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…
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…
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…
If there’s one category of toys that has lasted the longest in our home — through toddlerhood, early childhood, and now the “big kid” ages — it’s pretend play. These are the toys that don’t come with rules, timers, or batteries. They’re powered by creativity, fueled by storytelling, and somehow become more fun the older…
There’s something special about toys that never seem to lose their magic — the ones that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and endless imagination. In our home, building toys have truly stood the test of time. They’re the toys that get played with every single day, year after year, that grow with our kids and continue to…
Every year around the holidays, my feed fills up with endless gift guides — lists of trendy toys that promise hours of fun but usually end up forgotten, broken, or trashed by February. This year, I wanted to share something different. Instead of adding more “stuff” to the world, I wanted to highlight the toys…
About a year or two ago, I made a conscious decision that I was going to help my kids develop a deeper love for reading. Since then, I’ve implemented a few small changes in our daily routine that have made a big difference. Because I homeschool, we naturally have a little more time to dedicate…