2025 Planning... Still

Some of my most popular posts are about my obsession continued daily use with my paper planners, specifically, my Hobonichi Cousin. At this point, I’ve used this same planner for… ten years? (Goes and checks…) (Yes, I’ve saved them all)

If you want to check out ALL of my previous planner posts, you can click here

More specifics:


My 2019 Planners as Planned
A Peek at my 2020 Planner Lineup
My 2021 Hobonichi
My 2021 Planner System
The Joy of 2022 Planning
Hobonichi Weeks v. Cousin
2024! Planning


And again ALL THE PLANNER RELATED STUFF I’VE EVER PUT ON MY BLOG


So, what’s new in my Hobonichi Cousin for 2025?

I’ve changed up how I use some of the “special” pages.

For instance, these pages at the front. (What are they called? I don’t know)

For the past few years, I’ve tried using these pages as a habit tracker. Specifically, I had three habits that I tried to grow last year. I simplified my methods, tried to #focus, experimented with different systems of moving habits to my daily pages…. all sorts of things that I’m not doing a great job of explaining. And when I set up this year’s hobonichi, I realized if insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results… well. I needed to switch it up.

So I thought about what has worked for me in the past, and decided to just use these as a monthly goal collection area. Each month, I’ll set goals for myself, write them here and cross them off when I’m done.

What hasn’t changed? My book tracker page, ^^ up there. It’s perfect!

And I’m still using this for tracking my tv/ movie watching. I started doing this just to see how my input affected my writing but really, it’s handy to go back and see what I’ve watched when someone at a party asks, “have y’all watched anything good recently?” This is 2025. There’s a LOT of content to keep track of.

Last year I used two different pages to track my decluttering progress and my self-care activities. (After going through breast cancer, self-care hits differently for me. It’s not that I have self-care goals, exactly, but when I do something nice for myself/ my body, having a page where I can write it down, helps me remember that I can’t forsake being kind to myself.)
I have monthly and weekly decluttering tasks, so this is where I will record them. Again, it’s not like anyone is asking me at a dinner party, “have you done any good decluttering lately?” but it’s to keep me accountable. Also, this a good excuse to use these excellent stickers.

Speaking of stickers, here are the ones I chose for the cover of my Hobonichi cousin planner. I am feeling a demure champagne - fire - sword - sparkle vibe this year.

I have some other things I’m going to talk about in my January newsletter, so make sure you’re signed up for it, so you see all my 2025 planning tools and tricks! Sign up here.

(Mostly) Non-Political Books for a Political Time

So… it’s 2024. A Presidential election year in my country, the US of A.

Everyone has opinions, everyone has feelings.

I got it. This isn’t really one of those blog posts.

Since I was in high school, I’ve read political memoir/ non-fiction from a purely educational/ informational place.

If you, like me, are interested in “political history” but not really wanting politics, I wanted to share my favorite recommendations that give insight into how the presidential elections and the White House work.

I can’t promise that there’s NO politics in these books (and I don’t know everyone’s preferences) but I can promise that these are MOSTLY as nonpolitical as memoir/non-fiction about the White House can get…

The Residence - Kate Anderson Brower

First Women - Kate Anderson Brower

Game Change - John Heileman & Mark Halperin

Who Thought This Was a Good Idea - Alyssa Mastromonaco

I’ll Take Your Questions Now - Stephanie Grisham

If you like getting book recommendations from a reader/ author like me, subscribe to my newsletter Women With Books !

(MORE) Best Books to Read On VACATION - July 2024

Y’ALL!

Are you as happy as I am this summer? I feel like authors are really bringing it and I can barely keep up with my TBR list.

So many of you loved my first round of vacation reading suggestions, that I quickly looked at my book pile and decided I’d bring you more recommendations for the plane, the cruise, the beach… or your own back yard.

(June Reading Recommendations HERE)

*I’ve picked these for universal fun and based on my own preferences for summer reading. If you have other preferences by the pool, please READ THOSE! Do your thing, friend.

The Rom-Commers - Katherine Center

Husbands & Lovers - Beatriz Williams

The Mystery in Moonshine - Lindsay Emory

The Summer Pact - Emily Giffin

Look On the Bright Side - Kristan Higgins

If you like getting book recommendations from a reader/ author like me, subscribe to my newsletter Women With Books ! I often give more details there about the books I love and the books I don’t…

Or for all the book recommendations on my blog, just click here!

Best Books to Read On VACATION - 2024

If anyone has followed me for any length at all, you might have guessed that one of my favorite things to do is have vacation reading time.
WHAT IS BETTER?

Relaxed, low key time in the mountains or on the beach, with nothing to do but immerse yourself in another world, a fantasy or a romance??

Nothing is better.

And, quite frankly? I’m not alone. The PUBLISHERS know that readers like me want delicious, frothy, immersive books. I’ve got a quick short list of what’s new on the beach read MUST read lists this year.

*I’ve picked these for universal fun and based on my own preferences for summer reading. If you have other preferences by the pool, please READ THOSE! Do your thing, friend.

Summers at the Saint - Mary Kay Andrews

Lies & Weddings - Kevin Kwan

The Mystery in Moonshine - Lindsay Emory

The Beautiful People - Michelle Gable

Every Time I Go on Vacation Someone Dies - Catherine Mack

If you like getting book recommendations from a reader/ author like me, subscribe to my newsletter Women With Books ! I often give more details there about the books I love and the books I don’t…

Or for all the book recommendations on my blog, just click here!

Recommendations for Mother's Day Books!

As a mom, who has a mom, and has friends and relatives who are moms, I think one of the very best gifts you can give a woman is quiet time with a good book. And her favorite beverage.

Partners and children, please take note:
1. Quiet time.
2. Good books
3. Beverage.

If you do all the above (and take her out for a meal she doesn’t have to cook or clean) then you will win.

Without further ado, here are my top book giving recommendations for a woman in your life.
*I purposely picked books that were low on “spice,” for lack of a better term, to better serve a wide swatch of grandmas, teachers, aunts, etc. But hey - if your grandma loves some spice in her books, go find that woman her type of book!

All of these books feature multi-generations of related women, with all the joy and complexity of those relationships. I hope you find something you - or someone you love - will enjoy during your (their) quiet time with your (their) favorite beverage.

The Women - Kristin Hannah

The Mystery in Moonshine - Lindsay Emory

Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe - Heather Webber

Dial A for Aunties - Jesse Q. Sutanto

A Little Ray of Sunshine - Kristan Higgins

If you like getting book recommendations from a reader/ author like me, subscribe to my newsletter Women With Books !