Currently: December 2023
I can't believe this is the 6th edition of Currently!
December Recap
Welcome to my 6th edition of Currently! I cannot believe I have been writing one of these each month since July. Because next Monday will be Christmas, I wanted to go ahead and wrap up the month with you all! Since the month isn’t quite over yet, this will be a mix of a recap and what I am looking forward to during the last few days of the month.
December has felt like a more intentional and more restful month, and I am so thankful. Between sicknesses floating around and trying to intentionally take more time to slow down, we have found ourselves at home watching Christmas movies, reading, wrapping presents, and eating soup. And I have loved it!
This week, I am having some of my friends over to bake Christmas cookies and just enjoy the season together. Later this week and next, we will be traveling to see family, and then making it home in time to spend New Years Eve and New Years Day at home with our little family.
I am also a big fan of setting new intentions and creating new habits for a new year. Stay tuned and subscribe for some of that content coming soon!
Reading
All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox - I loved this story! The romance is set on a music competition reality TV show, similar to American Idol which I loved to watch growing up. I really enjoyed the setting, the characters, and the side plots. I recommend skipping pages 186-187 to make the book closed door, no spice.
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox - Right on the tails of finishing All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox, I jumped into The Holiday Swap. One of the reviews on the back of the book describes it as a mix of Cake Wars, The Parent Trap, and Gilmore Girls, and after finishing, I think that is spot-on! I really enjoyed the romances, the small town bakery, and the characters personal journey's to remembering who they are and reinventing who they want to be.
Honest Advent by Scott Erickson - I have used this advent devotional for a couple years now, and I really like it. It has a beautiful illustration to go along with each day, and I feel like the author really focuses on aspects of the Christmas story that are not always the most glamourous or pretty but are equally important. They are simple and short but always make me think about something in a new way. If you are looking for something to read leading up to Christmas, this one is worth looking into!
The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran - I downloaded this book on my Kindle after seeing a friend on social media share about it. Essentially, the book argues that it is much much more effective to set goals for shorter time periods because you feel a greater sense of urgency to get them done and a greater sense of value in each day. I just started reading it this weekend, and I am really excited to finish it and gather some inspiration before the new year!
Watching
Karen Kingsbury’s The Bridge - This is actually both a book and a two-part movie. It is the story of two college students who meet at college in Nashville and fall in love at a local bookstore and the story of the older couple who run the store. It is one of my favorites!
The Family Switch - This new Netflix movie was so cute! My mom texted me about it earlier this month, and Jackson and I watched it recently. It is a Freaky Friday style Christmas movie that is heartwarming and really fun!
Listening
pureNRG - I feel like the holiday season typically gets us all feeling a little more nostalgic than usual. This year, as I was thinking about Christmas music and what I wanted to listen to, I was reminded of one of my favorite Christmas albums when I was growing up - the pureNRG Christmas album. PureNRG was a Christian group I listened to growing up. They were just a little older than me, and the two girls names were both Caroline - so naturally, I loved them. I am not necessarily recommending everyone go listen to pureNRG, but maybe pull out an old nostalgic feeling album this season and give it a listen.
As for Me and My House: Celebrating Christmas Differently - I mentioned in my Step Into Christmas post that I have been thinking a lot about holidays and how/why we celebrate them. As Jackson and I have gotten married and started to think about what we want our traditions to be, it has really made me question the purpose and intent behind all of it. This episode shares another couple’s insights into celebrating Christmas as Christians and is worth a listen if you are interested in this topic.
Doing
Dance workouts - When I was a kid, I remember picking my favorite song and listening to it over and over again until I had choreographed a whole dance. I would write the dance down on a piece of paper using notes and drawings so I would remember it later. Recently, I was working through a little workout challenge and came across some dance workout videos. I get in moods to workout occasionally; however, cardio is rarely ever something I am excited to do. But who isn’t often in the mood to dance to some of your favorite songs? I am hoping to make both dance workouts and dancing purely for the fun of it more of a regular occurence in 2024.
Dreaming & planning for 2024 - I am a big goals, habits, & routines person. I love taking time to reflect over the previous year and set intentions for the one to come. Now being married, it is one of my favorite things to get to sit down with Jackson to dream and plan for our family’s future. I have been watching youtube videos, scrolling on pinterest, praying, journaling, and so many other things to brainstorm ideas and decide on what I want to focus on in the upcoming year. I plan to share more of this in my post that will go out on New Years Day.
Quote
This is something I pinned as I was looking for 2024 inspiration on Pinterest this past week. I hope it inspires you as well as we head into the rest of the holiday season.
I hope you all have been having a wonderful Christmas season and are looking forward to the days ahead. As always, thank you so much for reading, and I will talk to you next week!
Take care,
Caroline
Good job