Robyn's French Nest Logo
Robyn's French Nest Logo
25 Back to School Tips to Survive (and Thrive) as a Family 2024

25 Back to School Tips to Survive (and Thrive) as a Family 2024

by | Family, Home

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Check out these 25 back to school tips to survive and thrive, shared from a teacher AND mom. Make it a happier year for the whole family!  And if you don’t have kids at home?  No worries!  Share this with a friend and then read through for some ways to work on routines and schedules in your home, no matter the season!

 

Summer flew by but I can honestly say that it was one of the best summers ever for our little family.  And while I’m never ready for summer to come to an end, I know there are so many wonderful things about the school year.  So, it’s time to pull out my favorite back to school tips for our family and I thought I’d go ahead and share them with you too!

Since I cannot slow down time or add any days to summer break, I try to just make the most of it!  This year, I am focusing on thriving as a family, not just surviving.

As a teacher, starting my 21st year of teaching, and a mom for 16 years, here are a few back to school tips for a successful back to school season.  Mostly, these back to school tips are reminders for myself and hopefully they can help you out too!

Table set with apples and lemonade and globes to celebrate returning to school

How to Survive and Thrive: 25 Back to School Tips for the Whole Family

Is joy even possible for going back to school?  If you’re a parent, you may be leaping for joy that the kids are headed back to school and you can finally settle your family back into a routine.  And maybe you can actually get something accomplished while the kids are at school, making it a successful school year for the entire family!

I get it!

I’ve never been the mom that loves to see my kids off to school.  I really enjoy having all of us home together.  At the same time, these back to school tips for the big day of school do help us not only celebrate our kids, but also feel prepared, organized, set goals, and get ready for the start of a new school year!

Uniforms & Backpacks with shoes ready to go for the first day of school!

 

Back to School Tips to Ace the New School Year: 

How Can We Ace Going Back to School?

  1. Create a home environment that celebrates the beginning of the school year rather than encouraging kids to dread the start of a new school year. They pick up on our attitudes very quickly!
  2. Make home a comfortable, cozy haven for everyone to land at the end of a busy school day. You can find 5 of my favorite tips for creating an intentional home over on THIS POST.
Sweet cupcakes with icing formed into pencils & books

Back to School Tips to Get Organized

3. Before the start of the school year, spend time organizing your home. Prioritize high-functioning spaces like closets, kitchens, and bathrooms.  Next, move to the office, playroom, and bedrooms!  This is also an ideal time to focus on a command center where you can keep important information organized for the entire family.

THIS skylight calendar is on my wishlist for our family, especially now that we have some older kids and high schoolers with their own devices so we can synch up schedules.  However, good old pencil and paper calendars work great too!

You can find some organizing tips HERE: How to Organize and Store Toys, Arts, and Crafts.  Also,  you can browse my organizational favorites that really work in our home HERE on my storefront.

4.  Create a drop zone area if you don’t already have one.  We did this last summer and it really helps to have a place for allllll the things to land at the end of the school day.  You can see how we created an easy drop zone with an existing closet space over on THIS POST.

5.  Create a homework station for students.  This could be anything from purchasing a student desk and setting it up in a quiet area to filling a caddy with essential school supplies so it is ready for kids to carry to the kitchen island or dining room table to do their homework and school projects.

Work area in the playroom with pencils, paints, & markers

Back to School Tips to Celebrate

6. Take time to do something special with each child to celebrate the end of summer. This one-on-one time is invaluable.  It can be as simple as a morning donut date or grabbing the all-important school supply list for a fun shopping trip.  Picking out a new backpack is always a fun activity!  I never cease to be amazed at how much important information my kids share with me and how much I learn about them during one-on-one fun activities!

Back to School Tips for Functional Time and Space

7. Toss old school supplies that are no longer usable or need replaced. You just don’t need 201 pencils and 53 broken erasers!!!

8. Schedule a family “team meeting” to work on organizing activities, routines, and schedules. Everyone is more likely to stay on board with the plan if they also helped created it!  Even though the first weeks of school may show areas that need tweaking, the entire family is more likely to feel successful with a solid plan to start with.  Flexibility, of course, is key.  I try to remember that our family owns the schedule rather than the schedule owning our family.

9. Be intentional about scheduling after school activities; kids really need down time and white space on their calendars too. Take care to not fall into the well-meaning trap of overscheduling kids!  I find that I have to say the hard “no” sometimes, both to fun activities for the kids and for us, as the parents.  It can be hard to say no to family and friends, but protecting your immediate family is the priority!

10. Refresh chore routines or create chore routines if you don’t already have them. I could write an entire blog post about chores, but suffice it to say, building a strong work ethic is extremely important.  Find age and developmentally appropriate chores for everyone in the house and help them put together a sustainable schedule so that they can be consistent with their chores.

Play room with green storage cubbies & globes on top

Back to School Tips: How Do You Make Back to School Fun for Kids?

11. Our kids are really excited about a new app we’ve been experimenting with this summer! It’s called “Busy Kids” and I can already see that it’s going to be a big help for chore consistency.  At the same time, our children are going to all benefit from working on their finance skills too!  This app is really great for younger kids.  For middle schoolers and high schoolers, opening a bank account and using the Venmo app can be a great way to work on finance skills and budgeting too.

How Can I Survive the First Day of School: Back to School Tips

12. Create bedtime routines and about a week before school begins, start adjusting to a school year bedtime. Children ages 6-13 need 9-12 hours of sleep at night, according to studies.  Set kids of all ages up for academic success, as well as social-emotional learning success, by making sure they consistently get the sleep they need!

13. Stock up on extra school supplies while you’re already in the mode of purchasing supplies. It’s a great time to catch those back to school sales.  I keep a small bin with extra pencils, erasers, glue sticks, etc.  It saves time and stress throughout the year when those school projects start coming home!  You can shop some of our back to school favorites HERE on my storefront.

14. Since I know my availability to run out to the store for home essentials gets cut way back when school begins, I also try to help myself out by making sure I’m well-stocked with household essentials and personal items for everyone in our home. I treat it kind of like the stock-up and refresh time many of us do in January for the new year!

 
Addy's monogrammed backpack with notebook, shoes & pencil case

Back to School Tips to Make Home Life Easier

How Do I Make It Easier to Go Back to School for the Whole Family?

15. As much as possible, tie up the loose ends of any remaining projects around home. Not only does it feel good to start the school year fresh this time of year, but it also frees up a lot of time for you as YOU adjust to the kids being back in school.  You can appropriately gauge your next project based on how much time you see your kids will need from you after school each day.

I know some days get really busy for us between chauffeuring kiddos to activities and homework!  It’s just a great feeling to start the school year fresh!  (That being said, I am currently in the middle of a couple of projects myself, so number 12 may not happen here this year! Haha!)

Back to School Tips for the Budget 

How Do I Budget for the Back to School Season?

16. This may not apply to everyone, but for us, it is helpful to take a little time and reassess our budget. A new school year brings new fees, different activities, and unique needs for each grade level.  It really takes the strain out and helps keep positive relationships for the whole family when we plan ahead and realign our budget to fit those needs for the upcoming year.

17. As you look at the budget, consider any outside help you may be able to add.  Last year, we added a little extra house cleaning and some home maintenance.  Some of those things got stressful in the past so we are making it a priority to get help in those areas.

As our children get older, I’m finding that there are some things that get easier.  Time is NOT one of those things and I need more of it to be available for their needs.

Tips for Back to School: Don’t Forget the Snacks!

It’s one of my kids’ favorite parts!

18. Have the kids go to the grocery store with you and stock up on items for lunches and snacks. It can save some money to purchase those items in bulk, so it’s definitely best to make sure you’re getting what they love and will actually eat!

19. Next, consider creating a specific shopping list for school food-related items.  We use the Walmart + app and it is a huge time saver.  At the beginning of each month, we can just click “reorder” on that shopping list and all of the school snacks for the month arrive on the porch.  Honestly, it is a beautiful thing and saves time AND money!

Harrison's monogrammed backpack with lunchbox & shoes with crayons & pencils

Back to School Tips to Make School More Fun

How Do You Celebrate Back to School?

20. One of my best tips for back to school is to prioritize family time for each day. It may need to be a different time on some days because of activities, but make sure there is at least a little time each day that your family all connects.  It is a great opportunity to share the highs and lows of the day and stay connected.  As a mom, this is increasingly important to me as our children get older.  It’s not always easy, but I feel like it is essential.

21.  Try to schedule a social event with your kids and their friends either right before the upcoming school year starts or shortly after the start of the school year.  It is a perfect way to connect with new students and families that may be joining your child’s class.  It is also a fun way to capture some school spirit, break the ice, and reconnect friends after the summer months.  Last year, we had a pool “school party” at our house with all of the girls from my girls’ classes right after the start of school.  It was so much fun and helped everyone make new friends too.

22. Schedule a little weekend trip for a few weeks into the school year for everyone to look forward to. It can help everyone to realize there is still a lot of fun to be had and the end of the summer doesn’t mean the end of family fun!

What’s a Good Back to School Gift?

23. Connect with your child’s teacher before the school year begins. I know I’m saying this as a teacher, but trust me, it means a lot for a parent to reach out before school begins to see what you need and how they can help.  Consider putting together a simple little gift to give them after the first week of school…gift cards are always appreciated!  (If there are any of my students’ parents who read this, I’m NOT talking to you!!!!  Haha!)  A simple card or encouraging note is a blessing too!

If your child has a new teacher, consider helping them create an Amazon wishlist and sharing with other parents.  There are so many awesome school resources out there that benefit the students but it does take time to build up a great collection for the classroom.  It is an especially great idea to help provide a few extra supplies before the open house or back to school night can help your child’s teacher to be set up before the all-important first day of school!

As a teacher, I deeply appreciate parents taking the initiative to connect before the school year begins.  I love getting to know my students and their families.  So don’t be intimidated to reach out.

Let them know you’re supporting them, praying for them, and excited for your child to be in their class!  It really can help everyone get started on the right foot!

Potted plant beside vintage globe & teacher gift cards for returning to school

Back to School Tips to Get Yourself Organized Too!

24. If you don’t have a good planner system in place, this is the time to get one together! I use THIS PLANNER and find it extremely flexible while also meeting the variety of organizational needs I have. Take time to pencil the school calendar into your own calendar so you don’t miss any of those important school dates!

As I mom, I am so aware that the success of our family’s schedule largely depends on my own level of organization.  I choose to view it as a way that I can serve my family, rather than being extra work or a burden.  (That’s not to say that it isn’t overwhelming, at least, sometimes!)

If organization isn’t your strength, look for some tools that can really work for your family.  For me, it is old-school paper and pencil.  A family command center, like THIS, could be really helpful too!

THIS skylight calendar is on my wishlist for our family, especially now that we have some older kids and high schoolers with their own devices so we can synch up schedules.  It is a great digital tool that can be accessed from anywhere.

I find it very helpful for our family to practice our schedule and routines a week or two before school begins.  This helps us to not be trying to tackle all new things on the first day of school!

Back to School Tips to Make the First Day Special for You Too!

How Do You Make Back to School Special?

25. Treat yourself. You’ve worked hard to set everyone else up for success!  Whether it’s a

YOU deserve a little pat on the back!  You’ve got this!!!

Now…the countdown is on for me to finish implementing these things myself.  Having a list is a great way for me to celebrate what we’ve done and reminders of a few things I still want to do to help my family start the school year with as much success and joy as possible!

Robyn with three kids before heading off to the first day of school

Now…the countdown is on for me to finish implementing these back to school tips myself.  Having a list of back to school tips is a great way for me to celebrate what we’ve done and reminders of a few things I still want to do to help my family start the school year with as much success and joy as possible!

Do Tips for Back to School Actually Work?

Ultimately, I think it’s important to remember that the most important tip for going back to school isn’t a perfect science for anyone in the family.  You won’t ace back to school on the first week and the first day might feel like nothing worked right at all!

No other back to school tips are more important than this: Give your children, your spouse, and yourself LOTS OF GRACE!  Even if your kids are older and going back to high school or college, there are new challenges, fresh nerves, different schedules, and a lot of new stuff to get used to.

At the same time, planning ahead and being as prepared as possible with back to school tips can make going back to school a little more smooth and a whole lot easier for the whole family!

What back to school tips would you add to this list?!  I’d love to hear in the comments!

Backbacks in the foyer, with "student Drop Off" sign in the background
My Children walking down the road on the first day of school

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pinterst cover sheet for How to survive back to school post
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Gallery

Table set with apples and lemonade and globes to celebrate returning to school
My Children walking down the road on the first day of school
Addy's monogrammed backpack with notebook, shoes & pencil case
Robyn with three kids before heading off to the first day of school
Potted plant beside vintage globe & teacher gift cards for returning to school
Uniforms & Backpacks with shoes ready to go for the first day of school!
Backbacks in the foyer, with "student Drop Off" sign in the background
Play room with green storage cubbies & globes on top
Sweet cupcakes with icing formed into pencils & books
Harrison's monogrammed backpack with lunchbox & shoes with crayons & pencils
Work area in the playroom with pencils, paints, & markers
The Best Christmas Stocking Stuffers for the Whole Family

The Best Christmas Stocking Stuffers for the Whole Family

by | Family, Holidays

Want to spice up your stocking gifting a little? Here are a few tips to make stocking stuffers special, plus our favorite stocking gift lists!  Keep reading for our family’s top picks for 2022!

Stocking stuffers are one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  I love shopping for them throughout the year and finding fun little things that will bring smiles to my family’s faces.  In fact, I look forward to them just as much as I do the gifts and I always look forward to shopping for fun stocking stuffers too!

Stockings have been a huge part of our family Christmas traditions for as long as I can remember.  On my mom’s side of the family we all have HUGE (as in, 30″ tall) stockings that have been handmade.  And once in awhile, there are shopping bags added on the side because it won’t all fit!

For our little family, we stick to the regular sized stockings.  However, it’s still a favorite tradition and one of my favorite things to shop for.  Usually, we enjoy our stockings on Christmas Eve.

Bonus: It gives the kids something to play with or enjoy so Mom and Dad get a little more sleep on Christmas morning!  Haha!

I love searching for the perfect little gifts that will bring a smile to my family’s faces.  The little gifts really are sometimes the best and the most fun of all!

What to fill Christmas stocking with?

There’s always the fun little “gag” gift, like a bag of coal or silly clown nose in some of the stockings.  These prank gifts are usually reserved for the guys, because, let’s be honest.  Their stockings can be the hardest to fill!

Plus, in my family at least, all the guys are a big tease, so they deserve that coal more than the ladies!  Haha!

I definitely hit up the dollar spot and dollar store for some stocking stuffers.  We also add some nice gifts too!  I shop for them all year, especially on the clearance shelves and end caps during big sales.  Also, I look for cute vintage items that someone will love or a great sale on something that I know is one of their favorite items.  Sometimes, I even hit up the after-Christmas sales for stocking stuffers for the following year!

Tip: Plan ahead for stocking gifts in your Christmas budget.  The years that I remember to set aside money for stocking gifts are the years I have the most fun shopping for them!

Our family knows that if they ask for a gift for Christmas that is really small, it may wind up in their stocking instead of under the tree.  Most of all, we just have a lot of fun with them!

What is the most common stocking stuffer?

While this completely depends on the individual family and even culture, chocolate must be one of the all-time favorites!  At the same time, in 2022, you can’t go wrong with a gift card too.  Amazon gift cards are always a hit in our family, from youngest to oldest.

How much should you spend on stocking stuffers?

As I mentioned before, this really varies depending on individual families.  Stocking stuffers are a special tradition for our family, so we probably spend more than some people.  At the same time, we also include small gifts in the stocking.  Usually, those cost a little more than the typical stocking stuffers.

On average, it seems like most of the best, “normal” stocking stuffers cost $5-$15.  However, I fill in the gaps with little individually wrapped treats that my kids can stick in their lunch boxes for school.  Also, I like to include a few practical things like a new toothbrush, great smelling deodorant, or little hand sanitizers.  Those are things we would need to purchase anyway, so it isn’t costing extra in my budget.  Lastly, I stalk the clearance sales year round.

For example, August is a great time to pick up school and art supplies when the back-to-school clearance sales begin.  Following Easter and the Fourth of July, there are usually great sales on various accessories and I stock up on little hair accessories for my girls.

You don’t have to spend a ton of money to make stocking stuffers fabulous.  Shop smart, watch for sales, shop year round, and fill in the gaps with treats.  That’s all there is to it!

What traditionally goes in a Christmas stocking?

I’ve had a lot of requests for stocking stuffer ideas this year, so here is a round-up of some ideas that I know my family loves.  Like I said, I bargain hunt for gifts throughout the year, so some of these are just suggestions of ideas!  At the same time, my kids and husband have added in some of their favorites.  You can be assured these lists are “kid-approved” too!

The Best Christmas Stocking Stuffers for the Whole Family

Stocking Stuffers for Teen Girls

Hint: They are about the easiest to buy for!

You can conveniently shop our Amazon stocking stuffer guide for teen girls HERE!  It’s a one-stop shop!

Stocking Stuffers for Teen Boys

Hint: They love food!!!

Stocking Stuffers for Boys

Hint: They love the fun, silly stuff!

You can find the stocking stuffer guide that my 8-year-old son, Harrison, put together HERE!  Lots of fun items to fill your favorite boy’s stocking with!

Stocking Stuffers for Girls

Hint: All the cute stuff goes here!

There are so many cute stocking stuffers HERE for those little ladies!  Super cute, girly, and oh-so-fun.  You’ll love filling her stocking this year too!

Stocking Stuffers for Ladies

What do I put in my wife’s stocking?

Asks all men, everywhere, right??? Haha!

Hint: It’s perfectly fine to buy your own stocking stuffers!  Here is my own stocking stuffer list:

You can find my own Amazon stocking stuffer wish list HERE!

Stocking Stuffers for Guys

What do guys want in their stocking?

Hint: There are actually great products out there that the guys will likely love and use!  Robb put together these ideas:

Get some great and unique stocking stuffer ideas for those special guys in your life!  Check out our Guys’ Stocking Stuffer list HERE!

What do you stuff in Christmas stockings?

Well, I hope this post helps you answer that question.  At the same time, I hope it helps make your shopping really easy too!

I hope this helps you a little bit with those stocking stuffer gifts and makes it more fun for you, as well!  It is one of our favorite traditions and I can’t wait to pass out the stocking stuffers I’ve purchased for my family this year too!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Gallery

39 Inexpensive Christmas Family Activities You’ll Love This Season

39 Inexpensive Christmas Family Activities You’ll Love This Season

by | Family, Holidays

Christmas break always takes F. O. R. E. V. E. R. to arrive and then flies by way too quickly!  Who else can whole-heartedly agree?!  I have found that while spontaneity is fun, some intentional planning also helps us really make the most of our holiday break.  Today, I’m sharing some of our favorite inexpensive Christmas family activities so you can plan ahead to enjoy them this season too!

Today, I thought it would be fun to share a round-up of ideas that we have either tried and enjoyed, plan to try this year, or want to include in the future!

If you are a parent or grandparent, you know how quickly all those fun, little activities can add up and end up being expensive!  Especially if you have a few kiddos involved!

We make it a point each year to set some money aside for a fun family activity.  Living in Florida, we have fun options like SeaWorld and Disney.  We have also enjoyed The Polar Express experience and little weekend trips.

Those kinds of experiences leave me needing to be a little more creative with the rest of our break!  And sometimes, it is super helpful to not have to be the one to “create” the ideas!

So, here is a round up of fun ideas from myself and other bloggers too.

Hopefully this helps you create some of those intentional, memory-making moments with your family this year too!

What can families do for Christmas?

  1. Make fun Christmas crafts.
  2. Bake a special family cookie recipe.
  3. Create DIY paper snowflakes for a winter wonderland.
  4. Make ice cream from snow.
  5. Make Christmas stars to use in gift wrapping.
  6. Have a wreath contest!
  7. Include fun activities for teens–see list of 25 ideas.
  8. Play this silly Saran Wrap game!
  9. Host a gingerbread house party.
  10. Attend Christmas plays and concerts at local churches or community theaters.
  11. Make a chocolate snowman!
  12. Wear pjs and drive around to see Christmas lights (singing loudly, of course!)
  13. Make edible playdoh.
  14. Create DIY Christmas ornaments to give away.
  15. Make Christmas candy and deliver to neighbors.
  16. + many more!

39 Inexpensive Christmas Family Activities You’ll Love This Season

Crafts are inexpensive Christmas family activities and fun too!!

My kids love doing little crafts!  And even though there is a range of 6 years from oldest to youngest, simple crafts are an activity that they all enjoy together.  You can find 4 different craft ideas HERE.

These have become fun little keepsakes but none of them cost very much at all!  In fact, almost all of them are things we dug out from the odds and ends of the arts and crafts bin or found on sale!

My kids had a lot of fun with them and I think your children or grandchildren will enjoy them too!

Most of all, crafts are just a great way to unleash some creativity.  At the same time, you can enjoy inexpensive Christmas family activities that everyone can be involved with!

Cookies are always a fun idea!

Here’s our special family recipe:

You can’t go wrong with making cookies, right?!  Our family has a little tradition that my husband, Robb, used to do with his dad.  It usually ends with a big mess, but the best kinds of memories.

This is a fun thing that Robb does with our kids, so I usually try to escape for a little last-minute shopping or just enjoy a Hallmark movie in the other room.  It’s a win-win for us all!!!

Here is the special recipe:

“Chocolate Chipper” Cookies

A family favorite of an old classic

 
  • 2 Cups Shortening
  • 2 Cups White Sugar
  • 2 Cups Brown Sugar
  • 4 Eggs
  • 2 Tsp Salt
  • 2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 2 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 Tsp Vanilla
  • 4 Cups Flour
  • 4 Cups Oatmeal
  • 1 Package Chocolate Chips
  1. Combine shortening, brown & white sugars & eggs with a mixer
  2. Add in salt, baking powder, baking soda, & vanilla. Mix together
  3. Add in flour, oatmeal & chocolate chips & combine with spatula until well-mixed.
  4. Roll batter into balls, place on cookie sheet, & bake for 350 for 10-12 minutes

You Can’t Go Wrong With DIY Paper Snowflakes!

DIY paper bag snowflakes are such a fun trend!  And what a perfect way to entertain kiddos…plus create some fun decor that can transition into winter!  (Find more winter decorating ideas HERE!).  At Home With the Barkers shares an easy way to make these paper snowflakes a fun (and super inexpensive!) activity to try this year!

Plus, I think they would make the cutest New Year’s Eve decor too!

5 Minute Snow Ice Cream?  Include this in your inexpensive Christmas family activities!

The perfect inexpensive family idea for winter break!

Okay, this takes me way back to my childhood days in Kansas!  We didn’t usually get much snow until January or February, but snow ice cream is the BEST!

This recipe from Our Tiny Nest gives you a 5-minute recipe and priceless memories…without costing anything!  It’s making my mouth water and maybe, just maybe, we can try this when we visit family in Indiana this year!  Fingers crossed for fresh snow!

DIY Window Wreaths Can Spark Some Creativity!  Enjoy some friendly competition for inexpensive Christmas family activities!

This simple DIY window wreath tutorial from Home With Marieza is such a fun idea!  You could even gather supplies and do a “wreath contest” with a group of friends or family!  A fun spin on gingerbread house contests, right?

I love that this project could be tweaked a little to make pretty winter wreaths to transition after Christmas too!  You could also gather FREE elements like fresh evergreen cuttings from the tree farm, pinecones, and twigs to make this super budget-friendly!

DIY Christmas Stars are a Great Inexpensive Family Activities!

This is the sweetest Christmas craft and definitely an inexpensive family activity!  Fifth Sparrow No More shares a free printable on her blog post.  You could make these Christmas stars as simple as a coloring activity or go all out with paint and glitter!  I’m going to print this out to use in my classroom next year too.

These would also make really sweet DIY gift tags or ornaments!

25 Inexpensive Family Activities to do with Teens!

This is an awesome list!

My friend Melanie from Parenting High Schoolers put together a wonderful list of 25 activities that are fun for teens!  I love the idea of keeping them busy, but in fun and meaningful ways.  There are a lot of ideas on this list that you can do as a family, too, so we are going to see what we can fit in ourselves in the next few weeks!  You won’t want to miss this list!

What can a family do on Christmas Day at home?

You Can’t Go Wrong with Gingerbread Activities!

 

Admittedly, our family has not been super successful with gingerbread houses in the past.  In fact, they fall apart more often than not.  I did get small ones this year, in hopes that we can have better success.  We are going to give it a try!

These kits are inexpensive, so it should make for a fun Christmas break activity without costing a lot!

Annemarie, from Make Every Day an Event shared this gingerbread house ideas that is just the cutest thing you’ll ever find!  I have a feeling my kids are going to want to try these too!  Annemarie gives a full tutorial, so I think we are going to give it a try!

This game looks like a “ball”!

How do you entertain your family at Christmas?

Sorry, couldn’t help myself with that pun!  This game will entertain for sure!

Seriously, this fun Saran Wrap Game from Southern Crush At Home looks SO FUN!  I think I’m going to gather these easy supplies (Melanie even gives you a list to order from or take a trip to the dollar spot!) for our family to play!  What a fun way to incorporate everyone!

Local Churches Often Have Inexpensive (or Free) Family Activities!

One thing that our family often does is to check with our friends who attend different churches or even do a quick google search for local churches.  During the Christmas season, there are often special events offered to the community, such as special concerts, drama productions, and live Nativities.

We like to be involved in the large production our own church does and then it is fun to visit other community events.  We especially love the Live Nativity that one of our local churches does each year!

Getting Crafty with Food is Always a Family Favorite!

Especially if it involves chocolate!

Liberty from B 4 and Afters shared this fun idea for chocolate covered pretzel snowmen.  I love that this uses such easy ingredients and leaves lots of room for imagination and creativity!  That is always a win for my kids and keeps them occupied a lot longer!

These look delicious AND fun!  A perfect inexpensive family activity for the winter break!

Don’t forget about these FREE family activities!

Maybe you’re the family that schedules in this tradition and makes sure it happens.  Somehow, we are not that family!  In fact, I realized the other day that we hadn’t really seen any lights yet!

So in case you need a reminder too, get everyone in their Christmas pjs, fix some thermoses of hot chocolate, turn up the Christmas music, and enjoy a free evening together!

If you’re not sure where to go in your area that will definitely have big light displays, check with local Facebook mom groups or community happenings.  You’ll probably find out about more inexpensive family activities than you can possible fit in!  They will definitely be able to point you in the direction of some free and fun light displays!

Driving around to see lights and singing Christmas songs is basically free.  Time…it’s priceless.  Enjoy it!

Making Christmas Candy?  Don’t miss this recipe!

What are some fun Christmas activities to do at home?  

Christmas candy is one of our favorites because everyone can get involved!  Inexpensive Christmas family activities that taste good too?  No wonder it’s a favorite!

My friend Suzanne from Shop at Blu shared this classic Christmas candy recipe that I had forgotten about!  These will be fun and easy for the kids, but also add a little something different to our candy trays this year!  Does anyone else make Rolo Pretzel Turtles?  This recipe is so easy and so super yummy!

There’s Christmas baking, which is always fun, but my favorite is really the Christmas candy making!  We aren’t fancy about it so it’s really just all about dipping alllllll the things in chocolate and covering them in sprinkles.

And, the easier the recipe, the better for us!

Inexpensive family activities with what you already have on hand…

The kids are going to love this one!

As a teacher, I’ve seen a lot of different versions of homemade play dough.  However, this one takes the cake.  Quite literally.

If you have younger kids or grandkids, this is a must-do!  My younger kids still enjoy being creative with play dough, though this edible recipe looks so yummy that it may not last very long!  Find Nicolle’s homemade edible play dough recipe HERE at Our Tiny Nest!

This is a great, budget-friendly activity for kids.  However, you may find that the big kids and adults have a lot of fun with this inexpensive Christmas family activity too!

DIY ornaments make great activities to keep everyone busy and having fun!

My friend Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse shared this super cute DIY ornament idea!  These are perfect for older kids or just a little assistance for the younger kids.  You could even take it a step further and use the DIY ornaments on your tablescape like I did on this post!

DIY ornaments are perfect for inexpensive Christmas family activities and something you can use on gifts, tables, or simply hang on your tree!  I love activities that get everyone involved and keep all the kids having fun for awhile together!

It’s not about creating the perfect ornaments.  However, it IS about spending time together, being creative together, and making memories!  At the same time, you’re enjoying budget-friendly Christmas activities with your family!

Hopefully you can use some of the things on this list to help make your holiday break memorable and intentional and maybe it even sparks some of your own creative ideas!  Be sure to share those in the comments below.  We always need more ideas!!!

Most of all, the time spent together is the best gift of all this Christmas!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)

Gallery

Happy Thanksgiving from Our Family to Yours!

Happy Thanksgiving from Our Family to Yours!

by | Family, Holidays

We have abundant blessings, all around us, and celebrate the goodness of God in our lives today. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
Happy Thanksgiving!  I didn’t want to let the day pass without expressing our family’s gratitude for each of you.
I have made a really conscious effort during this Thanksgiving season to focus myself and my family on the discipline of gratefulness.

We have done *part* of the Thanksgiving challenges together (don’t worry, we didn’t do all of them either ????) and have attempted to be intentional during family dinner or car rides to take a minute and talk about things we are thankful for that day.

Can I just take a moment to say…we are a very imperfect family.  I never want it to sound like we have it all together or like our days are full of Kum-ba-ya moments.

Our kids fuss, my husband and I disagree…passionately sometimes, important things fall through the cracks that cause panic and chaos, and many things do not go as planned each day.

With that reality in mind, though, I am proud of my family for making the effort with me this month.  It’s been good for us and I hope you’ve been able to squeeze in some of those moments as well.

My desire is that by focusing on gratefulness this month, we have hopefully created some habits of conversation that will help us all year long!

Instead of just me listing the things I’m thankful for, I thought it would be much better for my family to help me write this post.  Here are their lists of a few things they are thankful for:

(and a few pictures for all the good memories throughout the year)

Harrison’s Thanksgiving List:

  • A bed to sleep on
  • Yummy food to eat like tacos
  • Trips to get treats after school
  • Getting to play on a basketball team this year
  • Jesus dying on the cross for me
  • Running water
  • Electricity
  • Getting to play the piano
  • All of my toys
  • A roof on my house

Addy’s Thanksgiving List:

  • Sunsets
  • Lauren Daigle’s music
  • My new class at school
  • Technology to make things easier
  • My family
  • Comfy clothes
  • My tie-die pj’s
  • Fun shopping trips to Claire’s
  • My American Girl dolls
  • Clouds

Payton’s Thanksgiving List:

  • Weekends!
  • Music- listening to it and playing it
  • Parents and siblings who love me
  • A Christian school to go to
  • A beautiful house with plenty of space for our family
  • Good books
  • Good Christian friends that genuinely care
  • Volleyball
  • An amazing youth group
  • The fact that Jesus loved me enough to die for me so I can be with Him

Robb’s Thanksgiving List:

  • Basketball with Harrison
  • Tucking in the kids
  • Sunday night snack nights
  • Shared dreams
  • Great people to work with
  • Friends that call just because
  • I can listen to music while I work
  • Second (and third) chances
  • No maintenance haircut
  • Rancho Chico Takeout

Robyn’s Thanksgiving List:

And it’s finally my turn!  In no particular order, here are a few things I am especially grateful for this year:

  • Special trips and memories made with our little family
  • A specific answer to prayer for one of our kids regarding school
  • A couple days a week when I get to leave school early and have a little time at home, usually spent creating content for the blog! I love doing it and am so thankful for the gift of some time.
  • Music…God has used some particular songs to help me this year. If you’re a subscriber, you’ve received my playlists through the year!  Hopefully those songs have helped you too!
  • Specific opportunities to learn about setting better boundaries for both my family and myself (still working on this one!)
  • Various ways I can see God working in the lives of my family; that is my greatest desire and goal
  • And my family! I am so thankful for the four people who live under the same roof as me.  As imperfect as we are, we are better together.  They teach me every single day.
  • Each of YOU! I am incredibly grateful for a network of friends and supporters in this community.  Your comments, messages, likes, words of encouragement, and for just being here at all…it means so much not only to me, but also to my family!  We are so thankful for YOU!
As the Thanksgiving season draws to a close, my prayer for each of you as that God will give you clarity to see, even midst another difficult year, His goodness and faithfulness.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Gallery

Day Trip to Applecrest Farm, Hampton Falls NH

Day Trip to Applecrest Farm, Hampton Falls NH

by | Family, From the Nest

I can’t even tell you why the apple picking was such a big deal to me.  Except that in pictures, it just always looks so beautiful.  And I finally got to pick an apple for the first time this fall!

 

 

 

Growing up in Kansas, I am accustomed to wheat fields but apple trees weren’t really grown around our area.  And in Florida, we are surrounded with citrus trees instead.

So it was a BIG DEAL for our family to go apple picking on our family day trip to New Hampshire this fall.  In fact, our entire trip was planned around the fall festival date at the Applecrest Farm in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.

​

 

The pictures online looked so perfect.

And we were not disappointed!

​

 

You would think after hundreds of people picking apples, that it would start to look a little, well, picked over.

But the apples were literally weighing down the branches to the point of branches dragging the ground.  Those of you who live around such sites may not really think of it as super special, but it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

​

 

I’ll always remember this day.

 

And there was one verse that rolled over and over in my mind as I chased after my kids, snapping pictures of every single apple they picked.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good.”

I’m going to get really, really honest and really, really vulnerable with you for a minute.

Maybe you’ve never experienced this before, but there have been some seasons of my life where it didn’t really look or feel like God was good.

I won’t go into specifics because, like most trials, they aren’t my story alone to tell.  And the details don’t matter as much as the truth I need to be reminded of often.  Maybe there is one other person out there today who needs reminded too.

From a very young child, I knew I loved God and I wanted to do right.  And at the same time, wondering why He was “good” to this person and not to another.  Or why He did “good” in this situation while allowing another one to fall apart.

 

Why this apple grew big and beautiful and this apple fell to the ground to rot?

 

​It would seem that age and maturity would take those questions away.

But just this year, I have sat in the bathroom floor (because let’s be honest, where else can a mom be by herself?!) and asked God these very questions. 

“Why don’t you fix this?”

“Why won’t you work good in this situation?” 

“Why does this feel so bad when You are so good?”

And yet….

Age and maturity help us understand that the other side of situations usually are not what they seem.  And the resolutions sometimes turn out better than we could have thought and in a very different way than we would have imagined.

Age and maturity also help us understand that some situations just don’t turn out for earthly good.  Some circumstances will never, ever be understood from our humanly perspective. 

Sometimes what we know to be right doesn’t feel good. 

In fact, it may feel gut-wrenching and heart-breaking.

And yet….

 

He is still good. 

How do I know? 

The Bible tells me so.  I can’t believe some parts and not all.  That’s where determined faith becomes everything.

  The Bible tells me that He is good and that He works all things for good and that He loves me.  In some situations and in some circumstances, that has to be enough.  I have to choose to have faith and let that truth be enough for me.

Even though my heart and mind may scream for life to feel good, or at best, at least a reason why it doesn’t.

How else can I say, with certainty, that God is good?

Because He has been good to me.  There are ebenezer moments, stakes driven in the ground, so to speak.  Moments that have unmistakably and undeniably proved His goodness.

Are there many, many things I can’t understand?  Absolutely.

Will I ever again feel like God isn’t good?  Undoubtedly.

And that is when I can go back and visit what I know to be true, even when my heart would try to deny it.

All of this from apple picking?

I can’t really explain it, but as we took the little tractor trailer ride back to the designated area where we were paying to pick apples on that October day, all I could see was the abundance. 

The goodness. 

The faithfulness of the apple trees to produce this amazing fruit each year. 

Dependable.

Steadfast.

A time to sow and a time to reap.

“O taste and see that the Lord is good.”

All I have to do is reach up and pick the apple from the tree. 

As for the apples that fall to the ground to rot?  All we see of them is the decay and rot.  And yet, the fertilization the add to the soil, the continuation of the life cycle of the apple…so many good things happening that I just can’t see.

Just because I can’t see good happening, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.  Beauty beneath the soil.

 

There is good all around us because He is good.
[easy-image-collage id=9367]

Much love from our nest.

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S.  I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Gallery

The Best Family Day Trip to Beautiful Kennebunkport, Maine

The Best Family Day Trip to Beautiful Kennebunkport, Maine

by | Family, Travel

Kennebunkport, ME and the southern Maine area is full of special places! Check out the hightlights of our family day trip through this beautiful area!

It has been just over 18 years since I visited Kennebunkport, Maine for the first time.  Robb and I spent some time in this sweet town during our honeymoon!  What a delight to make it part of our family’s New England Fall Trip!

It was just as charming and quaint and beautiful as I remembered!

We even grabbed a quick picture by the former Captain Lord Mansion, the bed and breakfast where we stayed.  Our 13-year-old photographer did a pretty good job, even though no editing will make me look as young as I did in 2003!

We spent some time strolling through the downtown, checking out the beach, and browsing a few of the amazing antique shops that run through “Antique Alley” along Route 1.

Here are a few highlights from our family day trip through southern Maine and Kennebunkport!

Antique Browsing through Southern Maine

You may not believe me, but it’s true.  I purposely did not spend time researching antique places for any of our New England stops.  This trip was really all about our family and I didn’t want to find any “must stop” places and then be disappointed if it didn’t work out!

I decided that I would be perfectly happy if we happened upon any fun places to stop and even happier if it worked out to browse.  Some did and some didn’t.  But Southern Maine was full of them on a morning when we had time to stop!

Our kids are pretty used to a family day trip that includes an antiques stop or two.  For the most part, they enjoy it too!

Tip for antiquing with kids: My kids love to do an alphabet scavenger hunt.  They have to find something that starts with every letter of the alphabet and they have to go in order!

If you know me well, you know my favorite vintage things are almost always large in size, such as old signs, architectural salvage, and that type of thing.  There were so many pieces that I loved but couldn’t get home.  It was still super fun to browse!

I am always so interested to see antiques in different parts of the country.  So different than our Florida or even southern state antique stops!

One super fun find was this antique marmalade jar.  They can be super pricey online and I’ve never seen one in person that I was willing to pay the steep price for.  But this jar was tucked into a random little shop for only $12!  Score!

I’ll set it on my shelf or tuck a flower stem into and fondly remember our morning of browsing whatever little shops we came upon that family day trip!

My friend Ann from Dabbling and Decorating has some great blog posts with suggestions for thrifting and antiquing in New England.  If you’re headed to the area, make sure to check her blog.  I was excited to see that we ended up stopping at several places on this post!

You can find my favorite tips for vintage hunting and antiquing, no matter what part of the country, here!

Scenic Views on Our Family Day Trip

 

Maine, quite simply, is beautiful.  We enjoyed a drive along the coast in Kennebunkport, Maine, as well as some time climbing around the rocks that overlook Walker’s Point.

 

Harrison, especially, would have stayed here all day just climbing around and having fun.  They thought it was pretty awesome how different the beach is there compared to our Florida beaches!

 

No doubt, this is a great spot to get out, enjoy the coastal air, and get some great pictures too!  I was able to get some great pictures of the kids out of this stop and Payton even grabbed a snapshot of Robb and I too!

 

It was really beautiful to see the signs of fall all around, while still overlooking the ocean.  People who live along the New England coast may take that uniqueness for normal, but it was especially beautiful to me.

Of course, we had to collect a few of the beautiful, freshly fallen leaves!

 

Around the Town in Kennebunkport, Maine

It really is just the cutest downtown!  After exploring the coastal scenery, we drove back into the downtown and enjoyed an afternoon and evening of browsing the shops, enjoying the leisure time, and of course, enjoying some great food!

Not to be critical of our Florida pumpkin patches and displays, but they just can’t measure up to New England.  Let’s just say, it isn’t South Florida’s strength.  Haha!

Of course, I couldn’t pass up the chance to grab a family picture by this fun pumpkin display at the end of the downtown area!

Kennebunkport has adorable little shops and we all loaded up on some pullovers, hoodies, and souvenirs.

Travel Tip: We love to collect a Christmas ornament from places we travel.  It is so fun to pull them out at Christmas, one by one, and remember all the fun memories.  I choose them in neutral colors so that no matter the colors we want to use, they will always mix in!

The Best Food on our Family Day Trip

No family day trip is complete without some yummy food, right?!  We decided to forego the nice restaurants and eat at a little stop overlooking the boats.

We convinced two out of three kids to try the lobster and they loved it!  Clam chowder was a favorite for Harrison and is one of mine too.  It is safe to say that we thoroughly enjoyed our waterside, seafood dinner in Kennebunkport!

Addy decided that we should have ice cream in every state on our New England trip.  It took zero arm-twisting for her mom and dad!

We finished our evening in Kennebunkport with some yummy ice cream!  I loved the creative focal wall of this little stop and it made a great backdrop for documenting our ice cream.

Even if we were all a bit tired and tired of taking pictures at this point!  Ha!

Kennebunkport, you were a highlight of our New England fall vacation!  It was the perfect family day trip and we can’t wait to visit again!

For more fun stops on our fall road trip, check out these pictures from our trip to Woodstock, Vermont, “America’s Most Beautiful Town”.

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gallery

The Best Family Day Trip in Beautiful Woodstock, Vermont

The Best Family Day Trip in Beautiful Woodstock, Vermont

by | Family, Travel

Looking for a budget-friendly family day trip in New England? We spent a gorgeous day in the beautiful Woodstock, Vermont area! Here are the highlights of our fun, family day!

Note: This post is not sponsored in anyway by the town of Woodstock or any businesses.  These are our true favorites and highlights of exploring the area!

I love to travel and thankfully, I married someone who loves exploring as much, or probably more than I even do!

It has always been important to us to show our kids as much of the beautiful country we live in as possible.

As they are getting a little older, it is so exciting to start taking some bucket list trips!

One of those trips is a New England tour in the fall!  As it turns out, we aren’t really “tour guide” kind of people, though, so we put together our own trip and one of the areas we decided to visit was the beautiful town of Woodstock, Vermont.

It’s no wonder that Woodstock, Vermont has been called the most beautiful town in America.  We quickly discovered why.

In fact, the whole area is just as picturesque as you’d imagine small-town Vermont to be in the early fall.

The leaves were just starting to turn and the air was crisp enough to let us know fall had begun, but not too cold to be to enjoy the beautiful outdoors without bundling up!  Literally, perfect weather in a perfect place!

Lodging in Woodstock, Vermont

A unique experience!

The regular hotels in the area were not unreasonably priced, but definitely a little higher than we’d hoped.  Certainly, there is no lack of stunning places to stay, if budget is not a concern.

When I came across a pair of vintage airstreams, nestled out in the Vermont woods, however…it was too good to pass up!  Plus, it was super cost-effective for our family!

Travel tip with kids: Check out the Air Bnb options in the area!

I really value unique experiences and we certainly won’t lack memories from this fun stay!  While the compost restroom was definitely unique, we were never uncomfortable.  *It does help that no bears showed up on any nighttime restroom trips!

We were able to visit first thing in the morning, explore a bit, then take out for a day in the Woodstock, Vermont area.  The next morning, the kids did even more exploring before we headed off on the next adventure!

The owners had the vintage airstream trailers stocked with extra blankets, fun games, and little space heaters that kept us toasty and cozy!

Our kids had the best time exploring the woods, gathering leaves and pretty pinecones (which we brought home and styled in a bowl!)  It was truly a lovely location and so much fun!

Hiking Opportunity Around Quechee Gorge

Great picture opportunities too!

We had a lot of territory to cover for the day, but we were so glad we made a stop by the Quechee Gorge.  While we didn’t do the full hike, we walked around a bit and of course snapped a few pictures.

The kids also loved the souvenirs at the little shop.  They had the best selection of keychains, magnets, and water bottle stickers of anywhere we visited in Vermont!

 

Travel tip with kids: Allot them a certain amount ot their sounvenir money per day or per attraction!  Our kids decided to try and get a keychain in each state we visited.  Perfect because they can use them on the backpacks and they are budget-friendly, fun reminders of the places we stopped!

 

Vermont Antique Mall, Quechee, Vermont

Of course, we made an impromptu stop!

You didn’t actually think we’d drive past a place this cute without stopping, did you?!  Robb and the kids grabbed some maple sugar snacks and toured the toy museum.

They set the timer for me to make a quick stroll this this antique mall.  What a great stop!

I needed a lot more time and a much larger suitcase!

I had to leave behind this incredible antique French basket because it was too wide for our suitcase (yes, we actually measured because I loved it so much!).

I did pick up this cute set of bells for a great price and they will be especially fun to style in our Christmas decor each year.

Taftsville Covered Bridge, Woodstock, Vermont

There are four picturesque covered bridges around Woodstock!

Of course, at the first sighting of a covered bridge, we pulled over for a few quick pictures.  And we weren’t the only ones!  There was a steady line of cars pulling through to take pictures of this sweet place!

We only stopped and took pictures by two of the covered bridges, but if we ever go back, we know we need at least two days around this beautiful town!

Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock, Vermont

Perfect family fun and delicious too!

Sugarbush Farm was a favorite stop for all of us!  It was a great place to spend a couple of hours, have a great Vermont-style experience, and learn a little bit too!

We started off with enjoying samples of cheese and 4 different flavors of maple syrup, all made right there on the family farm.  The Sugarbush Farm is a multi-generational operation and truly a family business.

I knew next to nothing about the maple syrup process and my kids definitely didn’t either!  The lady was so nice to explain the different colors of syrup and how they change based on what point in the season the syrup was collected!

Next, we took a walk through the woods, following the sap lines and reading the information posted about the syrup process.  I loved learning that they still use horses and sleighs for part of the gathering!

The kids got to try their hand at carrying a bucket with the weight of the syrup and trudge through the uneven snow (simulated with the tires).  They all decided that the sap line was a great invention!

We visited the adorable little chapel on Sugarbush Farm and watched a video presentation about the ins and outs of the family business!  I have a much greater appreciation for delicious maple syrup when I use it on my waffles!

We enjoyed snapping a few more pictures of the gorgeous scenery and of course, left with some souvenirs!  We brought some syrup and cheese back to Florida with us!  Yum!

Picture Perfect Town of Woodstock, Vermont

We see why it’s been called the most beautiful town in America!

We enjoyed strolling the downtown streets and stopping in at the unique shops.  The kids loved the bookshop and I loved seeing all the fall displays and window boxes!

Of course, we had to get ice cream!  Woodstock Scoops has the BEST homemade ice cream and maple sugar sprinkles. Yum!  I’m still kicking myself for not purchasing sprinkles to bring home!

We also scheduled a photographer and had a mini-photo shoot by the covered bridge in downtown Woodstock, Vermont.  You’ll have to wait until our Christmas card is ready, but here is a quick snapshot I took while the photographer was getting ready!

Have I mentioned that Woodstock, Vermont is the most picturesque little town?!  Every corner is a photography opportunity.  I finally just had to stop myself and remember to enjoy the moment!

Woodstock, Vermont also had a dream for sale.  Look at this old pharmacy building, original signs still there, just waiting for a loving owner!  I hope to visit again and I hope someone turns this into the cutest shop on the street!  It had me dreaming for a few minutes, I’m not going to lie!

Woodstock, Vermont…you were so kind to our family!  What a beautiful day, full of moments that I will keep tucked in my heart.  While I felt blessed to be strolling the streets of what looks like a Hallmark movie, I felt most blessed to enjoy it with the people I love the very most!

Woodstock, Vermont…you were so kind to our family!  What a beautiful day, full of moments that I will keep tucked in my heart.  While I felt blessed to be strolling the streets of what looks like a Hallmark movie, I felt most blessed to enjoy it with the people I love the very most!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gallery