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My kids were sick recently. Like, so very sick. My husband and I made Pastina Soup aka Italian Penicillin for them. It's warm and simple and full of vegetable goodness. It's perfect for when you need a bowl of something to bring you back to life and not too heavy on your stomach. This Pastina Soup is also known as Italian pencillin. It's packed full of nutrients and chicken broth and is perfect for when you're sick. Have you ever made it? This is my version of Pastina Soup. Pastina Soup 4 carrots, peeled, chopped in chunks 3 celery, chopped in chunks 1 onion, quartered 2 cloves of garlic, whole 2 bay leaves 2 boxes of chicken broth (8 cups) 1 chicken bouillon cube 14 oz dried pastina pasta In a large dutch oven or pot, heat up your chicken broth and bouillon cube. Roughly chop your veggies and add them to the broth, simmer for about 15--20 mintues until vegetables are softened. Strain out vegetables, remove the bay leaf and add the veggies to the blender with a bit of the broth and blend until smooth. Leave the rest of the broth in your pot. Add the blended veggies back into the pot with the broth, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, add your pastina pasta, and cook as directed on the package. Serve up in a bowl and top with parmesan cheese and salt and pepper as desired. This makes a big batch that you can store in the fridge and heat up as needed or freeze half for another time. We always add a little more water when reheating because the pasta soaks up more of the water as it sits. If you're stuck at home, you may also like our Cozy Winter Books .

This is one of my quick and easy, dump-and-go crockpot meals that I make in the fall and winter. It's a hearty chili with chicken and beans as your protein and fiber. This Crockpot Chicken Chili is great for football, especially the Superbowl when nobody wants to cook, firepits, and nights when everyone is busy! For this recipe, you're going to freeze your chicken ahead of time. I try to remember to move my chicken to my refrigerator the night before I'm going to cook this chili, but I've also pulled it directly out of the freezer and put it right in the crockpot. Crockpot Chicken Chili 2 frozen chicken breasts 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can Rotel 1 can Mexican corn or corn with peppers 1 Tbsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 package of ranch dressing mix 1 - 8oz package of cream cheese Place your frozen chicken into the crockpot. Rinse and drain your beans and add them to the crockpot. Add your cans of Rotel and corn, without draining them. Add in seasonings and mix them around, covering the chicken with some of the bean mixture. Top the mixture with your block of cream cheese. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Once everything is cooked, take your chicken out and shred it with 2 forks. Add the chicken back into the crockpot and stir everything to incorporate cream cheese. Serve with crackers, cheddar, or over rice. This is also good as leftovers in a burrito! This makes a pretty good crockpot full of chili and has even gotten me second place in a chili cookoff at my kid's school a few years ago.

When we moved, we gained a front sitting room and living room area. That meant we needed some other kind of seating for this area and I knew what I wanted and the vibe I was going for. Thus, started my hunt for the perfect pink couch for this space. There are many shades of pink and for me, the first thing was to figure out what shade of pink I was looking for in the space. Did I want a pale pink, mauve pink, dusty rose color, hot pink? I found so many shades of pink. A pink sofa adds a little bit of sophistication and glam to a space and can be used as an accent piece or color. Here is some of our favorite pink couch home decor to give you inspiration for your next space. Pink Couch Home Decor 1. Rolled Arm Velvet 2 seater // 2. Dusty Rose Sectional // 3. Pale Pink Curved Sofa // 4. Futon Sofa Bed // 5. Midcentury Loveseat // 6. Curved Back Couch // 7. Vintage Style Set // 8. Hot Pink Loveseat // 9. Scalloped Couch // 10. Reclining Daybed with Cupholders // 11. Mauve Chaise with USB port // 12. L Shaped Sofa // 13. Modular Couch // 14. Blush Walnut Mid Century Couch // 15. Pink Tuft // 16. Dusty Rose Modern Sofa // 17. Pink Barrel Tub Sofa // 18. Pink Loveseat What goes with a pink couch? The vibe and style you like the most will determine which other colors you can pair with your pink sofa. For a modern farmhouse, blues , grays, and neutrals will create a nice calming space and allow your pink couch to be the center of attention. If you have a more glam and luxurious style, marble accent pieces, faux fur, and gold touches will really elevate your room. You'll probably lean towards a vibrant shade of pink to really pop. Bohonavian  is a mixture of boho and Scandinavian styles. For this style, a pink couch will pair well with wood tones and neutrals. Lots of greenery and plants will bring this look to life! Best Pink Couch Styles Best Budget - This reclining couch is under $250 and can recline or lay flat to create a bed. It also has a cupholder that comes down in the middle, which is nice for movie night dinners! Best Splurge - This dusty rose sectional is an amazing color and allows for a lot of seating. This would be amazing in a great room or living room where you have a lot of space. Pink Couches We Love In Depth This is a more in-depth look at what we love about each of these pink couches. Rolled Arm Velvet 2-seater This rolled arm velvet 2 seater from US Pride is a stunner. It's got a lot of elegant details from the tufted cushions on the back, the tapered wooden legs and metal rivets. It's a lovely mauve color and has 2 removable cushions. 2. Dusty Rose Sectional This modern sectional from Modway provides more seating but glam at the same time. We love the vertical tufting and bold gold-colored stainless steel base. The overall design is modern but gives a retro feel. 3. Pale Pink Curved Sofa Give your room a hit of pink with this couture curved sofa from Safavieh. This couch can elevate any space with its trendy design. 4. Futon Sofa Bed This fushia-colored futon sofa bed has dual functions. With adjustable armrests and backrest, this couch converts to a twin bed for sleeping. This is great for small spaces but you want to offer another bed for guests. 5. Midcentury Loveseat This modern loveseat from Dreamsir has clean lines and a sophisticated look. Their cushions are great for keeping their shape and were tested with over 50,000 presses and had no deformations even after all that! 6. Curved Back Couch This is a beautiful couch from Maykoosh. That channel-tufted back gives such nice lines. If you're looking for vintage glamour this might be the couch for you. 7. Vintage Style Couch and Loveseat Set This couch and loveseat set has so much flair! It's a stunning soft rose color and has some beautiful curves that are very clearly inspired by vintage sofas you may love. It has deep tufts and soft velvet fabric. 8. Hot Pink Loveseat This hot pink loveseat is a statement piece for sure! Both the seat and back are tufted. The lucite legs give the illusion of clear glass. This is a fun piece to brighten up any space. 9. Scalloped Couch Look at the back on this gorgeus couch. The scalloped look gives it a soft feminine look. This color is a beautiful rose gold has a hint of purple and brown that warm up that pink. The solid seat gives it a clean line and modern look. The legs are gold-painted iron so they are very sturdy. 10. Reclining Daybed with Cupholders I love the functionality of this velvet couch. It has an armrest with cupholders that folds down in the middle. The back has three adjustable positions - upright, reclined, or laid flat for reclining comfort or using the couch as a bed. The color is a soft subtle pink. 11. Chaise with USB port In this modern world, everyone has their phones with them at all times. This sofa has a chaise on one side for stretching out and propping your feet up and it has a USB charging port on the other end for keeping your electronics charged. Let's be honest, a lot of us scroll social media while watching TV at the same time. This mauve is a lovely shade as well. 12. L shaped sofa This L-shaped couch provides seating for 5 people. We love this darker raspberry color. It would go well with another jeweled-toned decor. 13. Modular Couch This charming but modern modular pink couch can be rearranged to fit your needs. Three seat pieces and a movable ottoman to create multiple seating arrangements. 14. Blush Walnut Mid Century This modern mid-century style couch combines this beautiful blush pink and rich walnut color in a stunning combination. It's so trendy with button tufting, rolled pillows, and splayed legs. The gold tips on the legs are a subtle but nice touch. 15. Pink Tuft Couch This couch has tufting on the sides, which is different, and smooth cushions on the couch. It comes with three throw pillows and has chrome metal legs. 16. Upholstered Pink Sofa This dusty rose upholstered sofa has a nice clean look but adds beautiful color to your space. It's luxe modern look 17. Barrel Tub This contemporary-style sofa has a unique look with a curved tub barrel shape to the back. The channel tufting goes across both sides of the back. Looks like a great spot to sit with a cup of tea! 18. Crystal Tufted Velvet Loveseat This 2 pillow couch looks like a nice mix of modern and vintage styles. The crystal tufted back looks nice against the silver buttons of the arms. This piece will brighten up any sitting area or living room.

When the weather is nice, we always want to spend all our free time outdoors. Our patio becomes our second living room/kitchen. It's fun to spruce up the patio with these cute and easy DIY fairy gardens that bring a lot of joy to look at. It's a great activity for kids of all ages to get involved, create something "magical" and get their hands dirty in the garden a little bit. It's a great activity to let kids express their different personalities by letting them choose their own fairy house and flowers for the pot. The first thing you will need is a big flower pot. I personally like these 22 inch pots that look like stone but are made of plastic so they aren't as fragile and can be easily moved around the patio. Once you've got your pot, you need some fun fairy decor. A fairy house is a must! It is exciting to see what kids choose. One of my kids chose a strawberry fairy house (here is a similar strawberry house ) and the other chose an acorn fairy house . Here are some other fairy houses that would look darling in a fairy garden. Teapot Fairy House // Mushroom Fairy House // Flower Fairy House Once you've decided on a fairy house, hit up your local nursery to shop for some pretty flowers! I suggest getting 2 or 3 small flowers to put around your fairy house. Once you've got your flowers planted and houses placed where you want them, time to make it even more personalized. Kids will enjoy making little stone pathways up to their fairy houses and can even make it more fun with fairy garden accessories like a bridge, chairs and tables, little animals, signs, fairies, flower umbrellas, and more! You may also like our: Flower Garden Parfaits DIY Wildflower Seed Bombs Flower Jar Craft This post may contain affiliate links .

Now that Fall weather is starting to roll in, it is a great time to encourage outdoor play with your kiddos. Little ones enjoy getting sunshine and fresh air and these outdoor toys make outdoor play time even better. I have a huge passion for child development and I thought it would be fun to share some of my top picks for the best toys for outdoor play that help development. However, remember these are just suggestions. You know your child best, and what is developmentally appropriate for their current stage. All play should be supervised to ensure child safety. Be aware of sun safety (sunscreen & shade) and be sure to stay hydrated while playing outdoors, but most importantly of all, have fun! Best Toys for Outdoor Play Toys that Help with Development Sandbox This is a childhood classic! The sandbox is good for sensory development . Sand offers a tactile sensory experience and is a good way to work on fine motor skills by scooping and creating shapes in the sand. even helps with gross motor skills when kids balance or walk on sand. Remember to keep sand out of their mouth though. It can be really tempting for little ones . (For indoor sensory fun, try our DIY Moon Sand ) Sandbox with umbrella // sand box toys with dinos // ice cream sand box toys Sidewalk Chalk Drawing and writing with chalk is so much fun. Help kids develop those fine motor skills and creative thinking by drawing letters, shapes, and artwork. Kids will experience their proprioceptive sense by learning how hard to press down to write with the chalk. Work on communication skills by asking "What letter is this" or taking turns naming and drawing different shapes or animals. Take your chalk to the next level by making our Puffy Sidewalk Chalk Paint. Sidewalk Chalk // Chalk holders // Ice cream chalk Outdoor Swings Swings are great for a full-body sensory experience. While swinging, kids are learning balance and body awareness which are both important senses for core strength and staying upright. The repetitive motion of swinging can provide some social-emotional benefits as well, that help calm the nervous system . Be sure to use an age-appropriate swing (especially with babies) as well as one that is secure and can't tip over. If you don't have space for your own swing, many local parks have swings. Saucer Swing // Baby and Toddler Swing // Surfer Swing Water Tables Water tables are especially popular on warm days. Kids can cool off in the water while playing safely. Pouring water, measuring, and watching water paths and droplets are all fun ways to play with water. You can even add a few drops of dishwashing soap and have kids wash all their little figurine toys in the bubbles. Water play promotes fine motor skills while standing at the water table and moving around it helps with gross motor skills. Water Table with 2 Levels // Water Tower // Water Table with River Path Imitation Toys Help promote executive function with imitation toys for "grown-up " outdoor activities. Toys like gardening sets, playhouses, push lawnmowers, and bug-catching kits help promote problem-solving and mental flexibility . You can help kids build their social-emotional connection by playing with them like working in the garden or building a container fairy garden . Garden play set // Play House // Push Bubble Mower // Bug Catching Kit Bubbles I love bubbles, especially for toddlers! I often give bubble machines as gifts because toddlers love making and chasing bubbles so much. Following bubbles helps strengthen their visual and tracking skills as well as attention. Running after, catching, or stomping bubbles helps those gross and fine motor skills . If kids are using a wand and creating their own bubbles that's even better because they have to figure out what angle and how much to blow to make the bubbles. Discourage tasting or eating bubbles though because while bubbles are minimally toxic, they can cause stomach upset if ingested. CocoMelon Bubble Machine // Mess Free Bubble Blower // Bubble Gun Wheeled Toys As kids get bigger and more steady on their feet, they can start adding wheeled toys to their outdoor play. Scooters, wagons, play cars, and tricycles are great for vestibular sense (balance) as well as motor development and strength . Learning a new skill like riding a tricycle can sometimes require some problem solving which is great for executive function . Always remember to wear a helmet and other safety gear while riding a wheeled toy. Little Tikes Car // Little wagon // 2-in-1 Trike and Scooter Balls Different sizes and shapes of balls can provide a variety of entertainment for outdoor play. Beach balls are a fun option for babies. They are lightweight, so they are easy to hold and toss with both hands. They can roll them around and crawl after them. Other balls such as tennis balls are good for as kids get older. Test skills like, can they throw them overhanded? Can they catch a beach ball with 2 hands? Even yoga balls and hopper balls can be fun to roll around or bounce on in the grass. Promotes stretching and can increase core stability by bouncing and balancing on it. Overall, balls promote body awareness and motor skills . Rainbow Playground Balls // Hopper Balls // Beach Balls Sports Equipment Kids can start getting introduced to sports equipment at a young age and start learning the basics while having fun. Providing small, child-friendly sports equipment can be fun for both parents and kids. Things like basketball hoops, soccer balls, lawn bowling, and a baseball bat and tee set, are all great things to help with so many types of development. From motor skills, vestibular (balance), as well as executive skills by learning how to play a game. Kids oftentimes will even expand their vocabulary by learning new words and phrases used during sports. Lawn bowling // Basketball Hoop // Tball set No toys? No worries! Always remember unstructured play outdoors is great too! Just running around a park or exploring a nature trail, encourages kids to use their imagination and creativity while they play! Have fun playing and exploring the great outdoors! Looking for more toys? Check out our post of Best Toys for Indoor Play that help development!

Maybe it's too hot or too cold to play outside. Maybe the parents don't want to deal with the rainy weather and muddy boots. Or you just can't make it to the park today. These indoor toys are great for development, whatever the weather. Play is such an important part of children's learning and development; while these toys are just suggestions, you know your child and their abilities the best. Most of all, have fun exploring, learning, and playing! Best Indoor Toys for Development Indoor Adventures Move your body in a big way with these indoor adventure toys. Great for sensory input , being creative, and calming your nervous system . It depends on your space but could be a fun addition. This pod swing , glowing fort , and climbing toy are great fun! Play tables Explore with your hands with these fun indoor tables. All are great for fine motor skill s and problem solving ! Engage your senses with this sensory table , spark your imagination with this train table , or create a masterpiece with this lego table that can be stored under the sofa! Cuddle toys + Puppets These soft dolls are great for toddlers and can inspire empathy , provide comfort, and help build social emotional skills. Puppets inspire creativity and help with communication by encouraging language and listening skills when they are used to tell stories. I really like these emotion puppets ! This Pet Vet playset helps kids develop empathy and build fine motor skills as they work on the pets. Books + Blocks Reading books helps with verbal skills , communication , and fine motor skills with holding and turning the pages. There are so many books to choose from but you can't go wrong with a first book set . Blocks help with problem-solving and fine motor skills to stack and build different shapes. We like these chunky building blocks and these magnetic blocks Ride on Toys Move your body with these fun toys! Ride-on toys promote coordination, vestibular sense (balance) and gross motor development! Teeter popper , wiggle cars , and ride and push cars like this little classic car will be oh so much fun! Bouncing, Hoping, Jumping Help kids build those gross motor skills , and promote body awareness , core stability , and balance ! Stepping stones , hopping horse , and toddler trampolines are great for getting that extra energy out around the house. Pretend Play Pretend and imitation play helps build those social-emotional connections, role-playing, and problem-solving as they navigate play together! These are some fun finds - This play kitchen blows us away with lights, sounds, a working faucet, and color-changing accessories! And it's literally a steal at under $75! This kids' workbench is a must-have for your little worker! It's interactive and comes with 45 accessories! Kids love playing store with this kids cash register . They can learn names of items as well as count money and of course all the buttons and scanning. Playing store is always a huge hit with kids. Active Learning Throwing games like this space dart board help kids with spacial awareness while they learn about space and science. Boost those cognitive skills with this extra large and extra fun math floor game. These yoga dice help build flexibility, gross motor skills , and body awareness as they build mindfulness. Creative Fun Let kids explore with these creative toys. We love a good art easel for letting kids explore their creativity and imagination and build fine motor skills through painting or drawing. If you need more structured creative play, older kids will enjoy art kits.This walking robot kit from Kiwi Crate, and sewing kit are fun ones for problem solving and fine motor skills . Looking for more toy ideas, check out our Best Toys for Outdoor Play that help development.

Looking for something for a book lover? We curated a gift guide for those bookworms or book dragons in your life! Gifts for a Book Lover Canvas book tote bag - For trips to the library and bookstore Personalized library kit - The hardcore book lover will love this library kit. Old books candle - There is just something about the smell of old books. Kindle Paperwhite - For the techy book lover, it holds more books than most bookshelves. Kindle cover - We love this floral Kindle cover. Bookworm sweatshirt - Keep your bookworm cozy with this bookworm sweatshirt. personalized embosser stamp - We are literally obsessed with this personalized embosser! Book locket - How pretty are these lockets? book mug - For sipping tea while we read or storing our pens on our desk. book stand - Help us keep our bedside table organized with this book stand. book marks - We can mark our place with these cute heart bookmarks cozy knit blanket - Snuggle in with this cozy extra large blanket mug warmer - This mug warmer will keep our tea or coffee warm while we are binge reading. book light - For the bookworms that read too late into the night. Kindle page turner - A fun Kindle accessory. Banned books puzzle - This banned book puzzle is a fun gift for a book lover! If you're giving books as a gift, check out our DIY Book Bouquet . Looking for more gift ideas? We have lots of Gift Guides to shop!

The Super Bowl is just around the corner. We rounded up some of our favorite game day snacks. We all know the food is almost as important as the game! Game Day Snacks Air Fryer Buffalo Wings Veggie Pizza Jalapeno Poppers Cheesy Rotel and Sausage Dip Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Cream Cheese Fruit Dip Sheet Pan Nachos Crockpot Chicken Chili 7 Layer Dip Buffalo Chicken Dip Fruit Salad Cucumber Salad Chocolate Fondue Pizza Pinwheels Spinach Artichoke Dip

We are less than 1 month away from getting Taylor's Version of 1989 and I'm here for it. You know I'm a swiftie and if you haven't seen our Friendship Bracelet Lover House , Lavender Haze Cocktail , or Concert Confetti Shadow Box , go check them out. If you have seen them, let's add something new to our Taylor Swift content - Taylor Swift's Chai Cookies! During her original launch of 1989, Taylor hosted Secret Sessions, where she invited fans to a secret album listening events and she made these Chai Cookies to bring to them. Yes, Taylor bakes! You can check out her 2014 Tumblr post where she shares her cookie recipe. These cookies would be a great addition to an album-listening Taylor Swift party ! Taylor Swift's Chai Cookies Cookie Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as canola or sunflower oil. 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 or 2 chai bags, cut open Icing ingredients: 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon 3 tablespoons milk or eggnog (Taylor called them TAYblespoons and it's so frickin cute!) Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease generously with butter or cooking spray. 2. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add the vegetable oil. It may not fully incorporate with the butter, but that’s okay. Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla, beating on medium speed until each ingredient is completely incorporated. 3. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut open and add 1 or 2 chai bags. Mix well to combine. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture, until a soft dough forms. 5. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or freeze for 15 minutes just so it’s easier to handle. 6. For large cookies, dollop 2 Tablespoons of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. For smaller cookies use 1 Tablespoon for each cookie. Press the dough evenly with your fingers or palm to 1/4-inch thickness. 7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes for larger cookies or 8 to 10 minutes for smaller cookies. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. For the icing: 1. Mix together your ingredients for the icing and drizzle on top of your cookies. Adjust the milk and powdered sugar as needed to get the consistency you like the best. 2. Drizzle or spread on your cookies. I sprinkled mine with a little bit of cinnamon to finish them off. The cookies will keep for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container. As Taylor would say, " bakers gonna bake bake bake bake bake." Happy almost 1989 Taylor's Version!

We have quite a collection of board and card games in our playroom and we've tried them all. Here are some of our favorites and what we consider the best family board games. Check them out for your family next family game night, gifting to friends for birthdays, or for the holidays for gifts that celebrate quality time together as a family! We edited this post to include some new additions for 2024 ! Best Family Games Let's jump right in and review 10 of our favorite family game night games! Disney Villainous - Great for Disney fans who love a good villain. For me, Disney villains are my favorite characters to see while visiting the Disney Parks, so I knew I wanted this game, if not just for The Evil Queen alone. Each player gets to be a Disney villain and has their own agenda that they have to accomplish to win the game. Which villain will reign victorious? Giving this as a gift? Check out our Gifts for Disney Lovers for more fun ideas! Ages:  10+ Time:  45 mins+ Mysterium - This is a fun cooperative mystery game with a ghost! The ghost gives each person "visions" to help solve clues of who, where, and with what? This is a unique and fun mystery game for families with Clue vibes but more creative! Ages: 10+ (our 8-year-old loved it) Time: 45 mins+ Saboteur - A simple stategy card game. You are miners trying to get to the gold by digging tunnels but the saboteur is trying to thwart your efforts! You must conquer busted lanterns, cave-ins, and broken pickaxes to get the hidden gold before you are sabotaged! Ages:  8+ Time:  30 mins+ Taco vs Burrito - This is a quick-to-learn wacky game kids love! You build your taco or burrito with interesting ingredients that have points. Your taco might have chocolate-covered shrimp or ice cream. But, beware, people can steal your ingredients or you might get a tummyache! Bonus, this game was created by a kid named Alex! We love supporting creative kids! Ages:  6+ Time:  15 mins+ What do you Meme Family Edition - Who can come up with the silliest caption?! One person picks a meme and then other players have to pick from their hand of cards what caption they feel like goes best with the meme. This game causes a lot of giggles! Ages: 8+ Time: 30 mins+ Disney Codenames - Our favorite codenames game is the Disney edition! It's fun for both kids and adults alike. Give one-word clues to group together Disney characters, locations, and/or items. We love playing a few quick rounds of this during dinner with our kids. Cheshire Cat Tails are fun to munch on while playing this game! Ages:  8+ (I think 5 year olds could play this too!) Time:  15 mins+ Sabobatage - Create your own boba shop and make 5 drinks before your opponents. Build drinks by layering tea, flavors, and toppings. But beware of the food inspector! This is a quick and fun game for families that love boba! Ages:  7+ Time:  20 mins+ Hogwarts Battle - A cooperative deck-building card game. You get to play as a popular Hogwarts character to defend the wizarding world for the dark arts. There are different levels you can play so the game gets more challenging. Learn spells, gain allies, and unlock magical items to prepare to battle different villans. Make our butterbeer milkshake to enjoy during this game! Ages:  11+ Time:  75 mins + Catan Junior - a pirate-themed game of adventure. It's a kid version of the Catan board game, where you collect resources from each island (wood, goats, swords) to build ships and expand your pirate lair territory! Ages: 5+ Time: 30 mins+ Mantis - There are only two rules to this card game, steal or score. Collect matching sets of rainbow-colored mantis cards to win. Easy enough for kids to play and fun enough that the adults have a good time too! Ages: 6+ Time: 15 mins+ New additions for 2024 Wednesday  - You're allergic to color in this fun Wednesday-inspired game. The goal is to collect as many black and white cards as possible while eliminating your colorful cards. Ages:  8+ Time:  15 mins+ Abduction - Little ducks in a UFO, we knew we needed it. This was a hit gift last Christmas. With this game, you try to create patterns to earn points, but watch out your ducks might get abducted! Ages:  10+ Time:  20 mins+ Mysterium Park - Like the Mysterium game, this game as a ghostly twist to it. Race against time to use your psychic abilities to help the ghost solve the mystery. Ages:  10+ Time:  30 mins+ Doomlings - Can your doomlings survive the end of the world? Full of mischief and chaos as you try to collect doomlings before the great catastrophe ends it all. Ages:  8+ Time:  20 mins+ The Real Truth - Move around the board, completing missions and capturing creatures, all while you gather a following of conspiracy theorists like yourself. Ages:  13+ Time:  60 mins+ Gnomes at Night - Work together to move your gnomes to collect treasure. This game takes a lot of communication and cooperation. Great for teaching littles. Ages:  6+ Time:  15 mins+

No-sew Blanket This no-sew blanket is a perfect easy craft to do with a friend or by yourself while you watch a movie. Supplies: Fleece - 2 large pieces, however large you like, see below for sizes Scissors Measuring board - optional Step 1: Choose 2 coordinated pieces of fleece . We choose this gorgeous watercolor fleece fabric (currently out of stock) and a matching minty green to be the back. **I suggest using 1.5 yards to create a child-size blanket. 1 yard makes a good-sized blanket too, but would only work for a smaller child or baby. Of course, you could always go bigger and make a 2 yard blanket which would be good for an adult size blanket. For fleece here are some good places to start shopping - here , here , and here . Step 2: Layer the two pieces of fabric together and trim your edges to even them up, remove any fabric info and to make sure they line up correctly. Step 3: Cut out a 4 x 4-inch square from each corner of your blanket. Step 4: Cut strips – about 4 inches long and 1 inch apart, along all four sides of your blanket. Kind of like a fringe. Step 5: Fold your “fringe” back at the base and snip a small cut in the middle of each fringe piece. Maybe 1/2 inch, just big enough to loop your fabric through in the following step. Step 6: Fold back both layers of the fringe and loop through the snip. Step 7: Pull your fringe loop tight. My daughter calls these little fortune cookies. They help your blanket lay flatter and then you don’t have knots around the edges. Kids are great helpers for this part. My daughter and I sat across the table from each other and just talked while we worked on this blanket.

I read something recently that said reading should be a hobby and not a competition. I loved that sentiment. I used to be the type who would set a goal of "reading 25 books" this year, and then I was disappointed when I only got through 10. I think remembering to just read for fun, as a hobby, is a good reminder. So let's snuggle up in a cozy blanket and a nice cup of tea and read some of these cozy winter books. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey Alaskan homesteaders from the 1920s Jack and Mabel (love their names by the way) are childless and drifting apart. This is a classic retelling of the fairytale The Snow Maiden. Jack and Mabel built a snow child to help deal with their grief of losing a child. Then, they start seeing a child in the woods. Is this their snow child coming to life or is it just a coincidence? It's emotional and powerful and talks about loneliness and loss while focusing on beautiful bonds of love. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy Franny is a wanderer who decides to take an epic adventure to Greenland and follow the last flock of tern through their last migration. But Franny has some dark secrets. As these secrets begin to unfold, a secret love affair, a crime, it's coming to light that Franny might be chasing more than just birds. Hygge and Kisses by Clara Christensen Curl up with some hot cocoa and a warm blanket and hop into this Denmark story. Embrace the Danish hygge life with this romantic novel. As Kristen's life begins to unravel her friend convinces her to take a hygge holiday and learn to enjoy the little things in life again. This book is a cozy, light romance read. Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson A Scandinavian murder mystery set in an Icelandic fishing village. A young detective is determined to under cover the secrets that the village people would rather keep hidden deep like the snow that surrounds the town. The main character faces many challenges both internal and external as he takes on a new job and a death that may or may not have been accidental. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane Recommended for fans of Little Fires Everywhere this book is about two families' stories that span across several decades. We start with 2 kids who bond together two neighboring families through their friendship, but the families go their separate ways and what seemed destined to be is no more. Thirty years later, their bonds and loyalty will be tested. The author explores real and raw issues such as mental health, parental abandonment, and alcoholism. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon A historical fiction inspired by the midwife Martha in the 1790s, who after delivering a baby, was tasked with examining a body found frozen in the river. Martha discovers he was murdered and documents it in her diary. However, a physician undermines her and decides his death was accidental. Months prior the dead man was accused of attacking and raping a woman and now Martha's diary will be used as evidence in a trial and Martha must decide where her loyalties lie. A unique story about a woman who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American History. Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen The main character takes over her family's match-making business in this Lunar New Year celebration story! When a guy creates a dating app, she declares war as they battle it out to see who can make the best matches. While she knows not to fall for the handsome guy who believes traditions should be broken, will he steal her heart like he did her business? The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston Morgana has not spoken since she was a young girl. Her silence is a mystery, as is her magic. To remove Morgana from the town whispers, her mother arranges her to be married to a man she does not know. With this story, you are transported back to 19th-century Wales where in the wild nature, Morgana's powers begin to bloom. As a string of misfortunes begins to happen around them, can Morgana learn to harness her power to save those that she loves. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn This is the story that inspired the Netflix series Dash and Lily. If you haven't seen the series, Lily leaves a notebook with clues in it, Dash finds it, and the two pass the notebook back and forth in different locations across New York without ever meeting, all while their bond is growing. But will Dash and Lily connect as well when they meet in person, as the notebook versions of themselves? Wintering by Katherine May "The power of rest and retreat in difficult times". Nature rests to become transformation after winter and this book reminds us that we should too. A bit like a memoir, where the author shares different stories and anecdotes from her life. It may give you a fresh perspective on some tough times. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden Set in Russia, this book is like a medieval fairytale where the weather is almost like a character as well. The wise Russians fear Frost, the blue-eyed water demon, and honor the spirits of the forest to keep their homes safe. Vasya's new "evil stepmother" does not allow honoring the spirits and now misfortune has befallen the village. Vasya, the main character has to try to tap into concealed gifts to save her village and family. ** This is part of a Winternight Trilogy The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman A delightful group of seniors in a retirement home form a "murder club" to solve murders "for fun". The quirky characters quickly find themselves in the middle of their first case. With lots of personality, British humor, and twists and turns! This story has a lot of different character perspectives and makes for a good audio listen. Good for people who are fans of Only Murders in the Building. ** Bonus points - It is being made into a Netflix film to be released later in 2025, for those who like to read before they watch.