Happy December friends, I can't believe we are already here. I wont lie to y'all, as much as I love the holidays I tend to find myself feeling pretty stressed this time of year. Like most families this year our family is taking a more minimalistic approach to gifts for Lilly and Piper. Taking a more simple approach has taken so much pressure off of both Austin and I and is really making us more mindful about how we spend this season. While shopping for holiday dresses at Studio Tea this year I started thinking about ways we can continue to create fun traditions with lasting memories but also teach the girls the importance of giving. Here are a few of our existing family traditions and new ones we will be incorporating this year. ONE: Baking cookies is a popular family tradition this time of year, but last year we decided to bake cookies not only for ourselves but also for our neighbors. The girls love getting their hands dirty and baking the cookies, but I actually think they loved walking around the neighborhood giving them away even more. TWO: Instead of spending tons of money on the perfect holiday card to send to friends and family take advantage of your little artists and make your own. I can promise you Grandma and Grandpa would rather hold onto something that was made special just for them. THREE: Cutting down your own tree has always been one of my favorite traditions this time of year but with Austin's deployment schedule this year was the first Christmas since before we had children we were able to go out get a real one. This mama may have shed a tear or two on the Christmas Tree Farm. FOUR: This year we will also be starting a new tradition to really show the girls the importance of giving. Taking the pressure off giving Lilly and Piper so much has given us the idea to take some of our freed up energy and resources and give to other children. The girls will be picking a child in need and buy them some items from their wish list. FIVE: Last year we took the girls on a Polar Express themed train ride and I don't even think I can adequately put into words just how special that night was. Whether it be zoo lights, a train ride, or some other event I truly think there is something so magical about taking a holiday themed adventure with just your family. SIX: Picking out festive pajamas or outfits for the holidays is also a fun tradition when you have little ones. This year the girls are wearing these adorable dresses and these socks from the Studio Tea. Their adorable clothing is not only fun for your own littles this time of year, they also make great gifts. SEVEN: This year Austin and I started our own tradition of making the girls Advent calendar on our own. Every day the girls will have a new bag with a little surprise we picked out for them. I love the we were able to personalize it to their personality and I hope when they are adults they look back and smile knowing the effort their mom and dad put into making December a special month for them. EIGHT: A fun easy weeknight activity to do as a family is making gingerbread house's. It can be as simple as picking up a kit from the store, or you can go all out and make yours from scratch. I mean lets be honest, I have no idea how that works but what else do we have Pinterest for? Am I right? NINE: Because it gets dark in the middle of the day here in the Pacific North West we love to take the girls driving around on Christmas Eve to look at Christmas lights while we wait for the holiday festivities to start at my moms. Austin and I have done this since before we had kids, and every year as the girls get older and can see better it becomes more and more fun. We usually add a cup of hot chocolate and a little snack to make it extra special. TEN: I also try and make a special meal every year for Christmas day. Honestly I haven't found the perfect one to commit to our family traditions so if you have any quick easy breakfast ideas please send them my way. But to the point, food carries such special memories and is one of the easiest ways to create a tradition. Thank you Studio Tea for sending some adorable outfits for Lilly and Piper to create memories in this season. From decorating the tree, visiting Santa, and baking cookies their dresses from Studio Tea are a huge part of this holiday season.

1. The Love that Split the Word by Emily Henry Synopsis: "Natalie's last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start . . . until she starts seeing the "wrong things." They're just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a preschool where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn't right. Then there are the visits from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls "Grandmother," who tells her, "You have three months to save him." The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it's as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau."


You guys, I will seriously be stalking the internet waiting on another book from Emily Henry. Another book from her that I couldn't put down. Seriously if you choose one book from this list READ THIS BOOK.

2. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood Synopsis: "As the daughter of a drug dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. It's safer to keep her mouth shut and stay out of sight. Struggling to raise her little brother, Donal, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible adult around. Obsessed with the constellations, she finds peace in the starry night sky above the fields behind her house, until one night her star gazing causes an accident. After witnessing his motorcycle wreck, she forms an unusual friendship with one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold. By the time Wavy is a teenager, her relationship with Kellen is the only tender thing in a brutal world of addicts and debauchery. When tragedy rips Wavy's family apart, a well-meaning aunt steps in, and what is beautiful to Wavy looks ugly under the scrutiny of the outside world. A powerful novel you won’t soon forget, Bryn Greenwood's All the Ugly and Wonderful Things challenges all we know and believe about love."

They aren't lying when they say this book will make you question what you know and believe about love. I found myself very conflicted reading this book. This is definitely a great read that I really enjoyed.

3. White Fur by Jordine Libaire

Synopsis: "When Elise Perez meets Jamey Hyde on a desolate winter afternoon, fate implodes, and neither of their lives will ever be the same. Although they are next-door neighbors in New Haven, they come from different worlds. Elise grew up in a housing project without a father and didn’t graduate from high school; Jamey is a junior at Yale, heir to a private investment bank fortune and beholden to high family expectations. Nevertheless, the attraction is instant, and what starts out as sexual obsession turns into something greater, stranger, and impossible to ignore."

White Fur was definitely out of my comfort zone. The writing was more rough and dirty than my normal book choice but I still found myself completely enveloped by the story of Elise and Jamey. 

4. Swept Away by Robyn Carr

Synopsis: "Jennifer Chaise is proud of her life. Coming from nothing, she’s used her beauty to her advantage and is swept up in a glamorous world of wealth and privilege as the mistress of a high-flying businessman. But when she walks in on a violent scene in their Las Vegas hotel room, Jennifer knows she can no longer ignore the truth about her boyfriend, and she flees. Desperate to escape the men searching for her, she invents a whole new persona—with a new look and a new name—as she hides out in a small Nevada town. Working as a waitress in the local diner, she finds a mentor in Louise, a retired professor who takes her in. As Jennifer begins to embrace a new life, she realizes how much was missing from her old one: a sense of community and purpose… But it’s not easy to simply disappear. Her neighbor Alex is a cop, and while he’s friendly enough, he may also suspect that Jennifer is not what she seems. Although she is under constant threat of being discovered, Jennifer is surprised to realize that, for the first time, she’s genuinely happy. Suddenly this real world is all she wants. But will it be enough when her past catches up with her?"

Another great read from Robyn Carr. I was very invested in the character of Jennifer Chaise and the twists and turns of the story made it hard for me to put it down and get some sleep.

5. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Synopsis: "Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways."

I found this book to be a little slow to start but once it picked up I truly enjoyed the story. This book was a quick read with lots of twists I didn't see coming.

6. Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

Synopsis: "One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn't add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister's return might just be the beginning of the crime."

This was the first book from my Book of the Month club subscription and it did not disappoint. A little creepy but so so so good. I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen.

Lorena Canals gifted items to be organically included in this blog post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hey friends! It feels like forever since I have been on here, and that is probably because sitting down to blog has been a little tough lately. I mean in honestly yes, there are times I am alone and I can work on something interrupted but y'all to be straight up I really don't want to. I take every chance to veg out and read or watch trash tv I can get because the end of deployment is always the hardest on me emotionally.

Anyways, today I wanted to talk about warming up our playroom as the temperatures start to drop. Tearing up all the carpet downstairs was a great choice for a million reasons, but it definitely feels less cozy and warm. Ive wanted to add some rugs but I have had two hesitations. First, we are potty training a dog and its a playroom which means messssssy. Second, Its a big space and rugs are expensive. I didn't want to drop a ton of money on something just for it to get trashed. So, I decided layering a few washable rugs was a great solution.

I added the Lorena Canals Bereber Beige rug under the coffee table and I am receiving all the compliments on it. It really is a beautiful rug and the fact that it is washable seals the deal. I also added the Lorena Canals Natural Black basket and matching blanket to really tie the room together. I love the warmth it has added to the space and I am looking forward to many cozy Fall days spent creating memories in the space. 

But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.
Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.

My verdict, Take It! This story was a little different form what I would normally read and even though it was seriously disturbing at times it was an easy read that kept me hooked until it was over.

This deployment is going to kill me, okay I said it. Lilly and I are constantly in a push and pull and between her strong emotions and independence (thats code for refusal to listen) I am 100% sure I have lost my mind. But as I look down at her I know exactly who she is, a tiny version and exact replica of who I am myself.  It isn't hard for me to put myself in her shoes, Lilly and I couldn't be more alike. We have the same tastes, we process our feelings the same, and I won't be surprised if she walk down the same path in life as the woman in front of her. But still, I no idea what on earth I am supposed to be doing to help her navigate through all those feelings she feels so hard and I can't help but feel like a failure as a mom.

If I take a deep breath I know one thing for sure, Lilly thrives when she has my attention and (just like her mama) all she needs if for you to make her feel special. I knew when I saw these Mommy and Me Reebok classic sneakers she would just love them. I mean is there anything more special than matching a mini version of yourself. I'd have to say no and I think Lilly agrees. She loves matching her Mommy and she loves her shoes that "make her run so fast". I love how fashionable and timeless the sneakers are. Win. Win.

I thought for sure we would end up having another Star Wars birthday party this year for my sweet Lilly girl but I was able to convince her that if she had a Snow White party not only could she dress up in her favorite costume but all her friends could dress up too. Lilly has been super into Snow White lately and the theme really turned out so cute.