Valentine's Day Reads

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I love 3-day weekends. Such a treat to be able to spend an extra day with family, especially on Valentine's Day. I know people have a love/hate relationship with the holiday, but I have decided to embrace a holiday about love. Who says it has to be romantic? I received this lovely gift this morning. 

Here are a few things I've found interesting this past week:

A timely article on the meaning of every rose color. And I had always liked white and yellow roses!

Why you should stay home on the holiday. 

11 Breakfast in Bed recipes--for Valentine's Day and beyond! 

I liked this casual, beachy look. Not sure about the open back though. 

5 British TV shows to watch. My parents are obsessed with Doc Martin. 

J. Crew is having yet another sale with 40-50% off items already marked down. This is a classic popover. A Denim jacket b/c spring is just around the corner (I hope). Cozy.  Cozy x 2. 

I'm kind of psyched that flares seem to be back in style. 

We read these sweet stories before bed tonight: "A Kiss for You", "I Love You Through and Through",  "Making Friends: Just Like Us" and of course, "The Runaway Bunny".

Book Pick of the Week

I just finished reading Wonder by R.J. Palacio. It was such a lovely story. Though it's for children, I think it's a novel that both kids and adults will appreciate equally.
Auggie, the main character, was born with a severe facial deformity that's kept him from going to school--until now. As he enters the 5th grade (a tough year for anyone), we see his experiences through several different lenses. It's so poignant, I just wanted to hug each one of the narrators. Book trailer below.

Happy Easter / Passover weekend

I just realized I haven't posted anything since before Christmas! How have 4 months gone by so quickly?
What are you up to for the holiday weekend? I'm pretty excited to be in England, as we have a two whole days off. In college, I lived 5 hours from home, and I remember what a pain it was to have to cut the holiday short and drive back to school. At least I had jelly beans and chocolate for the ride.

Flights home were too expensive to justify for just a few days, so I have rented this cottage with a few friends. I've never been to Suffolk, so it's really nice to hang out, eat, drink wine, explore the coastal villages, eat, play some board games and relax.

In keeping with the last blog post I wrote, click below for my top picks for Easter-themed children's book stories:

Christmas Books

Did you read Christmas books as a child? What were your favorites?

Here are some that were well-loved in my family:


The Sweet Smell of Christmas: 

The story is cute, but the book is SCRATCH N SNIFF! All the Christmas smells are there: candy canes, hot cocoa, pine, oranges. I think my sister and I ruined it with all of our scratching, so I was very relieved that it came back into print a few years ago.

The Gift of the Magi by O'Henry:

This is a lovely edition of the classic Christmas tale of a couple who sell their most-prized possessions to afford to buy gifts for one another. BUT, there's a twist...

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is one of my favorite picture book writers (I am hoping Santa brings me a copy of the new Chronicles of Harris Burdock book for Christmas), and while this is perhaps his most well-known book, it's absolutely lovely. I wish train rides were always the way they're depicted in the book.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

It's a classic for good reason.

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore

Every Christmas Eve, my sister still insists we read this aloud as a family. The cover is a bit different than our version at home, but I believe it's the same illustrator. With so many editions to choose from, this one seems cozy and warm.

The Mitten by Jan Brett

While all of the other tales are Christmas specific, "The Mitten" is just a sweet, fun, winter tale.







The Night Before Christmas