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printables

1 In New Years

6 Fun New Years Ideas at Home

7 Fun New Years Ideas at Home

I was never really one to go out on New Year’s Eve. Even before kids I would much rather stay home in my pajamas, get some takeout and watch the ball drop from my couch. Now I’m lucky if I can make it til midnight. Below I’m sharing 6 fun ideas for your New Years at home! There’s mocktails, slime and a free printable and more!

Here are 6 fun Ideas to Ring in the New Year at Home

 

1.) Have a smorgasboard- instead of a fancy dinner, do a bunch of appetizers. To me it feels more indulgent to have an array of picky foods. Set up a grazing table or a big charcuterie board. We also will do fondue and a few things from Chinese takeout.

 

2.) Do a Champagne Saber This may seem a little bougee and you may only use it once a year, but how fun?? And you can get one right on Amazon, who knew?

 

3.) Festive mocktails – apple cider and gummy bears, milk and cookies, the sky is the limit! Here are a few of my favorites we’ve done. Click for this fun cotton candy drink. Or make milk and cookies fun by dipping the rims of glasses into marshmallow fluff and then sprinkles!

New Years Eve Mocktails Cookies and Milk Toast

 

4.) Make a vision board or write out your intentions. – I have been doing this for a few years now. I usually pick a word for the year and then right out all of the things that I want to accomplish or manifest. I keep it visible right on a board in my office and look at it daily. It’s amazing the goals and things that I’ve been able to cross off.

 

5.) Make Disco Slime – Sure it’s a little messy but the kids loved it! Check out the easy directions below:

New Years Disco Glitter Slime

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup glue
  • 1 1/2 tbsp contact solution
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • water
  • glitter

Directions:

  1. In a bowl mix together glue and contact solution.
  2. Sprinkle in baking soda and a few splashes of water. (I didn’t measure the water but add more if you want your slime to be more stretchy.)
  3. Sprinkle in glitter and mix together.
  4. The slime solution will start out really sticky at first but the more you mix it will come together.
  5. Add some contact solution to your hands before working the slime so that it doesn’t stick as much. The more you play with it it will become less sticky.
  6. I usually store in an airtight container for a few days.

 

6.) Annual Recap with the kids – I have been doing this for a few years now and it’s fun to see the kid’s responses over the years.  Click to download my free printable New Years Recap

2021 in review - free printable kids New Years interview

 

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year!

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1 In home/ printables

How to create a thoughtful housewarming gift

how to create a thoughtful housewarming gift
This post contains affiliate links meaning I make a small commission.

We recently had new neighbors move in next door and I wanted to bring over something to welcome them to the neighborhood. I think it’s worth noting when you’re putting together a housewarming gift, it doesn’t need to be expensive.  Something homemade or specially wrapped I think feels like you put more time and care into it and feels special. I’m showing you how to create a thoughtful housewarming gift.

And scroll down for my free printable to add to your housewarming gift!

How to create a thoughtful housewarming gift

1.) Start with your vessel

I think baskets or decorative trays are a great place to start and nice way to deliver your gift.

I found a similar one to the one I used at Target.

 

2.) A baked good

Something freshly baked is always a nice touch. I made chocolate chip cookies, wrapped them in parchment paper and tied with twine. (My homemade banana bread or Joanna Gaines’ lemon poppyseed bread is also a favorite).

How to create a thoughtful housewarming gift

3.) Something decorative

I made a cute set of stamped books that says “Home Sweet Home” for our neighbors to display in their home.

how to create a thoughtful housewarming gift

Head to my Etsy shop for more custom bookstacks!

 

4.) Fresh flowers

I added some fresh cut blooms from the garden and made a cute little printable card.

welcome to the neighborhood housewarming gift printable

Click here to download the printable!

You can add your phone number or a little hand written note on the back to make it more personal.

 

And here it is all put together!

How to create a thoughtful housewarming gift

For more gardening posts check out

How to Dry Your Hydrangeas

Tips To Starting Your First Garden

DIY Seed Bombs

 

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how to create a thoughtful housewarming gift

 

2 In Lifestyle/ printables

Summer Reading List 2021

2021 summer reading list
This post contains affiliate links meaning I make a small commission

One of the things on my summer bucket list is to read more books. My family used to make fun of me because on my summer vacations I’d often go to the library or Barnes and Noble to get some books to read over the summer while most kids did all they could to avoid reading. It’s always been one of my favorite escapes. I’m sharing my Summer Reading List for 2021 below.

And all of the books are linked on Amazon so you can download to your kindle or purchase the actual book if you still like flipping through pages.

Scroll to the bottom to download my free summer reading list printable with my recommendations.

Summer Reading List 2021

 

28 Summers by Elin Hildebrand 

28 summers - summer reading list

I read this one last summer in 2 days. Elin Hildebrand is one of my favorite authors for an easy beachy read. There’s been talks that they may be making it into a movie too!

 

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume

Summer Sisters Summer Reading List

I read all of Judy Blume’s books as a teenager. I read this one back in college and remember it being really good. It’s a story about two girls who are friends during the summer on the Vineyard. It’s on my list for this summer to read again.

 

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

the last thing he told me summer reading list

this one is on all of the lists for must reads this summer. This thriller is a Reese’s Book Club Pick and I’ve been told that its perfect if you loved Big Little Lies or Little Fires Everywhere.

 

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising - Summer reading list

based on an end of the Summer beach party in Malibu, this book is about dysfunctional family relationships. Many of the reviews on Good Reads say that the characters are extremely well written and will have your emotions all over the place.

 

The Husbands by Chandler Baker

The Husbands - summer reading list

A female powered thriller that based on the synopsis reminds me a little of the Stepford Wives or Desperate Housewives.

 

Animal by Lisa Taddeo –

Animal - summer reading list

The Amazon reviews say this book is about female rage, sexuality, and adventure and the characters go to dark places. May not be everyone but sounds thrilling.

 

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

The Paper Palace - Summer Reading List

This story takes place at a family summer home in Cape Cod where a mother of three comes to a crossroads in her love life forcing her to choose between her husband or her childhood lover.

 

The Therapist by B. A. Paris –

The Therapist - summer reading list

A new couple moves into a gated community and finds that it may not be all it appears to be.  The main character Alice learns that there are some secrets about her home.

 

Happy and You Know It by Laura Hankin

Happy and You Know It summer reading list

Reviewers say this book is like what the ladies of Sex and the City would be like in the social media age.  Think new motherhood in Upper East Side.

Click to download my free printable Summer Reading List

Check off the books as you read them and add a few selections of your own!

For more bucket lists, check out my Summer 2021 Bucket List!

 

 

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2021 summer reading list

3 In Lifestyle/ printables

Summer Bucket list

summer flat lay

Sweet summertime! The days get a little lazier, you stay up a little later, ice cream is perfectly acceptable every night after dinner and dips in the pool count as showering/bathing. There’s so many reasons I love summer.  Below I’m sharing some ideas that are on my summer bucket list as well as a free printable Summer Bucket List with ideas to get you started.

My 2021 Summer Bucket List

Berry picking – The boys LOVE berry picking and obviously eating as they go! After strawberry picking, making strawberry shortcake is a must! My favorite version is my strawberry cheesecake trifle. If you’re local, we went strawberry picking at Stanton’s Farm in Selkirk, its a small family owned farm and the strawberries were delish! They will have blueberries in July too!

Camp outside with the kids – put up a tent in the backyard, make some glow jars (you can see my easy DIY here), eat s’mores and tell ghost stories.  Rick and Maxwell did this last summer and had a “boys night” and Maxwell still talks about it, he thought it was the greatest thing.

Try an Aperol Spritz – believe it or not I have never had an Aperol Spritz and it sounds like the perfect summer drink. So it’s a goal of mine to try one this summer. My other favorite summer cocktail is my Paloma recipe. You can also check out this list of the best margarita recipes! Make it a goal to tick off every one this summer 🙂

Read all the books on my summer reading listClick here to check out my summer reading list!

Host a BBQ with friends – after the last year we’ve had, I’m ready to have some friends over, kick back on the deck and get to entertain. If you’re looking for an eye-catching meal idea that is sure to wow, check out my grilled steak charcuterie board.

Make a little road-side farmstand – last year I got into gardening and I would love to have a cute little roadside farmstand with some of my home grown veggies and flowers for people as they drive by. This year may not be anything fancy but I’m determined to give it a shot.

Make homemade ice cream – this is such an easy recipe and the kids always love it! Click here for the recipe

 

Summer Bucket List

Whats on your summer bucket list? You can download free summer bucket list below with some ideas to get you started!

Click here to download my free summer bucket list printable

 

And to check out what’s on my 2021 Summer Reading List Click Here!

 

Click here to check out my Summer Makeup Must Haves