A Few of My Favorite Things (Winter 2026)

The weather is officially COLD and the times have been heavy this Winter, but I still have some favorite things to share that are bringing me joy these days. I feel like it’s really important to acknowledge these little things that bring happiness and hope that they can inspire you to pause and enjoy a moment, no matter how brief. I have been trying to lean into all things cozy whether I’m inside baking and bumbling around the house or outside in the cold air with my kids. Here are some things that are making my world go round, both in and outside of the kitchen: 

Everyday Things that are Bringing Me Joy 

• Medicube Skincare Routine. I first saw this routine on TikTok and had to try it! It has been working wonders on my skin, which is notoriously sensitive. My skin truly feels so smooth and acne-free, and it’s starting to get rid of some of my acne scars from years past. It’s so fun to do this every night, in this order:
  • Zero Foam Cleanser which is really gentle on sensitive skin
  • Zero Pore Pads for a double cleanse
  • One Day Exosome Shot which is a microneedling serum that I use every 2-3 days. It feels like teeny tiny needles when you’re rubbing it in and it stimulates collagen and skin regeneration. 
  • Pink Peptide Serum to boost elasticity and make my skin glow. 
  • Collagen Jelly Cream for that glass skin look. 
  • Collagen Night Wrapping Mask which I wear overnight and peel off in the morning. 
• Linen aprons. I’m tired of getting butter stains on my clothes so I’ve been living in my Caldo linen aprons while in the kitchen. I just bought this color and have a couple others as well. The quality is amazing for the price!

• My Lore Pemberton Calendar. She’s one of my favorite artists and it brings me joy to see her paintings every day. She just restocked her 2026 calendar so be sure to snag one asap (they sell out FAST). 
• Cozy clothes. I’m really leaning into these sweatshirt/sweatpants sets, crew socks, and all the comfortable sneakers like these Adidas (I bought the Earth Strata color but there are SO MANY). 
• Triangle scarves. I love that a triangle scarf (tied in a knot always!) can complete an outfit and keep my neck warm on these cold winter days. 

• The Pitt. I am obsessed with this show and hate that it only comes out once a week because I just want to binge it! 
• Oat milk coffee creamer from Trader Joes. I always have the Brown Sugar flavor stocked in my refrigerator. 
• Disco ball planter. Speaking of Trader Joe’s, I also impulse bought this disco ball planter when I saw it in the plant section and it has been making the kitchen so joyful when the sun shines! The kids are obsessed with it too, for good reason.

• Standing with Minnesota. I found this list of mutual aid organizations you can support in case your heart has felt heavy and you want to help those at risk but don’t know where to start.
• Exercise. I’ve still been weight lifting with my husband twice a week (running on this small treadmill for cardio beforehand), and going for my longer runs on the weekends. I really want to sign up for another half marathon! 
• Spending time outside every day. We’ve been really lucky with sunny and cloudy days here in Portland, so my boys and I have been bundling up for outside time every day. It really helps to see the sky and feel the fresh, cold air. 

What I’m Reading

I’m the kind of girl who always needs a good book in her life, and here are a couple good reads from this season + ones I’m looking forward to: 

• I’m currently reading The Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff, which is a memoir about a woman who ran the entire length of New Zealand. My husband bought me this book for Christmas because he thought it would be right up my alley, and he is correct. 
• I just finished Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry and while I didn’t love it as much as most of my friends, I will say it was entertaining. I don’t really dig romance novels and this turned out to be pretty predictable (like romance novels usually are). Before that I read Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood which was better and less predictable, but it’s about a woman who decides to run away from her crumbling life and become a nun. Not super uplifting, but interesting. 
• I’m looking forward to reading You’re So Strong by Leslie Harter-Berg. It’s a memoir about widowhood by someone I know, and I’m really proud of her putting her story out there. It’s currently available for pre-order (comes out March 24th, 2026).

You can follow me on Goodreads to see all the books I’ve read and want to read, if you’re into that kind of thing! 

What I’m Listening To 

Music: 

• Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving is on repeat over here. Her voice is so soothing and my kids love the whole album too.
• Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party by Hayley Williams is still something I reach for over and over again – it’s SO GOOD! I usually have it in my ears on my long runs and in the background while I’m baking. 
• I’ve been obsessed with the latest album It’s a Beautiful Place by Water From Your Eyes. All the songs get so stuck in my head and it’s really satisfying to listen to. Lots of textures going on.
• I really love Evermore by Taylor Swift in the Winter. It’s a good cold weather contemplative album. I feel the same way about Appaloosa Bones by Gregory Alan Isakov and 22, a Million by Bon Iver (but really, any album by Bon Iver). 

Podcasts: 

Nothing new here:

• Heavyweight is my favorite podcast of all time, truly the best storytelling ever.
• Good Hang with Amy Poehler makes me laugh so hard and she has the best guests. 
• Smartless is also a great time.
• Modern Love. People read compelling essays about love, which can range from romantic love to family love to grief about losing love. It’s always so thought provoking. 
• This American Life. I’ve listened to this one for as long as I’ve listened to podcasts. It’s journalism at its finest. 
• The Daily. For the most important news condensed into 20-30 minutes. That’s the most news I can take these days. 

Winter Baking

Here are a handful of recipes from my own blog I love for this cozy season:

What’s been influential in your world these days? Let me know in the comments below! 

PS: A few (but not all!) of these links are affiliate links, which earn me a small commission and help keep Sugar & Sparrow running, but all the opinions are my own. Thank you for your support!