I’m putting my librarian hat on for this post today. I read the other day that the average adult reads about two books a year. It stopped me in my tracks. Not because it’s shameful, but because it shows how easy it is for reading to slip away. I see it in my students’ attitude toward reading every single day. Like it’s a chore. And it really is a chore for a lot of people. Something that we feel like we “should” be doing. But I also want to remind you that it doesn’t have to be like that. Reading should be fun. And if we want our children to grow up to be readers, we need to show them that it’s something we want to do too.

Maybe you do think of yourself as a reader, but have gotten away from it in the haze that is adulthood. Whether you’re just out of school and are used to reading academically, or maybe you’re in the throes of early parenting it’s sometimes easier to choose other forms of media. I’ve been there! There have been seasons where I read constantly and others where reading took a back seat, but it’s something I’ve always come back to. It’s a constant for me and I often just need the right book to get me back into it again.

I do think reading is like anything you genuinely enjoy (you make time for it), I also think there’s something important we forget. Reading for long stretches is a learned skill. If you step away from it for a while, it’s going to feel hard at first. And when something feels hard, we’re far less likely to reach for it.

That’s why I wanted to share a few authors I recommend for getting back into reading. It’s the beginning of the year, and many of us are trying to read more, scroll less this year. Think of these authors as book candy. They’re easy to start, hard to put down, and once you do start, you might just remember how good it feels to get lost in a book again.

1. Colleen Hoover

   I know! I know. She has some really awful books, but her books are highly engaging. Whether you love her or not, there really is no denying she gets people reading again. Her books are emotional, fast-paced, and incredibly easy to get into. They’re perfect if you want something you’ll finish without trying too hard or feeling like you “have” to read. But whatever you do…don’t read Layla.

   I recommend…

   It Ends With Us - Emotional, fast-moving, and very accessible. A common “first book back” for a reason.
   Verity - Short chapters, high tension, hard to put down. Great if you want something a little darker and twisty.

2. Sarah J. Maas
   If you’re craving escape, this is your author. Her fantasy worlds are immersive but written in a way that’s still easy to follow. Once you’re in, you’re in and suddenly you’re reading 700-page books without fear. Try it even if you think you’re not into fantasy. She just might surprise you. Her books are always good for my marriage too, if you know what I mean.

   I recommend…

   A Court of Thorns and Roses - fondly known on social media as ACOTAR. Try to get past some of the cringy first chapters. This is one that gets better with time.

3. Taylor Jenkins Reid
   Character-driven, cinematic, and impossible to put down. Her stories feel emotional without being heavy, and her pacing is spot-on for readers who want depth without feeling overwhelmed.

   I recommend…

   Daisy Jones and the Six - this book reads like it should be a movie. I just love it so much. If you’re getting back into reading and want a really good story, make it this one.

   One True Loves - one of her earlier books and I feel like it doesn’t get the love it deserves. An impossible tale! You won’t be able to come up for air.

   4. Freida McFadden
   Short chapters, nonstop twists, and serious page-turner energy. If thrillers are your thing, or if you just want something that keeps your brain fully engaged, she’s a great choice. I know so many people who say that she’s their favorite author.

   I recommend…

   The Housemaid - Fast, twisty, and perfect if you want something you’ll finish in a day or two. Read it before you watch the movie!!

   Never Lie - Tense and bingeable with very short chapters. Builds great momentum for returning readers.

   5. Emily Henry
   Smart, funny, and comforting. Her books are cozy without being boring, romantic without being cheesy, and they fly. Ideal for easing back into reading and remembering how fun it can be. Her books give me warm fuzzies just thinking about them. That’s all you need to know. I would skip Great Big Beautiful Life if you’re looking around. That one is an outlier.

   I recommend…
   Happy Place - Emotional but still light enough to breeze through. It’s very readable and relatable.

   Funny Story - Smart dialogue, just easy and comforting.

Fellow readers - add your suggestions in the comments to a friend who is getting back into her reading era. Let’s make 2026 the year of books!

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Testing season is upon us at school and it makes me want to start on…well…nothing. It’s that feeling that the end of school is coming and everyone is consumed by impending tests so why start anything new? Fine Arts just found out today that the entire month of May (in addition to the tail end of April and today and yesterday) will be spent in classrooms instead of in our respective spaces, and it’s just a real bummer. It shifts what we can do with our classes, and it goes to show that the priority for administration isn’t for the arts. It makes me want to clean up and wrap up. Anywho - I digress.

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My husband and I were talking this morning about the demise of April Fools’ Day. I honestly didn’t even remember that it was today until I got to school this morning. We both feel like April Fools’ Day was a cornerstone of our childhoods. There were shows about it, jokes, buzz in the air, etc. We would spend the last days of March planning tricks that w…

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My alarm went off at 5:15am this morning and I snoozed twice (or was it thrice?) before it was finally time to face the Monday ahead of me. Not just any Monday. The Monday after Spring Break. It hit me hard this morning. How badly I didn’t want to go back to school. How badly I wanted to just wake with my babies, get everyone ready and off to school and…

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Truth be told, I’ve been having a hard time writing on here. I have about 5 million (an exaggeration) ideas of posts to write, but it seems like I can’t get myself to get started on any of them. How to make them perfect, cohesive, timely, shareable. I have spent so much time trying to be like other accounts. (honestly, don’t we all have favorites?). But…

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There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly brewed espresso filling the kitchen first thing in the morning. My morning coffee ritual has always been sacred—a small pocket of time just for me and my husband before the day gets hectic. It’s like taking a deep breath at the very beginning of the day. I live for the moment that I get my first sip of coffee. Over the years, we’ve gone from a classic drip coffee maker to a French press to a pour over and finally to - as most coffee enthusiasts eventually will - an espresso machine. It’s definitely an investment, but in my opinion, one that pays for itself over time. I prefer our at-home coffee to any shop around. And I especially love that I don’t have to drive anywhere. If you’re looking to upgrade your at-home coffee experience, here are the essentials that I swear by.

1. The Breville Barista Express

At the heart of our ritual is the Breville Barista Express. This machine strikes the perfect balance between ease of use and also making high-quality espresso. With an integrated grinder, precise temperature control, and fast heat-up time, it makes pulling a shot feel effortless (after about 100 YouTube tutorials watched and botched shots pulled). I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that there was a learning curve here. Whether I’m making a quick Americano before school or enjoying a leisurely weekend latte, this machine delivers consistently delicious espresso every time. I would confess that I am still trying to perfect my milk steaming technique for pretty latte art. It tastes good every time, but I have yet to end up with something instagram worthy.

2. A Funnel Attachment for the Portafilter

One small but mighty tool that has transformed what was once a very messy process is a funnel attachment for the portafilter. This thing is a game changer. If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of coffee grounds spilling over the sides while tamping, this is the solution. It keeps my counter clean and ensures that every bit of coffee makes it into the portafilter. It’s such a simple addition but makes a huge difference in minimizing mess and it makes the ritual of espresso-making so much more enjoyable.

3. The Perfect Mugs

Let’s be honest—half the joy of coffee is in the experience, and that includes the mug. I love having a small collection of mugs that feel just right in my hands. I lean on generously sized mugs for cozy sipping. I like to brew my espresso directly into a mug, so having the right that will fit is really important. I always reach for my favorite thrifted blue spongeware mug (this set looks similar, but not quite the same), but I also love having a collection of neutral mugs that sit out all the time. They complement my kitchen and I really love how these feel in my hands. My husband has placed me on a mug buying ban, but if I could I would snatch these up so fast.

4. Plain White Flour Sack Towels for Cleanup

Espresso-making can be a messy business, but a stack of plain white flour sack towels keeps my coffee corner clean and functional. I prefer these simple white towels because they’re easy to bleach and refresh when needed. And they’re an inexpensive, replaceable investment. They’re perfect for wiping down the steam wand and catching (inevitable) spills.

5. Quality, But Affordable Coffee Beans

Quality coffee needs quality beans to start off. We’re not bean snobs, and we often buy our whole beans from Aldi. They have both a Colombian Roast and Peruvian Roast that are great. We just stocked up on these beans through Amazon (for convenience - hello prime!) and we’ve really been enjoying them. I always lean on amazon reviews when buying something new and the reviews love the beans too. We have the Colombia, Medium Roast.

5. How I Make My Go-To Morning Coffee: An Americano

My everyday coffee of choice is a classic Americano—smooth, bold, and just the right amount of strong to start my day. A bonus is that it’s really hard to mess it up. Here’s how I make it in my Breville and I’ve never had a better cup of coffee:

1. Pull a double shot of espresso into your favorite mug.

2. Move the mug over to the hot water dispenser and turn the lever to add 6-8 ounces of hot water. You can adjust this a lot based on how strong you like your coffee.

3. Add milk to taste. I don't even heat it up because I'm generally in a hurry in the morning. I just fill to the brim.

4. The most important step: Enjoy!

Creating a Coffee Ritual That Works for You

Having the right tools makes all the difference when it comes to enjoying homemade espresso, but the real magic is in the ritual. Whether it’s grinding the beans, steaming milk, or taking that first sip in the quiet of the morning, creating a space for your coffee routine can be a simple but meaningful part of the day.

If you’re looking to elevate your home espresso game, these essentials are a great place to start. Do you have a must-have coffee accessory? Let me know in the comments—I love discovering new ways to perfect my coffee routine!

Just for the Summer, by Abby Jimenez - 5/5 - A really delightful story told from alternating perspectives of the two main love interests. I think what I love most about Jimenez’s books are that the stories are always uplifting in the end, but the characters are real, witty and have actual depth. I love living in her world for a little bit. They’re easy to read, but you’ll laugh and then the next page you’ll find yourself crying. Loved it. Maybe my favorite of hers so far?

Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney - 5/5 - Okay, I loved loved loved this. BUT I can see how people would (and do) hate it. She has a very unique writing style, and her books are all angst and internal turmoil rather than plot driven. I think it’s so different and real and it makes me think and feel things. I do think you have to be in the right mood to read it. It’s not your light, fun Abby Jimenez read anytime kind of book. The main characters are two brothers whose father just died and the main focus is on both of their complicated, nontraditional love interests and their relationship with each other. This one is going on my bookshelf of fame. If you haven’t read Normal People by her yet, it’s one of my favorite books of all time. It also gets some hate, but I think about it often. (Also loved the show on Hulu.

Dawn of Onyx, by Kate Golden - 3/5 - This one is for you if you’re feeling bereft after finishing Onyx Storm (I mean…Onyx is in the title after all) and need a little dragon/magic/faerie fix. It was entertaining, but the writing was...not great. It kind of read as if chatgbt had written it. I haven’t read Onyx Storm yet, so don’t give anything away! Also good for fans of Sarah J Maas. I definitely think she was just trying to copycat them. I don’t think I’ll read any more in the series.

Bright Young Women, by Jessica Knoll - 3/5 - Well, this book kind of gave me nightmares. It kept me reading to get to the end, but I think the payoff wasn’t great enough to recommend it. Honestly, I think I wouldn’t have finished it if I hadn’t purchased it on a whim at Target. For a little context - it’s the fictionalized story of Ted Bundy told from alternating perspectives of one of the victims and one of the key witnesses who put him away in the end. You might like it if you like true crime.

Like Mother, Like Daughter, by Kimberly McCreight - 2/5 - The ending of this booooook infuriated me. Don’t read it. Just skip it. It was full of cheap tricks and distractions from what this wild author pulled out of (practically) thin air in the end.

Oh! And I did start and DNF Variation by Rebecca Yarros. It read a lot like a Colleen Hoover book and I think I wasn’t in the right mood. Maybe I’ll try it again another time, maybe not!

Have you read anything good lately? I’d love to hear! I’m always looking for books for my list.

Easing my way back into the kitchen this week. Leaning on a few brainless crowd pleasers to get us through (do you listen to the lazy genius podcast? Brainless crowd pleasers are one of her concepts that I love). I thought that we’d have the house totally back together by now after our kitchen renovation, but as it turns out it’s Sunday night and it still feels a little as if a bomb went off in here. There was some panicked crafting just before dinner (nearly forgot about 100 day tomorrow) and I think there may be iron on plastic pieces hanging around until next year. Also the baby did have a blow on our bed earlier and I blotted heavily but have yet to change the sheets. Eek. Two loads of laundry need to be folded still, I had wanted to get the back door painted today but didn’t and I have a 100 day heart shirt to finish before I go to bed. Anyway, it feels like a week of brainless crowd pleasers is a really wise choice for this week.

February 2nd - 8th

Sunday - meatloaf & roasted veggies - truthfully, my husband makes this one, but this looks similar to his. He makes two loaves on separate sheet pans. One with lots of onions for us and for leftover lunches for the first few days of the week. The other with no onions for the boys.

Monday - skillet roasted chicken thighs with potatoes

Tuesday - my mom’s taco salad - just brown a pound of ground beef or turkey with a packet of taco seasoning. We serve buffet style because everyone likes different things, but in the lineup we have - Doritos, shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream, Italian dressing, black beans, and shredded cheese.

Wednesday - sheet pan teriyaki salmon with broccoli over rice - just buy the teriyaki sauce for ease

Thursday - leftovers

Friday - pizza - an easy outsourced meal for us. I look forward to it every week.

Saturday - burgers, hot dogs and oven fries

Bake - glazed lemon loaf - trying this recipe out for the first time

Treat - one bowl brownies

Breakfast - still on our sausage and cheese muffin kick! - just toasted English muffins, a sausage patty, and a slice of American cheese

Cocktail - classic dirty martini - I made this last weeks and now I can’t stop thinking about making it again.

I’m not sure why it is, but Sunday mornings in our house are always significantly more chaotic getting out the door than weekdays. As someone who works outside of the home, and whose kids also leave the house for school every day, you’d think we would have it together. We leave at almost the exact same time for church as we do for school, after all. But for whatever reason, we’re always running about ten minutes late and I never fail to be surprised by it.

During the school year we go to 8am mass to get the kids to Sunday school and uh yes, that is very early for a weekend, but it always ends up being a gift to our future selves, ten minute late and all. While it’s chaotic first thing, we get the rest of the day for that long languid easy-like-a-Sunday-morning feeling. I try to get all my errands done on Saturdays and leave Sunday for home things (like mentally preparing for the week ahead). We get home from mass around 9:30 and making this latte is almost always the first thing I do when we walk through the door to home. It sets the tone for the rest of my day and maybe even for the week ahead? I really think you’ll enjoy it too. ♥️

Shaken Brown Sugar Iced Latte

Just add a tablespoon of brown sugar to a mason jar, brew a double shot of espresso directly into the jar on the sugar and the brown sugar will melt into it.

Add lots of crushed ice, add a lid to the jar and shake shake shake until foamy.

Take the lid off and add however much milk you like. I always use whole milk, but use whatever kind you like. Enjoy with whatever book you happen to be reading!

I write this from the Walmart pickup lot with two kids in the back, one munching on a piece of sourdough from our Aldi pick up and the other gnawing on a granola bar, sticky with melting chocolate chips in his hot little hands both with their eyes glued to the van’s tiny dvd screen (god bless that thing, truly) If the lady in the car next to us had looked over from her book but five minutes ago (she’s reading Kristin Hannah’s Night Road. One I’ve always meant to read. Too many books, not enough time. I want to ask her if it’s good, but what reader likes to be interrupted - especially in the Walmart pickup lot?), she’d have seen me holding a cup for the four year old to pee in. Furtively trying to make him stand back behind our tinted back windows, but also hoping he doesn’t pee all over my hand. Oh and update the lady in the other car next to us (spot 11) got here after us but somehow got her (15 crates!!! I counted) before us. I feel like a little kid in line again, wanting to stomp my foot and say “I was here first!” And then the adult urge to explain “I have kids in the car! I have kids at home! It’s 5pm and I need to get home to make dinner!” But who knows. Maybe she has 4 kids waiting on dinner at home too. I mean…15 crates of groceries after all.

We left the house at 3 and did a marathon trip to Hobby Lobby - a love hate. It’s 100 day on Monday and all three boys need t-shirts with 100 unspecified items on it (we settled on 100 hearts for one - the exact same thing he chose last year and what in the world happened to that shirt from last year and couldn’t he just wear that instead, but who knows where and better get everything just in case and letters for the other one who chose not to attend this outing and was threatened that if he didn’t go then he was just going to have to be happy with whatever we got and no we weren’t going to buy candy while we’re there and no we aren’t going to buy a toy either and no you don’t get to whine about it because it’s a treat to even get to go and buy anything at all. I wouldn’t have spent so much time wandering had I but known about the issues with pick ups today.

When we arrived at Walmart- there was a cluster of employees around the door. I waited for 15 minutes, no one going in or out, watching closely to see if this was a social hour moment or they were truly employees (the vests and little scanner things gave them away) and finally, my research done, I went over and asked, kindly I think? are we supposed to pick up our order here or do you guys still bring it out? I was sorry to break up their hang out, but they said no, no we bring it out and then they all hopped to it. Was I being rude by asking? Would they have gone if I hadn’t asked? In the end though - the rumblings of little bellies!! it’s 5:15 now and and I think the eldest had five granola bars in the back, oh my, who cares about dinner anyway. What else do I need to feed him when I get home to make it a meal? The only reason we came to pick up the Walmart order after Aldi (another long wait there, but my first of the day so my hackles weren’t raised) is because we’re out of Tylenol and the baby had a fever off and on all day. Wouldn’t it have been faster to just shop in the end?

And, oh dear, my husband just texted and asked if I should just pick up food on the way home because it was supposed to be bbq chicken on the grill tonight and will everyone be hangry before it’s done? I have the chicken in the trunk. Ok and now I know that man in spot 8 was also here after me and is my app even working? Oh here they come. Oh no that’s not mine. Opened the trunk, closed the trunk. The lady with the book (who did get here just after me) just left with her order and should I say something or did the put me at the end of the line because I came up to talk to them when I got here? Will they think I’m rude? Why does it matter? I don’t know them nor will I ever see them again. I’m just going to finish this standing by my open trunk looking stressed. Ok that worked. They asked if I’m ok and looked confused while checking the app. And now they’re picking it up.

Why am I like this? And why did I act so grateful when they came out with it?!

Moral the story: demand more attention this year. Fill the room.

And also - what in the world are we going to have for dinner?

I’ve seen so many funny things swirling around online about how long January is, and I’m here to pipe in that *I agree*. It’s been like a month long hangover from the holidays. Honestly, January was a little rocky in the Metroka house. It felt like the boys bickered more than normal, everyone was reluctant to go back to school (me included), Maddie and Luke both had terrible coughs for what feels like weeks. This is a love note, but I have to say that I didn’t love any of that.

We did have some fun work done at our house this month. I think so much fun that I’ll make it’s own post. (hint - the kitchen!). The work was supposed to just take a few days, but it stretched into what feels like the whole month. I have a few finishing touches before it feels truly complete.

1. Ate - I feel like I didn’t do much cooking this month what with our kitchen work, but I did make a few cozy, hearty, winter, January-y meals that made a mark. Our favorite Ramen noodle soup, Ina Garten’s Chicken in a Pot with Orzo (YUM), my husband’s chili, and our favorite beef and barley stew to name just a few. I’ll start sharing recipes on here this month for easy reference. I shared most of those recipes on instagram, and they’re worth bookmarking!

2. Baked - My list sounded so epic this month, but I didn’t get around to making hardly any of my baked goods. I did make two really good cookies this month. I made Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Sarah Kieffer’s 100 cookies that disappeared before my very eyes last weekend, and the week before that I made these really great Breakfast Cookies. My kids inhaled them so fast that I had to make a second batch the next day. They’re basically granola bars in cookie form and they may be the only cookie that you’ll feel ok about your kids eating for breakfast. The recipe is shared here.

3. Drank - If you know me, you know I love a good cocktail (I’m currently at work on an e-book - A Year of Cocktails). My sister and I “meet” on FaceTime for sister cocktails every couple weeks. We choose a drink, get all the ingredients, make and then drink it together and talk through if we liked it or not. This month we made French 75s for New Year’s (our favorite drink so far) and we made Painkillers. We decided the Painkillers are basically vacation in a cup. I also made a really lovely classic Martini. I think I’ll share the recipe within the next week or two. It’s the easiest cocktail to master and if you do it right, it’s always good.

   

4. Watched - You’re going to laugh about this, but I think the best thing we watched this month may have been the original Gladiator? We watched it for date night a couple weeks ago to get ready for Gladiator 2 and I had fully forgotten how epic it is. A Gladiator 2 date night is in the works for next weekend!

5. Read - I read 5 books this month. A lot! Two were five stars and the rest were kind of duds. The two best books - Just for the Summer, by Abby Jimenez (flirty, fun chick lit with heart. I like her books because they’re more real than most chick lit. The characters are real and relatable and all have issues to deal with. Far more depth than most chick lit . And the spice level is reasonable. Like they have spice, but it’s not off-putting. ) and Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney (I really think you have to be in the right mood for this one. It’s very introspective and poetic and beautiful. It’s gotten a lot of hate, but I just loved it.).

6. Wore - I have become a jeans and a sweater girl this month?? I know. It’s weird. I’m usually a year-round dress wear-er. But I think that something about my body starting to shrink back to its normal size 6 months postpartum has made me reach for jeans more than I used to. I should say “new normal” size. This body’s got some new dents and curves to it after four children and I love it all the more for it. I decided to jump on the barrel leg jean trend this month and I am looooving them?! They feel adjacent to the wide leg jean trend which I also love. I wore the death out of my Greta ballet flats, and I think I wore every sweater in my arsenal this month too. It was cold (for Florida), but I’m about ready to break out my skirts in February. It was 80 degrees today and it seems like our winter chill is on the path to thawing out.

   

7. Loved - I need to make this its own post as well, but I broke up with my planner this month. It just wasn’t serving me anymore. I felt like I had weeks go by where I wouldn’t even open up my planner and all those pages just went to waste. It felt like it kept happening, so I wanted to try something new. My internet friend Courtney, (@alifefromscratch), shared her journey recently about breaking up with her planner and I’m trying out something similar. It’s basically just using a notebook and a spiral bound calendar for dates. More to come on that!

I am so looking forward to February and seeing what the next month holds - mainly, my parents visiting and settling back into our “new” kitchen.

I’ve dabbled in writing all my life. I’ve had blogs. I’ve written lengthy instagram posts that feel like blogs. I’ve journaled (intermittently). I’ve started and stopped novels and cookbooks and the like. And here I am, putting myself out there yet again. I follow this really wonderful account on instagram (goes to instagram to look up the account). A singer (@oliverrichman11). Last year, he made a resolution that he would compose, record and post a song every single day. And he did it! And he’s continued on doing it this year. His songs are witty and clever and full of heart. They’re not long, some are epic, others are short and sweet and he probably feels like some are better than others, and aren’t most things we do like that?

I’m not promising that this is going to be the greatest account you’re ever going to follow. But I do promise to show up in this space and to share what I have to give. And if you are so kind as to become a paid subscriber - bless you. I hope that this little spot becomes a haven. A quieter spot in the world where we can bring our hearts back to home and everything that that means.

Thanks for being here. It really means a lot. Can’t wait to see what this space becomes.