26 for ‘26

-

 It’s one of those transitional years for me: Lil Momma turns 13 this summer, my work has drastically changed and I’m no longer seeing staying as a given, and I’m building back from these injuries and stress and sadness.

This list is more to keep my head in the game (some new games, actually) and to remember to be present in these moments - and maybe even have some fun. Who knows? Stranger things have happened…

I’ll elaborate more when I check in about them here and there, but there’s the whole list as a start.

1 do my PT exercises multiple times a week

2 clean my office and set up my desk

3 give myself time to enjoy school

4 send 12 cards

5 do my own estate planning 

6 that vacation I owe LM 

7 take a long walk in the woods

8 read 100 books

9 go see a movie

10 hang pictures 

12 listen to more music 

13 eat dinner at the table 

14 bake 10 loaves of bread

15 see people more

16 take a solo trip 

17 dip my toes in the ocean 

18 play more board games

19 figure out how to rest 

20 declutter consistently  

21 go on a lunch date w/the Mr

22 use vacation time for fun

23 commit to morning and bedtime routines

24 be ready for a casual visit, an ad hoc meeting, or a surprise dinner

25 be in pictures

26 remember it’s ok to be a silly goose 

Comments

  1. NicoleJanuary 5, 2026 at 4:35 AM

    "Figure out how to rest" - I have to recommend a book called The Relaxed Woman. I am now a Relaxed Woman evangelist. It's SO good and talks about the importance of rest and all the ways we need to rest (physically, mentally, emotionally, etc)
    I think this is a really great list and really will enhance your life in every way! And omg yes on estate planning. It's SO important. No one wants to think about death but wow, we don't want to leave a huge mess when we shuffle off this mortal coil!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LindsayJanuary 5, 2026 at 9:40 AM

      I read your post today and I had a whole "is Nicole talking to ME?!?!" moment, haha! I put the book on hold and can't wait to dive in. And, if I've learned anything in the chaos of estates the past handful of years, it's that putting the time and cognitive effort into having a plan before you need one is the best gift you can give yourself and your family/friends.

      Delete
  2. NGSJanuary 5, 2026 at 7:53 AM

    Dip my toes in the ocean!! YES!! I want that to be my goal. (It cannot be my goal.) Good luck. It sounds like you have a nice mix of big and small goals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Birchwood PieJanuary 5, 2026 at 8:02 AM

      Why can't it be your goal? Girl, get yourself to the ocean!!!

      Delete
    2. LindsayJanuary 5, 2026 at 9:36 AM

      What Birchie said!! Goals can (should?) be aspirational. There might not be an ocean in your plans right NOW, but that doesn't mean an unexpected ocean moment couldn't wildly pop up sometime...

      Delete
  3. ElisabethJanuary 5, 2026 at 8:00 AM

    I LOVE this list. Such an affirming, joyful collection of things, along with some get-er-done items.
    A walk in the woods! Fresh bread! The ocean! Be in pictures.
    I honestly think this is the best mix of plans/goals/intentions I've seen yet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LindsayJanuary 5, 2026 at 9:41 AM

      YAY! This made my day! I really wanted a list mixed between practicality and joy. The big things will loom, but I really want to liven up my real life....

      Delete
  4. Birchwood PieJanuary 5, 2026 at 8:01 AM

    Yes to 26 in 26! Especially resting, dipping your toes in the ocean, the solo trip, and being a silly goose! Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

why would we get a dog right now?

-
Why would we get a dog right now? Honestly. Everything is wildly chaotic and I live in a constant state of overwhelm. The news this week has been so horrifying and that’s on top of the sad and awful it’s been. Why would we get a dog right now? We just survived the back to back of the Mr. and my 20th dating anniversary and Lil Momma’s 12 birthday. For our anniversary, we saw it was the year of “metal” and pulled the plug on buying new kitchen appliances (much needed), including our first working dishwasher and a fridge with water (with water!! So fancy!!) that arrive tomorrow. We have to take a cabinet down tonight somehow and then find a place for the fridge contents. I’m sourcing ice and coolers. Don’t even ask me about the ballet barre and turning pad we got LM; no clue where those will be stored. Why would we get a dog right now?  School starts next week. Besides the fact that LM is 5 feet tall now and 12 years old, the idea that she’s in 7th grade seems unfathomable. This yea...
Read more

cast away

-
Image
  I am having one of   those work weeks that just beat you up . Vague asks that do n’t make sense, changing timelines and details, being behind the ball but not having any way to get ahead… Sigh, this is not when I shine. However, I had my personal pity party last night and am trying to let the stress go and do what I can do with what I have when I have it.   For this week, I wanted to ramble away about  Lil Momma’s audition for a special production class  at her musical theater school as it took up most of our energy last weekend:   Lil Momma went in strong on Saturday am and was so ready with her bit of song and good attitude. With both us knowing more than half the auditioners would NOT make it in, I tried to balance my car ride pep talk with real talk ride to the studio, for sure.    When I picked her up, she was devastated, unfortunately, because a bunch of the younger kids and some of the competition team kids had gotten a callback for that ...
Read more

on plans and puppies

-
Image
  I think where we left off was that my little family was getting a puppy in the latter half of September?   I’m allergic to everything, so we had to make some concessions in breed. I so want to be the person to walk into a shelter and save a pup, but we had been waiting for a year for a dog that wouldn’t turn me into a sneezy, hivey mess and that just didn’t happen. So, we researched ethical companies and found one that could help us get a 18-week-old    Bernedoodle from Wisconsin to us here in Massachusetts.  LM has been so excited to dive into puppy prep; she also won the name voting with “Maysie”, named after a character from Seussical the Musical . We got Maysie a crate, worked on ways to separate her and our senior population Morkie, Bella, and dove in to house decluttering while waiting for our transport weekend.  We were supposed to get a call on Saturday letting us know she was dropped off with the transporter. LM and I had seen a play the night be...
Read more