Latest From Living Large: Welcome to 2026
Happy New Year! I hope you had a very wonderful holiday season and are looking forward to a great 2026.
Christmas was kind of strange around our house. We celebrated with our kids the weekend of December 13th so when the 25th rolled around, we had already decorated, wrapped all the presents, opened all the presents, and cleaned the mess. We were done with Christmas.
Christmas Eve was very quiet. We had our dear friends and old neighbors over for dinner. Their daughter is about the same age as Emma so it was just the six of us. Christmas Day, Me, Handy, and Emma just had a very chill day.
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What’s Been Happening This Week
I’ve been working for the last two weeks making some changes behind the scenes so you might notice a little shift in the way my blog is set up. It’s subtle, but it’s more aligned with my content.
If you’re a planner person, I’m offering the one that I make and use, for free, for a limited time. Get yours before it’s no longer available.
Get Your FREE Planner
I create my own planner every year and now I’m sharing it with you because I want people to use it and give me feedback on how to make it work better.
What I’m Up to Next Week
This week, I’m looking forward to starting back up with posting on the blog. I’m really looking forward to getting back into routine.
I haven’t taken down my Christmas decor however, it’s going to happen this week. As much as I love the twinkle of the trees in my house, I also love when everything comes down, and I start fresh with a clean slate. This winter into spring season, I think I’m going to lean into the color green!
This is the time of year when I do a reset in my home. I have plans to clean out closets, dressers, cabinets, and shelves. I will be a regular at our local Goodwill and also posting some of my treasures on FB Marketplace. Decluttering is so cathartic to me! I know – I’m weird.
Good News I Want to Share
Our daughter Annie is a TV News Producer in Dallas, TX and she has a good friend from college (who officiated at wedding event #2) who told her about a friend of his in Dallas. This friend is a barber who specializes in cutting the hair of kids with autism and other disabilities. Her station did a story on him this past week that is a very feel-good piece. You can see it HERE.
Do you remember the movie “Bubble Boy” with John Travola? This is amazing news for children born with severe combined immunodeficiency (AKA ‘bubble boy disease’) once faced a life of isolation and early death. But not anymore.
Gene therapy treatments have successfully cured dozens of these children, giving them normal immune systems and the chance to live full, healthy lives.
Sickle cell disease, which affects millions worldwide, is also being conquered through gene editing. Patients are receiving modified versions of their own cells that produce healthy blood, effectively curing a condition that once meant a lifetime of pain and early death. Clinical trials show success rates above 90%.
A peek into my life
Lynn’s Recollections & Reflections
I have a little series that started out as a journal of sorts for my kids to have about my life. It became something more.
It’s a place where I share a very personal look into my life and believe it or not have helped some people get out of unhealthy situations.
It’s a work of fiction as it relates to others as it is my recollections of events. I hope you enjoy!
That tinsel tree is quite a treasure — absolutely stunning!
I love the tinsel tree. It reminds me of Michele’s old tree that she had by the front table.
Hi Lynn,
When you live in a small house, like I do as well, we have no storage. I was raised to give up things as we moved a lot when I was younger. I am glad my Mom taught me that. Unfortunately, my husband likes to save everything! It is quite the challenge to have him give up stuff from the past. Even if he can’t fit in the clothes he used to wear, he wants to hang on to them!
Can you let me know what link to follow you on Facebook. I promise if I buy something from you, (which I know would be a treasure!) I will give up something from my house to compensate for my new treasure!
Love your blog!
Tracey – Dear Friend I feel your pain. My husband saves things too! Things that are broken, clothes from 30 years ago. My trick is to get rid of them when he’s not around and honestly he doesn’t know they are gone. I know this tactic might not work for everyone, but it has worked for me. I’m glad that you are able to keep your own things in check. You can follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/livinglargeinasmallhouse You can also just search for me and I should pop up.
Love all of this Lynn. Our Christmas was reversed with a wedding in Houston ten days before Christmas. I never felt like I could just sit and take it in.
I don’t know if you saw our news, but we have our first grandchild, Amelia Grace.
Our daughter and our SIL are doing great. I get to attend Aemelia’s 2 month checkup. Friend. They live in Old Town Littleton and Dan just returned back to work as a pilot so there were a few tears over the phone with im being gone.
Happy New Year
laura in Colorado
PS thanks for sharing the gene therapy updates. My husband’s company specialises in managing the clinical trials so he is always talking about exciting stuff on the horizon.
again, Happy New Year! laura at Everydayedits.co
Great News Grandma! It is the best job in the whole world. I hate that my little guy is 1000 miles away. I’m headed down to Texas the first week in February so I that to look forward to. Thanks so much for always keeping in touch. I need to do a better job at that.