Whimsy Bay

Little O is one of the biggest book worms I know, besides myself. She can just sit on the couch or on her bed or in her little nook and read anything she can get her hands on for hours and hours. Library day might as well be a weekly holiday it's so well loved. That being said, I don't think all children's books are created equal. There are the sweet and lovely, and the ones that drive you crazy to read over and over. I thought it would be nice to start a little series where I highlight books we enjoy, since book recommendation posts are some of my personal favorite to read. The first book I'll share is called Sleep Tight Farm by Eugenie Doyle. It is such a sweet story about a family of farmers putting their farm to bed for the winter. The illustrations by Becca Stadtlander are gorgeous and realistic. I love that it teaches about how farmers take care of the land, animals, and equipment they have while not being dry and too factual. Here is a sneak peek inside. ...

This is a sort of new idea for me, though definitely one that is very appealing to me, especially in this season of my life. Imagine, spending zero dollars on stuff. On junk. On useless items. I'm partly inspired by Meredith, of  Meredithtested , but I have heard of this concept before. We're also planning a temporary cross country move for the summer, and I think saving as much as I can for that time is the best thing for us right now. Enter the no buy year.  Secondhand items I just had  to have. The shoes were the best and worn by O for months, though the gorgeous overalls never even fit. Now it's one thing to say you're not going to spend money, but it's another thing to actually do it. I've never been a big shopper, but I do LOVE to scan the thrift shop and try to find the best deals. But I don't need anything. So why look? There is my wishlist of things that would be nice to have, like wool leggings, brown booties, handmade pottery. But non...

It is now 2018, oh my! The holiday whirlwind has come and gone, and though I was fully prepared and not stressed, it does take a lot out of you! Add in a two-and-a-half year old and that's just a recipe for some nerves fraying. But it's once a year, and it does bring the whole family together so I wouldn't have it any other way. As in traditional new year ways, I've decided that this will be the year that I fully commit to keeping this blog alive, and post once a week minimum. Now that it's out in the universe, hopefully that will help it manifest, though I definitely need to do my part! For my first post of the year I thought it would be nice if I shared a few photos of what little O received for Christmas. Stocking stuffers: wikkistix (leftover from her birthday), bamboo to-go utensils, colored pencils, seeds, temporary tattoos, essential oil roller, thrifted dreidel, candle she made (everyone got one in their stocking), chocolate coins, lollipop, and a...