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January 3, 2026

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s COLD here in Ohio and you know what? For the first time ever, I’m kind of excited about a chance to warm up this week with a little bit of travel. (I can’t believe I just admitted that!) I still love my Ohio life, but wow, battling with a furnace that isn’t cooperating and working reliably is making me just a little bit cranky with this weather. I’m hoping for a permanent fix soon!

ON OUR MEAL PLAN THIS WEEK: Tender bites of barbecue chicken, stuffed into a fluffy baked potato with a perfectly crispy skin make these BBQ Chicken Baked Potatoes a perfect meal. 

Balsamic Glazed Meatloaf is like no other I’ve tried. Flavorful, moist and honestly delicious, this is the meatloaf that managed to convert even the most ardent meatloaf haters (like myself and my brothers) into tried and true fans.

Cabbage and Noodles flavored with little more than butter and a bit of pepper just might impress you in its simplicity. This an old-fashioned dish that has become a regular comfort food in our household.

Roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are pure awesomeness from start to finish. Adding salty bacon and a splash of vinegar makes this one heck of a fantastic side dish.

Whenever the temperature dips and soup season arrives, I find myself using my crockpot even more than usual more. I am convinced that this slow cooker white chicken chili is the reason crockpots exist. No stress. Just tender chicken, hearty beans, spicy chile, and a house that smells divine.

Did you know you can make granola in the crock-pot? It is so easy and I am hooked on this granola!!

Yellow cupcakes, whipped vanilla buttercream, and fresh berries make these strawberry shortcake cupcakes a fun winter-time variation of the classic summer shortcake treat.

My FAVORITE THING this week is still this tiny keychain container. It can be used as a travel pill case or for carrying small jewelry or earplugs. It’s beyond the handiest thing I could’ve imagined! I started carrying mine over a month ago and loved it so much, I wound up gifting it to several people this Christmas. It’s super discreet and thin and doesn’t weigh down my keychain at all. I really do love it!

What I’m WATCHING: Stargate SG-1, on repeat throughout my life. It’s been a few years, so this was past due for a rewatch. SG-1 was my introduction to the awesomeness of really great sci-fi adventure. If you’ve never given it a chance, it’s a mix of mythology, military action, really solid humor, with fantastic character development and world building over its long run. There aren’t all that many shows I’ve watched start to finish, let alone start to finish more than once. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve watched Stargate all the way through. It’s that good.

What I’m LISTENING to: God’s Highway by Sandra McCracken. I don’t know if there’s an artist I enjoy more than Sandra McCracken these days. “Steadfast” and “Be Still My Soul” are both lovely.

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 ESV

Wishing you a beautiful week filled with little things that make you smile!

Mary