January Notes

January always feels like a threshold in change, a place where reflection is linked with anticipation, looking back while dreaming for the future. For me, these colder months tend to be filled with brainstorming and planning for the year to come and can often look like garden ideas tucked into notebooks, future trips loosely outlined on Pinterest, and picking up old hobbies to pass the time before spring returns to thaw the earth.

One of my favorite ways to brighten winter days is flipping through seed catalogs and scrolling flower farm websites to provide inspiration for rows of blooms not yet planted. Even as I find myself craving warm sunshine and time outside, I am doing my best to appreciate this slower season for what it can provide, like extra game nights with family and unhurried weekends that aren't as common in busier months. 

Favorite Eats:

Meal - Crispy Pepper Jack Chicken

The past few Christmases my Mom has gifted us some HelloFresh boxes to start the year with. In our first box this year we chose Crispy Pepper Jack Chicken for one of our recipes and it quickly became a favorite, making its way onto our list of rotating meal ideas.

Photo Credit: HelloFresh

Link to Recipe

Snack - Homemade Popcorn w/ Elote Seasoning

Also for Christmas we were gifted some popcorn kernels to make fresh popcorn with. Recently we have been popping a few servings of these kernels on the stove and topping them with a little butter and Elote Seasoning from Trader Joes for a really simple and tasty snack.

Link to Seasoning

Adding Magic:

In an effort to add a little magic and whimsy to each day, I have been challenging myself to move through ordinary tasks slower and look for small ways to make them feel special. Last year, I got myself a record player for my birthday and started collecting vinyl records, but I rarely played them. Often forgetting it was there or just never feeling like the moment was “right” to play one. This month, I wanted to change that, so I decided to play a record while I cook dinner. It created an opportunity to build a routine around the records, making it easier to incorporate them into my everyday life. Now I use my record player multiple times a week and I look forward to picking the soundtrack for my time in the kitchen. It has made even the simplest evenings feel a little more intentional.

The records I've had on repeat this month include; Lainey Wilson - Whirlwind, Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving, and Midland - On the Rocks.

New Hobby: 

With winter giving us more time to play games together, we have really been enjoying the new version of Ticket to Ride. This version introduces tunnels and ferries to the standard train routes on the board creating a more intricate game, especially for two players. 

Link to Ticket to Ride Version

New Experience:

Being new to the world of OSU Athletics, one of our goals this year is to attend at least one event for each sport. This month we chose to go to a Men’s Basketball game. This was our first time experiencing a game at OSU and for me, it is always fun to see the different traditions and fan involvement that each team and athletic department produce on their home court.

What January was teaching me:

Patience - As mentioned earlier, this time of year often feels like it stretches on as I am itching to spend more time outside. Combine that with being deep in a job search, which will decide if we can fully unpack here or not, I have been stubbornly learning a lot of patience. As someone who loves the beauty of spring time and enjoys the outdoor activities that come with summer, it is so easy to spend wintertime wishing for the warmer months. The months we are able to go outside and plant in the garden, go on walks, and toast to drinks on a patio. I am trying hard in these slower days to remember, just as nature teaches us every year, that life is a balance and in order to have the abundant seasons filled with sun kissed skin, beautiful flowers, and long golden evenings, we must also have a time of rest. Allowing us the time for preparation and rejuvenation so that once the days we’re looking forward to are here, we have the energy to enjoy them.