The Little Things Newsletter #501 – Life, laughter, and lots of great food!

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! We’ve had a wonderfully peaceful Christmas break so far and I’m ready to dive back into the last week of work before the new year. (Bring on 2026, I am sooooo ready for it!) The kids are enjoying their break from school and our weather here in Ohio has been a wild ride of cold, then warm, then super warm, and now it’s supposed to get chilly again.

ON OUR MEAL PLAN THIS WEEK: Grilled cheese sandwiches paired with our favorite tomato soup is the perfect lunch for a chilly day. Is there anything better than the crunch of toasted cheese filled sourdough drenched in tomato soup?

If you haven’t tried it yet, this balsamic glazed meatloaf is about to change your meatloaf game. Served with chunky, buttery, garlic smashed potatoes, and smashed Brussels sprouts this is a meal I absolutely love. 

These juicy, tender pan-fried chicken thighs with a golden-crisp skin are possible with just a spoonful of oil and a bit of patience. Paired with this cheesy broccoli mushroom casserole, it is guaranteed happiness on your plates.

Italian White Bean, Cabbage, and Sausage Soup is loaded with great flavors and it’s filled with far more vegetables and meat than broth. I like to serve this soup with warm, toasted garlic bread. 

Have you tried baking sweet potatoes in the air fryer yet? If not, I highly recommend that you put this one on your list to try asap. This has become one of my favorite lunches over the past year. It’s about as simple as it gets and it’s my kind of comfort food too. 

I’m making room for one more fantastic dessert while we’re on our Christmas break. This chocolate cobbler combines a topping of fudgy, chocolate cake over a layer of rich, gooey chocolate. If you’ve ever had a molten lava cake, then the experience is deliciously similar.

My FAVORITE THING this week is this tiny keychain container. It can be used as a travel pill case or for carrying small jewelry or earplugs. It’s beyond the handiest thing I could’ve imagined! I started carrying mine over a month ago and loved it so much, I wound up giving it to several people this Christmas. It’s super discreet and thin and doesn’t weigh down my keychain at all. I really love it.

What I’m WATCHING: Oh, how I loved the first Knives Out movie. And Glass Onion: the Knives Out sequel was fun too. So, when I saw Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery pop up last weekend on Netflix, you can bet I immediately planned a movie night with my boys. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. 

This is darker and more twisted than either of the other movies, and it was a lot of fun to watch. While these aren’t all “good” people, you’re left with hope in the end. I genuinely liked it. So, if you enjoyed the other two, I highly recommend this one. I still maintain that the first movie is the best, but my boys have all declared this one their favorite.

What I’m LISTENING to: Christmas by Sandra McCracken. Wow, if you’re a Sandra McCracken fan, this album is an absolute must-listen. Classic songs sung in her uniquely beautiful way, oh, I just love it from start to finish. I wish I’d stumbled on it a month or two ago, but I’m listening now and it will surely be on repeat next Christmas too.

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4

Wishing you a beautiful week filled with little things that make you smile!

Mary