January was a rollercoaster of a month; some great days and some not-so-great experiences, too.
Such is life.
Along the way, I made little notes of things that were making my life easier and/or bringing a smile to my face.

Dill pickle hummus
I’m a huge fan of dill pickle flavoured…anything. And this hummus is so, so good (if you like dill pickles; it would be pretty awful if you didn’t). Paired with some pillowy-soft mini-Naan bread, this is lunchtime perfection. Yum.

candles
I know I’ve written about these candles ad nauseum, but January is PEAK candle season for me. Christmas is over and with it most of the brightest twinkle lights. The nights are still dark and we’re huddling over warm foods at the table. I love, love, love having candlelit suppers most evenings.

IKEA paper boxes
Okay, so these aren’t going to win any awards for the most stylish storage containers. But they are simple, inexpensive (the black ones are being discontinued and were only $4.99 for the large size), shockingly sturdy, and absolutely fabulous for storing all sorts of miscellany up and away in closets. Huge fan.

IKEA PAX Wardrobe
Speaking of closets, this is another repeat mention, but I cannot stop marvelling at how wonderful it is to have a functional entryway. Where was this for the first decade of being a parent? Everything has a place! The kids can reach their own gear! We have exposed hooks AND closet space! I have a laundry tote for wet winter gear, I can keep my mop, broom, and outdoor play equipment handy. While the whole entryway is an overarching favourite, the IKEA Pax wardrobe is the star of the show. Putting it together was a nightmare, but I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Especially the fact that at the end of the day I can slide the doors shut and ALL the mess gets hidden from view. So satisfying.
levi asking for picture books
At the end of 2022 I announced I was ready to let go. I wasn’t going to keep forcing picture books on the kids. Within a few days, the picture book bin was empty after I had returned the last set to the library. It felt liberating in a way, but still sad. Then Levi wandered over and said: Where are the books, Mom!? I think he believes they just magically appear overnight? As if they grow up out of the empty box and Voila! – a tote full of fun, carefully curated reads. I’m not ordering many books in, I’m not putting any pressure on myself to read all the books in the box before they go back and, overall, I’m bringing home a fraction of the reading material I used to, but it made me happy that he missed having a steady source of picture books when the urge struck. So I’ll keep filling the box and let the kids come to it on their own terms.

Kobo e-reader
I didn’t read as many books as I would have liked in January because of Levi’s sickies, but every single book I read was on the Kobo and it’s great! (I do find highlighting things to be a pain in the butt but, aside from that, I don’t have a single complaint.) I am especially loving the fact that I can look up the definition of a word while reading. Previously, if I didn’t know a word, I would just sail right on by. Now I stop, press on the word…and a definition appears. So handy! I also appreciate not having to keep track of my place in a book. And it’s so lightweight and can slip right into my purse (see below). In short, it has been wonderful.


A new-to-me purse
I disliked my leather crossbody purse for years. I bought it second hand and it looked great, but the way the zipper fastened was a proper nuisance.
I found a new one at a thrift store for under $10. It’s not amazing quality, but it has pockets of perfect dimensions that make storing and accessing important things (keys, wallet, phone) so much easier. Also, it’s big enough to hold my Sprouted planner AND my Kobo in the main pouch.


One line a day journal
I know, I know. Another repeat. But I really do love this thing. And I love it even more now that I’m on my second year of using it; each day I get to look back and see what we were doing exactly one year ago. It’s a fascinating daily glimpse into the past.
Okay, that’s it from me. Your turn. What are you loving so far in 2023? Any standout products or moments?
Header photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash