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Hello Reader,

We decided to ring in the New Year with a trip to Florida, bringing four of the children still at home along with us. We're having a great time soaking up the sun (although rain is in the forecast later today) and admiring beautiful views of the sea (the Gulf Coast is clearer and prettier in Florida than it is in Texas).

I hope your January has gotten off to a good start, too. There are lots of things to celebrate this month. Here are just a few of them...

Free resources for you this week:

• Jan. 6: Epiphany Day - celebrate Kings' Day with our brand new Christmas IQ test​
• Jan. 9: Law Enforcement Appreciation Day - here's how I pray for police officers​
• Jan. 14: Organize Your Home Day - our 50 simple organization tips will get you started
• Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Day - our MLK worksheets honor the famed Civil Rights leader
• Jan. 19: National Tin Can Day - celebrate by trying one of out Tin-Can Upcycling Projects
• Jan 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day - check out this cute video of the two squirrels we raised
• Jan. 24: National Peanut Butter Day - time to try our 10-Minute Peanut Butter Cookies​

What I'm reading this week:

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​Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung Other than the Bible, Crazy Busy was the last book I read in 2023, hoping it would help set the tone in 2024. Not that I want to be crazy busy this year. But that I recognize the fact my life consistently drifts in that direction and would like to counterbalance that. You, too? If your own tendency toward busy-ness has led to stress and distraction, you'll find helpful tips for turning things around in Kevin DeYoung's "mercifully short book about a really big problem." ​

What we're watching this week:

The girls in our family have been watching Anne of Green Gables together lately, including one daughter-in-law who was unfamiliar with L.M. Montgomery's beloved books about the red-headed orphan with a big imagination.

On the podcast this week:

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Loving LIfe at Home: Episode 25 ​MAKING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS YOU'LL ACTUALLY KEEP​ Whether you call it goal setting or resolution making or just turning over a new leaf, TODAY is a fantastic opportunity to make changes for the better. This is true, whether you're listening to this podcast on January 1 or any other day of the year. So let's get cracking! There's no time like the present! Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I finished everything on last week's to-do list, and then some: I ✅ finished and printed my new 2024 day planner, ✅ decluttered my bathroom closet and desk, ✅ began training for an upcoming half-marathon, and ✅ wrote thank you notes for Christmas gifts (using my new free printable notecards). And I also ✅ laid up 14 freezer meals before heading out of town and ✅ managed to keep my inbox clear.

Personal goals for this week:

• spend 7 hours outdoors
• post a few vacation pics to Instagram​
• send semester grades to all my algebra students' parents
• queue lessons plans for home
• post activity calendar on family bulletin board

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