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Hello Reader,

Don't you love a cup of hot tea on a cold morning? Or maybe you'd prefer coffee, instead. Either way, if you were a fly on the wall in our house, you'd see many of our family members starting most days with a steaming cup of something.

Some of us take our tea with sugar. Some mix it with milk. I prefer mine straight. Preferably with a side of my daughter's scrumptious blueberry scones. If you are as fond of tea as we are, you probably already know that January is National Hot Tea Month. And that is what has prompted this week's link list. Enjoy!

Free Resources for you this week:

• ​Tea Time Trivia Test - find out how much you know about this common drink
• ​High Tea Word Find - how quickly can you find all these varieties of tea?
• ​Getting to Know You Ice Breaker - a fun mixer to play at your next tea party
• ​Sugar Cookie Recipe - another great accompaniment to a cup of hot tea
• ​My Cup Runneth Over - a pageful of cups for you to color

What I'm reading this week:

I listened to Loving My Actual Life by Alexandra Kuykendall this week while taking down Christmas decorations, having enjoyed her other books in this series, Loving My Actual Neighbor and Loving My Actual Christmas.

In this volume, the author spends nine months tackling nine areas in her "actual life" (as opposed to the Pinterest- and Instagram-fueled ideas of what her life "should" be like) that need work, one at a time. Many of the problem-areas she discusses in this journal-style narrative and the solutions she finds for dealing with them, will resonate with readers and point the way to improving their own situations.

What we're eating this week:

Along with our hot tea, two of my children and I have been starting our mornings with "nice cream" (AKA smoothie bowls). But my 17-year old thinks no morning is complete without bacon, eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, French toast, and an apple. Fortunately, he's a good cook and doesn't mind making this much more time-intensive breakfast himself. 🍳

What we're watching this week:

We are now five episodes into Season Three​ of The Chosen, and every single one has moved us to tears. Do yourself a favor and download The Chosen App to watch for FREE.

Progress on last week's goals:

Since last I wrote, I ✅ packed away the last of our Christmas decor, ✅ finalized our Florida itinerary, ✅ got James 1 down pat by memory, and ✅ began work on my devotion for next week's Mother/Daughter retreat, although I still have more work to do on that.

Personal goals for next week:

• print scripture memory cards for retreat
• make ice breaker questionnaire for girls
• clear space in the garage for the new workbench my son is building
• address and mail invitations for a bridal shower I'm hosting next month
• take a daily walk around the neighborhood

Another poll for you:

Thanks for all the exercise suggestions, video links, and testimonials you sent in last week. One of my favorite recommendations -- and completely new to me -- was to wear a weighted vest or backpack while doing household chores. I'm definitely going to try that (at least during my daily walks) as it will be excellent training for a hiking trip we plan to take with friends next month.

This week's poll: Coffee or tea? Which do you prefer (if either)? Hit reply and let me know!