I used to do a weekly post with a review of the past week and lots of links. Since many of you missed it, we will bring it to you again in 2026. I’ll be sharing photos and highlights from last week and what I read, watched, and listened to. We also share links to posts and other interesting things you don’t want to miss.
This week’s big cleaning project was the bathroom drawers and cupboards.
I didn’t think it was that bad…and decided to take everything out so I could see what I was using instead of searching through drawers like I usually do. I thought it would take 30 minutes but it took 2 hours so let’s just say I was really glad I had extra time!!
But when I tried it, it felt so good! The next step is to build a good organizational system that can continue. It’s been a full week since I cleaned, and I’m glad to see that it’s still clean and organized.
If you want to see the complete process, Watch my short video here.
It’s basketball season and Cyrus is playing two to three games a week. Due to game times and many games being 45 minutes to an hour apart, I can’t go to every game, but I try to go to as many as I can. David loves watching Cyrus play!
Look at his smile!
I went to Kroger twice this week to buy discounted items! you can Watch a video of me buying discounted items here. See everything I bought on my first trip and what it cost in this post.
Slowing down has been one of the strangest and most life-giving lessons for me lately.
I’m used to pushing, creating, and filling every available space, so learning to pause felt uncomfortable at first. But with the help of some wise professionals and a lot of listening to my body, I was able to understand how much I actually needed some breathing space, rest, and breathing space…and it’s changing my life!
We’ll talk more about this in next week’s podcast episode.
This week I went to a gastroenterologist at the request of my functional medicine doctor. Due to chronic anemia and other issues, I scheduled my first colonoscopy and endoscopy in February. If you’ve experienced either before, I’d love to hear your experiences and tips.
Jesse and I recorded a podcast episode on our 2026 fun list. When listening to podcasts, look for them to air on Tuesdays (search for “The Crystal Paine show”!).
She surprised me and came home Thursday night and we got to hang out and go for a mile and a half night run, which was so much fun!
Jesse and I spent Friday Sabbath morning working on this World War II puzzle he gave me last Christmas (I finally finished it!). Even if I only read the first section (which includes codes, codes, and punch cards), I really enjoyed it.
my functional medicine doctor made me do it start drinking this When I started working with her last year because I had a lot of bouts of illness. I don’t know if it’s just because I slowed down, or because I took better care of myself, or because I took this, but I haven’t gotten sick since I started doing this. Even though I have been exposed to so much. I take 2 capsules daily and 4 if I feel something is wrong (every time, I never get sick!)
On Saturday, after going to the gym, I took Kierstin, David, and Micah to Chipotle for a special treat. David insisted on sitting in the high chair and trying the food. He hasn’t actually eaten anything, but we are so excited that his interest in food has increased so much over the past few months.
Jesse and I celebrated our 23rd anniversary this week with high tea at a local tea room (thank you to my parents for the gift card for my birthday!)
Fun fact: When Jesse and I first got married, I worked in a tea room, so I’m a huge tea fan.
It was a very fun experience!
Can you find Mika??
I was so excited to take advantage of Amazon’s $30 General Mills sale for $10 off my order. Here’s what I got:
- 2 Giant Boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal – $4.46 each
- 1 Cascadian Farms Sugar Free Granola – $4.59
- Annie’s Mac & Cheese 12 Pack – Total $10.73
- 1 piece Nature Valley Protein Granola – $5.98
- Subtotal before coupon: $30.22
- Automatically minus $10 at checkout
- $21.59 after savings!
This week’s top Instagram posts
shared Reflecting on Catherine’s illness a year ago On Instagram. I have copied and pasted the following text…
This was exactly one year ago. Kathryn came down with Influenza A, developed bronchitis, developed pneumonia, and then developed sepsis. It all happened so fast…Looking back, I can see even more clearly that the promptings of the Holy Spirit that I couldn’t shake probably saved her life. We already took her to the ER 2 days ago and they said she had influenza A and bronchitis and was very sick and would probably be really sick for another week. They gave us the steps to treat her and sent us home.
After the ER visit, her condition seemed to gradually worsen. We had to really struggle to get her out of bed and go to the bathroom. She didn’t really eat or drink. Then, her breathing seemed to worsen and she started taking shallow, rapid breaths.
I later learned that her high heart rate was a sign of possible sepsis…I had no idea that at the time. I knew in my gut that this was more than influenza A or bronchitis.
She didn’t want to move, but Jesse and I insisted she go to urgent care. He took her and immediately sent her to the hospital. By the time they arrived at the hospital, she was barely functioning, stating that everything felt foggy and disorienting (also a sign of sepsis).
Had we waited a few more hours, things might have gotten even worse. But because she went in, they caught it and were able to quickly medicate her and reverse course.
We spent the next few weeks helping her slowly recover (she was incredibly weak and had lost a lot of weight, but her lungs were still healing). We didn’t know if she would be able to return to college or if she would have to take a semester off.
But she worked really hard to recover and by the end of January she had recovered enough to go back to school. Other than heavy hair loss and other health issues she has been dealing with over the past year, she has made a full recovery and we are so grateful.
I share this as a reminder that if you feel in your gut that something is wrong, go get tested, even if you don’t feel like it. There is a reason God gave us intuition. Use it to advocate for yourself and those around you.
Books I finished reading this week
the only woman in the room — I felt like this book had a lot of potential to be really interesting, but it just didn’t meet my expectations. It felt like the author was trying to weave a lot of history into this book, and the novel portion felt a little thin and the storyline lacked depth and fleshing out. I also noticed that so many chapters skip forward in the story timeline quite a bit and then backtrack to get the reader up to speed. I wish the story had been written more chronologically instead of jumping forward and backtracking over and over again.
breathing as prayer – I got this as a free download from Libby and it was really encouraging. If you have ever struggled with slowing down, letting go of your burdens to the Lord, or worrying or anxious thoughts, this book will encourage you.
It’s never wrong to do the right thing – I was very encouraged by the stories of women in the Bible and women of faith that appear in this book. The author is a great storyteller and brought out parts of the story that I hadn’t thought of before. You can listen to a podcast episode about this book here.
what i hear
I listen to worship songs every morning in my car on the way home from the gym. One of my recent favorites is; Jesus Loves Me by Shane & Shane
what i see
I’m watching too When your heart calls Part of your afternoon workday allows you to easily do other things while you work. I’m probably going to watch all 13 seasons this year. Because I think it’s a fun and engaging “background show,” the kind you watch in the background while you’re doing something else. Season 1 is almost over (I’ve never watched this show…can you believe it?)
In case you missed it – this week’s post
If you had to reduce your monthly expenses, what would you give up or do differently? (50 ideas!) – Looking for creative ways to reduce your monthly expenses? This list might give you some inspiration and ideas to try.
15 ways to make money online – If you’re looking to make extra money online from home to increase your income, there are many ways to get started. Over the years, I’ve seen countless readers successfully earn extra income online in a practical and flexible way. Whether it’s freelancing a skill you already have, selling digital products, managing social media for a small business, or completing simple tasks in your spare time. Check out this list of ideas for more inspiration.
How to get free samples – From beauty and home products to snacks and baby products, stretch your budget and find new favorites by learning how you can get free samples delivered to your mailbox. This guide will show you the best and legal way to try new products for free without wasting your time or money.
This week’s podcast episode
Episode Title: How Understanding the Mercy of Christ Changes Us with Shelley Hughes Glugg
To kick off the new year, we have Shelley Hughes-Gragg in the studio today. She is a writer whose work truly changed the way we read the Bible and experience God. This December, her Advent devotions stopped me in my tracks. And her latest book, merciful christfeels like exactly what many of us need heading into the new year.
Hear Shelley tell her story of growing up in a very legalistic Christian environment where rules were more important than relationships and doubt was not only unwelcome but dangerous. We talk about what it’s like to maintain a respectable appearance while relaxing in your private life, and how years of trying to be “good enough” has led to a deep sense of failure, especially when it comes to raising children. Her reflections are gentle, unfiltered, and grounded in compassion. Not just to herself, but to her children and others who have carried the emotional shame for far longer than necessary.
Hear how Shelley’s turning point came when she began studying the Bible through the cultural and historical context of the Middle East, including her time studying in Israel. She describes how this lens transformed familiar scenes and healed long-held fears, especially regarding the crucifixion and the belief that God turns away from us in our darkest moments. One moment in particular, Jesus’ words from the cross restructured everything she thought she knew about God’s presence and faithfulness.
Tell us about your week! Will something interesting happen? Have you read any good books, watched any good shows, or worked on any projects?
Source: Money Saving Mom® – moneysavingmom.com
