Danielle’s Picks: 5 Things I Tried and Loved in January 2023
What a month January has been! We accomplished a lot around the farmhouse in terms of renovations. I am happy to report that after many weekends, every single wood panel is now removed from the room that will become the kitchen and dining room. We also uncovered a (potential) double sided fireplace!
Reflecting on January 2023
As far as personal goals go, I completed dry January, and I am days away from opening my very first Etsy shop, I AM Printables Co. This webshop specializes in colorful digital art with a focus on the law of attraction, and manifestation. If you’ve been keeping up, I shared here the role manifestation will play in 2023, given my word of the year.
I am so excited to open the doors to this webshop this February!
Did I mention this little blog of mine will be getting a refresh as well? Well, yes this coming month (fingers crossed) I will install a new theme to freshen up this little internet space of mine. One day I’ll have a completely custom theme installed but, for now I cannot wait to unroll this simple, feminine theme. I’ll share more about it after the install. Just want to make sure everything goes smoothly first.
On the family front, Justin and I decided to get the girls back into some activities after a well deserved (and enjoyed) winter break. Sadie is taking a ballet class at the community center, while Nora is finally signed up for horseback riding lessons. This is something she has wanted to try since her very first lesson back on Long Island. The truth is it’s slightly more affordable here which is why Justin and I decided to give it a go.
Wow, we accomplished a lot so far. I actually hadn’t realized it until just sharing it all with you. I hope you finished up some projects of your own too. If you’re up to it, share something you’ve been working on below. I’d love to hear what you’re up to.
Now, let’s get on to the five things that I tried and loved in January…
Feature Image by Jacob Morch
WATCH
Cartoon Saloon is one of my absolute favorite animation studios. I discovered them when I was searching for a movie to share with the girls on St. Patrick’s Day a couple of years ago. We watched The Secret of Kells.Then just recently the girls and I decided it was time to try another from their collection, Wolfwalkers.
This movie is one of three that focuses on Irish folklore, and it is done beautifully. Between the hand drawn animation and original storyline, you and your kiddos will be watching this one on repeat. That’s what we did here, especially Sadie. I just wish there was a way to buy the digital download of this movie. For now, it’s only available on Apple TV.
EAT
Trader Joe’s has done it again. I cannot get enough of this dip. It’s sooooo good. I paired it with a rich and crunchy sesame cracker (store brand) and yum! The whole jar never stood a chance. Sadie even tried some the other day, despite my saying that it’s riddled with veggies. And, she enjoyed it too. I believe the word/sound was “Mmmmmm”. I plan to add a jar of this to my hygge box for when we have company here at home. More on that idea later this month, stay tuned!
WEAR
I mentioned above that Sadie has started ballet classes. But, if you know Sadie then you know she’s already thinking about what activity she is going to join after ballet. (For the record, it’s Irish Dancing, and I’m having a hard time finding lessons here in East Tennessee). With that in mind, we didn’t want to spend a fortune on her ballet outfit. And, this trio from Amazon fit the bill. The leotard, skirt, slippers and tights came in at $45. Not too bad if you ask me, and Sadie loves getting to put on her “ballerina clothes” each week.
READ
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza is one of my favorite law of attraction books thus far. This book encourages the reader to take a closer look at limiting beliefs that they might have, and how said beliefs (and the “big three”) have a hand in creating their reality. Here is one of my kindle highlights “Your past shortfalls can be traced, at their root, to one major oversight; you haven’t committed yourself to living by the truth that your thoughts have consequences so great that they create your reality.” I am currently working on the meditation practice Dr. Joe designed in his book, and will share more once I get through the 4 week process. I am planning on making this meditation practice a part of my nightly ritual once I make it my own. This book was available at my local library so, check there first or head on over to Amazon (link below).
BAKE
Well, it finally happened. I made my first sourdough loaf, and thanks to this dutch oven from Lodge it turned out perfectly. This set is a great addition to our cast iron cookware set, and I highly recommend it if you are a home cook, or if you are in need of a great gift for one. You can make soups, stews, bread, pasta…well, pretty much anything to be honest. It’s one of those multi-purpose pots that if you take care of properly, will be around for generations.
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