Weekend Wrap-Up: January 26
So far this January, it seems our weekends have been turning into three or four days due to the weather. School was called off both Friday and Monday, making for another fun, long one for my son. If you’re an avid reader of my posts, you have likely figured out I’m a huge fan of winter. And on these especially cold days, there’s some sort of magic that doesn’t exist on super hot sunny days. Creaking and squeaking snow beneath bulky impossible boots, whooping and hollering with frigid joy as we run from the doors of the library to the car to get back to the warmth of that big steal box, beams of sun reflecting off that powdery soft glittering white stuff…it’s just that je ne sais quoi that takes root in the base of our winter souls.
In between the heaviness of news reports this weekend, we worked really hard to make time to usher in happiness and made uninterrupted time with our family a priority – mostly as a way to reassure ourselves that our love, our quiet regard, kindness, empathy and compassion we feel for our family and friends helps to quell everything happening in our world that feels so hulking and messy. So, this was a weekend I tried so hard to concentrate on those in-between moments, the ones where I forgot about the outside noise and found happiness and peace in the tiny but oh-so-important little world around me. It’s really all I seem to be able to do at the moment.
It was too cold to ski so we hunkered down and made crafts – rainbow loom bracelets and crochet. We watched all of the Indiana Jones movies while having a seemingly never ending fire in the fireplace to keep us warm on those -15 degree days.
I made this dumpling bake using vegetarian dumplings. The consensus was that it was “pretty good” so next time I am going to try the viral Trader Joe’s Dumpling Bake. My son is a huge fan of Japanese and Korean food, so we recently went to H Mart and stocked up on dumplings and pot stickers. My favorite brand is Bibigo, which you can find in many major grocery stores. Just an FYI – I got that baking dish below for Christmas and it’s by far my favorite new thing and I’ve linked it here. Maybe I’m late to learn about the companyGreat Jones – but my goal is to collect like ALL of their things, lol.
I wrote a couple of posts about my favorite crossbody bags and ideas for Valentine gifts and Burr Baskets. I hope you check them out and find something you love!
My husband and I snuck away for a quick date night. There is a new local restaurant that has a speakeasy in the basement, and I’d like to brag for a second that I figured out the secret way to get in under a couple of minutes (toot! toot!). I delighted in an espresso martini and it’s been years since I’ve had one. I needed no reminder about how delicious they are.
A few links and snippets I’m happy to share with you:
If you haven’t watched Train Dreams yet, it’s a must. What a beautiful, gorgeous sweeping film that reminded me just how fragile, awe-inspiring and lucky we are to ride through this thing called life.
My husband made this Za’atar Cacio e Pepe recipe by Ottolenghi and it was pretty darn good. I think if you’re a meat eater, you could add crumbled sausage to add a bit more protein.
I just started, Other People’s Houses, which I got from our library on Friday. So far – pretty good!
I was influenced to buy this cleaning spray by Mississippi Candle Co. It’s apparently a spray that makes your home smell AMAZING. So I’ll follow-up in next weekend’s wrap-up to let you know what I think.
I like to find some positive news and information to keep me from spiraling and I was happy to stumble upon these tidbits. Way to go, Brazil!
If you’re in the mood to browse and be inspired, you might also like:
- Winter Boots that Don’t Disappoint
- A Guide to Buying Dupes v. The Originals
- Speaking of Dupes…. Spring Break on the Brain? These Bogg Bag Dupes Are Awesome!
- Great New Fiction in January 2026
A quick note: Some links I share may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to shop through them. I only ever share things I genuinely use, love, or would recommend to a friend.