2020: A Kevin McCallister Moment

Grayson meeting his Great Grandma Mary for the first time

A while back I was speaking with my Grandma Mary in Columbus, Ohio - my last living grandparent. I was lamenting over the fact that while there were a lot of positive things happening, I really would like for everything to pause for about 2 weeks so I could just breathe for a moment and catch up.

Yesterday, I called my Grandma Mary to check on her, and explained that it seems that I got what I wished for but in a twisted kind of way.

My Kevin McCallister Moment.

Motivation Monday: MLK Jr.

Wordless Wednesday: Our 10th New Year's Card

{Photo Credit: Terrence Adderly Photography}

Winter Entertaining with Paperless Post

Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Paperless Post; all opinions expressed are my own.

Flake Fall

We are enjoying a quiet holiday break at home, but not without a few parties to celebrate! One of my favorite parties to throw is an Open House party where we literally have an open door for about 4-6 hours alleviating the pressure for everyone to show up at a certain time. We stock plenty of easy-to-heat-and-eat apps, delicious drinks and tasty treats. Here are a few Paperless Post invitation options to inspire your guests to show up and show out!

5 Ways to Experience "Christmas on Nantucket"

Disclosure: I received Christmas on Nantucket to facilitate this review; all opinions expressed are my own. 

Yesterday we had our first snow of the season, and I'll admit it: I picked up a couple mini-Christmas trees for our mantle decor. The Christmas season is upon us! We're looking forward to sticking close to home and spending some time on Cape Cod which will be a fun opportunity for my family's first visit to Nantucket, an island 30 miles off the Cape. The new book Christmas on Nantucket is a beautiful guide of what to expect during our visit, and I just have to cross my fingers that it snows so it looks as dreamy as the photos!

Author Leslie Linsley's way of describing Nantucket interspersed with over 200 gorgeous images of the island makes planning my family's visit truly enjoyable. I'm excited to share 5 ways that I'm looking forward to experiencing Christmas on Nantucket:

Book Giveaway: When Pencil Met Eraser

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes; all opinions expressed are my own. 

One of my favorite experiences reading to my kids is when we're reading and they let out a chuckle - or even better, a full blown laugh! That's exactly what happened when I read my Kindergartner When Pencil Met Eraser, by Karen Kilpatrick. It's a tale of friendship, cooperation, and creativity!

Ready for Paris with Whistlefritz

Disclosure: Whistlefritz provided complimentary language products to facilitate this review; all opinions expressed are my own. 

When Nia was a toddler we traveled to Nigeria with a brief layover in Paris. Basically the closest we got to experiencing any part of the city was grabbing a sleeve of macarons before hopping on our connecting flight! Since then we've discussed returning for a dedicated trip and in a few short weeks we'll finally have that chance as a family. 

While we've been careful not to over plan our trip and allow plenty of time for just wandering around the city, one thing we've been doing to prepare is learning a bit of French and doing it in a fun way thanks to Whistlefritz, an award-winning, immersion-based language program.