Happy New Year!

How was your literate life this week? As always, I’m here in your Inbox to celebrate our literate lives with a sneak peek into my own. Here’s what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and exploring this week:

What I’m Reading:

This week, I read Shine by J.J and Chris Grabenstein. I have two children in middle school, so I was instantly drawn to this book. The book summary shared this: Astronauts can make it to the moon. Can Piper Milly make it through middle school? Why yes, she can. And yes, we all can, too. Shifting the age-old question of ‘What do you want to be?’ to ‘Who do you want to be?’ reminds readers what’s really important, both child and adult. This is a book that will have you rooting for Piper, gaining a new perspective on the less-than-enchanting middle schoolers and will invite you to think about who you want to be, too.


In addition to reading, I’m eagerly building my 2021 reading stack. Are you? I’ve joined the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, signed up to read 21 minutes a day in 2021 with Gretchen Rubin and am combing through the Best 25 children’s books of 2020 from the New York Times. I’m shocked to say I’ve read less than half of these, so these books are moving to the top of my TBR stack:

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodsen

Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It by Andrea Davis Pinkney

There Must be More Than That by Shinsuke Yoshitake

Which books do you think I should add?

What I’m Writing:

My writing is full of possibilities this week. My husband and children gave me a beautiful leather bound, personalized notebook that is just waiting to be filled with goodness and memories. This week, I started with Alex Elle’s recommendation of writing a list of what I’m holding space for in 2021. Here’s just a few of the bullets from my own page:

  • Love and joy

  • Reading and writing

  • Time with family

  • New opportunities

  • Chances to grow and change

  • Self-care 


What are you holding space for in 2021?

What I’m Learning:

Are you ready for this?! This week, I learned how to make hot chocolate bombs with my daughter. It was messy, it was tasty and it was great fun. And while it might not have been as successful as we hoped, the next time we try this, I know we’ll see our handmade bombs burst to life under the waterfall of hot milk. =) This may be a New Year’s activity that we have to repeat again to make it a tradition.

What I’m Loving:

I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole this week into the world of mixed media journals. As I gear up for my 2021 One Little Thing notebook, I’m amazed at the sheer amount of possibilities the pages of a notebook hold. Any while my notebooks are often two dimensional, I’m realizing this is not the case for everyone. And I’m learning from those brave, creative souls. You should, too.

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?