Every year on January 18th I take one picture every hour from the moment I wake up until I go to bed that night. I end up taking pictures of the ordinary – supper prep, school drop off, a cup of coffee, my computer screen.

These ordinary pictures are actually quite extraordinary. They are my everyday. They are my here and my now. They are a day in my life.

For 16 years now, I’ve given myself an amazing gift to be able to look back at a typical day from the past years and see the changes from year to year. The gift of being able to see the extraordinary in my everyday routine because the truth is simple: today’s routine will not be the same for long. My children will grow. My jobs will change. These routines will not remain.

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A Day in the Life of Rebekah – January 18, 2026

9:00 AM – Slow mornings are one of my most favorite things, and I am taking advantage of being able to have a slow morning on this Sunday. I love reading in bed before I get up, and my kindle is my favorite way to read. My case is getting worn, but I can’t handle getting rid of the stickers.

10:00 AM – We got some snow this morning, and I popped outside to check with Nate about if we should go to church. He was shoveling, and we decided to stay home.

11:00 AM – We have gathered on the couch to watch church online. The last time my “a day in the life” project landed on a Sunday was 2015. I’m disappointed this won’t by a typical Sunday, but like I said, I love a slow morning.

12:00 PM – Lunch is leftover Pakistani Kima. This is a family favorite recipe that I make often. It is a simple ground beef curry with potatoes and peas.

Isaac and I made plans for his birthday next week while we ate. January birthdays are hard, and I almost always start planning late. This year he asked to keep our celebrating small with just our little family. It is an incredibly sweet request, and I teared up thinking about how in just a few years Grace will be at college on his birthday.

1:00 PM – Dirty mirror. No makeup. Popping in the shower with day 5 hair. (No, I didn’t wash it.)

2:00 PM – The boys headed out to play in the snow with the neighbor boy. Grace spent the night at a friend’s house, and she is still there.

3:00 PM – The boys are back inside warming up. And here is a look at our new living room furniture! We had been looking forward to redecorating our downstairs for a very long time. It took a lot of patience as we focused on repairs first (plywood ceiling – iykyk). I hired a designer to help us pick out everything, and that was the best decision I could have made. I am so happy with the results.

4:00 PM – Grace is home and we gathered to watch Traitors together. It is one of the shows we watch together as a family every year.

5:00 PM –  I really enjoy listening to audiobooks while working on puzzles. Today I started this puzzle my in-laws gave me for my birthday and the book Field Notes For The Wilderness by Sarah Bessey.

6:00 PM – Ever since our new furniture came, everyone has been hanging out in the living room even more than before.

7:00 PM – This is one of my favorite spots in the house. I found this buffet at the thrift store a couple months ago. The plant was a Christmas gift from my niece last year. The candles were a gift from this year’s Favorite Things Party. The nativity was a wedding gift that I’ve left up a little longer than usual this year.

8:00 PM – Well… things took a turn tonight. Our neighbors knocked on our door in a panic telling us to call 911 because their house was on fire.

9:00 PM – We had their dog while they dealt with the fire department.

There is so much more I could say about this night, but it really isn’t my story to tell. It was frantic, scary, stressful, but ultimately okay. They have some damage to their home, but it could have been so much worse.

Honestly, I’m still processing.

10:00 PM – We are all on the couch watching another episode of Traitors, trying to decompress. I don’t even know what to say.

Reflecting Back on my 2026 Day

Because I always do this project on January 18th, the day of the week changes from year to year. In 16 years of doing this project, this is only the 2nd time that it has fallen on a Sunday. The last time it was on a Sunday was in 2015. So much has changed since that Sunday, including our church.

Leaving the church we called home for 15 years is one of the hardest things we’ve done. I’ve talked about it online before (or at least hinted at it), but it has never been mentioned in this A Day in the Life series and it would feel wrong not to acknowledge it. So while I don’t want to rehash all of that, this is me acknowledging that our Sundays look different now.

Obviously, the house fire in our neighborhood was the most significant part of our day, and I continued to process it for many days after. The update from our neighbors is that the fire department told them they were lucky they got out when they did because the fire was just minutes away from becoming much, much worse. Sadly, they won’t be back in their home for probably a year.

Our country feels very divided and angry these days. It has felt this way for far too long now. Something about rushing to the aid of our neighbors stripped away all of the noise and brought us back to the core of what it means to be in community with others and love our neighbors.

I was reminded of the bible verses Matthew 25:35-36.

I am incredibly thankful that we were home to help our neighbors during their vulnerable time of need. It is what Jesus would have done, and while the world is yelling at each other about the right and wrong ways to live – living like Jesus always feels like the right choice.

Other Noteworthy Observations:

• Grace got her braces off, and Noah is just about to get his put on.
• It is fitting that snow made an appearance, because this has ended up being one of the snowiest winters we have had in a very long time.
• Noah is officially taller than me.
• I expected that my biggest reflection on our day was going to be the freshly re-decorated living room. It was a long time coming, and a big change we are all excited about. However, the fire was the focus of the day.

This was January 18, 2026. I look forward to seeing what changes come next year.

Thank you for following along on my 16th annual “A Day in the Life” project.

Take a peek back in time!

• A Day in the Life of… 2007
• A Day in the Life of… 2011
• A Day in the Life of… 2012
• A Day in the Life of… 2013
• A Day in the Life of… 2014
• A Day in the Life of… 2015
• A Day in the Life of… 2016
• A Day in the Life of… 2017
• A Day in the Life of… 2018
• A Day in the Life of… 2019
• A Day in the Life of… 2020
• A Day in the Life of… 2021
• A Day in the Life of… 2022
• A Day in the Life of… 2023
• A Day in the Life of… 2024
• A Day in the Life of… 2025

Thank you for sharing a day in my life!

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Welcome to my personal list of the best books of 2025. I’ve collected the best romance novels, general fiction, and nonfiction that I read this past year. But first, here are some of my reading stats for the year.

This post contains affiliate links.

My Reading Stats for 2025

I went into 2025 with 2 main goals for my reading.

• I hoped to read more than I did in 2024, which was 59 books.
• I wanted to avoid romance novels that were part of a series with cliffhangers.

The year ended with me reading 19 more books than in 2024.

I managed to avoid reading books with cliffhangers until the fall when I didn’t do enough research and accidentally started a 3-book series. I ended up DNFing the final book, which proves to me once again that I rarely like a cliffhanger series in romance. They almost always drag on longer than I like.

2025 Reading Stats:

• 72 total books read
• 50 romance novels, 69% of total reading
• 11 general fiction
• 11 nonfiction, 15% of my reading – all of them read on audio, which is the only way I read nonfiction
• 53% of my reading was through audiobooks, which is the first time audio was my highest percentage
• 43% was digital/kindle
• 4% was print
• 4 DNFs

Best Books of 2025: Romance Novels

Romance is my most favorite genre, and I am excited to share my favorites of the year with you, but first we need to address the spice scale.

Rebekah’s Spice Scale

1. Closed Door – no foreplay
2. Closed Door – spicy foreplay
3. Open Door – low spice
4. Open Door – high spice
5. Open Door – extremely high spice

Click here for a refresher on closed door vs open door. Also, it should be noted that when I say “spice/spicy” here, what I really mean is explicit details of intimate moments. Low vs high spice is the difference in how many pages and details are being used for intimate moments.

Right Man Right Time by Meghan Quinn

Tropes: Fake Dating, Age Gap, Hockey
Spice Level: 4
Available on Kindle Unlimited

In Right Man Right Time, Ollie and Silas meet in a bar when Ollie rushes up to Silas and asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend to make her ex jealous. Silas plays along perfectly, but as Ollie is about to walk away, Silas says to her, “You owe me.” which ends up starting their fake dating relationship. 

Silas is a professional hockey player and 10 years older than Ollie, who is a spunky college student. Silas has his own issues with an ex, which is why he wants Ollie to pretend to be his girlfriend. His ex cheated on him, which has left him really insecure.

Ollie is a great match for him though. Where he doubts, she is confident. It wasn’t even until I read this book that I fully realized how much the women tend to be the ones questioning if the fake relationship could be more, but here it is Silas that is uncertain. And reading Ollie’s confidence was incredibly refreshing.

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Tropes: Insta-Love, Long Distance, Grief, Mental Health, No Third Act Breakup
Spice Level: 3
Available on Kindle Unlimited

In Say You’ll Remember Me, Samantha and Xavier have an epic first date that neither one wants to end. They end up spending hours and hours together, but Samantha is moving across the country. They don’t really want to do long distance, but the connection between them feels too special to let go. Which is how they end up stuck in a long distance relationship that really isn’t working for either of them.

I could relate to this book a lot, which is probably why it landed on my top 5. My husband and I spent the majority of our dating years doing international long distance – and that was before FaceTime and texting. We didn’t even have cell phones. It was hard being apart, but breaking up would have made us even more apart. All of that heartbreak and tension was captured perfectly in this book.

I do want to add a gentle trigger warning for aging and ailing parents.  This book might not provide the escapism that you are hoping for if that is a stress in your life currently. Specifically, Samantha’s moms is dealing with dementia, and it’s a major plot point in the book.

Sin & Ink by Naima Simone

Tropes: Forbidden Romance, Widow, Grief, Workplace, He Falls First
Spice Level: 5
Available on Kindle Unlimited – audio included.

Sin & Ink is heavy, tension filled forbidden romance. Eden lost her husband, Conner, to a brain aneurysm that happened during an MMA fight. The book starts 2 years after Conner’s death. Connor’s brother, Knox, gave Eden a job at his tattoo shop to help her get back on her feet after Connor’s death. She has been working there for the past 2 years, and Knox has been tortured by her presence in his shop.

Knox has been fighting his feelings for Eden since before she married his brother. Now she is constantly in his space. Her polite little touches, like a pat on the arm or brushing past him, are pure torture. He is infatuated with her.

And we soon learn that Eden is starting to feel the same. But giving in to these desires is crazy. The stakes in this book are so high! Knox and Eden exploring this relationship together has the potential to disrupt everything in their lives. They work together. They share family. Eden doesn’t have good family of her own and so Connor‘s family really filled a need and a void for her. Taking this risk to be together truly jeopardizes everything which makes every moment between them that much more intense.

Irreversible by Jennifer Hartman & Chelley St Clair

Tropes: Trauma Bond, Kidnapping, Slow Burn, Grumpy/Sunshine
Spice Level: 4
Available on Kindle Unlimited

In Irreversible, Isaac is an undercover detective who is researching a series of missing person cases. Things go wrong for Isaac when the people he is investigating kidnap him. He finds himself chained alone in a room. On the other side of the wall, also being held captive,  is Everly.

Originally, Everly and her husband were attacked in their home. Her husband was shot and killed. She taken and although she has seen many people come and go on the other side of her wall, she has been kept alive in captivity for 2 years.

When the authors announced this book, they described it as Love is Blind, but with kidnapping. Honestly, that is what sold me on the book. Irreversible has a lot of high stakes drama. It is gritty and heavy. Plus, there was a reveal in the book that truly left me stunned. 

Lights Out by Navessa Allen

Tropes: Dubious Consent, Mask Play, Stalking, Insta-Lust, No Third Act Breakup
Spice Level: 5

In Lights Out, Allie has an infatuation with a TikToker who makes masked thirst traps. At the start of the book, she sends one of the videos to the guy she’s in a “situationship” with and asks if they can act out the video, but that relationship falls apart. However, her ex-situationship showed his roommate, Josh, the video. Surprise, surprise. Josh is the masked TikToker.

This sends Josh on a journey of trying to see if he can figure out how Allie is interested in him, and he essentially starts the process of stalking her. He starts by breaking into her house while she’s at work and filming a TikTok in her bedroom. While this has the potential to be really dark and twisted, it feels much more like a game that they are both consenting to.

Lights Out is a lighthearted look masked tiktokers and dubious consent. Ali and Josh fall for each other hard and fast, and they compliment each other’s weirdness in really beautiful ways. I love the way that the book is written with sharing each of their inner monologues. You can hear how much they are questioning their own sanity as they dive into this relationship with each other. I highly recommend the audio version.

Want to see more books I loved? Here is a list of 30+ books I read in 2025 and rated 4 or 5 stars.

Best Books of 2025: General Fiction

I read 11 general fiction novels this year, books that I would not consider romance novels. Out of the 11 I read, here are my top 2 favorites. I’ll also give an honorable mention to The One by John Marrs, which also got 5 stars from me.

Cover Story by Susan Rigetti

In Cover Story, Lora Ricci is an aspiring writer who just landed an internship at Elle magazine. That is where she meets Cat Wolfe, who ends up taking Lora under her wing. But can Cat really be trusted?

This is one of the very few books which I started re-reading immediately after finishing it. I would avoid reading too much about the book, simply let the story unfold as you go, and perhaps you’ll want to read it twice as well. Enjoy the journey. It is a wild one.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Atmosphere is about the first women to join the NASA space program in the early 1980s. That isn’t the type of book that I would normally reach for, but I have previously loved other books written by Taylor Jenkins Reid so I took a chance on it.

I could not put the audiobook down. At one point I was crying so hard while listening, two of kids came to check on me. That doesn’t sound like a great endorsement for the book, but trust me that it is.

Want to see more books I loved? Here is a list of 30+ books I read in 2025 and rated 4 or 5 stars.

Best Books of 2025: Nonfiction

I read 11 nonfiction books in 2025. I especially enjoy nonfiction that features social commentary and sharing people’s stories. Here are the three I enjoyed the most in 2025 – each of them I rated 5 stars. I listened to all 3 of them on audio, and they were narrated by the authors – which made them even better.

I’ve Got Questions by Erin Hicks Moon

Some of the Christians out there are embarrassing me. I’ve cringed thinking about being associated with them. I’ve asked myself, “What is the church doing?!” But if I pull at that thread, will it unravel the whole thing? Will asking questions destroy the entire framework of my faith?

Is this what deconstruction looks like? Isn’t that a bad word in the church? Does it mean I have one foot out the door? I’ve Got Questions was the warm hug I didn’t even know I needed.

Erin doesn’t give answers to all the questions, but gives permission for the questions. She acknowledges how uncomfortable it is to change our minds on something, while still offering hope that there will be love and beauty waiting on the other side.

She reminded me of the solid truth of Jesus and his love. It was genuinely so comforting to be reminded that if we just lock in on Jesus and love, we’ll be alright. I needed this book more than I realized. Maybe you need it too.

Awake by Jen Hatmaker

In the memoir Awake, Jen Hatmaker tells the story of discovering her husband’s affair and getting a divorce after 26 years. However, the book truly is a love letter to Jen’s family and friends that surrounded while her life fell apart.

You have to listen to Awake on audio. Not only does Jen narrate the book, but she also includes the voices of her friends and family throughout. If someone sent a meaningful text or wrote a note, their voice is the one that narrates that text. I have never experienced that in an audiobook before. It was incredibly touching.

The entire book was a reminder of how important it is to be in community with others and the weight of the impact that you can have on someone’s life.

Paris by Paris Hilton

You might think you know Paris Hilton, but you don’t. This memoir was shocking. While Paris was being portrayed in the media as wild party girl, she was overcoming devastating circumstances.

I want to keep my description of the book vague because it is best to go into the book blind. I highly recommend listening to the audio version so you can hear Paris’s story in her own voice.

Want to see more books I loved? Here is a list of 30+ books I read in 2025 and rated 4 or 5 stars.

More Reading Inspiration:

• Join Currently Reading’s patreon to listen to Love & Chili Peppers every month. Love & Chili Peppers is a podcast dedicated to romance novels that I co-host along with Kaytee Cobb. It is an exclusive monthly podcast for the patreon supporters of Currently Reading.
• Listen to the first episode of Love & Chili Peppers here for free!
• 15 Things I Learned from Reading 100 Books in a Year
• What Is Kindle Unlimited? – The Ultimate Guide & What To Read
• Best Books of 2024

What were your best books of 2025? I would love to hear what made your list and if you loved any of the books that made my list.

Disclosure: This post contains commissionable Amazon affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may receive a commission based on your purchase. Top image is by beasternchen via Pixabay.

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This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Stitch Fix.

I’ve been using Stitch Fix for almost ten years. However, it has been awhile since I have done any clothing shopping. It is a new year, time for a closet refresh, and so I scheduled a fix from Stitch Fix.

Order your first Fix and get $20 off and Stitch Fix will waive your styling fee! Take your style quiz and schedule your Fix. Offer expires 7 days after signing up.

How Stitch Fix works

1. Take your style quiz so your stylist knows your tastes, measurements, and preferences.
2. Stylists hand-pick 5 items based on your style, fit, and price range and send them right to your home.
3. Try before you buy. Keep what you love and easily send back the rest with zero pressure.
4. First Fix Offer: Get $20 off your first Fix and your styling fee waived! Take your style quiz and schedule your Fix within 7 days of signing up to claim this deal.
5. Leave feedback so your stylist can continue finding pieces you’ll love in future Fixes.
6. No subscription required. Order a Fix only when you want.

Stitch Fix Try-On Haul

When I scheduled my Fix, I made a note for my stylist that I wanted casual tops that would look nice with jeans. I wanted something nicer than a t-shirt and hoodie, but something I could wear every day. I also requested jeans (since they are my favorite thing to get from Stitch Fix), and I would be open to a cardigan.

FORTUNE + IVY Shirt – $45

• Description: short sleeve, split neck, textured knit in the color olive
• I love the color and the slightly longer sleeves are nice.
• Verdict: keep

Market & Spruce Shirt – $39

• Description: short sleeve, split neck, linen blend knit in the color blue
• The color brings out my eyes, and the fabric is very soft.
• Verdict: keep

Bobeau Shirt – $59

• Description: short sleeve, boat neck, brushed top in colors white and gray
• This fabric is also very soft. I like that it is long sleeved.
• It is pretty long and would need to be tucked in.
• Verdict: keep

Flag & Anthem Cardigan – $69.50

• Description: acid wash cardigan with buttons and pockets in the color tan
• I like the length. I don’t have any cardigans in this style.
• I’m afraid the color washes me out.
• Verdict: send back

Prosperity Jeans – $90

• Description: boot cut jean with embroidery
• I am wearing these jeans in all of the other photos as well.
• I love the color. I could use a pair of jeans in this wash.
• These jeans have embroidered flowers coming out of the back pockets. They are actually really cute, and I like them more than I thought I would. In reality, my shirt would probably cover them 90% of the time.
• Although Stitch Fix usually nails it for me with jeans and how they fit, these are slightly tight at the waist. I am used to jeans with a little more stretch.
• Verdict: send back

Final Thoughts

While I am disappointed that the jeans didn’t work this time, I will definitely try getting jeans from Stitch Fix again – especially because they offer petite sizes! As a short girlie (I am 5’2″), it is nice to have the option of jeans in a petite length since traditional sizes are usual too long on me.

Stitch Fix offers several specialty lines of clothing:

• Maternity
• Petite
• Plus Size
• Mens
• Big & Tall
• Kids

I loved the tops, and decided to keep all of them. The cardigan is the only thing that I really didn’t care for, and that was mostly because of the color.

If you want to try it for yourself, here are a few links to get started:

• Start your Stitch Fix style quiz
• Stitch Fix: A Frugal Girl’s Honest Review
• Stitch Fix Kids: A Frugal Mom’s Honest Review

Get $20 off your first Fix and your styling fee waived! Take your style quiz and schedule your Fix within 7 days of signing up to claim this deal.

Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored by Stitch Fix and contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site. First Fix offer of $20 off plus waived styling fee is subject to change.

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You can’t beat the price of Dollar Tree stocking stuffers. Even with Dollar Tree increasing their prices in recent years, Dollar Tree is a great place to start your Christmas shopping for stocking stuffers.

I’ve pulled together a list of Dollar Tree stocking stuffers for kids, teens, and adults. If you have little kids, don’t miss the “all ages” category because you might find some great stocking stuffers for kids there as well.

This post contains affiliate links.

Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffers for Kids

Hot Wheels Cars – Dollar Tree is a great place to pick up Hot Wheels if you are looking for just one or two cars rather than getting a 5-pack or more.

Stickers – Dollar Tree has a really good selection of stickers. You can find various sticker packs, like this pack of Lisa Frank themed stickers, 90s themed stickers, and scented sports stickers. They also carry a variety of sticker in the educational section and the scrapbooking section.

Colorforms – Along with stickers, I often find sticker scenes like these Colorforms Sticker Story Adventures. Sticker activities are great for car trips.

Travel Games – This UNO game is the perfect size for a stocking stuffer. Find more travel games here.

Crayola Crayons – Crayola is the best brand of crayons out there, and they have so many different options at Dollar Tree. I found neon colors, glitter crayons, scented crayons, bold & bright colors (for coloring on dark paper), and the classic set.

Crayola Model Magic – Kids can mold and shape Model Magic into their own little creations (like clay) and then let it air dry. It dries very light weight and can be a cute keepsake. Dollar Tree carries several colors of Model Magic.

Fun Drinkware – Dollar Tree always has various cups for kids. I found “juice box” style cups designed to look like a gameboy and disco ball. Dollar Tree also often has plastic cups decorated with characters kids love.

Drink Mix – Add something fun to drink in the new cups. My Dollar Tree has boxes drink mix singles from Skittles, Sonic, Life Savers, and more.

Coloring & Activity Books – Dollar Tree is my favorite place to look for coloring books. They also have a variety of activity books including this fun “paint with water” book. All your little one needs is a paintbrush and some water to create their masterpiece.

Seasonal Pencils – Buy one pack of pencils and divide them among several stockings.

Curiosity Activities – Dollar Tree has several activity kits from the brand Curiosity. I found water color sheets, where the paint pallet is on the paper. I also found sun catchers, a sailboat kit, and a water pen notebook similar to Water Wow.

Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffers for Teens & Adults

Armor All Car Cleaning Supplies – Armor All is a great brand for car cleaning, and these smaller sizes of multi-purpose cleaner, protectant, and disinfectant wipes can be found at Dollar Tree. I’ve used these as stocking stuffers for men multiple times. Find full size options here.

Car Air Fresheners – Check the car supplies section to find some fun air fresheners to slip into stockings.

Hot Sauce – Slip a mini bottle of hot sauce into stockings this year. There are a several options like siracha, Texas Pete, and more.

Prime Hydration – Prime drinks have been heavily promoted by popular YouTubers, making them a big hit for tween and teen stocking stuffers.

Face Masks – Dollar Tree has a variety of facial masks, like sheet masks and clay masks. I have seen good reviews of the For The Skin masks, which is a Korean brand.

Mirror Compact – I found these cute compacts at Dollar Tree. Perfect for a teen to add to her purse or backpack.

Advanced Coloring Books – I can always find more advanced coloring books for teens and adults.

Post-It Notes – Everyone can always use some post-it notes. I like that these come in some fun colors with lines and are the super sticky variety.

Wall Calendars – Dollar Tree always has a selection of wall calendars. Sometimes you can find ones that would appeal to little kids as well.

Snacks – You can never go wrong with using fun snacks as a stocking stuffer. Beef jerky and Takis are popular choices for teens and young adults. Do you know someone who would get a kick out of being gifted a pickle in a pouch?

Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffers for All Ages

Hair Accessories – Dollar Tree has a ton of scrunchies, claw clips, headbands, hair ties, and barrets. I found several classy options that would be great stocking stuffers for teens and adults, but there are also lots of options for little ones as well.

Fun Pens – From scented pens to multi-color pens to gel pens, I found a lot of fun pens for kids and teenagers.

Notebooks – A list of Dollar Tree stocking stuffers has to include notebooks. They always have so many cool options for notebooks for boys and girls of all ages.

Lights/Flashlights – Look in the aisle with flashlights to find all kinds of options for Dollar Tree stocking stuffers. I found night lights for little kids, lanterns for bigger kids, and flashlights for all ages.

Puzzles – There are lots of character options for kids, but there are also more challenging puzzles for older kids and adults. These are some of my favorite designs I found at my local Dollar Tree.

Candy – Dollar Tree is a great place to grab some candy. Nerd Gummy Clusters are my personal favorite these days. It is the perfect blend of sweet and sour. Any sour candy is popular with teens, but Dollar Tree also has a lot of classic chocolate options as well

More Dollar Tree Stocking Stuffer Ideas:

• sunglasses
• seasonal candy
• craft supplies
• glow sticks
• notecards

Want more Christmas inspiration?

• 5 Easy, Clever, and Cheap Neighbor Gift Ideas
• 8 Quality “Santa Free” Christmas Storybooks
• 12 Gift Ideas for Parents with Young Children
• 10 Ways to Wrap Gift Cards (with stuff you already have!)

What are your favorite Stocking Stuffer Ideas for kids, teens and adults?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may receive a commission based off your purchase. All images by Rebekah Hoffer except for stocking image by Dee at Pixabay.

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Keep reading to see the gifts we exchanged every year for our annual Favorite Things Party and for tips on how to throw your own Favorite Things Party.

This post contains affiliate links.

My 2025 Favorite Things Party Haul:

Kendra gave a dozen of her farm fresh eggs and a farmhouse candle from the Antique Candle Company. It is a soy candle in a glass mason jar. This is Kendra’s favorite candle company, and I can’t wait to burn it.

Donna gave a Biodance facial sheet mask and an African net sponge. Donna is great at skincare, so I’m always excited to try what she recommends.

The collagen sheet mask should be worn for 3-4 hours or even overnight for maximum results.

The African net sponge is like a loofa, but better. I’ve seen people rave about these on social media, and Donna gave it a huge endorsement as well. She says it provides the perfect amount of exfoliation, and her skin has never been softer.

Emily gave a set of 6 flameless taper candles with candlestick holders that she thrifted. The candles come with a remote. They can stay on continuously or run on a 2 hour, 4 hour, 6 hour, or 8 hour timer. The thrifted candlestick holders was a nice touch.

Sarah gave a solar powered lantern. It is waterproof and intended for outdoors. The candle has a pretty flicker effect. I like that I can sit on something (like pictured) or use the hook to hang it.

Lastly, I gave a rainbow themed candy puzzle and paired it with nerd gummy clusters. One of my favorite things to do is unwind by listening to an audiobook while working on a puzzle. This candy puzzle was extremely fun and satisfying to put together.

Plus, nerd gummy clusters is the best candy. They are highly addictive. I just had to include them.

My 2024 Favorite Things Party Haul:

Donna gave a snackle box filled with goodies. I have seen these food storage containers on TikTok, and they look so fun for take snacks on a road trip.

Sometimes I cut up fruit, veggies, meat, and cheese for my kids’ lunch and put it all in a muffin tin. The next time I want to do a “muffin tin lunch” I am going to use my snackle box instead.

Emily gave us a bag of tulip bulbs. Honestly, I got a little misty eyed when she said, “When they come up in the spring, you’ll think of me.” Isn’t that just the best??? Seeing signs up friendship blooming in your yard is the sweetest thing.

Kendra gave each of us a glass pitcher she loves. She first saw someone using this style of pitcher at a retreat she was attending. Kendra loved the elegant design, and I do too. The lid has a built in strainer, which makes it perfect for adding fruit, cucumber, or mint to your water.

Sarah gave everyone a tabletop fire pit that is fueled by rubbing alcohol. She has used it when hosting events outside to add to the ambience of her tablescape (pictured above). Of course it can also be used for roasting marshmallows, which my kids are looking forward to doing.

Lastly, I gave everyone bread and oil dipping spices and dishes. One of my favorite things is adding a nice loaf of bread with some olive oil and spices to a meal when I am serving soup or pasta. It elevates the whole meal, which makes it nice for when I’m hosting guests. Plus, my kids love it too!

2023 Favorite Things:

These are some of the favorite things gifts that we gave the first year we hosted our favorite things party.

I gave these clean dot markers. I love using them when I write out my to-do lists. One end is a regular fine marker. The other end makes a dot, the perfect size for a check box in front of each task on my list.

Sarah gave these beautiful gold spoons that she uses on her coffee bar. She also included circular ice cube molds.

Emily gave a homemade loaf of sourdough bread, and some items to refresh the kitchen. She loves getting new kitchen towels and also included some lemon hand soap.

Tips for Throwing a Favorite Things Party:

The most important decision to make when hosting a favorite things party is to decide how many gifts everyone should bring, which might vary based on how many people are invited.

The first year we had our favorite things party, we decided everyone would bring one gift and we would exchange them in a “now you have it, now you don’t” style of gift exchange. Five of us attended the party, and we each came home with one gift.

We loved our first favorite things party so much that we decided to do it every year, but we decided to bring a gift for everyone. There was 5 of us, so I bought 4 identical gifts to share with my friends. We each came home with 4 gifts.

If your budget allows for it, I highly recommend the exchange style where everyone brings a gift for each person.

If you are hosting a larger group, and bringing a gift for each person isn’t practical:

• For this example, we’ll imagine the party has 15 people attending and you want each person to go home with 3 gifts.
• Write each person’s name on a slip of paper 3 times.
• Put all of the slips of paper together, and have everyone pull 3 names. Duplicate names or your own name should be put back in the pot.
• Hand out your favorite things gift to each person that you pulled.

You will also need to set a budget. How much should be spent on each gift? This will vary depending on personal preference and how many gifts you are purchasing. When we decided to bring a gift for everyone, we lowered the budget per gift a little to accommodate buying more gifts.

Lastly, give plenty of time for people to plan their gifts. My friends have decided to make our favorite things party an annual tradition. It is nice to have a full year to think about what stand out item to give, but only a couple weeks would also work.

Do you want more inspiration?

On episode 416 of the Sorta Awesome podcast, we all shared what we would love to bring to a favorite things party. It is an episode full of great recommendations.

Check out this list of awesome Amazon finds that cost $25 or less.

Some of my seasonal favorite things:
– 10 Summer Favorites You Need
– Top 5 Picks for Fall

I would love to hear what gifts you would bring to a favorite things party!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may receive a commission based on your purchase. Thank you to Kendra, Sarah, Emily, and Donna for your help with the photos in this post.

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Confession: I don’t think this post is going to do very well. I suspect that people will assume these are scams and no one is going to click on the post title to read it. But these are 100% real ways that I have earned “free money” this year.

These are not get rich quick scams. They also are not guaranteed to give you cash, but they worked for me. I hope it works for you as well.

3 Real Ways to Get Free Money

1. Class Action Lawsuits

Companies are being sued all of the time, and sometimes you are eligible for a portion of the settlement/payout. It can be incredibly easy to submit your claim for a lawsuit, but it will most likely take months before you receive your payment.

I received $38.36 from a Facebook lawsuit.

In addition to the claim I submitted to the Facebook lawsuit, I also have submitted a claim this year for a case with Apple. I was eligible for the Facebook claim simply by having a Facebook account during a certain time period. I was eligible for the Apple claim because I owned Apple devices.

Tips for Class Action Lawsuits:

• Follow The Lawyer Angela for the latest information on class action lawsuits. She provides up to date information on lawsuits with information on how to file.
• You can also use the app Settlemate to find class action lawsuits. I have not used this app personally.
• Sometimes you need to provide proof of purchase to submit a claim, but many times you do not. Even if you don’t keep receipts, you still might qualify.

2. Health Insurance Perks

I was looking at my online account for Capital Blue Cross and noticed a section called “Healthy Rewards.” That is where I discovered that I could earn up to $100 a year in gift cards by participating in different health challenges, getting a vaccine or screening, or completing a brief educational course.

I received a $100 Amazon gift card from Capital Blue Cross, and my husband also earned a $100 gift card.

Not every health insurance company will offer this perk, but it is worth looking to see if your insurance has something similar. My friend has earned money towards her kids’ college education with tuition rewards through Aetna. Maybe you’ll discover a perk with your insurance!

Tips for the Capital Blue Cross Healthy Rewards Program

• Every adult on the insurance plan can earn up to $100 in gift cards.
• You can pick from several different types of gift cards including: Lowe’s, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, and Starbucks.
• There are several ways to earn your gift cards: $50 for an annual physical exam, $25 for a vaccine, $25 for different screenings, $25 for completing educational lessons, $25 for completing challenges.
• I earned my $100 by getting a mammogram, completing an educational lesson, getting a flu shot, and completing a challenge. The educational lesson and challenge were a lot easier than I expected. 

3. Unclaimed Funds

A friend of mine reached out to tell me that she saw my name on a website indicating that I had unclaimed funds. I don’t understand why the state had money that they weren’t able to give to me, but I filled out the necessary forms and anxiously waited to see how much money I was owed.

I received $446.64 from unclaimed funds.

Obviously, the amount owed to everyone is different. My friend and my brother-in-law both received around $30. My mother-in-law got a check for $1,000!

Tips for Unclaimed Funds:

• Google the name of your state and “unclaimed funds” to find the website for your state that manages their unclaimed funds.
• Every state is different, but my state made it very easy to claim money that was less than $100. For amounts over $100, I needed to provide proof that I was the person they were looking for. Mostly, they required proof that I lived at the address associated with the funds.
• It will take several weeks or even a few months to receive your check.

A Word of Caution

There are a lot of apps today that will pay you to play games, upload your receipts, or get cashback rewards by shopping through their links. I have mixed feelings about these. Usually, if it feels too good to be true, it probably is.

In a lot of these cases, you end up being the product that is being sold. Meaning . . . You are watching ads while playing the games. Maybe you are filling out surveys with your personal information. Or you are providing information on your shopping habits. You are the product being sold to advertisers, and they are using the information you provide.

The methods I have mentioned here are not gimmick methods. Obviously, you might not qualify for all of these options, but they are 100% legit ways that I have easily earned some extra free money this year.

Looking for some quick cash?

The methods I listed here might earn you some cash, but it won’t be quick. In my opinion, one of the fastest ways to earn some cash is by selling your decluttered items on Facebook Marketplace. You can find some of my tips for selling on marketplace here.

Want some money saving tips?

• Cheap At Home Date Night
• 10 Tips for a Successful Yard Sale
• 5 Cheap Meal Ideas for a Tight Grocery Budget

Have you ever received money from unclaimed funds or a class action lawsuit? I would love to hear how much you received!

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Homemade Kettle Corn is the perfect balance of salty and sweet, and it is easier to pull together on the stovetop than you would think. Indulge in this homemade snack in about 10 minutes and with only 4 simple ingredients.

This post contains affiliate links.

Homemade Kettle Corn Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels (any kind will work, but Free Day Popcorn is my favorite)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (coconut oil would be a healthier choice)
• Salt to taste

Homemade Kettle Corn Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Toss in three kernels, place the lid on the pot, and wait for the kernels to pop.

3. Once one or more kernels has popped, stir in the sugar and add the remaining kernels.

4. Continue to stir the sugar and kernels until the kernels start popping again.  Then put the lid on, but leave it cracked if possible to allow the steam to escape. This will keep your popcorn crisp.

5. Repeatedly shake the pot (to keep the corn from burning) until all kernels have popped.

6.  Dump the popcorn into a large bowl. Salt to taste and enjoy!

Homemade Kettle Corn Recipe Tips

I always have two bowls ready for the finished popcorn. The corn at the bottom of the pot can burn easily. So I dump the majority of the finished popcorn into a large bowl and then put the dark or unpopped kernels into a small bowl to throw away.

Other recipes call for 1/4 cup of butter instead of oil. I’ve tried both, and the oil works much better in my experience.

Also, if you don’t make popcorn very often you can store the kernels in your freezer. Be sure that you allow the popcorn to come to room temperature before you start making the homemade kettle corn. You’ll have fluffier popcorn and less unpopped kernels.

THE HARDEST PART: Dumping the popcorn into the large bowl without it going everywhere! There always seems to be one or two late popping kernels that explode popcorn everywhere.

Get $5 off Free Day Popcorn

For several years, I have bought my popcorn from Free Day Popcorn, a small, family owned farm. The popcorn is incredibly fresh, and I love supporting a small business.

For a limited time, Free Day Popcorn is offering my readers a $5 off coupon. This coupon is good for this week only on orders of $8+, and will help offset your shipping cost.

Click here to visit Free Day Popcorn’s website, enter your email in the pop-up to claim your $5 off coupon, check your email for the discount, and be sure to place your order this week while the coupon is still valid.

Want More Snack Recipes?

• Super Simple Cake Batter Cookies
• Heavenly Chocolate Butterscotch Chex Mix
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Easy Chocolate Cherry Cake

What is your favorite way to eat popcorn?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Simply Rebekah! Image by Anarkali Art from Pixabay The coupon offer from Free Day Popcorn expires on 11/2/25.

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This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Stitch Fix.

I’ve been using Stitch Fix for almost ten years, and honestly, if I scroll through my camera roll, it’s full of photos of me wearing stuff from my Fixes. For a busy mom who’s trying to save time and money, Stitch Fix Math really works because you get fewer pieces, more outfits, and less shopping stress.

Order your first Fix and get $20 off and Stitch Fix will waive your styling fee! Take your style quiz and schedule your Fix. Offer expires 7 days after signing up.

The Stitch Fix Math: Fewer pieces, more outfits

I am at the stage in my life where I want a wardrobe that feels cohesive with classic, practical pieces that can be styled lots of different ways.

You’ve probably heard of “girl math,” but let me tell you about Stitch Fix math. With fewer pieces, you can create so many outfits. My stylist sends me five carefully chosen items, and suddenly my closet feels like a mini wardrobe powerhouse. A pair of jeans, a versatile top, and a layering cardigan can turn into multiple looks for running errands, going to church, or date night. These are real closet multipliers because they are timeless pieces that work for different occasions, helping me spend less while getting more wear out of every item.

I have several classic pieces from Stitch Fix that I wear over and over again. Honestly, some of my favorite go‑to outfits are from Fixes I received years ago.

Originally I was worried that the price point of Stitch Fix was going to be too high for my budget, but I’ve been very pleased with the cost and the quality of the clothes. I am still wearing pieces from some of my very first Fixes in 2018, which means my cost per wear is super low.

Get $20 off your first Fix and your styling fee waived! Take your style quiz and schedule your Fix within 7 days of signing up to claim this deal.

My whole family has enjoyed clothes from Stitch Fix. Pictured above I am dressed head to toe in Stitch Fix, and Grace is wearing a shirt she got from one of her Fixes.

How it saves my time (and my sanity)

I love, love, love that Stitch Fix sends the clothes right to me, and I don’t have to hunt them down in the store. I fill out a quick style quiz, a stylist hand‑picks five items in my fit and price range, and they ship the box to my door.

Then I try everything on at home, and only buy what I love. The rest goes back with free returns. There’s no subscription required; I order a Fix when I need one.

One of my favorite things to buy from Stitch Fix are jeans. Even after I’ve taken a break from shopping through Stitch Fix, I always find myself going back for the jeans. The fit is always right, which saves me so much time and annoyance compared to browsing the store shelves.

Truly, one of the biggest ways that Stitch Fix saves me money is by saving me time. My time is valuable, and I don’t want to waste it by wondering the store and trying on 20 pairs of jeans that don’t fit right when Stitch Fix will send a perfect pair right to my door.

How Stitch Fix works

1. Take your style quiz so your stylist knows your tastes, measurements, and preferences.
2. Stylists hand-pick 5 items based on your style, fit, and price range and send them right to your home.
3. Try before you buy. Keep what you love and easily send back the rest with zero pressure.
4. First Fix Offer: Get $20 off your first Fix and your styling fee waived! Take your style quiz and schedule your Fix within 7 days of signing up to claim this deal.
5. Leave feedback so your stylist can continue finding pieces you’ll love in future Fixes.
6. No subscription required. Order a Fix only when you want.

If you want to try it for yourself, here are a few links to get started:

• Start your Stitch Fix style quiz
• Stitch Fix: A Frugal Girl’s Honest Review
• Stitch Fix Kids: A Frugal Mom’s Honest Review

Bottom line: if you’re a busy, budget‑minded mom who doesn’t love shopping, Stitch Fix is like hiring a patient, stylish friend to do the hard work for you.

Get $20 off your first Fix and your styling fee waived! Take your style quiz and schedule your Fix within 7 days of signing up to claim this deal.

Disclosure: This blog post is sponsored by Stitch Fix and contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site. First Fix offer of $20 off is subject to change.

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In 2020, I got really serious about reading, and it was all because of Kindle Unlimited. After getting a free trial, I fell down the rabbit hole of KU. Since then I have read well over 100 Kindle Unlimited books, which makes me the perfect person to answer “What is Kindle Unlimited?”

This post contains affiliate links. Access to titles mentioned and the length of the free trial offer may change at any time.

What is Kindle Unlimited?

Kindle Unlimited is a monthly subscription service through Amazon Prime that gives you access to more than 4 million digital eBooks (and more!) that you can read on a kindle or on any device with the free kindle app.

Unlike some other services, there is not a limit to how many digital titles you can enjoy each month. If you can read 10 or even 50 books a month, you can!

There is a limit to how many digital titles you can “borrow” at one time, which is currently set at 20. Meaning, if you can have 20 different kindle unlimited books on your device at any time, but you will need to return one before you borrow another one.

How much does Kindle Unlimited Cost?

Although there is an additional monthly fee to use Kindle Unlimited, you can usually find a free trial offer to try it completely free. Right now you can a 30-day free trial, but even better you can get 2 months of Kindle Unlimited for $0.99!

Without using a free trial offer, the subscription cost is currently $11.99/month (subject to change). Is Kindle Unlimited worth the price? That depends on how many books you read per month, but you could easily end up saving money by using KU rather than buying physical books or individual kindle books.

Try 2 Months of Kindle Unlimited for $0.99

Do You Need Kindle Devices to Read Kindle Unlimited Books?

Short Answer: No. You can use a free kindle app on any smart device.

For a long time, I accessed kindle books through a free kindle app on my iphone. However, once I started reading on a kindle paperwhite, I’ll never go back. In fact, I’ve discovered I like prefer the convenience of my kindle paperwhite (small, light, easy to hold, can read in the dark, has adjustable text size, adjustable brightness, and holds multiple books) over reading print books now.

Access to Millions of Books for Adults & Kids

I have fallen in love with reading romance novels (pun intended). The bulk of my Kindle Unlimited experience is in the world of romance, but there are literally millions of options for adults and kids in both fiction and nonfiction.

Keep reading for some of my recommendations in various genres.

Access to Magazine Subscriptions

You can browse magazines with Kindle Unlimited. I haven’t tried any magazines myself, but I imagine that for the best reading experience you would want to use the kindle app or a Amazon Fire, which both display color images (unlike the kindle paperwhite, which is only black & white).

Popular Magazine Options Include:

• USA Today
• People
• Rolling Stone
• Food Network
• Real Simple
• Taste of Home
• Consumer Reports
• Homes & Gardens
• Good Housekeeping
• Cosmopolitan
• HGTV Magazine
• Women’s Health

Access to Thousands of Audiobooks

If you prefer audiobooks, there are thousands Kindle Unlimited audiobooks. Audiobooks can easily be added to your Audible app to enjoy. Look for the headphones symbol to see which books also include audio narration.

Unmissing by Minka Kent is a thriller my husband and I both enjoyed listening to on audio. Lydia has been missing for 10 years until she manages to escape, makes her way back home to her husband, and his new wife answers her knock on the door.

Want even more audiobooks? Get 3 months of Audible for $0.99/month!

Free Trial with Zero Risk

Right now you can get a 30-day free trial to Kindle Unlimited, which gives you plenty of time to explore and enjoy the service. There is zero cost for the free trial. Sign up now!

The free trial will work for all new customers, and possibly past customers. I used KU in the past, and was able to take advantage of this offer. Current subscribers will not be able to get additional months free.

Immediately after you sign up, you can go into your settings and turn off the auto renewal by canceling your subscription, but still keep access to Kindle Unlimited for the full free trial. This just might be the best thing about KU, making the free trial and discount offer completely risk free!

To Turn Off Auto Renewal/Cancel Membership:

• Go to Amazon.com in your browser. (It can’t be done in the app.)
• Go to your Amazon account
• Under Memberships & Subscriptions, select Kindle Unlimited
• On the left hand side, select to be reminded by email before your renewal or select to cancel your membership
• Do my books disappear if I cancel Kindle Unlimited? Yes and no. After you cancel, you’ll continue to have access to the KU catalog until the date your subscription was initially supposed to end. Once you reach that date, the books will disappear from your kindle, but you can turn off your kindle’s wifi to keep them longer.

Try 30 Days of Kindle Unlimited for FREE!

5 Kindle Unlimited Subscription Hacks

1. Cancel Your Free Trial Right Away, But Keep Access – As described earlier, you don’t need to wait to cancel your subscription. After you cancel, you’ll continue to have access to the Kindle Unlimited catalog until the date your trail was initially supposed to end.
2. Past Kindle Unlimited Members Can Get Additional Free Trials and Discount Offers- Anytime you see an offer for a free trial or discount, click on it! You just might be able to get it. I have done at least 3 different free trials. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, so always try.
3. Cancel Kindle Unlimited Membership to Get a Discount – Sometimes when customers cancel their free trial or paid subscription, Amazon will offer a discount to continue. For example, once I was offered 3 months for $0.99 per month.
4. Turn Off Your Wifi to Keep Digital Books Longer – This is best Kindle Unlimited hack! Right before your free trial is set to end, load up your kindle with the maximum number of books you can borrow (currently 20). Then turn your kindle on airplane mode, and Amazon can’t take the books back. You can also do this using a kindle app, but you’ll need to put your device on airplane mode every time before you open the app.
5. Look for Box Sets – You can borrow even more books if the series you are interested in comes in a box set. Instead of borrowing each individual book, you can borrow the box set and it will count as only 1 borrow.

Popular Books on Kindle Unlimited

What is Kindle Unlimited kids’ selection like? There are lots of popular book series like Big Nate, Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja, The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter. Plus you can find all the books pictured above and many comics.

There are too many popular adult fiction and nonfiction books to mention them all, but all of the books in the images in this post are on Kindle Unlimited (subject to change).

My sister-in-law recently read the thriller The Housemaid by Freida McFadden on vacation in just 24 hours. She said, “It was so good! Wow. What a twist!”

The Take Over by TL Swan is part of an open door (spicy) romance series that I loved. Each can be read as a standalone. The Take Over is my favorite out of the entire series. It is funny while also dealing with issues of grief.

Colleen Hoover has been dominating the best sellers lists these days. Calling her books wildly popular doesn’t even scratch the surface. She has 6 books currently on Kindle Unlimited.

I read Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover, and really enjoyed it. The book focuses on grief, the guilt of loving again, and learning to forgive. It was an open door romance.

Try 30 Days of Kindle Unlimited for FREE!

My Favorite Romance Novels on Kindle Unlimited

These recommendations are all open door romance novels, which means there are spicy details in the intimate scenes. You’ve been warned!

A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn – In this romcom, Lottie was walking through a wealthy neighborhood hoping to find a rich man, when that is exactly what happens. Huxley asks her to move in with him and pretend be his finance. I am a sucker for books with forced proximity and fake dating!

Scandalized by Ivy Owens – Written by Lauren of the Christina Lauren writing duo, Scandalized was such a fun read. A one night stand between childhood friends turns into so much more when Georgia realizes that Alec is actually a celebrity star.

The Summer We Fell by Elizabeth O’Roark – Is an angsty, second chance romance between Juliet and her boyfriend’s best friend, Luke. It jumps back and forth between the past and the present as the mystery of their story unfolds.

Before I Ever Met You by Karina Halle – After escaping a dangerous marriage with her 7 year old son, Jackie starts over as the assistant to her dad’s best friend. This is slow burn, workplace, age gap romance (but not the icky kind because she is 25).

Heartbreak Warfare by Hearther M Orgeron & Kate Stewart – Scottie goes off to war, and is taken prisoner. When she is finally able to return home to her husband and son, she can’t stop thinking about her fellow POW solider. This is a darker romance (check triggers). It is a book I still think about years later.

The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori – In this mafia romance, Elena’s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas, but the connection between Elena and Nicolas isn’t something he can ignore. Nicolas is an alpha, possessive man to the extreme, which sound horrible in real life, but I loved it in this book. LOL

Visit my Amazon Storefront for More Book Recommendations.

Want even more audiobooks? Get 3 months of Audible for $0.99/month!

Now that you know what is Kindle Unlimited, don’t miss out on the 30 days for FREE offer. Sign up now, and you might just find your next favorite book.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon partner, I will earn commission on your free trial at no cost to you. The length of the free trial, special offers, and access to titles mentioned may change at any time. Images by Amazon and Rebekah Hoffer.

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Every year on January 18th I take one picture every hour from the moment I wake up until I go to bed that night. I end up taking pictures of the ordinary – supper prep, school drop off, a cup of coffee, my computer screen.

These ordinary pictures are actually quite extraordinary. They are my everyday. They are my here and my now. They are a day in my life.

For 15 years now, I’ve given myself an amazing gift to be able to look back at a typical day from the past years and see the changes from year to year. The gift of being able to see the extraordinary in my everyday routine because the truth is simple: today’s routine will not be the same for long. My children will grow. My jobs will change. These routines will not remain.

This post contains affiliate links.

A Day in the Life of Rebekah – January 18, 2025

9:00 AM – Nate has gotten into the habit of bringing me coffee in bed on the weekends. Today on this Saturday, Noah brought it for me. I love a slow morning, so this has become a huge blessing.

Also pictured is my mouth guard that I started wearing at night. I have been clenching my jaw at night and this helps. I’m equal parts relieved it is helping with jaw pain and annoyed because I don’t want to wear it for the rest of my life.

10:00 AM – We are heading to our nephew’s basketball game, but first we need to drop Nate off at the car rental agency.

Nate was in a minor accident last week due to snow/ice conditions, and we will probably need to replace his car. It has 210,000 miles on it – so replacing it was already on our radar. But it never is fun to be forced to replace a vehicle.

11:00 AM – The game has begun!

12:00 PM – They won! Pictured here is Nate’s sister, her husband, and their son Matthew. Matthew is their youngest kid. He was born just 2 weeks after our oldest. It is fun to cheer him on, and even more fun when they win!

1:00 PM – We are back home, and the boys are watching YouTube. I’m pretty sure that last year during this photo project I predicted that our living room would look very different by this time. Sadly, we didn’t make as much progress on redecorating as I hoped.

In March we replaced the ceiling in the living room and added new lighting. In May we had several cracks in our plaster walls repaired in preparation of paint. In June we had our balcony and deck roof repaired, which took a couple weeks. In August we moved some bedrooms around upstairs and repainted Grace’s room – which also included a massive decluttering and cleaning of all bedrooms and the playroom.

Progress on the house was made in 2024, but it didn’t look quite like the progress that I had hoped for at the start of the year.

2:00 PM – Nate made us a simple lunch and cleaned up. He takes care of a lot of the meals over the weekends. It gives me a break, and he really enjoys it.

3:00 PM – After doing some laundry, I am watering my plants. These 2 were Christmas gifts this year. I love them! I have almost 30 houseplants now. Some of them are going to get kicked out – like the problematic spider plant pictured here. It is such a drama queen.

The snake plant was purchased on Amazon. I am impressed with how great it looks. I especially love its height. My hope was to add some larger plants to my house since I previously had a lot of smaller plants.

4:00 PM – TikTok is going to be banned tomorrow. I have a lot of really big feelings about it. One thing I am going to miss is scrolling through my “liked” TikToks that I saved as a curated feed for my kids. We are taking some time to watch our favorites one last time.

5:00 PM – After an hour of us scrolling old favorite TikTok videos together, the boys went next door to play with the neighbor. Grace and I continued on without them.

I can’t stress enough how strange this day has felt – the final hours of TikTok. Grace and I laughed until we cried. That app has brought me so much joy. Sigh.

Update: About 12 hours after typing this caption, TikTok’s service was restored in the USA. The future of TikTok is still unknown currently as the ban has not been canceled, only postponed.

6:00 PM – Supper tonight is leftover shepherd’s pie. I made a double batch yesterday, and popped one in my freezer. (Sorry this photo isn’t very appetizing.)

This recipe is from a blog that is no longer being hosted. However, I was able to find the recipe using the Wayback Machine. I highly recommend trying it for any old Pinterest pins that may have stopped working for you.

7:00 PM – Video games, laundry, and Olive and June’s Plaza – one of my all time favorite nail polish colors.

8:00 PM – This is me at 43. You can almost always find someone in my family wearing this same sweatshirt. It says “love your neighbor” and it is merch for Good Samaritan Services (where Nate works).

9:00 PM – Noah and Isaac are easily distracted from the task of putting away clean laundry. I hear the sound of “slam dunks” daily since the weather has been too cold for real basketball.

10:00 PM – Grace is in her room. Nate is relaxing on the couch. Noah is in the shower. And I’m saying goodnight to Isaac.

Reflecting Back on my 2025 Day

Because I always do this project on January 18th, the day of the week changes from year to year. In 15 years of doing this project, this is only the third time that it has fallen on a Saturday. I thought it would be nice having us all home together throughout the entire day, but it wasn’t as great as I hoped.

This was probably my least favorite A Day in the Life projects I have ever done. The day felt slow. After the basketball game, we didn’t have much going on. The kids are getting older, and they want to relax in their rooms or playing video games. There wasn’t as much to photograph as when they were younger, bopping from one play activity to another.

And frankly, I was stressed and distracted. The looming TikTok ban weighed heavily on me throughout the day – not because it would highly affect my income, but because it has become a source of great joy, community, and news.

I know that many of you reading along will completely understand why my internet friend Lexie and I cried together over voxer when we were both booted out of the app on the evening of January 18th. And others of you will find that baffling – perhaps even supporting the ban.

It was a strange day.

For the first time ever, I wondered if I should have broken the mold and picked a different day.

Other Noteworthy Observations:

• The kids really are getting so much older. They are getting more and more independent. In the blink of an eye they won’t be featured as much because of jobs or college.
• While I am disappointed that our living room doesn’t look that much different from last year, there was a lot of changes/repairs/decluttering that was done. Most of those things weren’t captured in these photos.
• I have new glasses compared to last year.
• Grace still has her braces, but she is very, VERY close to getting them off.
• Noah has changed up his hair routine, going with the popular tapered fringe. By this time next year, he will probably have braces and will be even taller.
• Out of all the kids, Isaac probably looks the most like he did last year. Although he is quite a bit taller and now has some adult teeth in that adorable smile.

This was January 18, 2025. I look forward to seeing what changes come next year.

Thank you for following along on my 15th annual “A Day in the Life” project.

Take a peek back in time!

• A Day in the Life of… 2007
• A Day in the Life of… 2011
• A Day in the Life of… 2012
• A Day in the Life of… 2013
• A Day in the Life of… 2014
• A Day in the Life of… 2015
• A Day in the Life of… 2016
• A Day in the Life of… 2017
• A Day in the Life of… 2018
• A Day in the Life of… 2019
• A Day in the Life of… 2020
• A Day in the Life of… 2021
• A Day in the Life of… 2022
• A Day in the Life of… 2023
• A Day in the Life of… 2024

Thank you for sharing a day in my life!

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