I’m so glad that both of my girls love to be read to. They are always down for a good story time and when I can get those snuggles in, I take them. The only issue with that is occasionally, they can get stuck on a certain book or two and want to read it over and over again. This is actually a crucial way children learn so I usually oblige them, but I’m human. I can only take a Pete the Cat book so many times in a week before I am going to go crazy.

So that is my main motivator to do seasonal books. These are books that are put away with our holiday decorations and only come out during that season. So far, every time the girls act like they’ve never seen these books and get so excited to get them out. It gives Drew and I a break in reading some of the same books over and over again year around. These books also help us prep them for what to expect for that season regarding weather, holidays, and history.

I’ve done a little round up of some of our favorites from past Halloween seasons and a couple of new ones I’ve added. Let me know what books I need to add! Also, you can get these cute and comfy pajamas here!

1. The Little Kitten by Nicola Killen

2. One Black Cat by Robie Rogge

3. Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl

4. Gilbert the Ghost by Guido Van Genechten

5. Mother Ghost: Nursery Rhymes for Little Monsters by Rachel Kolar

6. Cats Night Out by Caroline Stutson

7. Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago

8. Vampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace

9. Day of the Dead: A Count and Find Primer by Greg Paprocki

10. La Catrina: Emotions - Emociones by Patty Rodriguez

This post contains some affiliated links, however I wouldn’t recommend anything I don’t already love!

Life with a business, a career, and two kids is no joke.

Drew and I have always had a really strong relationship, and don’t get me wrong, we still do. Lately though, we’ve both been feeling like we’ve been neglecting our marriage. Even though we are with each other all the time, we missed each other. Does that make sense?

I love my role as “mum” and Drew is the world’s best dad. It’s hard though to take a break from those roles.

Without any real trigger, we both have been saying how much we need some more “date nights”. A lot easier said than done. We are fortunate that my mom is nearby and loves to spend time with my kids. However, it is still hard to get that break away.

We have been able to manage a few date nights recently and I thought I’d post about them here in case some of you are in the same boat. It can be guilt inducing to leave your kiddos or responsibilities but I truly believe that a strong marriage will reinforce all the other areas in our lives.

Our most recent date night was to the Lavender Nights at 123 Organic Farms.

We were supposed to go last year, but we had to cancel last minute. I was so excited when Drew suggested we try to make it happen this year. It is a trek from Orange County. If you time it right, which we didn’t, it’s less than an hour. It took us about an hour and a half to get there on a Friday night with a big accident on the freeway but honestly, it was nice to have the time in the car to talk with Drew WITHOUT interruptions from the kiddos in the back.

The Lavender Nights are a way to celebrate the closing of the Lavender season at the farm. At 123 Organic Farms, they set up various food vendors, shopping, beautiful lights, and the sunset view with a stroll through a lavender field that is just so romantic.

While all of this can be very romantic, it is also super family friendly. Next year we will most definitely bring the kids. They have live music, large outdoor games, and safe space for kids to run around and play. They have wine tasting and lavender infused cocktails. Food wise, there is something for everyone! We really enjoyed their BBQ and pizzas. The property is huge and they have a ton of nooks and crannies for you to slip away and have a quiet talk, or places to sit and people watch.

There is an option to rent out a firepit with a smores kit. We didn’t partake in this, but if we bring the girls back, we will definitely rent one of those bad boys. As the sun sets and the light gets dim, the whole farm lights up with thousands of lights in every single tree, bush, lavender plant, building, you name it. It’s absolutely stunning and it is 10000% romantic. Drew and I just walked the grounds, often times with plenty of space around us for privacy, with our wine and talked. It was amazing and exactly what we needed. Many times our date nights are movie and dinner. This really was more of what we needed.

So is it worth the drive? When I posted this in real time on my Instagram account, that was probably the most asked question. At the end of the day, I can’t tell you if it is or not. Drew and I are grateful we made the drive, we had a great time and got out of it exactly what we needed. You might have different needs but I hope this gives you a good idea of what to expect. I’ve heard this has gotten much more popular recently and they have now asked that you pay for parking in advance since they are selling out. I’m not sure how that would change the dynamics of the event itself, the grounds are HUGE. Maybe longer waits for food. You are able to bring in your own though!

We definitely plan on going back next year and most likely bringing the girls. They would love it and it’ll be an entirely different experience.

So what are some of your favorite, unique date nights? Bonus points if it’s local to Southern California!

How are you keeping your marriage tuned?

Hey friends!

It’s that time of year again, I can’t even believe it! This second part of the year is just flying by.

The girls are pumped for Halloween. Already made decisions about their costumes, Evelyn is excited about trick or treating, and Hazel loves all things pumpkin! I wasn’t always a huge Halloween person but these two little girls make it so fun, I can’t help but get into it.

I love putting together boo baskets for them to really kick off the holiday season. These baskets will keep the girls busy for days going through everything.

The girls don’t really need a whole lot of little nick knacks, so I reused a lot of stuff we’ve gotten from previous years for their boo baskets this year. I also use this opportunity to grab a few holiday themed clothing items for parties, adventures, and pictures for the season.

Here is a breakdown of what we did in each basket.

For Hazel:

1. Pumpkin Pez Dispenser

2. Orange Striped Pajamas

3. Boo Straw

4. Witch Hat Clip

5. Handmade Black Star Wand

6. Handmade Ghost wand

7. Black Shoes

8. Little Poppy Co. Bows

9. Spooky Season Sweater

10. Skeleton Bubble Wand (Target Dollar Spot)

11. Cat Glow Wand (Target Dollar Spot)

12. One Black Cat Book

13. Orange and Black Leggings

14. Black Jelly Bag

15. Ghost Name Tag

For Evelyn:

1. Ghost Pez Dispenser

2. Black and White Striped Pajamas

3. Boo Straw

4. Witch Hat clip

5. Handmade Black Star Wand

6. Handmade Ghost Wand

7. Black shoes

8. Little Poppy Co. Bows

9. Cat and Jack zip up sweater

10. Skeleton Bubble Wand (Target Dollar Spot)

11. Cat Glow Wand (Target Dollar Spot)

12. The Witch Book

13. Orange and Black Leggings

14. Black Jelly Bag

15. Ghost Name Tag

I always try to include pajamas, a shirt or sweater, and a new book to go along with whatever holiday or season it is for.

Do you do holiday themed baskets for your kiddos? What did you include in yours?

Happy October!

This post contains some affiliated links, however I wouldn’t recommend anything I don’t already love!