 Today, was my first day back at work since mid-December. Thankfully, it's also a work from home day. I'm greatly enjoying this slow ease back into things. I get to wear comfy slippers and a cozy sweater while clearing out my inbox.
Here's what else made me smile this week:
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 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
V.E. Schwab This might be the best thing I read in 2025. While I still have about a third of the book remaining, I am flying through this one because it is so compulsively readable. The story is addictive and the writing is lyrical. Some passages are exquisitely vivid in their wording. It's taking everything in my power not to spoiler myself on the ending. I really want to know how this all turns out! *Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org I'll be on holiday hiatus until Monday, December 29. Regular posting will resume after I consumer far too many sugar cookies.
Happy holidays!  We are deep in the holiday chaos where I seem to always be covered in flour, glitter, holiday ribbon, evergreen needles, chocolate, or everything at the same time. Also, I can never get my snickerdoodles to come at as well as my mom's. That makes me a bit grumpy. Let's get straight to the Wrap! 
Last night, the husband and I celebrated our anniversary at our first Michelin Star restaurant. The food was excellent (I would go back for the shrimp toast alone) and the service exceptional. It's not going to become a common thing for us, but it was certainly nice for a special event.
Here's what else made me smile this week:
 I recently filmed a short video for work about why books make great gifts, and it got me thinking more personally about why I give books as gifts.
For me, it started as a practicality. In high school I worked at the local used bookstore. My work came with a decent employee discount. Many books are already affordable (at least in comparison to other gifts) but the discount was an even better savings for my part-time earnings. Also, since I saw books all the time, I constantly came across titles that made me think, "I know who would like this!" Back in my high school days, Amazon was just getting off the ground. My job gave me easy access to something I didn't have to order or travel a distance for. (We lived in upstate New York. Nothing was really close.) These days, books are still practical because you can buy them just about anywhere. Plus, you can find something at pretty much any price point. Heck - you can even get them for free if you visit your local little free libraries. I also like to give books because they let me say, I thought about you. Choosing a book means paying attention to what someone enjoys, what they’re curious about, or what kind of escape they might need right now. (Not to spoil for my family this year... but I think I nailed the book for my mom.) Books let you extend a happiness that already exists in your giftee's life. I also love giving books because they don’t demand anything. They don’t need to be charged, filled with batteries, or updated. And, you don't need to worry about expiration dates. They wait quietly until the moment someone is ready for them. Furthermore, there's no obligation to keep them once the giftee is done with them. Books live on because they can be shared, regifted, or given away. Finally, as someone who is not a skilled at it, these square objects are simple to gift wrap and decorate with bows and ribbons.  The Man Who Made Lists: Love, Death, Madness, and the Creation of Roget's Thesaurus
Joshua Kendall *sings* This is the book that will not end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friends! *ends singing* Unlike big, meaty novels that I love sticking with, this non-fiction is starting to wear on me. Again, not bad, just not what I want to read at the moment. Also, I thought it would be more about the thesaurus at least in some chapters. Instead, this is a pretty straight up biography. *Bookshop.org affiliate link End of year lists are adding to my TBR...    You can see my complete TBR list on Pinterest.
*Items featured here are Bookshop.org affiliate links.  Friday was my prep day for our annual holiday party. This year, I had some use it or lose it leave so took the day off. Instead of spreading my prep baking and chopping across the entire week, I saved it all for Friday. This is both good and bad. The bad is that it's a looooong day of work. I'm on my feet for hours, washing my hands constantly, and trying to keep all the recipes in order as I multitask. (Thank goodness for the white board on the fridge and our Alexa. They help me ensure I'm not burning anything.) Plus, I take over the entire kitchen. Every surface is covered with pans and bowls and ingredients and finished products. Inevitably, I get flour all over the place (thanks, scones!) and we just had our place professional cleaned so that makes me pout. By the end of it all, my body is physically tired and my mind is fried. But, I kind of love days like this. I queue up a whole bunch of podcasts and just go head down on what I need to tackle. I feel super productive, I get to nibble deliciousness throughout the day, and it's enjoyable to see it all come together. And, that physical soreness at the end of the day almost feels good. The only weird quirk I have is that I have to force myself to eat lunch. I always want to power through and finish and use lunch (and the sitting that comes with it) as a reward. But that's not a good idea because lunch would be at 4pm and I would be hangry. This year, whilst something was in the oven and two other recipes were chilling in the fridge, I made a sandwich I ate while standing up. It wasn't gourmet by any means, but it kept me energized to finish.
I just finished a whirlwind day of errands and party prep. Now I'm enjoying a well deserved sit with some fizzy water and ASMR videos. It feels good after being productive for so many hours.
Here's what else made me happy this week:
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