Happy New Year, friends! Here we are, standing at the door of January, taking our first tentative steps into 2025. If I may offer one small piece of advice for the moment: let’s take it slow. Like, wrap-your-arms-around-a-warm-mug and slowly watch the sunrise through the window.
January, in all its stillness and stillness, is telling us to rest, despite all this talk of the New Year, the New Us. I think January invites us to take a breather before the sprint of the year really begins. Our friend Carly aptly named it. Gentle January, And I’m leaning all the way. That’s why it’s all about this month on the blog. The magic of small pleasures.
So, what are these little pleasures? They are the little things that anchor us in the moment and remind us of the beauty and grace in our everyday lives. It’s the comforting crackle of a loaf of bread as it cools on the counter. This is how steam rises from two bowls. Carrot soup While they are sitting at the kitchen table in front of the window. It’s a little trick that doesn’t feel like a chore but a gift—to yourself or someone you love.
The January mindset has me pondering my home here in Texas. It’s been just over a year since I bought Bakehouse Texas, and I’ve tackled some big, high-profile projects — you know, the ones with lots of dust and contractor coffee cups. Now, it’s time for quiet work: nesting. In this first quarter of the year, I’m focusing on settling in, creating a place where Will and I can feel rooted and at home. Specifically, I need to make room for Will in the closet. Pray for us.
One of the most comfortable places I’ve ever lived was my small apartment in the Irish Channel neighborhood of New Orleans. It was an 800-square-foot pure house—a refuge I built during a messy, uncertain time in my life (it’s hard to make the right friends in New Orleans). Somehow, this place managed to keep me together. I photographed a corner of the space above. It’s funny how those lessons stick with you. The energy we put into space really comes back tenfold. Now, as I build a nest here in Texas, I’m harnessing that same energy: finding the small joys in building a big home.
You’ll see glimpses of this in the recipes I share with you this month. We’re focusing on these small pleasures: a cup of rich Hot cocoa For a slow afternoon, cozy slices of warm cinnamon roll bread, and Looking forward to creating a catalog of birthday cakes.. I’ll also share small ways to bring joy into your kitchen and home, whether it’s a fresh jar of homemade granola or just cracking open a window to let in the crisp morning air. can go Banana Bread wafts through the kitchen.
Let’s ease into this year together, savor the stillness of winter and find comfort in the simple, beautiful act of baking for ourselves and maybe leaving the dishes in the sink overnight. There’s magic in the little joys—I hope you’ll join me in uncovering them for you, little by little—we’re taking it all too easy.
Do you have a word you’re focusing on to start the year? If so, please share it in the comments below. I think, as on the nose as it may be, I choose happiness.
There’s a gentle start, a relaxing morning, and lots of little moments that make a big impact.