January flew by for me! I’ve seen lots of people saying that January was 365 days long for them, and a miserable, anxiety-fraught month, and I get that. A lot of hard things happened during the month. I suppose having a birthday in January helped it feel more festive for me. The people I love were so good to me, making my birthday feel special. Also, our weather was pretty nice. While other places were freezing cold and had snow dumped on them daily, my little corner of Montana was what I’d call chilly (between 5 and 40 degrees F) but often sunny and with zero snow. I have honestly never seen such nice weather in January!
And I’m grateful for it!
My mantra for 2026 is “Keep Showing Up”, so here are some of the ways I showed up in January.
Showing up for my blog: I wrote a post each week during January. Once-a-week is a perfect blogging schedule for me. It’s not overwhelming, but it also keeps me going.
Showing up for Diabetes management: I’ve been wearing my continuous glucose monitor, which helps me keep my glucose levels in the “acceptable” range through a combination of eating (or not eating) and exercising. Peloton helps a lot! I have discovered that a shorter, less intense exercise session helps lower my glucose more than a longer, high-intensity workout.
Showing up for Doodles: I drew lots of photo doodles, and I also followed drawing prompts from Lisa Bardot’s Make Art Everyday program. It’s free, and this is her eighth year of hosting it! January’s theme was food, and, of course, I felt the need to put a face on everything!
Showing up for Reading: I listened to The Favorites by Layne Fargo. It was a 15-hour-long fictional story about the world of ice dancing, full of scandal, love triangles, injuries, and competition drama. So much drama! If you’re looking for a sweet, innocent ice dancing story, this isn’t it. But I enjoyed it!
I also read Nicole’s first novel, Inhale, Exhale! I’m not going to write anything about it because I know people are still getting their copies, and I don’t want to spoil anything. I’ll just say that I enjoyed it and I’m so proud of Nicole!
Here are some ways I’d like to show up in February, in addition to the above things:
I’d love to get back into sewing. I didn’t sew anything during January, except for a little repair to my husband’s coat, and I miss it!
I want to do some deep cleaning in our house, such as organizing closets and dusting all the nooks and crannies that get overlooked during my weekly cleaning sessions. Bonus: I can listen to audiobooks while I work! I’ll start by listening to Age of Innocence, which is the pick for Engie’s Cool Blogger’s Book Club.
I want to mail Valentines! Am I too late already? I’d better do that first!
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You rocked January! I thought that it was a pretty good month myself (excluding certain national and world events). Now mind you, the last part was a bit long with our extreme snow and cold, but that just means extra nesting time at home, so it’s not bad.
Thank you, Birchie! I’m glad that you were able to find bright spots during January! Your weather sounds harsh, but I’m with you that the extra nesting time is wonderful!
I love your little smiling food items! They are so cheerful. I especially love the avocado; he is a very cute! I am glad that the peloton is helping you with your glucose management! Also yay that it is the shorter one that helps more, haha! Seriously though, it does make it easier to stick with.
I had a good month in January and I know bad things are happening but personally I have not let them ruin my year! I am glad that you can say the same. With that view out that window, I would be smiling every day!
Thank you, K@TS! I’m so glad that January was good for you too. ❤️
You clean house EVERY week?? I am so impressed!
So interesting about the shorter less intense workouts keeping your blood sugar under control. If I would be willing to get another CGM I wonder how it would work for me. I can’t seem to get out of the pre-diabetes category so I am giving it a break—just doing what I know to do and not worrying about it.
The west seems to have mild winters when the east is getting hammered and vice-versa. I went hiking today and wore shorts—think it got up to 70°. Weird.
Love your photos, as always.
Jana, Ha! Ha! I do try to do a light cleaning every week, as well as just cleaning on the go when I see something that needs attention. The whole blood sugar thing is complicated, and we can only try our best. I do take Metformin, which helps a bit too.
Michelle, you showed UP and then some!! I LOVE that picture of the sky out of your bedroom window. Such beauty.
Food items put a smile on my face, but especially the pickles!
I like your February breakdown, keep showing up! My word of the year is “delight” so I have to write a post about delights in January ..
Thank you, Daria! I love your word “delight” and I’ll look forward to your post!
I love all the ways you showed up in January. Also did I already tell you that it is an amazing mantra to have?
Your Montana sky is just gorgeous. I love the view and wouldn’t mind waking up to that. However I prefer it in the living room because than I would be able to admire it more and longer. Ha!
Thank you, Tobia! You’ll be happy to know that we have the same view of the mountains from our living room window! I love it!
I am so glad you had a great January! We’re allowed to feel joy and happiness even during hard times. Your birthday sounded wonderful, I love your doodles (they make me smile) and I am so thrilled you’re enjoying Peloton and it’s helping you to keep on top of your diabetes. I am rooting for you – way to show up for yourself!
Thank you so much, San! I appreciate you rooting for me! ❤️ You inspire me!
Hooray for a great month. I’m glad you felt celebrated on your birthday. Your smiling food art is so sweet. I think I’m gonna need to try to get Age of Innocence as an e-book. I started reading the intro and that was it. I’ve been working to connect with friends more often and that has been so fun. Coach and I met another couple for drinks Saturday night. We hadn’t seen them in so long. It’s been too cold for my liking, but it’s Feb and that means spring is around the corner.
Thank you, Ernie! I tried reading the Kindle version of Age of Innocence, and I couldn’t concentrate on it! So I got the audiobook read by David Horovitch, and he has a nice voice – but it lulls me right to sleep! Which is great, since I tend to have trouble sleeping! If nothing else, maybe I’ve found the cure to insomnia! 🤣
I’m so happy you had a great January! I fully support you on getting back to sewing. It’s something I’m planning to do as well, but first I’m trying knitting. I can’t wait to hear about your projects! 💗💗
Happy February 💐
Thank you, Alondra! I have never tried knitting, but there are so many cute projects out there. I hope you have fun!
January was a good month for you! I’m so surprised by your weather in Montana! It was really intense here – lots of snow and bitter cold for most of the month. I’m so glad you had a good birthday month, my friend. 💜
Thank you, Kari! I’m surprised by the weather too. It was 50 degrees here today! Incredible!
Yay!!
Yay for a good January! Our weather here was also mild in January, and so far it is continuing into February. On one hand I am enjoying it but it’s also a little worrisome. I loooove your food sketches – so cheerful and cute.
Thank you, Dulcie! I completely understand your feelings about the weather – I’m enjoying the nice days so much, but I do worry about what summer could bring.
I am so glad you had a wonderful month! And hooray for chilly but mild weather! That picture of the mountains with the sun is so gorgeous!
I can’t wait to get my hands on Gnicole’s book!
I was driving through a neighborhood yesterday and I saw an evergreen planter that was made into gnome. The pine boughs were kind of droopy and it had a hat on it. It was so cute, I was wishing I could take a picture! It made me think of you and Nicole!
Thank you, Lisa! That evergreen planter sounds adorable! And it warms my heart to know that you thought of me and Nicole! ❤️
The Favorites was one of my first – and best – reads of 2025! It was such a wildly dramatic ride, and made me want to pick up Wuthering Heights (I still haven’t yet, lol).
Rebecca, I’m happy to know that you enjoyed The Favorites! I have never read Wuthering Heights – another one to add to my list!
What a lovely January for you! The picture from your bedroom is STUNNING. You get to see that all the time – how amazing!
I read The Favorites last year and really liked it. Definitely not a feel-good story, but so propulsive!
Thank you, Stephany! I do feel grateful for that view every day!
Hi Michelle! Here I am… always late to the party…! But I get there eventually! Lol! I think a “showing up” plan sounds like a great idea! I have been struggling to keep to a “posting routine” ever since I retired from my day job in 2023! But I am trying to get back into the weekly thing… it has a rhythm and I need that sense of predictability in my life. I find that if I go too long… then I have too much to say… and that overwhelms me…. so it is a balancing act! We have been in the “deep freeze” part of winter over here and I don’t particularly care for sub-zero temps! I like winter to feel and look like winter, so the snow is welcome… the bitter cold every day is hard. As for the other kinds of showing up…. congratulations on your keeping up with the diabetes watch! I know it is hard to make changes in lifestyle so kudos for that! I think (personally) excess in almost anything (except miniatures, of course!) is probably not a good thing! Yes, too strenuous a workout doesn’t help! That’s why I like my ten minute morning walk so much, it isn’t too much! :):):) And your Sky view is awesome! I love a good sky view, and sadly I don’t have a great one where I live, but I have lived with some awesome ones, so I keep those memories too! And I just LOVE that you put eyes on everything!!! (Everything has identity!) Keep on keepin’ on as the saying goes! :):):)
Thank you, Betsy! You are so kind and supportive, and I feel so happy after reading your lovely comment! ❤️
Michelle, I was in Thailand and right now they are preparing for Lunar New Year, and for some reason Christmas decorations are also included AND THERE WERE GNOMES. WHAT EVEN IS THIS JOY.
Thank you SO much for your words about Inhale Exhale! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
I’m so proud of you and all the ways you’re showing up!!
Nicole, Gnicole, the gnomes of Thailand sound amazing! Your trip looked amazing on IG, and I can’t wait until you start writing about it. Inhale Exhale was amazing, and I’m so excited for you!