Ok, fellow book hoarders…I’m keeping the list *somewhat* short for February…but I mean, come on. Books about love are the best kind, aren’t they? Here are a few of my very favs for the month, covering Valentine’s, President’s and Groundhog Day!
Also, I’m skipping the descriptions this month (bc, life.) But, each book has a direct link below, so if you’re interested, click the link to read a description and/or purchase!
We got so many messages and questions while we were away after Christmas this year so I figured I’d answer some of them here! Let me know if you have any others and I’ll add them to the post!
image via vailrealty.com
Where were you guys?
Vail, Colorado
We’ve been going skiing for a few years now the week between Christmas and New Years. In the past, we’ve always stayed right in Vail Village, but this year we stayed in the next village over (a 3 minute shuttle ride) called Lionshead. It literally looked like Arendelle from the movie Frozen! It was super cute and a 30 second walk to the mountain from our hotel, BUT we all agreed that Vail Village is much better in terms of walking around, shopping, eating, etc.
Where did you stay?
Austria Haus- Did you click the link? HOW cute is this place? We stayed here our first year. Very small, very cozy. Amazing brunch. Right on the main strip in Vail Village so you can basically walk anywhere. However, it was a little TOO small for me.
Tivoli Lodge– Stayed here last year. This one might be my favorite. It’s small enough to have that cabin-in-the-woods feel but big enough to NOT feel like a bed & breakfast (not my thing). This place has an awesome lobby with a giant fireplace and huge oversized couches and chairs. Hot chocolate and fresh cookies are abundant and it’s just all-around cozy! Also right in the heart of Vail Village.
Arrabelle- This is where we stayed this year. It is in Lionshead and it was by far the fanciest place of the three. It was super beautiful, provided us with a 3 bedroom unit so that my whole extended family could stay together instead of in separate hotel rooms, and the service was impeccable. It also had a restaurant “Tavern on the Square” attached which had a great brunch and an AWESOME rooftop with hot tubs and a heated pool. (Did I mention an awesome spa as well? Definitely took advantage of that!) It was also about a 30 second walk to the gondola from the hotel- so the location was ideal. The ONLY downside to this place, well two actually: 1. You have to take a shuttle or car to Vail Village and 2. Although beautiful, this hotel lacked the “cozy mountain cabin” feel that the other two places had!
image via arrabelle.rockresorts.com
Best places to eat?
In Lionshead:
Blue Moose Pizza– yummy casual pizza right in the square
Garfinkles– They have an awesome outdoor patio on the second story where you can basically watch people ski down the mountain while you eat. They fill up FAST at lunch but I believe you can call ahead and make reservations.
Bart & Yetis– cute little lunch spot.
In Vail:
Bol- This is a bowling alley attached to an amazing restaurant. Caution: you can NOT walk in and bowl. We tried that the first year and they laughed in our faces. We basically make our reservations a year in advance.
Elways– This is a steak house and is always our fanciest meal of the trip. Pricey but worth it for the side dishes alone.
La Bottega– Yummy, tiny little Italian joint. If you are a big party and you call to make reservations ask to NOT sit by the front door. When it’s freezing outside, and the door keeps opening, that seat stinks!!
Campo di Fiori– our #1 FAVORITE italian meal in Vail. Seriously delicious!
Vendettas– a cute little lunch spot- yummy soup. Very popular and fills up quick!
Pepis– known for their bavarian pretzels and sausages (yuk!) Also, here’s a secret tip, you need to call for his schedule, but they have a singer named Andy who performs at night and he is AH-MAZING! Go watch him sing, and tell him “Dallas” sent you! Don’t forget to do a shot-ski while you’re there! Kids can only stay until 8pm, fyi.
The Red Lion– Maybe the most popular lunch spot in the village…? Always packed, get there early if you can to save a table. And then order the nachos, stat.
Pazzos– A yummy pizza place in V V. Also gets CRAZY crowded at dinner with a line out the door, so go early or order to go!
Big Bear Bistro– a teeny tiny little breakfast joint. Super yummy but also can get pretty packed!
Loaded Joe’s– a hidden gem…downstairs little coffee nook!
Joe’s Famous Deli– a yummy downstairs deli where Vince Vaughn is known to eat with his fam! 😉 (saw him there last year)
Mountain Standard– Another place we walked by but have never eaten. Looks pretty awesome! A definite must for next year!
Did both girls ski? How long have they been skiing?
We put Q in private ski lessons when she was three. Then last year we put her in all day every day ski school and found to be much more effective. This year she did one day of a private lesson and then skied with Ryan the rest of the trip. She’s pretty much a pro now and skis circles around me (which isn’t exactly a hard thing to do!)
This was Cubby’s first year and she did ski school almost every day & loved it!
Where did you get the girls coats?
The girl’s pink and maroon winter coats were from J Crew. I linked them HERE. I’d highly suggest getting a pair of mittens on a string. You, know like in the olden days? I linked my favs from EGG, HERE. We strung them through the girl’s coats and never had to worry about them for the rest of the trip. (obviously these are not ski gloves, just casual winter mittens)
What gear do the girls wear in the snow/when skiing?
Ok, here’s my clothing checklist for when they ski:
underlayer/thermal
snow pant jumper
ski coat
fleece fitted infinity neck scarf
helmet
goggles
thermal gloves
ski mittens
thick ski socks
They’ve always been plenty warm in that. Remember they’re moving a lot and working up a sweat under those layers!
The girl’s ski gear was a mix of brands from different ski shops collected over the years. Our fav ski brand for kids are Obermeyer, KJUS, & Patagonia. I’ll link a few options here, but you’ll need to explore for the style/fit/price that best works for your kiddo:
Snow Pants (I prefer the jumper verses just the pant for kiddos)
Snow Mittens (here’s a little tip I learned: most people think gloves keep the hands warmer, but actually mittens do! Having the fingers touching actually promotes more friction and body warmth and keeps the hands warmer! The more you know…)
Where did you get the girls pom hats?
Ok, I hesitate to share these because I can hear the collective eye rolls and judgement…ha! But here goes…the pom hats were from my favorite kid’s boutique in Vail called Skipper and Scout. They are by Mischa Lampert. You can get them a bunch of places, I linked one of the rainbow stripe ones HERE. And before you eye roll, let me be the first to say: yes, they are pricey. VERY pricey. We bought Q one last year and then waited until this year to buy Cub one. But, they are made from some seriously quality materials, and they are so thick and keep the girls super warm. Plus they also fit adults. The girls will have these for years and years so we think of them as investment pieces (plus, I can borrow them ;)! Expensive hats are not for everyone, I understand- but so many people asked where they were from, I had to link them. (I will say, they were cheaper at Skipper & Scout than they are in that link above. So maybe contact them and see if you can order via phone?!)
Whats the best place to get cold weather gear for us moms?
So I get almost all of my winter gear at a local shop in Dallas called St. Bernard Sports. I also got that fun pink pom beanie from Nordstrom this year that I posted in my IG stories. I’ll link a few of my favorite pieces for you! I usually bring cute “walking/shopping/dining clothes” and then my ski clothes.
Hats: They sold out of my hot pink pom beanie at Nordstrom but there are some other color options of the same brand linked HERE. Or HERE is a different brand but another cute shade of pink option!
Ski pants – I love this legging look, and YES they are still super warm! I wear them to “ski” (we all know I can’t ski) AND sometimes out at night in the village! LOVE these by Erin Snow and they are super comfy! Worth the investment.
Base Layer Tops- So many to choose from, but i love this pink one! Go explore for yourself!
Boots: Go for comfort and warmth!! Love THESE and THESE (for a fun furry option!) We had very mild weather this year so I was able to wear my cute pink sperrys a lot! Unfortunately my pink sperrys sold out but I’m loving these gold ones and I actually really really love THESE original colored ones for next year! (UPDATE: I scoured the internet and found my pink duck boots HERE!! Plus, they’re on sale! Hurry up- these will not last!!!)
How do you adjust to the altitude?
OXYGEN! Literally the first thing we do when we arrive is stock up on the oxygen bottles. We use them throughout the entire trip. Also, water, water, water, water. I think we went through three cases of water while we were there. Other than that, we haven’t had much of an issue over the years…even with the little ones. We’ve all been able to acclimate pretty well!
What stroller did you bring?
Ok, so it’s kind of ironic. We bought the Cybex carseat and stroller combo which is so fancy and amazing and we use it ALL the time at home…and yet, we have never brought it with us on one trip!!! When Max was teeny I would carry him in a baby wrap and then as soon as he was sitting we started traveling with an umbrella stroller.
We use the Summer 3D-one Convenience Stroller . I love it because it reclines down, the hood has a huge canopy reach, the basket is a good size for an umbrella stroller, it folds down pretty narrow, has a foot stand so it can stand on its own once folded, is super lightweight, AND the bottom flap of the seat can fold up which basically creates a mini bassinet for smaller babies whose legs don’t reach the edge. We’ve traveled everywhere with this stroller and pretty much love it!
Then, we bring our most favorite travel stroller on the planet: The Pockit. We have two of these but this time we just brought one, figuring both girls wouldn’t need to be riding the whole time and they could take turns in it. This stroller is SO great. It folds down to the size of a purse AND fits in the overhead of the airplane! The only thing is…it’s not the sturdiest- so like, don’t bring it off-roading with you. But for an easy-travel umbrella stroller, its pretty freaking amazing!!! *UPDATE: There is a new version of this stroller with a deeper canopy shade and an option to recline!
Why don’t I bring a double stroller you ask? You know, I just really don’t like them. They’re big & clunky and don’t fold down very small (we were getting in and out of shuttles and cars and in and out of tiny shops and restaurants, up and down elevators, etc. non-stop!). The side-by-side ones feel like you’re pushing a double wide and can’t fit through any doors and the front-to-back ones feel like you’re pushing one of the “extra” suburban Target carts. I’ve tested them all, I just am not a huge fan. Plus, there’s two of us- me and Ryan- and a handful of family members on this trip so we figured two tiny strollers would be much easier to navigate with so many helpers to push. We were right. These two strollers were a breeze to travel with! When Max gets older we’ll drop the Summer and just stick to the Pockits…because there’s a brand new one out that reclines!!!! Splurge for next year, I think! (yep- see above for the updated link!)
Essentials for a Mountain Vacation?
Ok, here is a list of absolute essentials (from my experience) to pack if you are doing a mountain trip with kiddos in the winter time:
HUMIDIFIER- call ahead and ask if your hotel provides them (Arrabelle did!), if not, consider traveling with a travel-size one like THIS awesome one (that works with a water bottle!) OR Amazon priming one to your hotel! You will thank me when everyone starts getting bloody noses and dry throats!
OXYGEN CANS- they sell them in EVERY shop in the villages! Just ask. Get big ones for your hotel room and travel sized ones for your bags!
SUNCREEN- Supergoop is a very serious FAV. This Mineral one is so good and the Acai Fusion SPF30 chapstick is life. I have one in every pocket of every coat. Usually I hate SPF chapsticks because the sunscreen seeps into my lips and feel like I can taste the sunscreen all day. NOT with this one. I use it daily and am obsessed!! Don’t think that just because you are bundled you don’t need suncreen- that snow is a natural reflector and you guys WILL get sunburt. And nobody wants a goggle tan line après ski. 😉
CHAPSTICK- see above! THIS one is my fav! I keep one in every purse & every coat pocket.
LOTION- You will want to bring a nice thick lotion to keep your skin hydrated. Your face and hands, etc. will get super dry!
STATIC GUARD- you will not believe the “weird science” effects the mountain environment will have on your hair!!
SALINE & NOSE BULB- the dry air will dry everyone out and most likely stuff you up too. We used the saline and nose bulb almost daily on Max!
TIGER BALM & EPSOM SALTS- if you are skiing you will be VERY thankful you brought these. I gave myself and the girls epsom salt baths to soothe our sore muscles, and my husband and I used the tiger balm on our shins and calves!
DRY EYE DROPS or MOISTURE DROPS- I get pretty bad dry eye so the mountain environment didn’t help. Just think of it this way- every single part of your body will get dry…bring anything to help yourself maintain hydration! These eye drops were super helpful for me
SUNGLASSES- duh. Feel silly listing this, but I wore my sunnies every single day! That snow reflection is bright!
LIGHT WEIGHT PJS- So you might think, oh winter…let me pack the fleece. Wrong! Most of these resorts have the heat cranked up! We were so dang hot we were opening the windows and doors at night for fresh air. You will want to pack light weight pjs for yourself and the kiddos. If they get chilly, there are always blankets to layer…but you don’t want them overheating in this pjs! I brought my favs: kickeepants and plain jane!
EUCALYPTUS/BREATHE DIFFUSER- Ok, so if you have a travel essential oil diffuser , like THIS one, BRING IT (along with some Breathe or eucalyptus oils to diffuse). If you don’t have a diffuser or don’t feel like traveling with one, grab some balm or a breathe stick that you can apply to chests and feet at night to help with breathing if everyone gets stuffy or short of breath. I love the actual BREATHE vapor stick from DoTerra and I also love this Dr. Bronner’s Menthol Balm.
STROLLER SHIELD- There are so many great ones on the market, but I highly suggest grabbing one. We used THIS one. It really does help when you are walking around at night at it’s freezing and windy!
BALM OR SALVE FOR FACE CHAPPING- Poor Cubby got the most chapped face ever! Even with sunscreen and lotion. So I used plenty of balm on her face. These are my two favs: Mustela Hydra-Stick. Its amazing and glides right on those cheeks like a giant chapstick! Dr. Bronner’s Organic Unscented Magic Balm. It comes in a tin and is basically like magical vasaline. I slathered this stuff all over the kids faces and lips!
What else do you do for fun besides ski?
Well, since I hardly ski, this is an easy question! The “skiers” go out & ski every morning around 8:30. The non-skiers have breakfast, get ready, walk around the village, do some shopping, etc. Then the entire group meets for lunch everyday. We set a time and place beforehand so that everyone knows where to meet since cell service can be spotty. After lunch, some ski again, some don’t. Other fun things we do/did:
shopping
ice skating
games/ movies/puzzles in the house
napping 😉
bowling
dinner
other fun activities that were not open/available this year but are on our list for next year:
“snowcoaster” up on the mountain
sledding/tubing
dog sledding
How do you capture photos while on vacation and what do you do with them?
So, I stopped bringing my big camera on trips a long time ago. I just don’t have space for an extra giant camera bag with our caravan of stuff these days. On this trip I brought my fuji point & shoot….and NEVER unpacked it! I know pictures may tell a different story, but y’all these trips are mayhem! Traveling with 10 people, hopping from place to place, all the clothes and winter accessories and strollers and snacks and bottles- ah! It’s A LOT! I’ve stopped stressing about capturing “the perfect shot” and I use my iphone. I have the X and the camera is pretty freaking awesome. Every photo taken on this trip was taken on my phone!
Then every year I create one epic “IG” book of all the photos I posted that year. (One of the reasons I post so much!) I use Artifact Uprising‘s Instagram book template and I LOVE them!
I think that’s it! If I missed your question or you think of something else, let me know!
It’s that time again! I can hardly believe 2017 is over; is it just me and my baby haze or was that the fastest year EVER?
Well, ready or not…it’s 20-18 and when Christmas is over I like to strip the house of all things red & green, purge every closet and cabinet, and start the year from scratch! That, of course, applies to my book nook as well. See ya, later Christmas, we’ve got a new year and some great new reads in front of us.
Here are a quick few of my favorite books for this January!
Happy New Year, and Happy Reading friends!
January Books
I always like my book nook to have a good theme for each month and since January is all about The New Year and MLK Jr. Day, I’m going to focus on the following categories with my kiddos:
Inclusion, Acceptance, Perception & First Impressions
All of these books cover one of the topics above. They all carry one common thread: don’t be so quick to judge others. Which is a thread I love!
1. We’re All Wonders- Remember that little book called Wonder?! Kidding…OF COURSE you know about that book, and movie. Right? Please say “right!”. Anyways, they made a picture book and it is so very sweet! We read it at bedtime tonight!
2. You’re all Kinds of Wonderful– Quinlin picked this book out all on her own at her book fair which just warms my heart. This book is by Nancy Tillman who is just one of my favs. The book starts “We’re not all the same. Thank goodness we’re not. Life would be boring, and I mean… a lot.” How can you not love it?!
3. I Will Not Eat You- Theodore the dragon thinks everything is potential meal until he meets a pesky little boy who teaches him a “funny” little lesson about life. Don’t always judge a “dragon” by its “cave” 😉
4. Gaston- Please tell me you have this book. If not, go get it immediately. It’s easily one of my top 10 pictures books! I love this story about two pups switched at birth and the true meaning of family.
5. Horrible Bear! This angry little spice of a girl gets all pissy with Mr. Bear until basically she has to eat crow. A great story about forgiveness, undeserved reputations and gasp…making mistakes!
6. This is How we Do it– LOVE this book! It basically tells the story of one day in the life of seven different children from around the world! Such a great eye-opener for my girls…and beautifully illustrated! Also, who else is still singing the song?! “…South Central Does it like Nobody Does…”
Change, Growth and Self-Love
1. I’m Gonna Like Me- “The key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you!”
2. I Will Never not Ever Eat a Tomato- We could all afford to be a little more lenient toward veggies in our diets this year, no? New Years resolution to get your kids to eat more healthy stuff? Give this book a read!
3. Julia, Child- Who doesn’t love to cook in the winter time! I bought this book as a Christmas themed gift for the girls to go along with some kid-friendly cooking utensils. It’s the cutest picture book about Julia Child as a, well, child.
4. I Like Me! We’ve had this cute little book forever and it’s still a favorite to read along. This cute little piggie likes everything about herself…and that just makes me like her even more!
5. Miss Rumphius- One of my ALL TIME favs!!! This is the story of how one lady attempted to make the world a more beautiful place. Absolutely LOVE!
Weather/ Winter Themed Picture Books
These are all short, simple, and sweet little winter picture books so I’ll skip the long blurbs!
Hibernation Hotel- just picked this cute book up when I was in Vail. I love it! Mr. Bear gets annoyed with all of his annoying friends so he checks into a fancy hotel to hibernate…only he just can’t get to sleep. (Ohhhh what a problem to have, Bear!)
City Atlas– this BIG book is gorgeous! Perfect for expanding your little one’s horizons! Plus, there’s “search-and-find” games on every page! My girls love this one!
Curious about Snow– this is such a great non-fiction book! Contains The Smithsonian’s famous Wilson Bentley snowflake photos and “looks at the science behind snow, and the history of record-setting blizzards and snowstorms—plus how people have fun in the snow!”
Nat Geo Weird But True- My kids LOVE these books that my sister got them for Christmas! They went RIGHT into our Non-Fiction bin in our library. Love filling that bin up! Quin even told me the other day when I was in a bad mood that I should chew some gum “because studies show that chewing gums makes us happier!” Bahaha! Thanks, Nat Geo! 😉
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.– OF COURSE we’ll end with a Dr. King book! This month has his namesake day AND his lesson is always a great one to teach young children! This story is told in such a beautiful narrative and the illustrations are stunning. Such a quality book!
When the calendar page turns over to December, it seems most of our time is spent at Holiday Outings. I come out of my “couch-in-pjs hibernation” and join in on all the fun: Santa parties, get-togethers, ornament exchanges, tree lighting ceremonies, and– of course, the theater! From The Nutcracker to our local children’s theater’s production of A Charlie Brown Christmas, we want to see it ALL! (And by “we”, I mean ME!)
Seriously though, isn’t experiencing Christmastime with kiddos just so magical (you know, when it isn’t exhausting and overwhelming?). There’s something in the air that just makes every thing and every outing feel so festive and special…so, of course, we like to dress festive, too! Since I know we’ve got a full calendar month ahead, and I’m sure you do too- I’ve partnered up with Mini Boden to bring you some Holiday Outing outfit inspiration.
What I love about Mini Boden is that their clothes are so easy to mix-and-match (I had SO much fun pairing up these outfits…but then I wanted to buy them all. Oopsie!). Another thing I love about these clothes is that, although they may look fancy and festive, they are still PLAY clothes that kids can be comfortable in! (Cubby is now wearing some of Q’s old Mini Boden favorites and they still look good as new!)
So whether it’s a daytime kids’ party or a fancy nighttime show you’ve got on your calendar- I’m pretty sure you’ll find one (or 10) perfect outfits below!
Plus, they are having an “Up to 40% off” AND “10% off NEW IN” SALES, right now!!!
(Click HERE to shop these & more holiday outfits NOW!I love the idea of the plaid dress with the pink tree sweater over it, as pictured above. Turns the dress right into a cute skirt…two items for the price of one? Sold! And do not even get me started on those yellow boots!)
(I got Q that soldier/nutcracker dress, because…Nutcracker. Obsessed with all of these items though!! How about that sweet little red velvet number up top and that sequins collar city scape dress?! yasssss.Click HERE to shop these & more holiday outfits NOW!)
(Little boys in blazers have my heart. How adorable are these looks? With a dapper little scarf? I’m dead.Click HERE to shop!)
This is an oldie but a goodie- posted on my old blog back in February 2016. I thought I’d transfer it over bc it’s one of my favs!
So, I don’t camp. I’m not a camper. I don’t enjoy it, never have.
For one thing- I don’t really enjoy most critters and the thought of them near me while I sleep kick-starts my anxiety and sends it into overdrive. Here’s the thing- I’d be down to find a beautiful spot by some water, throw some pebbles, hike a bit, let the kids splash around barefoot and enjoy nature and whatnot (aka go to a beach). But then I want to go home. And shower. And close my door to the critters and crawl into my bed…where I am fairly certain I’m the only one doing any “crawling”.
Don’t get me wrong- I love seeing pictures and hearing stories of people who are pretty fabulous pro-campers and sometimes I wish I could be those people instead of being my control-freak self. But here’s the thing- I can’t.
I’m getting itchy just thinking about it, so let’s move on.
Unfortunately for me, Quinlin has been “ah-sessed” with the idea of camping ever since Princess Sophia the First and her royal troop of Buttercups went off on a camping adventure to collect sparkle rocks and sleep in tents that pop into mini-castles. I wasn’t quite sure how to convince her that this {although it may possibly get even Mommy to go camping} is not reality. So I did the next best thing: I created a little glamp-out, right here in the comfort of my studio.
On Christmas morning the girls came downstairs and just about exploded. We ate real marshmallows (cooked over the fire and then carried in), read stories in the tent, had picnic lunches, and even turned on our star machine and played shadow puppets on the walls at night.
I mean, not to brag or anything, buuut we’ve been glamping on-and-off for about a month now. Yep, a full month. And guess what?
Not one spider was spotted.
Not-a-one.
But now I need my studio back for an upcoming shoot so it’s time for the campground to get rolled up and stored away until another time when we are feeling a little outdoorsy again. 😉
Am I robbing my girls of a classic childhood experience? Probably. But I’m pretty sure they’ll eventually make it out into the great outdoors for a night of real-deal “stories around a smokey fire, curl up in a sleeping bag” type thing. It’ll happen.
You know, when I make their Dad bring them.
{Scroll to the bottom for a big SALE items that you have been asking me about… AND some fun blog shares!}
So I mentioned not wanting to buy a lot of toys this Christmas. Howeverrrrr, call me a softie, but I still want Christmas morning to be exciting for the girls, with presents to open. (Fine- I’m a glutton for punishment…and for spoiling my kids on holidays!)
With that being said,we are making an effort to GIVE more this year and I’m also trying very hard to suppress my shopaholic tendencies and buy the kids items for Christmas that:
A. They actually need
B. They will actually get good use out of.
You know what that means? Less of those giant space sucking toys that light up and cry and sing and pee and bark and god only knows what else, that the kids play with for approx three seconds and then get buried in the abyss of “toys never played with”. Yeah, those. I will probably cave and get them each one thing that they really WANT (that I cringe over) but that will not be the majority of the toys under the tree, like in years past. I cleaned out out the playroom pretty seriously recently and only left the girls with 5 “toy” categories:
Blocks/Legos
Barbies
Dolls/Doll accessories
Kitchen Set
Dress Up/Pretend
These are the things they play with the most, so I basically got rid of everything else. I guess I don’t include books, games, or art in those categories, but I’ve made a drastic change in the items we buy for THOSE categories as well. Only classics games are allowed…no more “Trolls Chutes and Ladders” or “Princess Candy Land”. Nope, it’s classics or bust. I make exceptions for card games and other newer QUALITY games I come across (most are educational).
Quality is our theme this year; items that will be cherished, will last, and items that already have a need and/or a place they can fit into in our house. There is no space left to create “new homes” for more STUFF!
So, here you go…some of the quality items I’ll be getting the kids this Christmas!
(Note: These are ideas and wish lists. The kids will not be getting ALL of this stuff!)
I like doing one big themed gift for the girls this year. This year its a new bike for Cub and some gymnastics equipment for Q. They are both going to be so surprised and excited!
1.Public Bike | 2. Rainbow Streamers (I got this cuuuute idea from my friend Lee’s Gift Giving Guide. Her site Do Say Give has SUCH great ideas. Definitely check it out!)| 3. Bike Bell | 4. Helmet |5. Basket | 6. Handstand Practice Mat (goes on the back of the door and then folds out to be a cartwheel mat as well! | 7. Gymnastics Mat | 8. New Leo from Remie Girl | 9. Balance Beam (in case you are wondering, gymnastics equipment will live in the walk-in attic that opens directly from the playroom…perfect placement and storage option!)
I like any toys that encourage DOING, especially the DOING of something TOGETHER. These are great items that will encourage your kids (and you!) to spend time together learning and playing!
It’s no surprise that as a former teacher, educational gifts rank high on my list. These are a few I love!
1.Rhyming Sound Sort (I did an IG story on this game, once!)| 2. Me: A Compendium (like an “all about me/baby” book but for older kids!) | 3. City Atlas (a gorgeous giant book- thought it’s be fun to have for all our travels!) |3. (The second number three, since I put it up there twice and was too lazy to fix it -haha!) The First Big Book of Why | 4. And Then, Story Starter Cards | 5. Allowance Game (like Monopoly for littles!) | 6. Domino Set (Q learned to play this summer with her Aunt Britt-Britt so I told Britt these would be a great idea to get for her! | 7. Smarty Blocks (looks like such a fun game that both girls can play!)
Actual “Toys” that the girls want and that I don’t hate!
Super Similar to our “out of stock” tent from Land of Nod. This one is from Anthro and I might like it better than our own!! (unfortunately, not on sale…)
Since my gift guide is mainly for my own kids, and therefore isn’t all-encompassing, I’m sharing a few other Mama Blogger’s Guides with you! For some more Christmas Gift Guides, check out these fabulous ladies linked below! There are six of us and between us all, we have a total of 13 kids, ages 3 months to 7 years… so I’m sure there’s something for everyone!
{Scroll to the bottom for a big SALE items that you have been asking me about… AND some fun blog shares!}
So I mentioned not wanting to buy a lot of toys this Christmas. Howeverrrrr, call me a softie, but I still want Christmas morning to be exciting for the girls, with presents to open. (Fine- I’m a glutton for punishment…and for spoiling my kids on holidays!)
With that being said,we are making an effort to GIVE more this year and I’m also trying very hard to suppress my shopaholic tendencies and buy the kids items for Christmas that:
A. They actually need
B. They will actually get good use out of.
You know what that means? Less of those giant space sucking toys that light up and cry and sing and pee and bark and god only knows what else, that the kids play with for approx three seconds and then get buried in the abyss of “toys never played with”. Yeah, those. I will probably cave and get them each one thing that they really WANT (that I cringe over) but that will not be the majority of the toys under the tree, like in years past. I cleaned out out the playroom pretty seriously recently and only left the girls with 5 “toy” categories:
Blocks/Legos
Barbies
Dolls/Doll accessories
Kitchen Set
Dress Up/Pretend
These are the things they play with the most, so I basically got rid of everything else. I guess I don’t include books, games, or art in those categories, but I’ve made a drastic change in the items we buy for THOSE categories as well. Only classics games are allowed…no more “Trolls Chutes and Ladders” or “Princess Candy Land”. Nope, it’s classics or bust. I make exceptions for card games and other newer QUALITY games I come across (most are educational).
Quality is our theme this year; items that will be cherished, will last, and items that already have a need and/or a place they can fit into in our house. There is no space left to create “new homes” for more STUFF!
So, here you go…some of the quality items I’ll be getting the kids this Christmas!
(Note: These are ideas and wish lists. The kids will not be getting ALL of this stuff!)
I like doing one big themed gift for the girls this year. This year its a new bike for Cub and some gymnastics equipment for Q. They are both going to be so surprised and excited!
1.Public Bike | 2. Rainbow Streamers (I got this cuuuute idea from my friend Lee’s Gift Giving Guide. Her site Do Say Give has SUCH great ideas. Definitely check it out!)| 3. Bike Bell | 4. Helmet |5. Basket | 6. Handstand Practice Mat (goes on the back of the door and then folds out to be a cartwheel mat as well! | 7. Gymnastics Mat | 8. New Leo from Remie Girl | 9. Balance Beam (in case you are wondering, gymnastics equipment will live in the walk-in attic that opens directly from the playroom…perfect placement and storage option!)
I like any toys that encourage DOING, especially the DOING of something TOGETHER. These are great items that will encourage your kids (and you!) to spend time together learning and playing!
It’s no surprise that as a former teacher, educational gifts rank high on my list. These are a few I love!
1.Rhyming Sound Sort (I did an IG story on this game, once!)| 2. Me: A Compendium (like an “all about me/baby” book but for older kids!) | 3. City Atlas (a gorgeous giant book- thought it’s be fun to have for all our travels!) |3. (The second number three, since I put it up there twice and was too lazy to fix it -haha!) The First Big Book of Why | 4. And Then, Story Starter Cards | 5. Allowance Game (like Monopoly for littles!) | 6. Domino Set (Q learned to play this summer with her Aunt Britt-Britt so I told Britt these would be a great idea to get for her! | 7. Smarty Blocks (looks like such a fun game that both girls can play!)
Actual “Toys” that the girls want and that I don’t hate!
Super Similar to our “out of stock” tent from Land of Nod. This one is from Anthro and I might like it better than our own!! (unfortunately, not on sale…)
Since my gift guide is mainly for my own kids, and therefore isn’t all-encompassing, I’m sharing a few other Mama Blogger’s Guides with you! For some more Christmas Gift Guides, check out these fabulous ladies linked below! There are six of us and between us all, we have a total of 13 kids, ages 3 months to 7 years… so I’m sure there’s something for everyone!
Ok, let’s be honest. You’ve been waiting on these since October first. Don’t lie.
Well, here they are: a round up of some of my very favorite Christmas Books, categorized, summarized, and linked. My early Christmas gift to you…
Enjoy!
The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol from BabyLit Books : I adore the BabyLit series and these are a perfect introduction to both the holidays and classic literature for the very youngest of babes. Each book focuses on one skill: colors, shapes, counting, etc. and is set to the backdrop theme of the titled literature piece. There is typically only one word/phrase per page, and yet the classic story is told through that simplicity alone. Love these books!
S is for Santa : Another fabulous book for the youngest of babes. This one is an alphabet book and the illustrations make it worth every penny!!
First Snow by Bomi Park :A sweet story about a little girl’s adventures through her first snowy day! Beautiful, muted illustrations with a pop of red!
Dream Snow by Eric Carle: It’s Eric CARLE, people! This book is beautiful!!
Oh Christmas Tree : A fun board book that follows Santa around the world to see all the different types of Christmas trees
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney : We LOVE the Llama Llama series. The rhymes are so sweet and the illustrations are gorgeous. These books are a family favorite. I think we have them all!
The Mitten by Jan Brett : Another classic winter tale about kindness and sharing. I absolutely love this book.
The Twelve Days of Christmas: The classic song but with adorable illustrations and peek-through cut outs on each page. Super cute!
The Night Before Christmas : There are so many versions of this classic tale, and honestly all the ones I’ve seen are great. But, you guys…this one is illustrated by Holly Hobbie!!!!
Santa Mouse by Michael Brown : This book is so adorable and beloved by my girls.
The Nutcracker by The Story Orchestra : The classic Nutcracker story but with “press the note” buttons within the book that play selections of the music!! How cool is that?!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss : Pretty sure every home in America already has this book. So we’ll skip the description! 😉
Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson : This is a Christmas staple in our house…and a movie that’s played on repeat throughout the Christmas season over here. One of these years, I WILL get the girls to the Plaza.
Santa Claus the World’s Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee : How does Santa go about knowing JUST what everyone wants for Christmas…and what exactly does Santa get for Christmas??
Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh : Was recently made into a tv special and I can see why. Such an adorable story.
The Jolly Christmas Postman : Do you remember this book from when you were a kid? Opening each envelope on every page and reading the letter or postcard or piece of “mail” inside? This was one of my FAVS and is now one of my childrens’ favorites as well. This Christmas edition is just as cute as the original!
How to Catch a Santa by Jean Reagan : This is another newer book but it’s very cute. Same author as the How to Babysit a Grandma/pa books.
Bear Stays up for Christmas : The Bear Stays Up series is one of my favorites and this Christmas edition might be my favorite. It’s so simple and sweet and the illustrations are beautiful! How can you read these books and not fall in love with Bear. It’s impossible I tell you! 😉
Maple & Willow’s Christmas Tree : Been seeing that “Christmas Ladder” trend going around. Pretty sure this book is where it came from! I like it because of how sweet the sisters are to one another! 😉
The Story of Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden and Barbara Cooney : A sweet story about an orphan, a childless couple, and a doll who each have only one Christmas wish: eachother…they just don’t know it yet. It’s a longer read (might take 1-3 “reading sessions”, but it is a beautifully written heart warming story!
Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht – Beautifully illustrated merry little story about the rituals of decorating a Christmas tree. Rhythmically written and fun to read aloud.
Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak : Remember the Summer to Autumn one from my Thanksgiving post? Yep, this one is just as good!
The Christmas Wish by Lori Evert : Honestly, just go ahead and buy this one for the photography alone. Per Breiehagen is just THAT GOOD. My girls are entranced by his work!
The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy : A beautiful story about an unwanted tree and a homeless boy who brings Christmas magic to the city. Heartwarming tale with a pop-up at the end!
When Santa Was a Baby : This is a newer book and it’s pretty adorable. My kids get a kick out of it and the illustrations are just beautiful.
The Littlest Angel by Charles Tizewell : A mischevious little angel learns about the spirit of giving. Such a sweet story!
The Story of Christmas: The story of Jesus’s birth, told through simple text and fun, vibrant illustrations
The Tale of Three Trees : A folklore explaining how the lumber from three trees became three very important and iconic symbols in Christianity. I use this book at Easter as well!
The Christmas Story: Another story about the birth of Jesus, but this Little Golden Book version just has a special place in my heart. My girls love the realistic illustrations!
The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats : The classic story of the little boy who is too poor to bring a gift to baby Jesus so he brings the gift of song instead.
Life Magazine’s The Story of Santa : This one is fun for ALL ages; a glance-back at the story, legend, and creation of “Santa Claus” as we know and love him today!
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens : I used to perform in this play every year as a child so I think I’ve pretty much got this one memorized. I can’t wait to read this aloud once the kids get a little bit older!
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson : A novel that is sure to be a favorite read aloud, super funny and a great message!
Santa’s Last Present : A sweet book by Marie-Aude and Elvire Murail. Julian doesn’t believe in Santa anymore, but when a mysterious box arrives on Christmas morning, he just might change his mind! (32 pages)
And how could I forget it?! Perhaps one of the BEST classic Christmas books of all times…
The Little Fir Tree by Margaret Wise Brown. There are so many new versions with new illustrators but do yourself a favor and buy the old-school Barbara Cooney version! It’s linked above!
In “part two” of my library post, I’m going to share how I categorized all of my books, the different genres I created, and a few book recommendations for each genre! Also, don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for a fun blog share and a GIVEAWAY!
And if this is your first time visiting (Welcome!) don’t forget to read Part One on how to start a Little Library in your own home, HERE.
Gah! I’m just so happy that you are here and interested in this little project of mine…and maybe in building your own!?! I’m such a book nerd, always have been, and I just love watching my kids get excited about books too! They’ve seriously read more and cycled through more books in the few weeks we’ve had the library than in months prior combined. I only wish I would’ve started this project sooner! Well, better late than never I guess! I’m just so excited to watch this little library change and grow over the years, as the kids do. It’s one of my greatest wishes- to instill, in them, a love of reading.
Here’s hoping…
GENRE BINS AND BOOK RECS
Ok, let’s get to the good stuff: genres and actual books! Your genre groups may be different, but I created my bins based on:
1. The books I had on hand and
2. My children’s interest level
Here are the genre baskets I ended up with along with some of my favorite books and series for each. (Just a heads up that most of these titles are chapter books/novels unless otherwise noted. Scroll to the bottom if you are only interested in picture books!) Also, these titles are NOT linked- because that would just take forever… AND also because I have full-faith in your Amazon search bar skills! 😉
*Book Levels: Most of these books were purchased by me for my third grade classroom. Please keep in mind, however, that I had students reading at all different levels…so these books can be appropriate as independent readers for kids reading at any level from 1st through probably 5th grade, OR as read-alouds for almost any elementary school age! It’s all going to depend on your kiddo, their reading skills, and their interests. And please remember when your hesitant reader chooses a book you are less than thrilled about….
FANTASY- Emily Windsnap series, The Secrets of Droon series, The Jewel Kingdom series, Pixie Tricks series, Dragon Slayer’s Academy Series, Tashi, Rainbow Magic series, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Harry Potter (duh!)
MYSTERY- A to Z Mysteries Series, Calendar Mysteries, The Nancy Drew Notebooks, Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew (for younger readers!), Cam Jansen series, Nate the Great series, The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series, Third Grade Detectives series, Jigsaw Jones series, Geronimo Stilton series, The Boxcar Children, Magic Tree House Series
PICTURE/HOLIDAY BOOKS- Picture books are my FAVORITE and I have so so so many to list. Instead, scroll to the bottom of this post for a separate link all about picture books. And for my favorite Holiday books, make sure you follow along as I post my favorites each month. You can find my Halloween Favorites HERE and my Thanksgiving Favorites HERE. (Christmas coming soon!!)
PHOTO ALBUMS- What better way to give your dusty old family photo albums some action than putting them out on display? Encourage your kiddos to check out the albums just like they would any other book! I make mine at Shutterfly or Artifact Uprising
NON-FICTION- (my stash is mostly picture books, like these:) Our 50 States: A Family Adventure Across America, Smart Kids series, The Eyewitness Books series. I also make sure I toss any non-fiction books for whatever holiday I have on display into this bin. I like the girls to be able to notice that there is a difference between fiction and non-fiction books even if they are both in the same general category (ie “Holiday”). I kept the picture book and non-fiction bins close to each other on the shelves for this reason!
REALISTIC FICTION- (my stash is mostly picture books, like these:) Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, Abe Lincoln: The boy who loved books by Kay Winters, If You Were There When…series
BOOKS ABOUT GIRLS-Sounds super random but I had SO many general “fiction” books that had girls as the main character. I just had to give them their own bin. My next task is to start a bin with books about boys!Ivy & Bean series, Willimena Rules series, Utterly Me Clarice Bean, The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes series, Katie Kazoo Switcheroo series, Judy Moody series, Clementine, Portraits of Little Women: Beth’s Story, A Little House Chapter Book series (mini chapter books based on the beloved classic novels!), The American Girl books, Junie B. Jones (although her sassy mouth is not my favorite. I may not let Q read these…girlfriend doesn’t need ANY ideas.)
BOOKS ABOUT ANIMALS- Pony Pals series, The Saddle Club Series, A Dog Called Kitty, Shiloh, Where the Red Fern Grows, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, The Critter Club series, Snot, Big Apple Barn, Animal Ark series
LEVEL 2 READ-ALOUDS: (Note:These are the chapter books that we read aloud at night together before bed. I created this system of leveling chapter books to create an easy system and language for the kids when we are choosing books to read together at night. I consider Level 1 read-alouds to be picture books and small “I Can Read” type books.) Level 2 are the shorter, more simple chapter books; ie books that may take a us a few nights to get through. The Adventures of Sophie Mouse series, Invisible Stanley, Lady Lollipop, The Littles series, Horrible Harry series, The Chocolate Touch, Toys Go Out, Mercy Watson series, The Hundred Dresses, Elmer and the Dragon, Sarah Plain and Tall, The Beast in Ms. Rooney’s Room, The Chalk Box Kid, Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle, Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings
LEVEL 3 READ-ALOUDS:These chapter books that I refer to as Level 3 will be the books that are a bit thicker and might take us a week or more to get through. The Penderwicks, Little House on the Prairie series, Poppy, Mr. Tucket, The Magician’s Elephant, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Charlotte’s Webb, When You Reach Me, The Wizard of Oz, James and the Giant Peach, The Velveteen Rabbit, Tree House, The Dollhouse People series, No Flying in the House
DAHL, BLUME, CLEARY:I had an abundance of books from these three authors so I combined the books and gave them their own bin. Freckle Juice, Super Fudge, The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, Ramona the Pest, James and the Giant Peach, Boy, Muggie Maggie, George’s Marvelous Medicine…all the greats!
BIOGRAPHIES: The Who Was _________ series, Dear America series, Time for Kids: Biographies are a few of my favs!
INDEPENDENT NOVELS:These are mostly older classics that the kids may want and/or need to read later in life for school…or hey, maybe pleasure! 😉 A Wrinkle in Time, Bridge to Terabithia, The Indian in the Cupboard, Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, Bunnicula, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Maniac Magee, The Great Gilly Hopkins, Holes, Little Women, The Twenty One Balloons, The Hobbit
POETRY: Some Days Other Days, Runny Babbit, A Family of Poems by Caroline Kennedy, A Pet for Me Poems, I’m Still Here in the Bathtub, This is Just to Say, *Also consider binding & including poems your own children have written!
SCHOOL/WRITING:First Day Jitters, The First 100 Days, The Kissing Hand, Amelia’s Notebook, Miss Nelson is Missing, A Writer’s Notebook, Diary of a Worm, Officer Buckle and Gloria, A Fine Fine School
*MOM’S FAVS: I thought it was important to have my own bin, both to actually store my old books and to show my kids that I also love to read…even though they are the reason I hardly have time to anymore! 😉
*BOOK DROP BIN: I didn’t want the girls throwing the books into any bin when they were finished with them, but I wanted to encourage them to explore and not be afraid to “mess up” the library, so I added a Book Drop Bin. When they are finished with a book (or a pile of books more likely), I ask them to please put them into the bin so that I can make sure they get put away properly. Q is kind of an exception since she’s pretty good at remembering where they go! Cub is still a work in progress! And me? I’m pretty much just living out all my Librarian dreams over here. 😉
CONTAINERS AND BINS
Posting this here again so you don’t need to go back to the “Part One” post. All bins and baskets I used for the library are from The Container Store. I’ve linked them again for you, below!
Picture books just happen to be my favorite books right now. Maybe it’s because of the gorgeous illustrations or maybe it’s because these are the books my kids are most into at the moment. But, since I’ve “talked” for waaaay too long here, I’m going to direct you over to my sweet friend Lauren’s blog, Lauren and Littles.
Lauren and I actually taught together for several years before we became mommies. Lauren has her Master’s Degree in Education and specializes in reading…so basically she knows what she’s talking about!
Lauren is covering some of her favorite picture books in several different genres and talking a little bit about how to build a library for children ages birth to seven. How fun! So, hurry up and head on over to her page, I promise you won’t be disappointed! Click HERE for Lauren’s Post.
GIVEAWAY!
And don’t forget to enter our contest over on Instagram! Lauren and I are giving away a “Little Home Library” Starter Kit including a cute Canvas Tote Bag from Out of Print, a $50 shop credit to Pearl & Jane (for some super cute book-nook garland!) AND a $50 gift card to Amazon to help you get started (or continue building) your very own home or school (yay, teachers!) library.
Short and sweet book about the everyday blessings to be thankful for, with gorgeous illustrations by Archie Preston. Each page says “The ___ is thankful for ___.” For example, “The Crafter is thankful for glitter and glue.” Super sweet and easy for children to relate to!
A much longer book (several paragraphs per page) but it beautifully tells the story of the first thanksgiving with gorgeous illustrations. For those of you who don’t know, Alice Dalgliesh is also the author of The Courage of Sarah Noble. Girl knows how to tell a story! 😉
Yellow Time by Lauren Stringer
“A symphony of yellow..” This book describes Autumn in such a simple, poetic way and the illustrations are just as beautiful as the text! A new book for our house, but a new favorite just the same!
Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
This is a series that goes through the transition of all the seasons and I already have the “autumn to winter” one on order. The illustrations are beyond and the text so super sweet. A child walks through town and nature saying “hello” to the people, animals, and forces of nature she comes across and they all respond with how they are making preparations for the changes coming. It ends with a “goodbye” to summer. This one is so good!!
This is a series (there is a “Cranberry” book for almost every holiday) and they are such gems you guys! Do you remember them? Classic books from the 1970s about a grandmother who lives on a “lonely cranberry bog in New England”. This story is so sweet AND includes good old grandma’s secret cranberry bread recipe. I believe this book went out of print for a while but it’s back now, so hurry up and grab it!
This book tells the simple tale of the acorn and all that comes “because of that acorn”: seeds, trees, fruit, animals, etc. A sweet story about the life-cycles in nature. There is even a page in the back of the book with more information about and definitions of concepts mentioned in the book, including ways you can help preserve nature. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from every sale go to support the work of the Natural Resources Defense Council. So while it may not be your typical “thanksgiving” book, it definitely fits in the “fall” category and opens a nice dialogue for children about respect and care for nature and our environment…which we can all be thankful for!
This is a true picture book. As in, there are NO words. But, I’m telling you, no words are needed. The story tells itself and my girls were mesmerized by the illustrations. We all had fun talking about what we thought was happening on each page and it was a nice change of pace to have a book “discussion” as opposed to a book “reading” together. The story is about one little girl’s determination and hard work to get a bicycle she realllly wants and has an interesting twist at the end. Such a great life-lesson and discussion book. Love it!! This book definitely makes you think outside the box and discuss what Thanksgiving is really about.
A fun story about Fall leaves and the shapes they take! My kiddos love collecting the colorful Fall leaves when we travel back to the East Coast. This would be a great intro book to a leaf craft!
It’s a classic tale about the gathering of supplies to make a meal. It’s about working together to get the job done. This one has Thanksgiving written all over it! As in, somebody get their butt into the kitchen to help mommy peel the potatoes. 😉
A great non-fiction alternative with photos that will leave you feeling nostalgic for 1984. 😉 But seriously, this book reminds of “the good old days” and I love introducing non-fiction to the girls as often as possible!
A story of a father and his daughter, chatting as they stroll. This book is so fun to read aloud in the two voices of the dad and the daughter. It takes place in the Fall and is about love and bonding, so I’m grouping it with my Thanksgiving books!
Tells the story of one loud, large family over the course of Thanksgiving Day. Short and sweet with adorable illustrations. Makes you wish you had a big giant family, and if you already do-it reminds you of why you love them! haha!
One sentence per page, saying “thank you for ___.” Illustrations are super cute and leaves lots of room for discussion on each page rather than just reading text.
Grandmother takes her grand kids traveling through time in this series, and in this specific book- back to Plymouth Plantation. She teaches and explains the history as they go exploring. A bit of longer read, but educational for older kids, or those always asking those “Why?” and “How Come?” questions. (aka, Quinlin)
(I got Q that soldier/nutcracker dress, because…Nutcracker. Obsessed with all of these items though!! How about that sweet little red velvet number up top and that sequins collar city scape dress?! yasssss.
(Little boys in blazers have my heart. How adorable are these looks? With a dapper little scarf? I’m dead.
You’re Back! Yay!
Cute little rhyming book that goes to the tune of “This Little Piggy”. Obsessed with the color palette in the illustrations!!
Cute little rhyming & counting book
Jordan & Co 