cheese-yay or nay? How about feta? If you said yes to one or both, what's a dish you like that calls for one of these? 

I like both, blue cheese and feta, with certain things. I tend to use them in salads...regular salad and fruit salads. I don't like blue cheese dressing though. I much prefer ranch. 

There's a salad with grapes, apples, and feta cheese that I love in the summertime. 

5. What's more important-doing what you love or loving what you do? 

I honestly thought these were the same thing at first, but the more I thought about it I realized that there was a difference. A huge difference.  If you can do what you love that's great. That would be the best option if it's possible. However, sometimes that isn't always the case. If you can't do what you love, it's important to love what you are doing. I don't think it's wise to settle and do something you don't enjoy or hate. If you do, I doubt you'll enjoy life. Let's face it, if we are unhappy, we tend to make those around us unhappy too. We need to love what we do in this life. We only get one life, and we shouldn't go through it being miserable. We should love life, love those around us, and love God. 

6. My random thought~ I'm getting excited to meet my first grandchild. Only a few more weeks to go. I love this little boy so much already. it's amazing how different it feels to be a grandma. What's some Grandma advice? I'd love to hear it. 

                                                          Enjoyed this post? 

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Till Next Time,

Monique

Happy Homemaker Monday~ February 2, 2026

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Well, Happy New Year, friends! I know it's been a while. 

I hope y'all had a wonderful Christmas and very. merry New Year. January sure did fly by. We had the flu at the beginning of the year. We are all better now except for that specky cough that will not go away.  My daughter was the first to go down. Just one of the perks of being a nurse during the flu season. It hit her in the afternoon of Christmas day. She's had it the worst, but since she's pregnant there wasn't much, she could take. She's still tired, but that probably a combination of getting closer to the end. My parents were down. Luckily, they seemed to escape the illness. I know my mom had it before Christmas so maybe she had a resistance to it for some reason. Other than illness, the holidays were good. We went to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg the week before Christmas. I've always wanted to see Dollywood lit up for Christmas. It didn't disappoint. I loved all the themes and the lights. Absolutely beautiful. 

Sadly, Michael couldn't go with us. It was my dear Hubby, Therese, myself, and the 2 dogs. We rented a dog-friendly cabin from Josh's Cabins. It was perfect! It was decorated in a simple way for Christmas. The best part it had a fenced in yard for the girls!

So, let's get started with Happy Homemaker Monday with our beautiful hostess, Sandra from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Be sure to stop in, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and say hi.

The Weather in My Neck of the Woods~

FREEZING!!! This morning it was -5 degrees. We had snow last weekend and with the cold temperatures the snow has gone nowhere. The yard is a sheet of ice. Thankfully, the store this weekend didn't hit us. It stayed in the south. I'm definitely sending prayers for our southern neighbors. They are not used to getting weather like this. When I lived in Charlotte, they shut down for just a dusting. I can only imagine how it's right now.  

Monday~ Sunny, 30/12*

Tuesday~ Cloudy, 38/21*

Wednesday ~ Partly Sunny, 33/16*

Thursday~ Sunny, 31/15*

Friday~ Cloudy, 32/17*

Saturday~ Sunny, 26/13*

Sunday~ Partly Sunny, 29/13*

The temperatures warm up a bit this week, so I'll take it. The chickens have not been enjoying the cold temperatures. Every time I head out to feed them and check on them, they are yelling at me. They can be quite vocal when they are upset about something. 

As I Look Out My Window~

The sun is shining. With the ground covered in snow, it makes it very bright out. I do see a few squirrels scampering out. The downy woodpeckers have been wearing out some of our trees. The snow on the ground is pretty but it's so cold it's not nice to go out. 

Thinking and Pondering~

It's been a busy, busy January. Doctor's appointments with Therese and getting ready for the baby has been front and center. Oh my, there is so much to do. With the new bundle of joy arriving, we have a lot to get ready. The crib is up. Not that he'll be in it in the beginning. He'll be in the basinet for a good while. I did get Christmas down. Now, I'm working on getting the house deep cleaned before little man makes his appearance. I can't believe he's almost here. Therese had been washing his clothes and organizing his room. They will live with us while she finishes her schooling for her RN degree. It will be easier for her with school and work. Plus, she gets a free babysitter! I'm getting ready for all those cute baby cuddles.

How I'm Feeling~

My head is a little congested and on top of that I have a migraine. I'm not sure if I have slight cold or if it's just stuffiness from the woodstove. We have a large pot of water on it to add moisture back into the air, but I still get dried out. 

Mentally, I'm in a better place. The stress and drama from Thanksgiving has died 

What's on My Nightstand~  

My Bible and the Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion: A Book of Daily Reflections. 

Morning and Evening Prayers by Charles Spurgeon.

My kindle 

Everyone squishing together to get the sunshine

What's for Breakfast~

Coffee with my Collagen, Eggs, 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt with strawberries and blueberries

Looking Around the House~

I need to vacuum and mop. With the woodstove going, we get wood chips here and there. There are also a few spots that have dirt from some melted snow. I mopped on Friday but haven't gotten a chance to mop again. 

On My To-Do List This Week~

Finish organizing my sewing room. We moved the dog's cages in there and I took out a small bookshelf for Baby Peanut. We're also reorganizing the storage room so it's easier to get to the toys we saved, the decorations for the holidays, and anything else that is stored in there. 

Happening This Week~

Monday~ Doctor's appointment

Thursday~ Bible study 

Friday~ Doctor's appointment and errands

On My Reading Pile~

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts

Snowflake Creek Box Series Books 1-3 by Olivia Noble

I started back up with my weekly Bible study started at church. We are reading Passionate Discipleship: A Study of 2 Timothy from Walking with Purpose for our Bible study group. 

What I'm Listening To~

Country playlist on my Amazon Music account. 

On TV this week~

Netflix

Greys Anatomy

Blindspot

His & Hers (I finished that on Friday)

HBO Max

Cold Case

The Pitt

YouTube

Cooking Videos

Quilting Videos

Exercise videos

Gluten free Hot Chocolate Cupcakes for Therese's baby shower

On the Menu this Week~

Monday~ Chicken Adobo with rice

Tuesday~ Stuffed Peppers

Wednesday~ 

Thursday~

Friday~ 

Saturday~

Sunday~

I have to sit down and meal plan for the rest of the week. 

What I am Sewing, Quilting, and Creating~

Nothing. I've been too busy cleaning and organizing everything. 

My Simple Pleasures~

A quiet easy day. I'd love to brew a nice cup of tea and curl up with a good book. 

From the Camera~

Praying For~

My parents

My husband, children, and soon to be grandson

Our country

Friends and family

My 10 little ones from Sunday school

Inspirational Quote/Bible Verse/Faith~

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Till Next Time,

Monique

Sunday Inspiration~ February 1, 2026

Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.

Enjoyed this post? 

Never miss out on future posts by following us! 

Till Next Time,

Monique