Kicking off my annual book review post to catalog and review all of my reads throughout the year. You can see everything I read in previous years on: 2018’s list, 2019’s list, 2020’s list, 2021’s list, and 2022’s list! For loads of what-to-read inspiration, scroll down for my 2023 reading list with mini reviews for each book, and see what’s up next in my reading queue!
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Sharing my last partner post of the year today, and it’s one I’m so grateful for! My friends at Christmas Tree Shops and I have had so much fun this year collaborating on tons of festive tablescapes and entertaining ideas. When it came time to brainstorm an idea for how to end our year of holiday celebrations, I shared with them one of my favorite traditions we started a few years ago – taking my daughter with me to Christmas Tree Shops with a wish list from local organizations and filling up our cart with toys, bedding, and wrapping supplies to help those that need some extra support during the holiday season.
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I love thinking up fun ways to get kids involved with holiday celebrations, like coloring in turkey crowns or this “cornucopia” snack mix, but I have to let you in on a little secret: the adults usually love these details just as much as the kids! I mixed up a batch of this snack mix – a spin on homemade Chex mix with some fun additions like candied peans, Reese’s pieces and pumpkin candies – and served it in big waffle cones to make it look like a cornucopia. They’re fun handheld treats for kids (and my husband, who loves this snack mix more than anyone!) — get the recipe below! 
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Gearing up for back to school around here and I was digging into the archives for lunchbox packing inspiration and thought I’d share a few of my tried and true tricks for kid-approved lunches. See my ideas and lots of lunchbox faves below!
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I’m kicking off the 5th year of my annual reading list post! It’s my favorite way to keep track of everything I read each year, and a fun place to record quick little book reviews to share with you! See everything I read on 2018’s list, 2019’s list, 2020’s list and 2021’s list for more book inspiration and then scroll down for my 2022 reads, mini reviews and what’s up next in my reading queue!
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Last year we threw an end of school party for Jane and all her classmates to celebrate surviving what could only be described as a wild year – for the parents, the teachers, and the kids! As this school year winds down, we talked about making this a tradition, and inviting classmates over for another after school celebration with some simple, old-school summer fun. I visited my local Christmas Tree Shops to stock up on all my party supplies and wanted to share a few of the fun finds and ways we’re celebrating the kick off of summer.
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After our last trip to Scotland, I did a big Q&A over on my instagram stories about traveling with kids. The conversation was so great, I thought it would be helpful to round up all of my tips and tricks for plane travel and road trips with kids as we enter the busy summer travel season. Scroll down for my tips about preparing kids for big trips, our favorite kids travel gear, and all the best kids entertainment to bring on planes, road trips and in restaurants. Happy travels!
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Being a food writer, photographer and recipe tester, more food than I care to admit ends up in the trash at our house. It’s something I’m super conscious about and make every effort to reduce our food waste. I’ve shared some ideas about how to reduce food waste in our homes – like meal planning, freezing ingredients, making creative salads, and composting! I also am lucky to partner with likeminded brands that are as passionate as I am about reducing food waste – like Fancypants Baking Coand Little Leaf Farms.
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My favorite Fancypants Baking Co decorated cookies are the perfect nut free, allergy-friendly treat for Valentine’s Day celebrations! The individually packaged decorated cookies are my go-to for school holiday parties, and I love the idea of incorporating them into Valentine’s gifts and giveaways. When planning for treats to bring to school parties, we have to make sure that all of the ingredients are clearly labeled as nut-free. All of the Fancypants Baking Co cookies are made in a peanut and tree-nut free facility so they’re an easy choice! On top of being allergy friendly, they’re made with fresh, wholesome, mindfully sourced ingredients, and all of the icing is dyed naturally with colors from fruits and vegetables.
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My friends at Minted shared some of their Valentine’s Day collection with me, and I’ve been having fun playing around with the sweet little cards and pairing them with special treats for festive kids valentines ideas. A few of my favorites ideas: You’re So Ex-Straw cards paired with heart crazy straws; You Brighten My Day cards paired with heart sunglasses; You are Sharp cards paired with pink pencils; and You’re a Treasure cards paired with homemade valentine’s bracelets (that Jane and I made with heart beads for some of our friends and family!). Scroll down for all of the sources, and PS: I have a discount code to share! Use XOXODOMESTIKATE for 20% Valentine’s Day cards & gifts on orders of $50+!
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