The holidays were not as expected this year with my whole family being sick (except for me thankfully). Unfortunately a lot of family and friends that we talked with were also sick during the Christmas season. Although the excitement of Christmas wasn’t as it normally was, we spent a lot of time chilling on the…
There are a lot of sugar cookie recipes out there, but this one is my tried-and-true, old-fashioned favorite—the kind that feels like it’s been passed down through generations and shows up every Christmas season. These cookies are soft, tender, and lightly flavored with vanilla and a hint of nutmeg. The secret ingredient is a little…
This post is the last of my toy and gift series where I’m sharing the things that actually get used in our home—not just opened once and forgotten, but reached for again and again. I’ve already posted about building toys, pretend play, comfort favorites, and creative, hands-on play. Now I’m wrapping things up with one…
It’s that time again! Time to change up our little bookshelfie—packing away the November books and bringing out all of our Christmas favorites. There’s something so cozy about having a shelf full of seasonal stories right at kid-height. It makes it easy to curl up by the tree, grab a book, and turn an ordinary…
This post is part of my toy series where I’m sharing the things that actually get played with in our home—not just opened on Christmas morning and forgotten a week later. These are the things that are good quality and last through many ages and stages. In this post, I’m focusing on the toys and…
Once Christmas is over, we will still have a lot of winter left here in Michigan. The days are short, the weather is cold, and it’s really easy to slip into “we’re just stuck inside” mode. That’s why I love having a Winter Fun Bucket List—a simple, low-pressure way to give us ideas for cozy…
Today I’m talking about the comfort items—the cozy, calming, always-within-arm’s-reach things that help my kids wind down, reset, and feel safe. These are the toys that live on beds, in baskets by the couch, and often end up tucked under arms in the car. They’re not flashy or trendy, but they make a huge difference…
‘Tis the season! Christmas is upon us and we’re reminded everywhere we turn. There are holiday events popping up, gifts and sales in every store, kids writing their lists to Santa, and decorations going up all around the neighborhood. In the middle of all that, I love sitting down to write out our Christmas fun…
I know it’s last minute, but if you’re anything like me, you might still be doing some final shopping for ingredients. No worries! You still have time to place that pickup order before stores close and before you need to start your Thanksgiving prep. We usually celebrate Thanksgiving at home. I make most of the…
As fall quickly shifts into winter (at least for us here in Michigan) and Thanksgiving approaches, I wanted to share the books we’ve placed on our shelves this month. I’ve been trying to be more intentional about rotating the kids’ books in their rooms and in our living spaces—bringing in stories that reflect the season,…