Happy January and Happy 2023 to you all! I can hardly believe we are already near the end of the month. How did it happen so fast? I'm excited to be joining with some familiar (to me) bloggers at a new spot with Jennifer Goodwin on her Overflowing with Thankfulness blog. I've been following her since Heather announced the change and Jennifer is so fun and encouraging.

Check out her blog and the other writers who are contributing this month. I'm also thankful that she is keeping the link open longer, which will help. Hopefully, I won't procrastinate too much. Ha ha. 

Something Loved: Jonathan, my husband, and I had a wonderful trip to Gatlinburg, TN to celebrate his birthday! It was so much fun exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the winter and looking around downtown. It was especially nice being there "off-season" and in the middle of the week. We ate a lot of good food, enjoyed the scenery, and had time to relax and just be together. Oh, yeah, we also had a whole week off from work! 

Something Read: I started a new Bible reading plan with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel on the You Version Bible app. It's reading through the Bible in a year, with sections from Psalms/Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Old Testament. Nicky has written a daily devotional with a specific theme that he, and his wife, Pippa, weave with the chosen Scripture verses. So far, I've been able to stick with it every day! Also, I'm reading The Message version, so it is bringing new life to familiar Scripture passages for me. 

Something Learned: Ok, so I didn't just learn about this, but I didn't know what the new Pantone color of the year was until I looked it up. It's Viva magenta.

It describes this color as "a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative."

It looks like serious business. They have a video where they made the big announcement, collaborations with other companies, such as sneakers, phones, and wallpaper. 

Something Eaten: I had been to Gatlinburg several years ago with friends who introduced me to Kristi's chocolate cake at The Peddler Steakhouse. When we decided to have Jonathan's"birthday dinner" while we were out of town, I knew I wanted him to experience the wonderful food and great service at The Peddler, and of course...this cake! Just as yummy as I remembered. 

What have you loved, read, learned, or eaten in January? I'd love to read about it in the comments.