Life Lately | January

 Hey guys! Almost done with January and because it's not actually over yet and I'm not willing to break a resolution in less than 30 days, I'm not going to complain about it at all. What I will say is that February is coming up quick and it's a short month. So it's basically almost March, which always comes with few nice days and we're practically on the highway to summer. 

How's that for staying positive? Seriously though, this has been the most mild winter ever and I AM HAPPY for it. The month did feel long, like really long, but I feel like it was well used. Got a few projects started, read a handful of books and the best part - I slept. I'm afraid to put anything in writing, lest the universe punish me as it usually does when I casually suggest a parenting win, so I'm just going to vaguely say that Duke and his sleeping are doing okay. 

January is mostly just home project season at my house. It's when I'm cooped up inside long enough to feel motivated to do inconvenient things in the name of having a cozier home. I painted my bedroom a few weekends ago and just got finished up with the first coat of paint in Ryan's bathroom. Some day, in some far away project season many years away, I'll get around to painting the trim. 

Anyway, January is a month I aim to survive, accepting that I'm not here to thrive. I force myself to find at least one fun thing to do every weekend, and per my last email about the very mild winter, that's mostly been Duke and I bombing around Benzie county to check on our favorite beaches. 

First order of business on January 1 - get thee to the lake shore. 

Ryan's been ice fishing, despite the lack of freezing temperatures. Which, I mean something is going to kill all of us, and it might as well be something fun, but this feels all kinds of risky if you ask me. 

Duke and I try to take the dogs out for a walk after work/school a few times a week. My dogs get so antsy the minute they see me open the closet door for their leashes. 

I did a mostly dry January, pausing only for an afternoon when Ryan's sister Christy visited. If she will drive 5 hours to get here, I can break Dry January for a rum and soda, no? She did her part, I'll do mine. Anyway, we went for a long hike and it was just a nice afternoon to catch up. 

Last weekend Duke and I went for a leisurely drive around Crystal Lake, which is beautiful all year around. She even makes the choppy ice look good, you know? 

Ryan says he got me the espresso machine for Christmas, but I think he got it for himself. His sister Sarah calls that a "homer gift" referencing when Homer got Marge a bowling ball that he wanted for himself. No matter, we're both enjoying the heck out of this machine and even Duke gets in on the fun with fancy frothy hot cocoas. 

Technically in February, but cheers to the end of Dry January! 

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I'm going into February with the most annoying kind of positivity. It's slow goin' but we're on the way to summer and isn't that just wonderful?