Tag: wellbeing

Happy New Year 2025!

Happy New Year Friends! I wish you all the best and sincerely hope all your hopes and dreams for 2025 will come to fruition. These last few years have been rocky, to say the least, but its a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, so let’s make the most of it!

I believe in making resolutions; they give you the focus to complete certain tasks. Resolutions can be made any time of the year, and should be in some cases, but it’s traditional to make them for the fresh start of a new year and it’s all in good fun!

I’ve set 12 resolutions for 2025, check them out!

  1. Complete a logic puzzle book.
  2. Eat less meat.
  3. Fill a sketchbook.
  4. Install new flooring.
  5. Organize and paint the kitchen.
  6. Play and complete 25 video games.
  7. Progress in Duolingo lessons.
  8. Read and complete 25 books.
  9. Re-organize and re-design blog.
  10. Take Zoey to Disneyland.
  11. Watch and complete 25 movies I’ve never seen.
  12. Write down 3 gratitudes a day.

Family Friendly Christmas Children’s Books – Ages 2 to 8

Welcome to the cozy and magical month of December my friends!

To inspire you and your little ones into the Holiday mood, I’ve curated a list of Christmas-themed books for ages 2 to 8! These selections are simple and festive, while remaining relatively short and sweet for the younger audience.

If you’re looking for a list of family friendly Christmas children’s books for children under 5 years of age, I’ve created a list for that too! You can find that list here.

If you have a favorite Christmas book for children ages 2 to 8 that you do not see here, please let me know! I would love to add it to this list!

Family Friendly Halloween Children’s Books – Ages 2 to 8

Welcome to the boo-tiful month of October my friends!

To inspire you and your little ones into the Halloween mood, I’ve curated a list of Halloween-themed books for ages 2 to 8! These selections are festive, without frights or scares that could upset a younger audience.

If you’re looking for a list of family friendly halloween children’s books for children under 5 years of age, I’ve created a list for that too! You can find that list here.

If you have a favorite Halloween book for children ages 2 to 8 that you do not see here, please let me know! I would love to add it to this list!

Wholesome Animated Shows for a Younger Audience!

I think we can all agree that there is an overwhelming amount of content out there to consume for all ages, and that a great deal of the content that is made for children can be incredibly stimulating. Now that’s not always a negative, yet I completely understand the necessity for wholesome and less stimulating shows for your little one(s). 

I’ve created a list of wholesome and less stimulating shows for a younger audience. Please let me know if there are any of your family favorite shows I may have missed; I would love to add more as I find them!

Let’s take a look!

35 Books of Encouragement for your New Kindergartener!

Zoey starts kindergarten this year! She and I are both excited for her to learn new things and meet new friends, but she is also a little hesitant and that’s completely understandable; this is a new experience!

Besides talking about it and offering her my own words of encouragement, I’ve put together a list of 35 books about going to school that we have been reading to help her feel more comfortable with the idea.

  1. A Place Called Kindergarten
  2. Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten
  3. All Are Welcome
  4. Amanda Panda Quits Kindergarten
  5. Barnaby Never Forgets
  6. Breathe Like a Bear: First Day of School Worries
  7. Butterflies on the First Day of School
  8. Chrysanthemum
  9. Froggy Goes to School
  10. Giant-Sized Butterflies On My First Day of School
  11. How to Be Kind in Kindergarten: A Book for Your Backpack
  12. How to Get Your Octopus to School
  13. How to Get Your Teacher Ready
  14. I Got the School Spirit
  15. If You Take a Mouse to School
  16. Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?
  17. Junie B. Jones (series)
  18. KINDergarten: Where Kindness Matters Every Day
  19. Kindergarten, Here I Come!
  20. Miss Bindergarten (series)
  21. On the First Day of Kindergarten
  22. Our Class is a Family
  23. Our Classroom Rules!
  24. School is Cool!
  25. The Berenstain Bears Go to School
  26. The Circles All Around Us
  27. The King of Kindergarten (check out Queen too)
  28. The Kissing Hand
  29. The Night Before Kindergarten
  30. The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!
  31. The Smaller Spot of a Dot
  32. The Twelve Days of Kindergarten
  33. Time for School, Mouse!
  34. Tomorrow, I’ll Be Kind
  35. Wemberly Worried

What are your favorite books about school?

Family Game Night: 25 Tabletop Game Ideas (Ages 4 and Up)

Weekly family game nights, now doesn’t that sound wonderful? Imagine it, gathering around a table and playing tabletop games, familiar or new. Or getting into pajamas and snuggling up on the couch or pillow-strewn floor, playing video games. There are many ways to create happy memories, and this is one of them!

We’ve already had seven family game nights this year and they were fun and relaxed. We played a mixture of board or tabletop games and video games. Our only personal rule (more-so for my husband and I) is no cell phone usage.

I’ve created a list of some fun starter tabletop games for children ages 4 and up to inspire your family game nights!

  1. Bluey Scavenger Hunt Game
  2. Boggle Jr.
  3. Candy Land
  4. Chutes and Ladders
  5. Dr. Seuss Pattern Game
  6. Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco
  7. Frida’s Fruit Fiesta
  8. Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game
  9. Hoot Owl Hoot!
  10. Hoppy Floppy’s Happy Hunt
  11. Hungry Hungry Hippos
  12. Hi Ho! Cherry-O!
  13. Koala Capers
  14. Let’s Go Fishing!
  15. Monster Mash!
  16. Pancake Pile-Up!
  17. Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game
  18. Raccoon Rumpus
  19. Shelby’s Snack Shack Game
  20. The Sneaky, Snarky Squirrel Game
  21. Sophie’s Seashell Scramble
  22. Uno Jr.
  23. Yahtzee Jr.
  24. Yeti in my Spaghetti
  25. Zingo!

What games do you like to play with your family? We would love recommendations!

Family Movie Night: 90 Non-Disney Family Friendly Movies (Rated PG and Under)

Weekly family movie nights, now doesn’t that sound wonderful? Imagine it, getting into pajamas and snuggling up on the couch or pillow-strewn floor, munching on a special snack. There are many ways to create happy memories, and this is one of them!

We’ve already had three family movie nights this year and they were fun and relaxed. Our only rule is no screens except for the one the movie is featured on.

I’ve created a list of 90 non-Disney family movie ideas rated PG and under. I did not include many sequels for the sake of length, but most of the sequels are worth watching too! If you have any family favorite I did not include, please let us know!

  1. The Adventures of Tintin
  2. All Dogs Go to Heaven
  3. Alvin and the Chipmunks
  4. An American Tail
  5. An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
  6. Anastasia
  7. Babe
  8. The Bad Guys
  9. Balto
  10. Bee Movie
  11. Beethoven
  12. The Boss Baby
  13. The Brave Little Toaster
  14. The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland
  15. The Care Bears Movie
  16. Cats & Dogs
  17. Cats Don’t Dance
  18. Charlotte’s Web
  19. Chicken Run
  20. The Chipmunk Adventure
  21. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
  22. Despicable Me
  23. Epic
  24. Ferdinand
  25. Ferngully: The Last Rainforest
  26. The Flintstones
  27. Free Willy
  28. Garfield
  29. The Grinch
  30. Happy Feet
  31. Home
  32. Horton Hears a Who!
  33. Hotel Transylvania
  34. How to Train Your Dragon
  35. Ice Age
  36. The Iron Giant
  37. Jetsons: The Movie
  38. The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones
  39. Kung Fu Panda
  40. The Land Before Time
  41. The Last Unicorn
  42. The Lego Movie
  43. The Lorax
  44. Madagascar
  45. Minions
  46. Monsters vs. Aliens
  47. Mr. Peabody and Sherman
  48. My Little Pony: The Movie
  49. The NeverEnding Story
  50. Once Upon a Forest
  51. Over the Hedge
  52. The Pagemaster
  53. Paw Patrol: The Movie
  54. The Pebble and the Penguin
  55. Peter Pan
  56. Pokemon: The First Movie
  57. Pokemon Detective Pikachu
  58. The Powerpuff Girls Movie
  59. Puss in Boots
  60. Quest for Camelot
  61. Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer
  62. Rio
  63. Rise of the Guardians
  64. The Road to El Dorado
  65. Rock-a-doodle
  66. The Rugrats Movie
  67. Scooby-Doo (any)
  68. The Secret Life of Pets
  69. The Secret of NIMH
  70. Shirley Temple (any early years)
  71. Shrek
  72. Sing
  73. Snoopy Come Home
  74. Sonic the Hedgehog
  75. Space Jam
  76. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
  77. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
  78. Stuart Little
  79. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
  80. The Swan Princess
  81. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
  82. Thumbelina
  83. A Troll in Central Park
  84. Trolls
  85. Turbo
  86. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Wererabbit
  87. We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story
  88. The Wild Thornberrys Movie
  89. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
  90. The Wizard of Oz

If you’re looking for animated Disney movies, I’ve created a list of that too! Check it out here and enjoy!

Happy New Year 2024!

Happy New Year Friends! I wish you all the best and sincerely hope all your hopes and dreams for 2024 will come to fruition. These last few years have been rocky, to say the least, but its a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, so let’s make the most of it!

I believe in making resolutions; they give you the focus to complete certain tasks. Resolutions can be made any time of the year, and should be in some cases, but it’s traditional to make them for the fresh start of a new year and it’s all in good fun!

I’ve set 12 resolutions for 2024, check them out!

  1. Become a YouTube Partner.
  2. Delete Facebook.
  3. Learn how to draw in Procreate.
  4. Use Procreate to create at least 12 designs and upload.
  5. Play and complete 12 video games.
  6. Progress in Duolingo lessons.
  7. Read and complete 12 books.
  8. Take Zoey to Universal Studios.
  9. Watch and complete 12 movies I’ve never seen.
  10. Weekly family game nights.
  11. Weekly family movie nights.
  12. Yoga 5 days a week.

Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Welcome back friends! 

Who wants some fresh, oven baked chocolate, chocolate chip pumpkin bread to enjoy on one (or more) of these beautiful autumn mornings? Maybe at a table with some coffee or tea and a good book? 

I know I do, so let’s bake some!

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt
  • 3⁄4 cup of unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 2 large of eggs
  • 1 15-oz can of pumpkin puree
  • Powdered sugar (optional)
  • 2/3 cups of chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Set an oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat it to 325F. 
  2. Grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with butter, then dust with flour.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until well combined, then set aside. 
  4. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and continue to beat until very light and fluffy, then incorporate the pumpkin.
  5. Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix on a low speed until well combined. 
  6. Fold in the chocolate chips and gently stir until combined.
  7. Divide the batter evenly into the two prepared pans, and bake for 65 – 75 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. 
  8. Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
  9. Place powdered sugar into a sifter and lightly dust the top of each loaf.
  10. Enjoy!

Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Recipe

Welcome back friends! Who wants some fresh and fluffy, oven baked, cinnamon and sugar coated apple cider doughnuts to enjoy on one (or more) of these beautiful autumn mornings? Maybe at a table with some coffee or tea and a good book? I know I do, so let’s bake some!

DOUGHNUT INGREDIENTS
  • 1 1/2 cups of apple cider
  • 1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup of dark or light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup of buttermilk (or milk)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
TOPPING INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Reduce let’s reduce the apple cider. In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a gentle boil and let it simmer over medium heat until thick and reduced to about 1/3 cup (about 15 to 25 minutes), then set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease the doughnut pans with butter or nonstick spray, then set them aside.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a large bowl, then set it aside.
  4. In another bowl, whisk the brown sugar, egg and sugar together until well combined. Then add the butter, buttermilk (or milk), reduced apple cider and vanilla; whisk again until well combined.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the apple cider mixture and beat until well combined and smooth.
  6. Transfer the batter into a disposable piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner cut off. Pipe the batter into the prepare doughnut pans, filling each cavity 2/3 to 3/4 full.
  7. Bake the doughnuts for about 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, then remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer them onto a cooling rack.
  8. While the doughnuts are cooling in the pan, stir the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl and melt the topping butter in another bowl.
  9. Once the doughnuts have cooled to a comfortable handling temperature, brush or dip both sides of each one with butter and then dip each side in the cinnamon and sugar to coat.
  10. Enjoy!

*These doughnuts are best served immediately, but leftovers can e kept int he fridge for up to 3 days. Serve them warm or at room temperature.