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This chocolate fondue is so easy to make and only takes 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes to pull together. Something about chocolate fondue feels so decadent and fancy, but honestly, this recipe is so simple and can be made in various ways. Chocolate fondue is a fun thing to make for your Valentine or Galentine party! Easy Chocolate Fondue Note: I make mine in a fondue pot but you can also make a double boiler . 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups) 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla In a fondue pot or double boiler add in your chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat over low heat, stirring often. You'll want to mix the cream and chocolate at the same time to keep the cream from getting too hot too quickly and curdling. 2. Once it's melted together add in your vanilla and stir together. 3. Keep your fondue on a low heat setting and serve with fruit, cookies, donut holes, or anything that sounds good dipped in chocolate. This fondue has a really great chocolate flavor and is super smooth and creamy and perfectly dippable! Tips and tricks I have a slightly older version of this Cuisinart Electric Fondue Pot but if you don't have one or don't want to invest in one, then you can heat your chocolate over a double boiler (see below for tips) and transfer to a bowl for serving at the table. If you have a little more time you can even make this in a mini crockpot and it will stay warm and dippable for a while. You can also add things to your fondue to make it slightly different, like caramel chocolate yum! Fondue Variations You can add in a scoop of caramel sauce or peanut butter to add some different flavors to your chocolate. You can also try it with milk or dark chocolate if you prefer those. I personally like semisweet because it feels like it has a better balance with the other sweet fruits and foods you are dipping into it. Fondue Dippers There are so many things you can dip in your chocolate fondue! Here are some ideas to get you started: strawberries pound cake potato chips bacon pineapple candy oranges donut holes ritz crackers raspberries bananas cheesecake bites gummy worms peanut brittle pretzels rice crispy treats cookies blueberries apples animal crackers How to make a double boiler To make a double boiler, you need two pots that are the same size across so that they can stack on top of each other without the top one falling into the bottom one. You're bottom pot you're going to enough water to cover the bottom of your pot and then some. You'll place the botttom pot over low heat. Then, you'll place your top bot over the pot with the water. This is the pot that you will melt you chocolate in. The bottom pot will get all simmery and steamy and provide heat for your top pot so it can melt the chocolate without burning it. Happy dipping!

Valentine's Day is such a fun holiday for me. It's a time to just show the people you love, that you love them! These Valentine Watercolor Lover-inspired Cookies are a beautiful and sweet way to show adoration for your Valentine, Galentine, or besties! Ready to decorate your cookies? Jump to Hardening Icing or Watercolor Cookies technique . Start with your favorite sugar cookie. I used a package mix and followed the directions to make cut-out cookies. I rolled them out and cut them out using a heart-shaped cookie cutter for Valentine’s Day. No judgment here if you find store-bought sugar cookies easier. The fun part of these cookies is the pretty watercolor icing. I mean, just look at that gorgeous ombre design! Ok, let's start on how to make them. The hardening cookie icing creates a smooth, hard base for you to watercolor on. I used to think this was a hard trick to master, but after trying my hand at this simple frosting, I realized how easy it is! Hardening Cookie Icing - 1 batch 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon light corn syrup You will also need: plastic baggie or piping bag toothpick bowls and spoons scissors if you are using a plastic baggie In a medium bowl, mix together the 3 ingredients until smooth. I make 2 batches of this icing for my cookies. The first batch has a little bit less milk, more like the consistency of toothpaste. I put it in a plastic baggie (or piping bag if you want to be fancy) and cut the tip off. I use that batch to create the outline of my cookie. For the second batch, I made it just a bit more fluid, so that it “floods” the outline of the cookie and creates a nice smooth frosting. Just add a tiny bit more milk until you like the consistency of it. Repeat the same step of adding it to a baggie with the tip cut off. Squeeze it onto your cookie. Use the toothpick to pop any bubbles and help spread the icing so that it covers the cookie. NOTE: I let my cookies sit for about an hour to harden before I painted them to make sure it was fully hardened. Now, for the fun part! Let’s “watercolor” paint our cookies. Once your icing is hard, create your watercolors using food coloring and clear vanilla extract. I used both liquid and gel food coloring and both worked fine. Lover Watercolor Cookies Food coloring (gel or drops) Clear vanilla extract food safe paintbrush clean paint pallette gold sprinkles (optional) In a small dish or new paint palette mix together a few drops of food coloring with your clear vanilla extract. I created a variety of shades using red and pink with different ratios of vanilla extract. Then, paint your cookies with a clean, new paintbrush. Do not use a craft paintbrush for this. Have fun playing around with different designs. I found I liked giving my cookie a wash of clear vanilla extract before adding my colors. This allowed the colors to bleed together differently, giving it an even more watercolor look. I created unique ombre designs with my cookies but you can do whatever looks pleasing to you. Play around with different amounts of food coloring and vanilla extract to create pretty patterns. I even added some gold sprinkles to a few cookies for some texture and glam. Be sure to check out our other Valentine's Day posts. This page will be updated as we continue to add more fun ideas!

We love a pretty flower bouquet but today we are upping our game and making a DIY book bouquet that is perfect for surprising a friend or loved one! These make great birthday gifts for bookworms in your life. DIY Book Bouquet Supplies: Books cellophane tape scissors duct tape or another sturdy tape wooden dowels brown paper (or paper of your color) string or twine tissue paper (optional) ribbon fresh or faux flowers - I used 2 different types of fresh flowers Directions: Pick your books. I found the book bouquet easiest to make with three books otherwise the bouquet gets too big and heavy to hold. Wrap each book in the clear cellophane and tape them up. Like little presents. This keeps the books protected but you can still see what the books are when you make your bouquet. Using duct tape, attach a dowel to the back of each book. Then you can arrange your books in a shape with 2 books in the back and 1 book in the front. 4. Now that we have the basic shape, cut out your brown paper to be slightly wider and longer than your books on sticks. Do this twice, you'll save the second piece of paper for later. ( Note, if you want more color you can add tissue paper between your books and the brown paper). I like the simplicity of the brown paper and flowers but feel free to personalize it to suit your needs or the person you are giving it to. 5. Next, we're going to place flowers around to form the bouquet. I used 2 different flowers to add contrast but keep it simple and not visually overwhelming with too many colors. 6. Now you're going to fold over the paper at the base, leaving the top open. Tie with twine to secure it. 7. This is the time you are going to use that second sheet of brown paper. Cut it in half so that you have two almost equally sized pieces. Fold one piece at a diaganol as seen below and lay it on the front of your bouquet bunching it together at the same spot where you did your first layer of brown paper. 8. Repeat this step a second time on the other side of your bouquet. Tie wtih twine or tape to secure it down. 9. Lastly, you can decorate your bouquet with a ribbon and you have a beautiful DIY book bouquet to give as a gift! Check out our Gift Guide for Book Lovers for more gift ideas! Want books to fill your book bouquet? Click on these images to head over to these other posts out for book inspiration.

Valentine's Day is always a fun night to experiment with new and exciting cocktails. When my husband and I were younger we always went out to a fancy dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day. Now, we avoid the crowds and make a "dinner date at home". While sometimes it is a romantic night in, usually we include the kids and do heart-shaped pizza, chocolate fondue , and cocktails for the adults. Valentine's Day is a day for love and why can't it be a family holiday!? Because we're always wanting to try new things in the kitchen, we decided to round up 10 Valentine's Day Cocktails we think sound good that you might like too! 10 Valentine's Day Cocktails These 10 cocktails are great for Valentine's Day and beyond! We included some that are popular classics that we don't always make and unique ones that sound yummy to try! Love Potion Cocktail - This bright red cocktail is flirty and romantic. It has cranberry vodka as its base and a piece of dry ice makes it look like it's smoking! Pomegranate Gin Fizz - This gin-based drink is a lovely egg white cocktail. I love the soft pink color and the fizzy component. Espresso Martini - Coffee cocktails have been a hit everywhere lately. This cocktail will help get the night started off with a pep in your step! Lavender Haze - This unique drink was inspired by the lovely Lavender Haze song from Taylor Swift. Get lost in your own lavender haze while sipping on this cocktail! Rose Champagne Cocktail - Roses and champagne are staples for Valentine's Day. Bring them together in this fun cocktail! Chocolate Strawberry Martini - This vodka-based drink has chocolate dripping down the sides. If I saw someone drinking this in a restaurant I would immediately want it. It looks like dessert in a glass! Spicy Paloma Cocktail - Add some spice to your night and you're cocktail with this hot honey and citrus drink! I already feel like I will want seconds of this drink! Old Fashioned - Keep it classic with this old-fashioned. It only takes 4 ingredients and it's a winner every time. This is a great one for warming up on a cold night. Raspberry Sorbet Bellini - This cocktail is simple but pretty to sip on! I love that instead of ice you're using sorbet to keep your drink cool and add flavor at the same time. Bloody Valentine - Blood oranges are in season right now and can be found in your local grocery stores. The blood orange juice in this cocktail perfectly balances with the elderflower liqueur.

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

We are in our Valentine era and we're loving it! We have shared watercolor lover cookies, DIY bracelet glasses , and friendship bracelet skewers and fondue ! Today, we're sharing some super cute free printable Valentine's Day cards for Swifties! These would be perfect for your little Swiftie to give out to their class or friends this Valentine's Day! These cards are the perfect mix of classic conversation heart candies and Taylor Swift lyrics. We created 4 different but similar designs. Download our free Swiftie Valentine's here. These would be so cute attached to a pack of conversation hearts or add a friendship bracelet to each one! Save this to your Pinterest board for Valentine's Day so you can find it later! For more Valentine's Day content, head over to our Valentine's Day page to read them all. Looking for another holiday or want to browse by season, we have that too.

Hello, fellow Swiftie bookworms! I'm here today with some book recommendations for you! Taylor is a beautiful storyteller so it only makes sense that many of us Swifties would be book lovers as well. The US leg of the Eras tour may be over but our addiction to all things Taylor hasn't. Since one of my goals for this year was to read more books, I thought it would be fun to curate some Taylor Swift Eras Inspired Books. This list contains one book that I feel fits the overarching theme of each album. I had waaaay too much fun creating this post and can't wait to dive into these Eras-inspired books. Taylor Swift Books for Each Era Let's start at the beginning with Taylor Swift aka "Debut" For Taylor Swift , we are recommending My Life As A Country Album by EJ Evans Now, I'll be honest, I know this album the least, but regardless, my overall views of it are that it's young and fresh, and you still have a wide-eyed view of the world. You yearn to be more grown-up than you are. My Life as a Country Album is about Cam, a small-town girl experiencing her first love with the boy next door. It's told in a diary-esque way and is sweet like sweet tea y'all. With first love comes a little bit of heartbreak, and you can just picture Cam signing "Teardrops on My Guitar" as you read it. Fun fact, the author stated the book was inspired by Taylor's song "Begin Again", but we still think it is a perfect "Debut" inspired read. Our Fearless TV -inspired book recommendation is Stargirl By Jerry Spinelli . Fearless is a little more about figuring things out, finding friendships, and life from a high school girl's perspective. Stargirl is about a free-spirited high school girl. She was previously homeschooled and now she's going to a public high school where she's the "quirky outcast". People call her different from them and maybe even a little weird. Stargirl however is a genuinely kind person and embraces her individuality, even when the other kids are making fun of her. We love this brave story about nonconformity! Taylor Swift has even said that Stargirl inspired her ! If you like Speak Now TV , we recommend you check out When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill . Speak Now is feminine and a bit fairytale-esque with a current of trauma that runs beneath the surface. When Women Were Dragons is a tale about the changes we go through to become ourselves. It talks about the 1955 Mass Dragoning event where thousands of women turned into dragons - growing scales, sprouting wings, and taking to the skies leaving a trail of fiery destruction in their wake. The story follows a young girl as she unravels this forbidden story. Why did some women turn into dragons while others did not? This book is all about a world that wants to keep women small, and how they rise up and take up the space they deserve. Our Red TV -inspired book recommendation is My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell . To me, the theme of Red is turbulent relationships and the rollercoaster of emotions that come with them. "All Too Well 10-minute version" is a hit that stands out from this album and we think My Dark Vanessa is a good read that feels inspired by All Too Well. This book explores the tumultuous relationship between a teenage girl and her teacher, who professes to love her. But, when rumors of him abusing another student start to surface, Vanessa begins to see how much he manipulates her. How their relationship wasn't really what she thought it was. Maybe she's not unique, and maybe he's a predator. It screams "You kept me like a secret but I kept you like an oath". Whew, that last one cut deep. Let's lighten the mood with 1989 TV! Our 1989 TV - inspired book is French Kissing in New York by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau . 1989 is very much all about big city lights, late nights on the town, rooftop bars, being young and having fun dating. French Kissing in New York is a romance novel about a young woman who moves to New York City, bustling with energy. We follow Margot on her journey to find her place as a chef in the restaurant scene. She can't stop thinking about a guy she met last year in Europe and hopes she can find him. Anything is possible in the big city! Full of food, friendship, and fate. If you like Reputation , you may enjoy Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard . Reputation is giving anger, vengeance, and betrayal...and we all know the story behind "Look What You Made Me Do". The book Red Queen is set in a dystopian world of betrayal and lies, where royals have superpowers, and the world is divided by red and silver-blooded people. We follow Mare, who has been raised in poverty by the Reds. When she discovers she has powers, the Silvers want to cover this up. In this tale of treachery, she is forced to play the political game that the Silvers play. Power is a dangerous game and the only certainty is betrayal. Our Lover -inspired book recommendation is Autoboyography by Christina Lauren . The Lover Era is purple-pink clouds, fun-loving, and a bit of whimsy. Autoboyography feels like it's written perfectly for this album. Even the cover is Lover coded in my opinion. We get to know Tanner, a bisexual teen, and Sebastian a gay boy, in this touching love story. While one boy has the support of his family, society pretends they don't exist. This story is all about coming out, embracing yourself, and living your most authentic life. Everyone in this town just needs to "Calm Down". For related reads, check out our LGBTQA+ Books for Kids and Teens . Our Folklore book recommendation is Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler . Folklore is full of romanticism, exploring yourself, and finding peace within. Adelaide, is a story about Adelaide, an American living in London who falls in love with a charming Englishman. Is he "The One? As she pours herself into their relationship, she begins to lose herself a little, as he doesn't quite reciprocate the love she's giving him. He's a good guy, but does he really love her for her? She starts to get a bit desperate for his love and it starts to become a little self-destructive. This book feels very "This is Me Trying", "Mirrorball" "August", "Exile" and "The One" all rolled into a book that takes on mental and emotional health while being highly functional. For the Evermore girlies, we think you should check out Weyward by Emilia Hart . Evermore has witchy vibes of connecting with nature in an ivy-covered cottage. In Weyward, we follow three powerful women at different points in history, as they discover the gifts that bind them and set them apart. They each battle the patriarchy and the expectations that society has put on them, and as women as a whole. They find their inner power through their connection with nature. While there are no spells, there is magic weaved into the pages of this story. It's been on my TBR list since fall when I featured it in 13 Witchy Books for Fall . I'm hoping I can get it read soon! Our Midnights -inspired book recommendation is The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark . Midnights is the album about 13 sleepless nights, but as Taylor mentions, it's also about the "floors we pace and the demons we face". The Lies I Tell is a story of two women who are seeking justice for their pasts and hope to rewrite their futures. It's a bit of "Vigilante Shit" and "Karma", as one woman is a con artist who can change who she needs to be to get the job done and the other is out for revenge. This book is a quick-paced thriller with strong protagonist female characters. Our TTPD- inspired book recommendation is Florida by Lauren Groff . The Tortured Poets Department is a dramatic, intimate, and eclectic ablum. Florence Welch posted on her IG that when asked to feature on TTPD she immediately thought of this collection of short stories featuring ghosts, swamps, and storms. I think it's only fitting that TTPD be paired with this collection of 11 stories since TTPD is her 11th album. The stories are all centered around wonderfully flawed women who are often suffering in their own skin. Full of dark humor, Lauren crafts poetic sentences just as Taylor crafts poetic lyrics, full of cynicism and sarcasm, ghosts, anger, vulnerability, motherhood, and acceptance. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out our Taylor Swift page where we share all our Taylor inspired food, crafts, and more!

A few years ago, I shared our collection of books for kids about diversity and kindness. These books help foster an appreciation of acceptance and inclusion of others. Since then, friends and family have recommended books about diversity that they love too, and our collection has grown. I'm all about reading books to my kids that will help teach (and reinforce) different ideas or help them see different perspectives and be compassionate toward others. These stories cover a wide variety of sensitive topics and show us how we can be proud of who we are and the diversity around us. Books for Kids about Diversity and Kindness Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o Age range: 3-8 A beautifully illustrated story that made me tear up when reading it to my children. It follows the story of a young girl who wishes for her dark skin to be lighter. The story is ultimately about colorism and learning to love oneself, no matter one's skin tone. I saw this in the store one Fall and regretted not buying it immediately. I hunted it down for a few weeks and got it for my kids one Christmas. The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad Age range: 4-8 This is a sweet story about two sisters loving their culture and overcoming prejudice. This book shows the hijab as something kind of magical and empowers and celebrates a rite of passage for Muslim girls. We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrome Age range: 3-7 Another beautifully illustrated story told from the point of view of a young girl about the North American indigenous battles to protect our water. A call to action and celebration of culture. Written and illustrated by indigenous book creators! The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi Age range: 5-8 When the new girl from Korea moves to America, nobody can pronounce her name. Her classmates fill a jar full of suggestions for her to choose a name from. This book is about friendship and it really highlights the Asian culture and the power behind a name. The Wall in the Middle of the Book by John Agee Age range: 4-8 The contemporary relative to the Monster at the End of the Book, the knight is sure the wall keeps him safe from the horrible "other side" of the book. Or does it? As the water (and danger) rises on his side of the book, without him noticing, the other side comes to his rescue. Kids learn that sometimes "the other side" isn't as bad as we thought. Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian Age range: 3-5 Worm meets worm, they fall in love and decide to get married! All their friends are curious about who will wear the dress and who will wear the tuxedo. But, in the end, it doesn't matter because they love each other! You may also like our collection of LGBTQIA+ Books for Kids and Teens . All My Stripes: A Story for Children with Autism by Shaina Rudolph Age range: 5-7 This story follows Zane the zebra as he learns that all his stripes- his caring stripe, his curiosity stripe, and his autism stripe, are what make him special and unique. Learn to embrace the differences of those around us and all their beautiful stripes with this quirky and sweet book. She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton Age range: 4-8 These are the stories of 13 women who would not take no for an answer. Even when they had to fight to be heard, these tiny feminists changed the world with their ideas and bravery. This book is the perfect reminder for those who were told to sit down or move out of the way. Featuring stories of Ruby Bridges, Helen Keller, Sally Ride, and many more who overcame obstacles to show the world what they are made of. The World Needs More Purple People by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hart Age range: 3-6 If you're like me, you're wondering what a purple person is. A purple person is one who brings their community together with kindness and uses their voice to speak up for what is right. In the light of the divided political parties, purple people blend red and blue together to help people become purple and encourage kids to look for similarities rather than differences. A sweet but simple sentiment and a good reminder for adults too. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena Age range: 2-6 A young Black boy and his Grandmother take a ride on public transportation and he wonders why they always get off at the dirty part of town and why they don't own a car of their own. His grandmother helps him find the beauty all around him. This is a good story of humanity and how to help people who in need. Butterflies Belong Here: A Story of One Idea, Thirty Kids, and a World of Butterflies by Deborah Hopkinson Age range: 5-10 This is a moving and beautiful story of a girl who recently immigrated to the United States and feels a little out of place, like a quiet little caterpillar. She makes a poster about monarchs, who followed the same migration path that she did. Soon she and her classmates make a garden for the traveling butterflies. This story is about building your community and the small changes you can make, that make a big difference. Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Simma Age range: 3-6 Kelp has always felt different than the narwhals in his family. When he discovers another mysterious creature like him, he finds a way to have the best of both worlds. A beautifully illustrated book about family, fitting in, and standing out! We love the underlying theme of the all-encompassing love and acceptance of family. We Are All Born Free Mini Edition: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures by Amnesty International Age range: 6-10 After World War II, in 1948, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed and declared to protect all people from all countries. This book covers all 30 articles, written and illustrated with children in mind. This book brings these concepts to life, but at a child's level - that we all have the right to live, freely and safely. Noodlelephant by Jakob Kramer Age range: 3-8 "Famous for her pasta parties, Noodlephant is shocked when the law-loving kangaroos decide noodles are only for them!" This is a great book about social injustice as Noodlephant pushes back against this unjust law. She and her friends invent a machine that turns ordinary items into pasta, like pens into penne, and so on. It will get kids thinking about bullies, exclusion, and the power of the community standing up to injustice. Hello, My Name is Octicorn by Kevin Diller Age range: 3-7 Octicorn is a sweet character who is half octopus, half unicorn but totally loveable. He feels left out, like he doesn't fit in on land or at sea, and in this book he starts naming off the unique qualities that make him someone who should be appreciated. This is a clever book about differences that is told in a silly way. The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss Age range: 3-10 A beloved classic about prejudice and discrimination. The Sneetches wear stars on their bellies and think they are special, and the ones without feel lesser than them. A scammer comes in and starts selling stars to the other ones that don't have them. He makes a profit out of prejudice, proving that always trying to be different or better, can be costly. Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho Age range: 2-6 A lyrical book about a girl who notices her eyes are different than those of her peers. She draws strength from the generations of powerful women in her life, as she learns to recognize and embrace her own unique beauty. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry Age range: 2-7 Zuri has beautiful hair, but it is full of tight coils and sometimes goes in every which way. When Mommy fixes her hair she feels beautiful, but with Mommy out of town, Daddy has to step in. This book is an ode to self-confidence and a celebration of the love between fathers and daughters. I am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde Age range: 3-7 This book is an easy read about what being human means. That it's okay to make mistakes and the power that our choices have. The main character explores how everyone feels different emotions, even sadness or anger, and how you can making different choices can turn things around. I love this illustrator as well, we have several of his books. I Walk with Vanessa: A Picture Book Story About a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoet Age range: 3-7 A powerful, picture-only book about how a small act of kindness against bullying can lead to a community joining in. When a fellow student sees Vanessa getting bullied she decides she wants to walk with her to school each morning. This book is a good reminder that sometimes just showing up and showing kindness is all that is needed to make a change. Mama The Alien by René Colato Laínez Age range: 6-10 Sophia finds her mother's resident Alien card in her purse one day and decides that her mother must be from outer space. She heads to the library to do some research but her mother doesn't look anything like the aliens in the books, with their big eyes and blue-green skin, so how could she be an alien? Through this great introduction to immigration and citizenship, Sophia learns that her mother is getting ready for her citizenship ceremony and that the word alien can also mean someone from a different country. Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger: Social Emotional Book for Kids about Diversity and Kindness by Elizabeth Col e Age range: 3-8 No matter your skin color, nationality, religion, or what you dream of becoming, this book shows kids that diversity makes us stronger. Nick gets new glasses but is afraid to wear them. There are a lot of different examples of diversity and reminders that it's okay to be who you are throughout this book. The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates Age range: 3-7 When it starts to rain there is a big umbrella by the door with room for everyone underneath it. The umbrella is big and friendly and helpful and doesn't care what you look like, it welcomes them all. With a more subtle theme that includes kindness and hospitality, you learn that there is always room for others. Mixed: A Colorful Story by Aree Chung Age range: 2-5 In the beginning, there were 3 colors, blue, red, and yellow and they all lived in harmony. Until, Red decides that "reds are best", and that starts a whole disagreement. The colors separate and live in their respective parts of town. One day Yellow and Blue fall in love and have a daughter named Green, she is a mixed color and unlike anyone else! Soon more and more colors begin to mix. This book has great use of symbolism to promote thoughts of acceptance and inclusivity. The Capybaras by Alfredo Soderguit Age range: 4-10 The chickens are comfortable, safe, and secure in their coop, each one doing what they should be doing. One day a bunch of on-the-run capybaras appear. It's hunting season and they are looking for refuge in the chicken coop, but they don't follow the rules. This book shows how friendship can form in even the most unlikely places and teaches compassion and acceptance, as the chickens learn that including the capybaras in their community will only make it better. Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev Age range: 2-6 Today is Pet Club day, except no elephants are allowed. A tiny boy with his big pet elephant comes up with an idea to team up with others who are banned from Pet Club to make their own club where everyone is welcome. A sweet story about friendship, kindness, and acceptance. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Age range: 5-12 Sometimes we have to do things that scare us, and sometimes we walk into a room and nobody is like us. This book helps reinforce the positive message that it's okay to be different from others. The message of empowerment came from the author's award-winning memoir Brown Girl Dreaming and reminds kids that it is okay to tell their own unique story. My Shadow is Pink by Scott Stuart Age range: 3-7 This book is great on many different levels. It teaches kids that it is okay to love your true self. It touches on gender identity and self-acceptance and how to support others to let their inner self shine. While helping break outdated gender stereotypes, it reminds us that small acts of kindness can go a long way. For more books like this, check out our LGBTQIA+ Books for Kids and Teens . The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah Age range: 3-7 Based on the real-life story of two friends. One liked hummus sandwiches, and the other liked peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They both thought the other sandwich looked gross, but this story is a reminder that we sometimes judge things too early, and sometimes trying new things can lead to positive experiences. Embracing cultural sensitivity and finding similarities even among the differences. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard Age range: 2-6 This book is aimed towards kids but also has a lot of messaging for adults - Native American History as well as a fry bread recipe in the back. This story is about fry bread - how it brings people together and keeps them connected to their culture. It talks about the cultural importance of food and also shows the diversity between different Native groups. Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You Hardcover by Sonia Sotomayor Age range: 4-10 Just as a garden with lots of different flowers makes it more beautiful, the same is true with people, all our differences make our world beautiful. Written by a Supreme Court Justice, this story embraces all our differences and encourages us to look at them as special powers. She talks about many different disabilities like tourettes, diabetes, ADHD, being blind, wheelchair-bound, and so on. She reminds us to be curious and learn about the person, differences and all. A good introduction for kids to people who are different than them. Laxmi's Mooch by Shelly Anand Age range: 4-8 A beautiful body-positive book for kids about a Native American girl who gets teased about the little hairs on her upper lip. Her parents teach her that hair is all over, no matter what your gender. Laxmi is proud of who she is and she helps teach that beauty standards are different all around the world. Cake Mix: Learning to Love All Your Ingredients by Mikki Hernandez Age range: 5-8 When Remy's classmates ask, "what are you?" she goes on a journey learning about cultures and loving her identity. She learns about different ethnicities and celebrates them with her class. An inspirational story of self-acceptance for those who don't fit a certain "mold". Boxitects by Kim Smith Age range: 3-7 Meg loves to build things out of boxes that impress her teacher and classmates. One day she gets a new classmate who also builds things out of boxes. She doesn't want this new girl to change everything. The girls are paired together for an annual Maker Match, but all they do is argue. They have to find a way to be a team and work together. A creative STEAM-centered book about acceptance and teamwork. Masterpiece by Alexandra Hoffman Age range: 4-10 This is an inclusive book about celebrating a child on the autism spectrum. When the class has to create an art piece, it becomes apparent that Samuel has a special way of looking at the world around him, and his teacher praises his masterpiece. Through his art, his classmates learn about acceptance, inclusion, and empathy. We love that the illustrations show a child wearing noise-canceling headphones, too! Have you read any of these books? Do you have any suggestions or any favorites?

These DIY friendship bracelet glasses are fun to make and cute to wear! Perfect for your Eras tour outfit, Taylor Swift party , or Valentine's Day goodie for your friends or besties! DIY Friendship Bracelet Glasses Supplies: Heart-shaped glasses Beads - I used these alphabet beads and these glass beads super glue tweezers - I used some old Revlon ones I have but use whatever you have or like I liked that pack of heart-shaped glasses from Amazon because they came in 14 gorgeous colors! You could probably make a pair of glasses inspired by each of her albums. But, we only did a few for my daughter's friends and kept the Valentine-themed phrases as well. Let's get started. Instructions: Once you've gathered all your supplies, decide on what color glasses you will create and what phrase you want on there. I picked out most of my beads ahead of time. The letters and the colors I wanted to go with it to make my friendship bracelet design. Choose 3 or 4 colors to create your design. 3. You're going to decide where to start your phrase or word. I started with my "be mine" beads about here (see above) and added a small line of glue near the edge of the top of the glasses. 4. I added a few beads at a time making sure to line them up correctly. 5. Once you've placed those beads, add another small line of glue and continue building your word. 6. Once you've got your word built, it's time to create the friendship bracelet effect by gluing your smaller beads in a line across the top of the glasses. I liked to pick three or four colors to create a pattern with my beads. 7. This part was a bit more tedious and required me to use the tweezers to get the beads placed how I wanted. 8. Imagine the glue is the string and place your beads oriented as if they are on string to get the most authentic look. One tip that helped me was to only do a few beads at a time and then let them dry a little bit before trying to add more. That way if a bead was crooked as I was placing it and I tried to fix it then it didn't mess up the whole line. TIP: You do want to be careful using super glue. It dries quickly and sticks to your fingers making it hard to work if you touch it. Work in sections and be patient. You can play around with colors, patterns, words, or phrases that you like. I did my Lover-inspired glasses by winding my friendship bracelet down to the other side but then I didn't like it as much. It's still pretty but I think I would stick to making my bracelet design only go across the top. But, maybe you want to make them look like bracelets going around each heart! That could be fun. One of my favorite designs to make was this King of My Heart-themed red glasses.

Halloween may be over, but it’s still Fall and we’re still obsessed with all things pumpkin around here. I may even be drinking a homemade pumpkin cream cold brew as I type this. Pumpkin Cheese Fondue Recipe Backstory One time when we were shopping at Trader Joe's, we were buying a few pumpkins to make a big batch of my Roasted Pumpkin Soup . At the checkout, the cashier was chatting with us and being extra friendly. When she scanned our pumpkins, she asked us if we were having pumpkin fondue. Pumpkin fondue?! I told her I had never heard of that before, so she told us that all it was basically a pumpkin full of different cheeses and baked in the oven. Of course that sounds awesome to me so I decided to make one myself! These little pumpkins create a great vessel to bake and serve your cheese fondue in and it even cooks the pumpkin inside, so that when you scrap your cheese out, it sometimes gives you bits of yummy pumpkin. The spices and wine and honey give it a sweet but savory taste that’s so melt in your mouth good! We served up this Pumpkin Cheese Fondue with sliced French bread, apple slices, sweet Gherkin pickles and different types of meat like salami and made a full meal out of it. Pumpkin Cheese Fondue Ingredients 1 pie pumpkin 4 oz Emmental cheese, grated 4 oz Gruyere cheese, grated 4 oz creme fraiche 1 tsp garlic minced 1 pinch ground nutmeg drizzle honey 2 tbsp white wine 1 loaf French bread Sides Optional: Apples slices, sweet gherkin pickles, salami Instructions Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Cut and deseed your pumpkin like you are going to carve a jack-o-lantern. Grate your cheeses and mix them together with your wine, creme fraiche, nutmeg, garlic and honey. Set it aside. Cut up some of the French bread into cubes and fill your pumpkin about 1/2 way full with the bread. Top the bread with the cheese mixture. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and melted. You can dig into the sides of the pumkin to mix in the pumpkin with the cheesy bread. So yummy! Serve with extra sliced French bread, apple slices, sweet gerkin pickles and slices of salami.

My kids are 100% committed to caring for our Earth and the animals and people on it. We recently learned about bees and our family decided to create a wildflower garden that bees would love. That inspired us to create these recycled paper DIY wildflower seed bombs – to beautify our community and help save the bees. Get this fun, kid-friendly DIY just in time for Earth Day and Spring gardening! Before creating our DIY wildflower seed bombs, we headed to our local nursery to get some tips on flowers that bees and other pollinators would like. We found out that bees are particularly drawn to blue flowers and that yellow flowers appear blue to them! It’s a good idea to find wildflowers that are local to your area. The bees will enjoy them and they will be sure to grow well in your local soil and weather. Our local nursery had several different wildflower seeds and blends to choose from. In the end, we chose the Arizona Summer Bloom Wildflower mix for our seed bombs since we live in the hot and dry desert climate of Arizona. DIY Wildflower Seed Bombs Supplies: Construction paper Food processor wildflower seeds silicone mold Directions: 1. Start by tearing your construction paper into small pieces. We chose 2 pieces of purple, 2 pieces of pink, and 2 pieces of green construction paper and kept them separated by color. Tip: 2 pieces of construction paper made about 4 seed bombs for us. 2. Soak the pieces in a bowl covered in water for 20 mins. Drain off most of water and blend paper in the food processor. 3. Once your paper is blended, squeeze out any excess moisture. Press some paper into the bottom of your silicone mold, just enough to cover the bottom. 4. Add a pinch of wildflower seeds to each mold. TIP: try to keep the seeds in the middle and away from the edges. We had some trouble with the ones my son did, being too full of seeds, and the top and bottom not drying together because there wasn’t enough wet paper to create a good seal. 5. Add more of the paper on top of your seeds and press down to seal and cover the seeds. Let your seed bombs dry overnight. 6. Once they are dry, gently pop out your wildflower seed bombs from the molds. We created a free printable that you can download and use! Wildflower Seed Bomb Printable PDF Click here for printable PDF We put our wildflower seed bombs in a clear bag, folded over the top, and punch holes in it. We tied off our printable and baggie with a pretty ribbon and surprised some friends with them. The instructions are easy. Just toss them out in your yard, water them and they will grow wildflowers in a few weeks! Check out these other posts you may like: Flower Garden Parfaits DIY Floral Bunny Headband

As we move into the new year there will inevitably be new trends that pop up. We are taking a look back at trends we noticed from 2024, that we are keeping in 2025. Beauty Trends Red light therapy - items like this facial massager that offer multiple color therapies as well as heat and massage, are great for lymph drainage, reducing fine lines, as well as increasing muscle tone and product absorption. Satin pillowcases - satin pillowcases aren't a new thing, but they made a comeback in 2024 and we are keeping them around for our skin and hair! Hydrating masks - keep your skin hydrated with this overnight hydro mask that turns white as the nutrients are absorbed into your skin. We're still obsessed with this. Pimple patches - No more picking at our skin, pimple patches can be cute or demure and help prevent scarring from skin damage. We like the discrete Mighty Patches or the cute StarFace patches . Home trends Air purifiers - help keep your home air clean by removing dust, smoke, and pollutants in minutes for better air health. Dopamine decor - Out with the beige mom aesthetic, we are creating spaces that bring us joy and are full of life. Find your style and embrace it in your home. Cozy wear - Being comfy in my own home, say less. Does anyone else immediately change when they come home? Whether it's my favorite pajamas, cloud shoes , buttery soft leggings , or a cozy blanket , I'm bringing comfort into the new year with me. Smart Homes - Adding things like the Echo Dot to create a smart home where you can dim lights with voice commands, listen to your favorite music, or ask questions. Smart homes are making things easier and I'm here for it. Being more sustainable - Whether it's through laundry sheets , reusable beeswax wraps , or creating a kitchen scrap garden, we're making small changes that we hope will have a big impact to our world. Food trends Chopped salads - Chopped salads went viral in 2024. With the help of gadgets like this vegetable chopper , we intend to keep chopped salads around for a while. They are easy and healthy and perfect to meal prep for lunches. Coffee at Home - Unless I'm having a really busy day, I focus on making my coffee at home. I know the savings aren't going to pay for a vacation or buy me a house but I enjoy making my personalized coffee at home. Would you like to see more coffee recipes? Cucumber salads - We are going to be keeping around all these bright and crisp cucumber salads that trended in 2024. Fun with food - whether it's cooking from a new cookbook, making your own pasta or bread, or trying new cuisines, we're going to keep having fun with food in 2025. Lifestyle Trends Hygee - learning it's okay to slow down and embrace and enjoy life's simple pleasures. We shared 10 ways to hygee this winter last winter and we're sticking to it again this winter. Micro-learning - Adding more books , podcasts, or classes to learn throughout the year instead of always doom scrolling. Mental health - embracing mental health, being aware of our boundaries, and realizing it's okay to say no to things if you are feeling burned out or overwhelmed. Saying yes to things you know would be good for you. Also, embracing self-care (see cozy, hygee, and beauty trends above) What trends will you be keeping in 2025?