Kaylee Hackney

For a long time, I thought balance meant evenly splitting my time and energy between work and life.

I wanted to be fully present at work, fully present at home, consistently productive, well-rested, organized, available, and calm every single day.

But in trying to live that way, I just felt like I was constantly falling short somewhere.

What I understand now is that balance was never meant to be a 50/50 split between work and life.

Some weeks work needs more attention - we have a big project, presentation, or event that we're focused on.

Some seasons family needs us more - we have a sick kid, a field trip to the zoo, or baseball games to attend.

There's no magic formula. It's not a mathematical equation. Balance is really about keeping things in the correct proportions.

The good news is that you get to choose what those proportions look like!

Life feels much lighter when we stop expecting perfect equality from ourselves and instead strive to simply be good stewards of our time and energy💕

I’m always a little slow to finish pulling together my digital planner…

(Maybe 2026 will be the year I plan ahead 😅)

But, if you haven’t found the right one yet, my Elegant Balance planner is designed to elevate your life (not complicate it further).

Calm, Minimalistic, & Intentional.

And it’s availble now on Esty.

https://elegantlybalanced.etsy.com/listing/4442360937

🥂Cheers to 2026!

2026 Digital Planner PDF for Busy Moms | Minimalist iPad Planner | Weekly & Daily Planning | Goodnotes Hyperlinked Planner - Etsy This Planner Templates item is sold by ElegantlyBalanced. Ships from United States. Listed on Jan 17, 2026

Accountability group…

I know it’s cliché, but I’m hoping to kick off 2026 with a renewed commitment to my health.

Starting on January 12th, I’m going to start the Arbonne 30 Days to Healthy Living challenge (see link in comments).

For 30 days, I’ll be focusing on protein, moving my body, and eating whole foods.

These types of challenges are always so much more fun with friends to keep each other accountable, so I thought I’d see if any of you might be interested in joining me?

I can create a group chat (or even separate Facebook group) where we can share our wins and check in each day. I’ll also share some goal-setting worksheets, recipes, and inspiration.

If youre interested, let me know - I have 9 coupon codes I can share too!

And whether you join me or not, please know that I’m wishing you the very best 2026 and cheering you on in all your new years goals this year! 💕mts

This week in photos…

This week - the week between Baylor wrapping up and my kids’ Christmas break is always one of my favorites.

It’s a time to catch up on the little things that have been pushed aside during the craziness of the semester and to relax a bit before we’re in full-blown Christmas break mode.

Some things I did this week:

Got started on wrapping Christmas gifts

An Align Class

Grading and enjoying an 1885 (Dr. Pepper latte)

Celebrating Jane Austen’s Birthday party

Read a few Christmas novellas by

Date night at The Grape wearing a dress from

And a coffee date with

All in all, it’s been a great week and I’m looking forward to some sweet family time 🎄💕

We grew up watching these moms on screen.

And now, many of us are standing in their shoes...

The organizer.

The nurturer.

The steady one.

The calm presence.

Each one reflects a strength that helps us love our families well during the holiday season.

Which one are you most like? 🎄✨🎬

Mine’s in the comments!

I wore this Christmas sweatshirt to an “ugly sweater party” at work and was told it was too cute.

Later that same day, while running errands, I got a few compliments…

And then a woman stopped me in the store to ask where I bought it because she wanted one too.

What’s crazy is that my grandma made this sweatshirt in the 80s.

It’s probably older than me.

An ironed-on appliqué (complete with a raccoon in the tree) and puff paint.

And apparently, it’s having a moment.

It made me wonder if we’re collectively craving something a little more familiar this season.

What do you think?

Is Christmas nostalgia back in full swing?

Or maybe it never really left. 🎄💕✨