Search Results

We love Jellycats and ever since my daughter was like 3 years old, we've gotten a few bunnies and characters over the past 14 years. I think the first few we got were for their Easter Baskets. I thought it would be fun to assign different Jellycats to different Taylor Swift albums. Each album has an entire collection of Taylor Swift inspired Jellycats, which I think goes perfectly for that album. Taylor Swift inspired Jellycats Bloosom Sage Bunny // Beatrice Butterfly // Fleury Daisy // Horse // Flowers // Smudge Lamb // Little Horse // Bluebell Butterfly Fearless Taylor's Version Jellycats Sun Crossbody Bag // Yellow Duck // Lemon // Brynlee Bee // Fuddlewuddle Lion // Little Dragon Speak Now Taylor's Version Jellycats Lavandar Dragon // Wedding Cake // Diamond Ring // Maya Octopus // Bashful Pegasus // Bashful Lilac Bunny Red Taylor's Version Jellycats Scarlett Bunny // Cheri Cake // LouLou Lovebug // Red Heart Bunny // Heart Crossbody // Bashful Winter Puppy 1989 Taylor's Version Jellycats Birdling Seagull // Bashful Blue Bunny // Ice cream cone // Fluffly Whale // Dusky Blue Bunny // Sandcastle Reputation Jellycats Onyx Dragon // Little snake // Miff Mothman // Storm cloud // Cizi Snake // Ooky Bat // Lover Jellycats Tulip Pink Bunny // Marshmallows // Rainbow Cake // Bashful Flamingo // Love Locks // Sky Dragon // Bashful Unicorn // Folklore Jellycats Disco ball // Bashful Silver Bunny // Snowflake // Christmas Tree Bunny // Silver Bunny Cream Jumper // Hibernating Mole Evermore Jellycats Little Fox // Acorn // Bartholomew Bear // Forest Bear // To Go Coffee // Toffee pupp y // Campfire Midnights Jellycats Stardust bunny // Coffee Cup // Gold Star // Gray kitten // Moon // Snoozling Owl TTPD Jellycats Pippa Black Labrador // Blossom Silver Bunny // Cream Heart // Snow Dragon // Bashful Black and Cream Puppy // Evelyn Swan TLOAS Jellycats Diamond Ring // Bouquet // Basketball // You may also like some of our other Taylor themed posts .

This is our Hawaii Itinerary for 7 days, perfect for families! Let me start of by saying this was a 7-day trip for a family of four on the island of Oahu. Our kids are teen/tween age, and this trip was in July. Those things matter for planning based on weather and kids ages and interests. This is how we planned our trip. Hopefully, it can give you some ideas on how you can enjoy a family trip to Hawaii. Of course, feel free to tailor this itinerary to what suits your family best. I've shared some other fun ideas that we just didn't have time for on our trip at the bottom of the post. Feel free to use these links below to skip ahead to different parts of the trip: Hawaii Trip with Kids Highlights: Turtle Bay Surfing North Shore Food City Poke Bowls 7-11 Spam Musubi Island Soul Shaved Ice Kualoa Ranch Tour Byodo-In Temple Leonard's Bakery Hale Koa Luau Bishop Museum Lolani Palace Shark's Cove snorkeling Lanikai Beach and Kailua Beach Hawaiian Itinerary for Families Day 1 - Travel day, Waikiki beach Travel to Hawaii and get checked into your room. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu. We had a few self-guided snorkel things planned for later that week, so we immediately went and bought snorkels for everyone and extra bottles of reef safe sunblock since Hawaii has strict regulations on reef safe sunblock to protect its marine life. We also stopped at 7-11 and got a Musubi snack because we heard it was amazing, and it was! We didn't want to go far since it had been a long travel day, but had a few hours so we headed down to Waikiki beach by our hotel to play in the surf and just unwind after a long travel day. Then we ordered food for dinner to take back to our room. The view of the saltwater lagoon was beautiful! Day 2 - Swim with Turtles and Poke on the Beach We started off our first full day with a boat ride out to Turtle Bay to swim with green sea turtles. We used the company Living Ocean Tours. One of our tour guides was great and swam down and got an awesome video of a turtle for us. In Hawaii, you can be fined for touching turtles, even by accident, so don't risk it and always be aware of your surroundings when snorkeling or swimming. We saw lots of pretty fish, green sea turtles, stingray, and even dolphins! If you aren't a fan of boats (I'm not really, don't worry we saw sea turtles and did lots of snorkeling to see fish so you could skip this if you want). Tip - Invest in swim shirts. We got sunburned badly on a snorkel trip in Belize, so now we always bring swim shirts when we're going out on the water, the extra SPF never hurts. Also, the water off the coast and boat ride was pretty choppy. If you are prone to getting seasick I recommend having Dramamine or seasick bands on hand. Then, we stopped for Poke at Foodland. Yes, it's grocery store but it is delicious and affordable poke. They have a deli style poke counter where you build your own bowl by choosing the rice, poke, and any add-ons you want. Seriously, so so amazing! I will never get over how fresh that tasted. You can get a poke bowl for as little as 7.99. We took our poke to Waimanalo Beach Park and ate under the shade of the trees by the beach. We spent the afternoon, reading, playing in the water, and snorkeling. Day 3 - North Shore - Surfing, Snorkeling, and more Turtles In the morning, we drove up to North Shore to take surfing lessons. We booked lessons through Fozzy's Surf School and had a blast learning to surf on Chun's Reef. We did a private small group lesson which was 2 hours and you get right out on the board after a quick tutorial of how to get up. It's much harder than it looks though and so exhausting. Our instructor was so nice and patient with us and made sure we each got some good waves to ride. We paid for the extra photo/video package, which was fun to look back on even though we fell a lot. After surfing we were all starving, so we drove up to Shark's Cove which is part of Pupukea Beach Park. There is a small sandy beach area but the water into the cove is very rocky. There are several food trucks set up across the street. There was a good variety of food ranging between garlic shrimp, burgers, tacos, and shaved ice. There were also shaded picnic tables to sit at and enjoy eating. Then, we spent the afternoon hoping around different beaches - snorkeling in Shark's Cove one of Oahu's best snorkeling spots and watching sea turtles and relaxing on Laniakea Beach also known as turtle beach. Day 4 - Kuoloa Ranch and Byodo Temple We decided to take a break from the beaches and do some sightseeing in the mountains. On this day we booked a jungle expedition tour at Kualoa Ranch. You can ride in open air jungle jeeps through the ranch and explore many scenic views as well as filming locations (Jurassic World, Kong Skull Island and Jumanji). There are other tours you can take if you're interested in seeing more of the film locations. There are a lot of Japanese immigrants in Hawaii. We were close to the Byodo-in Temple which is a stunning red Buddhist temple nestled at the bottom of the Ko’olau mountains. It is a replica of a 1,000 year old temple in Japan, and a beautiful place to worship, meditate, or just admire the beauty. Perfect for slowing down and recharging after a busy few days. Day 5 - Beach Bum Day - Windward Side (East) We started our morning off with donuts from Leonard's Bakery the home of delicious malasadas a Portuguese donuts. We took our donuts and went to find some beautiful beaches - Lanikai Beach and Kailua Beach. I wanted to spend as much time on the beautiful beaches as we could. We didn't want to leave for too long and we had loved the poke so much we did it again for lunch on the beach. After spending pretty much the whole day being beach bums, we headed back to our hotel for showers and then went out for homemade Udon at Marugame Udon in Honolulu. Day 6 - Resort Day - Hula lessons, Pool/Waikiki, and Dinner Luau We have learned we do best on busy vacations like this if we can have a day of rest somewhere along the way. A day we can sleep in, enjoy the hotel amenities and not have to drive anywhere. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village which I would highly recommend. A beautiful resort with multiple pools, private lagoon, shopping, and right on the Waikiki Beach. My daughter and I took free Hula lessons offered at the resort (always check the activity calendar), did some shopping at the resort shops, and spent time enjoying the resort pools and poolside cafe. We ended the day by going to a Luau. We are military, so we got tickets to the Hale Koa Luau. We saw amazing dancers, roasting a pig, and got to our own make leis and leaf woven crowns. My daughter even volunteered to go on stage for Tahiti dancing lessons. The night ended with a performance from the fire knife champion Hale, and of course the food was amazing! We ended the night with the Friday night fireworks over Waikiki Beach. Every Friday, the Hilton Hawaiian Resort shoots off fireworks. Day 7 - History Day - Bishop Museum and Lolani Palace We decided to learn a little bit of Hawaiian culture on our last full day in Hawaii. We started at the Bishop Museum which is full of natural and cultural exhibits. The last original straw hut standing is preserved inside which was so cool. The Hawaiian Hall section is a three-story space full of Hawaii history. We especially enjoyed learning about the Hawaiian Gods. We grabbed some shaved ice at nearby Island Soul Shaved Ice to cool off. They had so many amazing flavors and my son enjoyed building his own shaved ice. Then, we took a tour of Lolani Palace, the former residence of the Hawaiian monarchy. It was also the first palace to have electricity, even before the White House! After the monarchy was overthrown, Queen Liliʻuokalani was imprisoned in one of the rooms for several months. You can take a guided tour to see the palace and the regalia it houses. Other things to do in Oahu: We had so many things on our list of things to do in Hawaii but we had to narrow it down. Here are some other spots that maybe you want to mix and match to make your own itinerary. Dole Plantation - Learn about Hawaii's pineapple growing tradition and of course enjoy some Dole Whip! Pearl Harbor - Remember the attack on Pearl Harbor and honor those who lost their lives during WWII. Manoa Falls - Hike to a 100 foot waterfall in the rainforest near Honolulu. Hanauma Bay - America's Best Beach, also Hawaii's deadliest beach, $25 fee per person to swim and it is recommended to reserve tickets online in advance. Diamond Head - Hawaii's most recognizable landmark with hiking trail and stunning views. Duke Kahanamoku Statue - Hawaii's most well-known and well-loved surfers Honolulu Zoo - another fun family activity, especially if you have younger kids. Polynesian Culture Center - I heard great things about this one stop type place but we didn't have a full day to dedicate to it and opted to do other local museums instead. Travel must-have items for Hawaii Swim shirt - we learned the hard way one year that on a boat and snorkeling you can very quickly get sunburnt and that makes for a less fun rest of the trip. This is a must have for our beach vacations now. Luau outfits - shop women/men/kids/matching family water shoes - a great addition for those beaches with rocks like Shark's Cove (above) snorkel gear - you can literally snorkel anywhere so take your own gear Reef-safe sunblock - Hawaii has strict regulations on sunscreens so make sure you are getting reef safe sunblock. Of course you can always buy more there but bringing your own is helpful. seasick bands - if you plan on taking any boat rides and are prone to getting seasick flip flops - I like the ones with arch support these or these phone dry bag - if you're on the beach, boat, or out snorkeling this is a great must have power bank - to keep your devices charged wherever you are on the island all day! compression bags - great for saving space in the suitcase sunglasses - protect your eyes with sunglasses for the whole family beach mat - oversized for the whole family aloe vera - if you do get a sunburn this is a lifesaver underwater camera - the kids loved these while snorkeling beach bag - you'll need something to carry all your stuff to the beach electrolyte powder - Stay hydrated after being out in the sun and heat all day You can see a lot of the places we visited or mentioned in this illustration by Asta Wu of Oahu Island.

Books and Bakes Book  - Project Haily Mary  by Andy Weir Bake  - Star Crunch About the Book Book  - Project Haily Mary  by Andy Weir This book is a great blend of science and fiction. It's a fast-paced space adventure. Each person in my family read it in only a few days. The Earth is in peril, and our lone astronaut Ryland Grace has to try to save all of humanity. As a middle school science teacher, Grace is an unconventional hero and in the beginning, he can't even remember who he is and what he is doing in space. There are two timelines we follow as we join Grace to try to piece together the past and figure out if he can save the future. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but it's got a good balance of humor and danger. This book speaks to the fragility of humanity, the power of friendship, and has emotional storytelling. Amaze, amaze, amaze! About the Bake Bake  - Star Crunch To be fair, this series is called books and bakes, but today, I'm sharing a no-bake recipe. I thought that Star Crunch was the perfect treat to pair with this space adventure book. Not only is it no-bake, which allows it to come together quickly (like this book is fast paced), it also reminded me of being in the stars and kind of seems like a piece of rocky meteorite or something. I enjoy the rich blend of caramel and chocolate and the crunch of the rice crispy treat! For more books and baked goods pairings, check out our past Books and Bakes posts.

Who doesn't love Star Crunch cookies. They feel like nostalgia and childhood. It's like a caramel and chocolate rice crispy treat! I'm the kind of person that will create a theme for anything. Having a star gazing night? Let's have Star Crunch and milk, ya, know for the milky way. I made my own copycat star crunch recipe! I decided these were probably easy enough to give them a go on a day when I wanted to make a sweet treat but didn't want to "bake" anything. I'm sharing my recipe for homemade Star Crunch. Copycat Star Crunch 4 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup caramel chips 4 cups mini marshmallows 4 cups rice crispy cereal In double boiler over medium low heat, melt together the butter, chocolate chips, and caramel chips. As soon as it's almost completely melted, add in the mini marshmallows and stir to fully melt and incorporated together. Remove from the heat and mix in the rice crispy cereal until coated well and combined. Let cool for about 5 mins. Spray your hands lightly with non-stick spray and form about 1/4 cup balls, flatten slightly into a disk shape. Leave to cool completely on parchment paper. This makes about 12 Star Crunch treats. Store in airtight container and enjoy! See what space themed book we paired it with in our Books and Bakes Feature!

If you are the mom of a tween or teen, you know that the older they get the harder they are to shop for. Their interests get a little more specific and they have their own opinions. You have to be a little more deliberate with your gifts, and that's fine. Easter baskets are still something that I love to do for my tween (is 10 a tween, it still feels like a kid) and teen. Easter basket fillers for tweens and teens can still be fun and creative and aimed toward their likes and current trends. Our Easter Basket Filler guide for tweens and teens has some fun ideas that won't break the bank. I usually do two or three fun things, maybe a book, and of course candy! Dragon Eggs - These are fun fidget toys. The dragon egg shape is perfect for Easter. Gloss nail strips - These nail strips are cute and don't require an LED light. Story Cubes - These fun cubes are great for mixing and matching and creating fun stories together. Waterproof speaker - If your teen likes to jam out during long showers then a waterproof speaker will elevate their shower jam session! Tamagotchi - Bring back this retro trendy game with the classic Tamagotchi! As a millennial mom, this one brings back memories and is for sure going in our baskets this year! Jellybeans candy - A go-to Easter candy for sure! Cute packaging too! Origami kit - traditional Japanese patterns and over 300 papers to create with. Hydrating face mist - For the skin care goddess these hydrating facial mists come in pretty colors and smell so good! Bunny slippers - These bunny slippers are so cozy and cute! Crochet kit - This bunny and chick kits from Woobles are great for beginners who want to get into crochet. Pocket-Sized Game Controller - This mini controller works with Android, switch and Raspberry Pi! Zip string - this rope launcher fidget toy was featured on Shark Tank! Butterfly claw clips - These cute clips are very on-trend! Food Squishmallows - They may be teens and you think stuffed animals are a thing of the past but Squishmallows have a GRIP on all the tweens/teens I know! They are obsessed with these food-themed ones - takeout noodles , ice cream sandwich , avocado , or grilled cheese ! Peel-off lip stain - if your tween or teen is on social media they've probably seen these peel-off lip stains are trending. They look super fun to do. Flying orb ball - This ball is fun to fly around the house or backyard! Birth Flower Layered Necklace - Layered necklaces are so pretty and these birth flower one feels personalized and looks very pretty for tweens and teens. StikBot Stopmotion Animation Kit - This starter kit has 8 posable sticky bots and a tripod to allow you to create fun stop-motion videos!

When my youngest kiddo had a Harry Potter themed 11th birthday party, I knew I wanted to make mandrakes that really screamed when pulled out of their pots for Herbology Class. Our Harry Potter party was a journey to Hogwarts where the kids "attended classes" and did activities for each class. These DIY Screaming Mandrakes are moderately easy to make and yes, actually scream when removed from their pots. The shock on the kids' faces when they pulled the mandrakes up and they started screaming was hilarious! DIY Screaming Mandrake Supplies: air dry clay aluminum foil fake leaves twine craft paint - different shades of brown and green paint brushes light sensor recordable sound chip fake moss Hot glue gun and glue ceramic pots Mandrake labels Brown crinkle paper filler (as the soil) A "mandrake" sound - I used this free mandrake screaming sound Additional supplies - printer, scissors, Elmer's glue, computer to download onto sound chip Instructions: Using the aluminum foil, scrunch it up to make a body shape with a head, torso, arms and legs. When you're creating the arms and legs, you can add a few strands of the twine as "root hands/feet". Just scrunch it into the aluminum foil ends. These are just the base, they do not have to be perfect or even the same. I made mine slightly different as mandrakes would be slightly different. Next, roll out your air dry clay into sheets almost and start layering it on your aluminum form. This takes a little bit of finesse to get them to cover and smoosh together al over the body. Be sure to leave out the arms and legs. 3. When you get to the head, you can add in some leaves to the top of his head. My kiddo decided this baby mandrake needed a booty but it ends up getting covered up later but it did give some giggles during the creation process. 4. On the front of your mandrake you can create a face out of clay. Add some expression, different mouth shapes, furrowed brows. Just play around with it. We made three mandrakes, and each one was slightly different. They all had closed eyes though, because I imagined they were sleepy baby mandrakes and didn't want to bother trying to make eyes. Let your mandrakes dry fully. They you can go in with some craft paint to make them look more like a plant stump or whatever a mandrake is. We used different shades of brown and green to give it some dimension and color. Once the paint is dry, you're going to hook up your sound chip to your computer and download the screaming mandrake sound on it. The chip comes with instructions. If you don't want your mandrake to actually scream when removed from his pot, skip this step, he will still be a cute decoration or party activity. Using hot glue, carefully glue the sound chip to the back of your mandrake. You don't want to glue any of the sensitive parts down but do your best. I used the fake moss to cover the sound chip so that you couldn't see it, but the light sensor part (that triggers the screaming) and the switch to turn it on and off were still accessible. Below you can see the front and back of them at different stages. Print, size, cut out and glue the mandrake labels onto the front of your pots. I just used Elmer's school glue for this one. Activate your mandrake and put him in the pot. Fill in the areas with the crinkle filler paper as "dirt". We had other bigger pots to "move" the mandrake too with a burlap bag filled with extra "dirt" so that they could re-pot the mandrakes into bigger pots. Here's how it goes. The baby mandrakes are all cozy in their little pots. The kids pull them out, which triggers the light sensor and they start screaming, laughter ensues. The kids then have to rush to repot them into the bigger pots and fill the areas around them with the "dirt" to trigger the sensor to stop the mandrake crying sound. We had the kids work in pairs. It was so hilarious! If you wanted to go an extra step you could have fluffy ear muffs for the kids to put on during the herbology class like they do in the movie. Check back later for future links on how we created all our classes! Care of Magical Creatures Muggle Studies Potions Class Herbology History of Magic Ancient Runes For more Harry Potter fun, check out our Butterbeer Cookies, DIY wand holder, Butterbeer Milkshakes, and Madeye Moody Meatballs and Gillyweed Pasta posts!

The Summer can be soo hot here in Arizona. We like to spend the hottest part of the day indoors. One of our favorite ways to hide from the blazing sun, during the middle of the day, is with a stack of books from the library to read. Since we read a lot during our summer break, we made a DIY bookworm library bag to carry our books in and the kids love carrying their books in it! For this craft, we jazzed up a simple canvas bag with some pom pom “bookworms” for our little bookworm. Bookworm Library Bag Craft Supplies: canvas bag pom poms fabric paint (and foam brush) puffy paint googly eyes reusable letter stencil stickers glue (fabric or hot glue) Directions: This DIY Bookworm Library Bag is pretty easy to make but younger kids will need some help. 1. Use stencils and fabric paint to spell out their name, or spell out the word “bookworm” along the top of the bag like we did. 2. Draw a squiggly line of fabric glue and let the kids create a body for their bookworms. If you’re using hot glue, only add one dot of glue as you glue down each pom pom to prevent the glue from drying to fast. Add a larger pom-pom for the head of the bookworm. We found these cute rainbow-colored pom-poms, that were a fun addition to this craft! 3. Lastly, glue on some googly eyes and add puffy paint legs and then let it dry overnight. Take to the library and let your little bookworms fill their new DIY library bag with as many books as they can carry! Now head over to your local library and sign up for their summer reading program!

Do you get your kids gifts for Valentine's Day? If so, we're sharing some of our favorite Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Kids! Valentine's Day Gift Guide for Kids Lego Roses // Kisses Plush Toy // Valentine Joke Book // Valentine Cookie Set // Valentine Dragon Squishmallow // Heart Box Craft Kit // V is for Video Game Shirt // Strawberry Slime // Caramel Kisses Baking Set // Love you to the Moon Bracelet // Robot Toy // Valentine Mad Libs // Valentine Puzzle  // Initial Necklace // Wearable Blanket // Unicorn Purse Makeup Kit  // Hearts Card Gam e // Headphones  // Heart Pop It // Doodle Tiles Kit // Love Monster Squishmallow // Soft Arrow Bow Set // Valentine Eye Spy Book // Heart Prism Ligh t Craft Kit For more Valentine-inspired fun, check out Printable Valentine Cards for Kids Watercolor Cookies

Oregon has so much to offer - family fun, seafood, quirky towns, coastal gems, and so much more! It makes a great trip in the Fall. We are sharing our 4 full days in Oregon (plus travel days) including a day trip to the Oregon coast, as well an evening in St. Helens where you can celebrate the movie Halloweentown by taking pictures by the giant pumpkin and take part in the events. Here's how we planned our Oregon Trip with kids during Fall! Oregon Trip with Kids Highlights: White Stag Sign Oregon Trail Museum Aerial Tram Powell's Books Haystock Rock and Cannon Beach Fun at Seaside Lewis and Clark Multonmah Falls Japanese Gardens International Rose Garden OSMI Peculiarium Halloweentown Day 0 - Travel day, Portland Fly into Portland. Once you check into your hotel, head to Old Chinatown for dinner and then as the sun goes down you can take pictures with the white stag sign . Day 1 - Portland Head out early and drive to Oregon City to visit the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center . This is an interactive museum; kids can even make old-fashioned dolls and candles while they learn about life on the Oregon Trail. After a bit, head back into Portland and take a ride up the Aerial Tram . You get cool views of the city as well as Mt Hood and Mt St Helen. The fares at the time of this post are $8.50 for a round-trip ticket. Stop for lunch at Growler Guys if you want some local beer and good burgers. Grab some Voodoo Donuts and take a selfie by the "Keep Portland Weird" sign which is literally right across the street. Head over to Powell's Books for the afternoon . Powell's Books is a bookstore is a whole city block and several stories high, so you could honestly spend days browsing. They even have a rare book room where you can get special passes and go check out their oldest and most coveted books for sale. Once you've stocked up your TBR pile, head over to Old Town Pizza and Brewing . This is a haunted pizzeria with spooky vibes. Maybe you'll see Nina, the resident ghost. Adults can tour the old tunnels underneath the restaurant (21+). Day 2 - Drive to Oregon Coast Drive out for a day at the Oregon Coast. We drove straight to Cannon Beach and enjoyed tidepooling around Haystack Rock looking for hermit crabs, sea stars, and anemones. When we were there it was so foggy and different than any beach I had ever been to. It was so ethereal! There is public parking at 163 Grower St. Head to Wayfarer for lunch for a selection that includes fried razor clams, oyster sandwiches, Dungeness crab sandwiches, and clam chowder. After lunch, go up the coast a little further and stop at Seaside. You can check out the  Lewis and Clark Salt Cairn  for some history and learning. The Seaside Aquarium is a small but fun stop for kids and you can even feed seals and stick your hands in touch pools! We stopped at Seaside Candyman for saltwater taffy. They have over 170 different flavors of saltwater taffy and some silly mirrors to get the kids giggling. We took our blanket down to the beach and walked in the edge of the water, read some books, and ate some salt water taffy. We marveled at the wide beach with low clouds. Be sure to take a picture by the statue of Lewis and Clark at the End of the Trail monument . Find a spot for dinner on Broadway Street and end the night with some games at Funland Arcade before you drive back to Portland. Day 3 - Portland Nature - Multnomah Falls, Japanese Gardens, Cathedral Park, and International Rose Garden. Start the day off by driving to Multnomah Falls . It's just outside Portland and not a very long drive but the view is amazing. You can do the short hike up to the bridge. There is no permit to visit the falls in the Fall. There is also a restaurant and shop there. If you didn't get food at the Falls, head back to Portland for a light bite to eat at Elephant Delicatessen at 115 NW 22nd Avenue, Portland, OR. They have a varity of salads, sandwhiches, soups, and deli side dishes. They also have fun gifts to browse. Head to the Japanese Gardens for some zen. The Koi fish pond was a favorite with our group and the volunteers are very knowledgeable. There are so many pretty spots to stop and admire. They also have Umami Cafe where you can get Japanese tea but you need to make reservations ahead of time as they fill up fast. Please note, the Gardens are closed on Tuesdays. Stop by Cathedral Park to take a stroll and admire St. John's Bridge. In my Opinion this is the prettiest bridge in Portland and this park is believed to be one of the landing spots of Lewis and Clark. Lastly, head to the International Rose Test Garden . It's free to visit and there are over 10,000 rose bushes planted there. It was created in the early 1900's as a safe haven for European roses during WWI to protect them from bombings. Portland has a lot of delicious choices for food. We went to Backwoods Brewing for dinner. Day 4 - Donuts, Museums, St. Helens and Halloweentown As soon as you wake up, head to Blue Star Donuts before they sell out! You can preorder for pickup. Once you're fueled for the day, head to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and explore and play for the morning. We grabbed a yummy lunch at Shalom Y'all which is a Meditterian spot with bright and fresh flavors. We had a quick stop at Freakybuttrue Pecularium (maybe 45 mins) where we posed with Krampus and Big Foot. For the evening, we drove to the quaint riverside town of St. Helen's where we saw the Twilight Swan House (this is an AirB&B but we did not stay here) and where some of Halloweentown is filmed. We got to pose by the courthouse and big pumpkin. Because Halloweentown was filmed here the town goes all out with The Spirit of Halloweentown activities and events. We only got a small taste of it because we were there on a weeknight. It's free to walk around the event and take pictures by the signs or pumpkin but if you want to meet/greet celebrities or do something like the haunted house, you need tickets. You can read more about our visit to Halloweentown here . We drove back to Portland that night and headed back home the next morning. What would you be most excited to check out in Oregon. For more Fall fun check out: Witchy Books for Fall Crockpot Chicken Chili DIY Cheesecloth Ghosts

Hygge, pronounced "hoo-ga" is a Scandinavian word meaning finding cozy contentment and well-being. It's all about enjoying life's simple pleasures. Winter is a great time to slow down and practice Hygge. Not only does it help ward off the winter blues, but it also helps us embrace and celebrate the gift that is the colder, darker months of the winter season. I live in Arizona, so my winter is definitely sunnier and warmer than most, but I still plan to Hygge these next few months. Today I'm sharing 10 ways to hygge this winter! 10 Ways to Hygge this Winter Cook something - Bake something new this Winter. Indulge in some comfort food. Personally, I love a big bowl of soup. Read a book - cozy up under a warm blanket and take some time to read something. Here are some cozy winter books for this year! Listen to music - we have a record player that we enjoy playing music on. One of my goals this year is to discover a new artist. Make breakfast - Breakfast is sometimes overlooked and rushed, take time to make a breakfast you wouldn't normally have time for. Try our breakfast casserole or egg nog cinnamon roll bake. Buy fresh flowers - While it may be dreary and cold outside, we can always bring some bright and colorful flowers into our space. The grocery store usually has a cheap bouquet you can treat yourself with. Or get a new house plant to add some greenery to your space. Add some lights - Light a candle or add twinkle lights somewhere in your house. Who says twinkle lights can only be used for Christmas?! I especially like to do this when I'm taking a bath or reading a book. Winter is a great time to host a candle painting party ! Craft something - Pinterest is full of fun crafty and DIY ideas! We love trying new crafts like our no-sew blanket , a perfect winter craft. Play a board game - Have some quality family or friend time and play a game together. We shared our favorite board games for families if you're looking for a new one to try out with the family. Go for a winter walk - bundle up and head out into the cold. It's very refreshing to breathe in the crisp cool air and move your body. Bonus points if you live somewhere snowy, it feels magical to walk in the snow. Get together with a friend - maybe cook a meal together, watch a classic film, or just lounge around in comfy clothes and catch up over a warm drink. So, embrace this little reminder that it's okay to slow down and do little things that bring you joy! If you like these hygge ideas, be sure to check out the 100 things to do this year . Learn a secret handshake? Make your own pasta? Was that on your new year bingo card ?

"Roaring 20's tossing pennies in the pool!" "There's glitter on the floor after the party!" These are the vibes I want to bring when ringing in the new year this year. "Meet me at Midnight' is such a mood for a New Year's Eve party and what better way to celebrate New Year's Eve than with a Taylor themed part y with champagne, stars, and confetti everywhere! Star and moon balloons // moon pinata  // Meet me at midnight banner  // moon and star garland //  champagne candy // disco ice bucket  // disco ball party lights // confetti poppers  // disco ball headband  // coupe glasses // cheers light up sign // star headband // sparklers // new year hats   // starry night plates   // cupcake new year toppers // confetti balloons Here are some other fun party ideas to celebrate the New Year! How to photograph and light paint with sparklers with your phone! Create a new year bingo with these free printables. You serve up some bubble drinks in your coupe glasses or make this Lavender Haze cocktail ! "I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day"

We aren't big on lofty New Year's resolutions. The truth is, we have made them in the past, things like "loose 30 pounds", and after a few weeks we stop going to the gym and lose all momentum. Two years ago, we decided to keep it light and fun and do 24 fun things in 2024. There is a science behind having small wins to celebrate as well. We decided to do it again this year! We created these free printable new year bingo cards ! We will fill it with random things like "try 5 new pasta shapes" and "create a secret handshake" and see if we can get BINGO by the end of the year. We made one that says "New Year bingo" for you to choose from. Just save the one you want below and print it on regular printer paper. I filled the page with mine so I had room to write in the boxes but you could print them smaller if you want and write tiny on them. Download New Year Bingo Card You can print it off on regular printer paper size and put it on your fridge or pin board. Color them in as you achieve each fun thing. To start you off, we are sharing 100 things to do in 2026. Hopefully, this will jump-start some fun ideas for you! Obviously, you can do a few serious ones, unique ones, and ones specific to you and your goals for the year! Just have fun with it! Here are 100 things to do in the new year! Learn a party trick - magic tricks are always fun Try new pasta shapes - we made homemade pasta last year Learn to play an instrument - ukulele sounds fun to me! Get a different hairstyle/haircut Try a new recipe Take a day trip - Go the next city over or see what's within 1-2 hours of you and make a day of it! Go to a live sporting event Read a new book - check out our Books and Bakes page for a new book/recipe every month or so. Visit a natural attraction - look up what is near you and start there! Plan a party - it can be a birthday, holiday, or just for fun like "paint and pasta" Listen to a new musical artist Try a new cocktail - lavender haze is a good place to start Complete a puzzle - we did a 3d puzzle last year! Go on a trip somewhere new - can't travel this year, then plan it for next year. I would love to go out of the country this year! Do a new activity - geocaching, bingo, axe throwing, crochet, so many choices! Explore your city - play tourist, try out the best yelp restaurant, and visit a fun local spot! Thrift a "new" outfit Try a new restaurant - branch out and try a new culture too if you're brave Volunteer your time - find something that inspires you Visit a forest and do some forest bathing Go to a museum - Check for free days or fun events before you go Go swimming - try a new pool, lake, or beach! Watch the sunrise Play/learn a new game - chess, board games , shuffleboard, tennis Treat somebody for no reason - it can be a stranger or someone you know Host a dinner Visit a National Park Take a tour - beer tour, ghost tour, segway tour, what sounds fun! Teach somebody something you know Take a class - cake decorating, pottery, glass blowing, whatever you like Watch the sunset Grow a new plant or plant a garden Go on a boat - paddle boat, ferry, dinner boat tour Have a picnic Do something physical - yoga and walking are great low-impact places to start Go camping - don't forget your camping gear Visit a botanical garden or start your own garden . Start a good habit - drink a glass of water every morning, floss daily, or leave work at 5 pm. Play something with a team - I think it would be fun to do a trivia night at a local restaurant Bake your own bread Write someone a letter/card Go to a live concert Stay overnight somewhere unique - a winery, treehouse, tiny house, ice hotel Painting trend - thrift a painting and add your own touches. I did this at Halloween and had so much fun! Visit a local market - craft, produce, etc Get a massage - it can be from a significant other or book a treatment Start a journal - this can be specific like a dream, book, or travel journal Make something crafty Take an online course Print your photos - turn one into a fun photo shadow box Declutter a room/space in your house Learn a new dance - tiktok dances are great for this Plan a movie/dinner themed nigh t. Redecorate a room in your house - paint it, rearrange the furniture, buy a new fun piece of furniture See a live show - comedy, musical, ballet, etc Go on a walk Listen to a podcast Go on a hike Ride a Ferris wheel Go to an art gallery Ditch one bad habit - just one thing you'd like to stop doing Learn to make fancy coffee at home Try a weekly food theme like Meatless Monday or Stir-Fridays! Watch a documentary Do some self-care - I plan to focus on skincare this year Compliment strangers - If you see something you like tell them Start a gratitude jar - as the year goes on write down things you are grateful for, pull out your jar at the end of the year, and reflect Start a recipe box or journal - collect those favorite family recipes too! Go to a poetry slam - or perform at one! Create a death binder - sounds morbid but it's nice to have all your important documents in one place in case of emergency Learn to make a balloon animal or origami frog! Visit a drive-in theater Make a fun food - zombie brain sushi and Cheshire cat tails are both fun! Have a star-gazing night or watch a space event Build a sandcastle or fairy house Complete a challenge - reading challenge, 365 photo challenge, running challenge Go fruit picking - berries, apples, peaches, find a local farm and plan a trip Make a vision board - this is good for those bigger goals Have a fondue night - cheese, chocolate, or gravy Sing karaoke Conquer a fear - did we mention singing karaoke? Eat at a food truck - tacos, ice cream, Japanese sandwiches, there are so many fun ones! Create a blind taste test - bottled water, salsa, whiskey, whatever you want! Create a gift for someone - Book bouquet or Boo Basket Visit a neighbor - I like to take ours cookies, older neighbors always have the best stories or if you have kids, see if any neighbors have kids your age and plan a playdate Host a trivia/ game night Start a book club (or join one) Go to a local festival - food, book, music, flower, craft, see what your city has! Be more present - put your phone down more, engage in conversations, find the glimmers Have breakfast in bed Plan one way you can budget weekly/monthly- limit movie outings, cancel one subscription service, limit lunch out - make it achievable and try to stick to it See how many dogs you can pet - keep track on your phone, always ask first Make a birdfeeder - I would love to befriend a crow! Take a sunset picture every time you see one - share your year in sunsets at the end of the year, the 1 second a day app would be fun for this Learn to solve a Rubix cube Discover a new author Forgive someone - this one could be hard but do it for yourself Open the window every morning - get some sunlight and fresh air to start your day off Curate a playlist - even better, share it with a friend think mixed tape vibes! Create a secret handshake!