What's On My Nightstand (August 2026)

Around the middle of July, I had a moment where I realized that if I didn't start doing something different, nothing was going to change. I know, I know...DUH! But this time it wasn't even about losing weight or gaining muscle, it was about the fact that I had become so sedentary, I was huffing and puffing to go up and down the stairs in our house, and I could barely keep up with my family as they trekked across various Walt Disney World theme parks earlier in the summer. This, I decided, was unacceptable and something needed to change. And that something...was me. 

I saw a post on IG around the same time that said: 

• The heart attack at 50 began at 20.
• The Alzheimer's at 70 started at 40.
• The loss of independence at 80 began at 30.
• The aging you want tomorrow begins with the choices you make today.

And it really struck me. I'll be 45 this year. Halfway to 90. From here on out, I start rounding up...meaning I'm closer to 50 than I am to 40. The Hubs is already in his 50s. We have two adult kids, four teenagers, and when the next World Cup rolls around (assuming the whole world isn't boycotting it), we will be about a month shy of having five adult kids out in the world. Empty-nesting is on the horizon and I'd hate to get there and be too winded to do anything with it. 

And so I started walking. Again. Daily. Usually just laps around our driveway. I listened to audiobooks. I prayed. I enjoyed the blue sky and the rain and did my best to walk early to avoid the heat and humidity. Sometimes it was just a few laps, snatched before the day got hectic, and other times it was several audiobook chapters before I went back inside. While the kids were in Africa this summer, I pulled out the push mower and did my part to keep the lawn trimmed (and, maybe, my waist as well). I stopped saying, "I need to..." and I just started doing. Even on the days when I didn't feel like it. As of hitting "publish" on this post (scheduled to go live at 3 AM), I've successfully walked 46 days out of the last 49 days. Today will be day 47. 

Whether it's incorporating movement into your daily schedule or intentionally connecting with a friend who you've "been meaning to" get together with, it's time to stop making excuses to yourself and figure out what you can actually do to make a change. Take the stairs, park farther away from the store, text the friend, issue the invitation, put the phone down, read the book. If you don't like where you are now, you're the only one who can do anything different. Remember...what you do today will make a difference--for you, for your family, for your friends--tomorrow and next month and 20 years from you. Do something different.

Photo by C.G. Koens, onethousandpens.blogspot.com

August was not a slow month. At the end of the first week, we drove down to Florida and picked up four of our kids who had spent their summers in Madagascar and Malawi, three of whom returned to us with flu-like symptoms lasting several days and generously shared with their father. When the car pulled back into our driveway the countdown began as we had a brief window for them to see friends and family, share about their summer adventures, recover from jet lag and illness, and then pack up again for a four-hour drive north, launching daughter #2 off on her college journey. Five days later, we began our sixth official year of homeschooling the three who were left (one senior, two freshman!), chauffeuring to new jobs, building driving hours (and saving accounts) to get another licensed driver, all while working to pay the bills, going to doctor's appointments with my aging father, and opening our home for fellowship and ministry to those who are weary and in need of encouragement. God sustains. 

Reading? Oh, yeah, I did a little of that, too. 

1. The Case of the Reincarnated Client by Tarquin Hall - ⭐⭐⭐ This was not the first book I've read in this series, but it has been a number of years since I read the last one, and I remember not being favorably impressed with it. But, as I said, since it had been a number of years, when I saw this on Kindle for cheap this month, I decided to give it another try. And it was...confusing. There were a number of characters and plot lines going on, and it was a little challenging to keep them all straight (who was whose daughter and wife, who was involved in which part of which stories from the past, etc.). Although I recall enjoying the very first book in the series (The Case of the Missing Servant) and gave it four stars on Goodreads, and while I do enjoy the cultural aspect of the series being set in India, I'm not sure it's still my style. However, it's enjoyable to read a cozy mystery that's not set in a British village, and Vish Puri's Mummy-ji is an unexpectedly fun sidekick. If you decide to give this series a try, I would start with book 1, skip book 4 (The Case of the Love Commandos), and consider book #5...if you find it for cheap on Kindle (as I did). {Amazon Associates - Book #1, Book #5 - Currently $0.99 on Kindle)
2. My Beloved by Jan Karon - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Okay, this is honestly a hard review for me. First of all, you have to understand that I absolutely love the Mitford series. It's one of the few series that I have re-read multiple times, and will go back to time and time again when life is heavy. A trip to Mitford, a stop at the Happy Endings bookstore or groceries from the Local, a visit out to Meadowgate Farm or a conversation with Uncle Billy...it's like stepping back into a simpler time and I am here for it. All of it. And I love this surprise bonus book in the Father Tim series, and I love that it centers around Christmas (a common theme in this series). I assumed we'd never get another book from Karon, and if you read her note in the end, we almost didn't. All that being said...this is a very different, more choppy, style that one is used to from her earlier books. It's not my favorite, and that makes me a little sad, but it also made me remember my mom, in the best way (she loved reading Mitford with me), and I think she would have had lots to say about the style of this one, but we still would have enjoyed reading it together and comparing notes. So...as a good friend wrote in her review of this on Goodreads...die-hard Mitford fans should definitely read this, but if you've never read Mitford...start at Book #1. {Amazon Associates - Book #1, Book #15}

And that's it. That's all I marked off my TBR list in August. But I'm still ahead of schedule, and I upped the number of books I set as my goal to read for the year, so I'm still counting it as a win. I've got a number of books in progress at the moment, and loads of books on my physical and electronic shelves, so I'm not lacking for content. I'm also attempting to finish The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett on my free trial of Audible. I'm on Chapter 11, and I cannot say I'm a fan so far. Everyone I've seen who has read it says to push through and it gets better, but it's a bit of a slog at the moment. Stay tuned...

What was on YOUR nightstand this month?

What book did you enjoy and what book are you pushing through?

26 Simple Goals in 2026

In keeping with tradition (well, from the last two years anyway!), I spent some time coming up with a list of 26 things to work towards over the next twelve months. If you read my last post, you'll know that these are simply things that I aim towards, giving me something to check off on the days that I accomplish them, and things to help me stay focused when the world is going crazy. When my mom got sick last spring, even on the days when I was at their house all day, every day, I stuck to some of my goals like glue. When I couldn't control anything related to my mother's battle with cancer, I could scrub the individual grout lines of our bathroom floor (one of my simple goals: clean something in the bathroom every day). By the time my Mom passed away, our floor had never been so clean (we have small tiles and lots of grout) and dust bunnies were running for their lives in our bedroom. I remember talking to a friend about it at the time, and her perspective was that it gave me normalcy. Something to focus on besides the fact that my mom was dying. She was right, of course. During that season I never missed a day of walking either. But I needed to breathe, to be away from noise, and have time to process. Walking (another goal) gave that to me. 

Although sometimes we see goals as things to beat us up when we don't accomplish them, I prefer to see them as opportunities each day to celebrate when we do. So what if I didn't walk 5 days a week all year? Most weeks I walked at least 1-2 times, and that's more than I had been doing, so it's still a win. So what if I had to change my reading goals from five books a month to three? My mom got sick and life happened and I still managed to read 36 books last year. That's a win. Perspective changes everything.  

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Not knowing what 2026 will hold (after all, I still have one aging parent and two in-laws, four teenagers - one of whom is college-bound, and a 20-something daughter; I homeschool and proofread and mentor, and let's not even talk about laundry and feeding people!), I stuck with the theme of simple, doable, goals. Areas where I want to continue to grow, where I've already made some progress in the last two years, but that still present a challenge to me, so achieving them feels like a success. 

26 in '26

We'll start with the low-hanging fruit and then move on to the slightly larger goals.

1. Intentionally spend time with my dad each week - this could be dinner out, having him here, taking food to him, or just stopping by to say hello.
2. Intentionally connect with family who are not local to me (text, phone call, cards, etc.)
3. Getting up when the alarm goes off at 5:30 - this is intended to give me space to think, pray, read my Bible, drink coffee, and generally wake up and prepare for the day before school starts at 8:30.
4. Read 24+ books - I'd love to hit 36, or 48, or 60...but I'm holding this goal loosely.
5. Read 1+ chapter a day from a physical book (paper, in my hands, not Kindle)
6. Clean one thing a day in our bathroom - this could mean a 30-second swipe of the counter, or a full-on hand scrub of the floor, depending on the season of life I'm in!
7. Clean/dust something every day in our bedroom (same simple rule as above)
8. Implement "simple cleaning schedule" in a new room each month (living, dining, library, etc.) - I've always hated cleaning, so finding a way to make it less of a dreaded task and more of a "no big deal because it's 30 seconds, not 30 minutes," is the ultimate goal here.
9. Pick one day a week to purge the same number (or higher) of items as the date - so a version of the Minimalists clean out challenge, but just four times a month (4 items on the 4th, 15 items on the 15th, etc.).  
10. Stick to my Christmas and Birthday budgets - I say this every year, that I'm going to go smaller next year, but we really have come to a time when financially and mentally, it doesn't make sense to continue to add stuff to the household. All our kids are getting older, and experiences (or cash) are more appreciated.
11. Make "No Spend Month" the standard rather than the exception - I really don't need anything, but social media and Amazon and bored browsing tell me otherwise, which means those habits need to change as well.
12. Buy no new physical books - I am once again at a point where I have an overwhelming number of books already on my shelves (added to this year), and since I'm working on the budget as well, this seems like a good way to work through what I already have! I'll leave it open for ebooks, as long as I'm using existing credit for them.
13. Save cash for special events - I already have envelopes and checklists set up for this, I just need to be intentional about utilizing them (and filling them).
14. Refill Savings accounts - we have multiple accounts for different spending requirements, but this last year I had to pull from all of them, so it's time to buckle down and repay myself. And on that note...Goal #13...
15. Lunch and dinner at home, 6 days a week (minimum) - back in 2012, when the Hubs and I buckled down to pay off in one year what remained on our mortgage, we limited ourselves to going out to eat once a month. Add 14 years and a handful of kids and going out even once a month is almost cost-prohibitive. Chick-fil-A costs $80 for six of us to eat. The local Mexican restaurant is $150 with tip. So this is really a necessary cut, but makes it more fun if I call it a "goal" and then get to mark it as successful. 😉 
16. Travel somewhere and/or make time to regularly do something fun - this might mean spending some money or getting creative, but the time with kids at home is fleeting.
17. More family movie nights, more intentional time together - see: time with the kids at home is fleeting.
18. Work on photo books monthly - every year for Christmas I make a photo book of everything that's happened in the last twelve months and then have it printed for our kids and my dad. I'm always rushing around at Thanksgiving, trying to get it done so I can take advantage of the Cyber Monday sales. This year, I'd like to work on the book at the end of each month so that when Thanksgiving comes, I'll only have to put in November's pictures and it won't be as rushed or stressful. 
19. Get back into Duolingo French - I've still been using the app daily (a goal from 2025), but I've been focused on learning chess and have gotten away from French. I'd like to become more proficient at actually understanding the language.
20. Watch French language YouTube channels and/or shorts - to assist with the above, and could also be French subtitles on movies I know well.
21. Learn/practice ASL - Last year the Hubs and my kids all started learning ASL. I was in the middle of caring for my mom when this happened and my brain couldn't take on anymore at the time. However, I just purchased Lingvano Pro for the year at 50% off, and I want to make sure I get the most bang for my buck there. Which means I have to use it.  
22. Get moving again - I never did pull out the stationary bike in the basement, and although I did walk more (outside) last year, I'd like this to become something I'm more intentional about doing in 2026. 
23. Drink more water (80 oz. a day - minimum), cut down on sugar (special occasions only, not 4 PM cravings!), and smaller portions - I'm at a season of life where all the things that always worked no longer work. I've accepted I will never be the size I was at 25, but I'd at least like to be healthy as I turn 45 this year.
24. Don't be afraid to pursue jobs that scare me - meaning, jobs that I don't feel qualified for, or jobs that stretch my knowledge base. I come across as confident in many ways, but secretly I fight a lot of impostor syndrome. 
25. Rent a dumpster or set aside a week for a full-house purge this summer - In addition to the regular purging days, it's time for a major clear out. Both the hubs and I are feeling overwhelmed by all the stuff that has collected in our basement, garage, cabinets, closets, and drawers. The time has come. And since we'll be kid-less this summer, seems like a good time to purge.
26. More analog, less screen - I've already been attempting this. With aging parents (and new drivers) we cannot go totally without a phone (emergencies happen), but I want to focus on being more present when people (including my kids) are around, and even when they're not, not to be so tied to the "glowing oracle that rots my brain."   

And there you have it, 26 simple goals in 2026. Okay, some simple, some not so simple. But all of them doable, depending on my motivation and how much time and energy I'm willing to invest. Honestly, I think if I focused solely on #26 (staying away from my phone more), I could probably easily achieve all of the previous 25 goals. It's amazing how much time is sucked away from that stupid little box, not to mention brain cells. 

So what say you? Join me in my quest for simple goals and daily achievements? Join me in setting aside the electronic device that you may very well be reading this on right now? Join me in rejoining the world and making the most of the time that we have been given on this earth? I hope you will!

Here's to a healthy, joyful, and growth-filled 2026!

Share some of your goals in the comments!

My Lonely Bookshelf (What I Read: May)

The beginning of May, my 84-year-old mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. There is no cure, and the treatment that they hoped would give her some relief, didn't do anything for her. Within a matter of days she went from walking on her own to shuffling around with the assistance of a walker. 

My days also changed, from wrapping up another home school year with the four at home, to becoming a full-time nurse and caregiver, taking care of my mom, handling her new medications, sitting with her at the oncologist, talking to doctors, learning about Hospice, conferring with family members near and far, setting up a Meal Train, comforting distraught friends, making sure my dad was still eating and had clean clothes, and more. 

And while I've had my share of time just sitting and waiting, my brain hasn't really been in reading mode. I did, however, manage to continue to read some each day in my Kindle app, and I did finish one book. Rather than choosing to focus on the goals I'm not meeting, I'm choosing to focus on the fact that one of my other goals, spending more time with my aging parents, is being more than met. Although it's not exactly what I was thinking when I set that goal, I'll happily take it, and no regrets. 

Go hug your parents if they are nearby. If you can't, pick up the phone and call them. See how they're doing. Ask about their day. Tell them you love them. It can all change in the blink of an eye, so do it while you can, and don't leave room for "I wish I had...." 

Photo by Kamil Switalski on Unsplash

I'm sad to say that the one book I did manage to finish in May wasn't even that great, but I'm still glad I read it. Even though I didn't love it, it did give me some new ideas and food for thought, so I'll count that as a win.

1. Intermittent Fasting Transformation by Cynthia Thurlow, NP - ★★★ The title and idea of this book promised a lot, but in the end I didn't really find it to be sustainable. There were aspects of this book that, while reading, I thought, "Well, that might be worth a shot," but she lost me when it came to actually measuring the grams of food. I appreciated her focus on fasting around cycles (for different ages of women), and how that affects the outcome of IF. Lots of recipes in the back, but as someone who is still feeding five other people every day, I am not in a position to make two separate meals, and my kids wouldn't go for these, so...just take the good stuff from here, and tweak it to fit the life you have. That's what I'm walking away with. Three stars. {Amazon Associates Link}

I have several new books in process, even if it's slow process, at the moment, and added in a re-read (for the fourth time) that sounded like it would be enjoyable (James A. Michener's The Source). Even though I'm not currently meeting my five-books-a-month goal, I am reaching my "read daily" goal, so choosing to focus on the small wins for now. There will be future seasons when I have lots of time for reading and no ability to hold my mom's hand, which puts everything into perspective. Choose wisely.

What I (Didn't) Read: April

As I type this, it's drizzling outdoors, with a hint of sunshine in the background of the clouds. My favorite sort of a day. The perfect day, in fact, for curling up and reading. But, as life has taught me, we don't always get to do what we consider the "perfect" activity for the day, so here I sit, tied to my desk, working away on this (and other) tasks. I suppose if I can't actually be reading the next best thing is to be writing about it, followed by proofreading the musings of authors who want to share their content with the world. It's not a bad gig if you can get it. But I'd still rather be reading.     

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash

Coming in from last month, after two slow reading months, I knew I had to stick to my 5-books-a-month pace if I wanted to stay on track for the year. But then LIFE hit, and it hit HARD. When a family member received some life-changing health news, reading very quickly went to the back burner, and as those around me reminded me...that's okay. 

There are seasons. 

There will be times in the future when I will have all the time in the world, sitting and waiting, to read. This is not one of those seasons. So for the month of April, while I did spend time reading pages in a paper book and a few pages a day in my Kindle app, this is the list of my books for the month...

1. ZIP
2. ZERO
3. NADA

And that's okay. If we're talking about GOALS...daily reading has still occurred. In addition to reading at least a page or two on my Kindle every day, and the occasional paper book, I have spent many, many hours reading (and listening to) my Bible. And this month, that's the best thing I could have done. 

Go hug your family. 

Call your parents. 

Check in on your grandparents. 

Put your phone down and engage with your loved ones.

Tomorrow is not guaranteed.