Christmas shopping update: I’m about 75% finished.  How ’bout you?  I know there are about a million gift guides going around the Internet these days, but I’m adding one more to the mix.  Here are five things that are going in my kids’ stockings this year:


Mod Stix // Going in D’s stocking are these awesome Medieval Mod Stix.  They are reusable decals that fit right on his Lego bricks and figures and I know he’s going to love them!  I’m also thinking that they will be a fun addition to our history lessons.


Little People Aladdin and Jasmine // This summer, Mark introduced Sophia to Aladdin, his favorite Disney movie as a kid, and she loved it.  We’re tucking the Little People version into her stocking and I know she’s going to add them right to her playhouse (and maybe Noah’s ark too, hah!).


Ninja Mad Libs // M is at a really fun age to shop for.  I found these Ninja Mad Libs to put in his stocking and I know he’s going to have fun asking his brothers for noun/verb/adjective ideas and then reading their hilarious stories aloud.  Bonus: this could also be considered sneaky grammar practice!


Mini Soccer Ball // TJ’s stocking is pretty bare (perks of being one and having lots of big siblings) but we did add a soft soccer ball.  He’s always trying to be like the big kids and he’ll be adorable kicking this one around the house.


Lego Mixels Monster // J is very much into imaginative play and seems to always have his guys fighting some sort of “monster”.  Even though this is from a Cartoon Network show (which we’ve never seen), I think he’ll enjoy building and then setting him up for battle. 

One thing I love about blogging is the diversity.  Need a few new dinner recipes?  There’s a blog for that.  Want to learn how to embroider?  There’s a blog for that.  Lately I’ve been branching out of my usual blogging “genres” and finding some great new content.  Here are five new blogs I discovered this fall: 

1. Wildflowers and Marbles // I found Jennifer’s blog as I was researching the idea of the Morning Basket.  She is one of those homeschooling mamas who is so inspiring and I have implemented a lot of her advice into our mornings already.  Definitely need to dig through her archives soon.
Current favorite posts: The Morning Basket and November Feast Table-Rebuilding Culture

2. Dawn Nicole Designs // I stumbled upon Dawn’s blog while on a search for a hand-lettering course.  She has one for free (in a Facebook group!) and I’m excited to jump in soon.  
Current favorite posts: 30 Day Challenge: December Prompts and How to Do Brush Lettering

3. The Nectar Collective // Melyssa’s blog is seriously a treasure-trove if you are involved in small business or blogging.  She shares a lot of helpful tips and while many don’t necessarily apply to my business or the way I blog, I always come away with some new ideas.
Current favorite posts: How to Build Community on Your Blog and How to Spread Positivity Through Social Media

4. Little Girl Designs // I found Jennie through the rabbit hole of Pinterest and her blog is full simple craft projects.  I love her passion for personal retreats and I’m anxious to get her workbook in 2016.   
Current favorite posts:  How to Give Generously When You Don’t Have a Dime and A Creative Idea for Snail Mail

5. House Seven // I love the modern farmhouse style and am always looking for new ideas.  Anissa’s home design blog is absolutely gorgeous!  I’ve been pinning so many of her rooms to my “forever home” Pinterest board. 
Current favorite posts: Blogger Stylin Home Tour Christmas 2015 and Buffalo Check and Ikea

Can you believe we’re more than halfway through November already?  After a whirlwind few months, life has finally started to slow down around here and I’ve been trying to make up for lost time!  This week, we’ve been reading our fall books before they’re put away to make way for Advent.  I thought we’d share them with you!  Here are five of our favorites:

The Little Scarecrow Boy // In this story, the little scarecrow boy longs to follow his father to the cornfields to scare the crows.  Instead, his father wants him to stay and practice his scary faces at home.  The little scarecrow boy goes to the field anyway and tries his skill, but can he succeed in scaring the birds away?

How To Make an Apple Pie and See the World // I just love this one.  This book is a silly story about gathering the ingredients needed for apple pie by traveling around the world.  A recipe for apple pie (which we need to make!) is included in the back.

Nuts to You! // The story of a boy who has a squirrel come into his room through a hole in his screen, this book is simple enough for the littlest readers.  I also like the more detailed squirrel facts in the back for older listeners.

Autumn Days // This book is full of information about the season of autumn and it goes through everything from the holidays to changes in nature.  I love the illustrations.

A Turkey for Thanksgiving // From the description: “Mr. and Mrs. Moose invite all their animal friends for Thanksgiving dinner and the only one missing is Turkey. When they set out to find him, Turkey is quaking with fear because he doesn’t realize that his hosts want him at their table, not on it.”  A cute one.  

If you’re coming over from Jenna’s blog at Call Her Happy, welcome to the Big White Farmhouse!  I’m so happy you’re here!      

I am so excited to announce that I’ll be the new host for the Five Favorites link up!  If you are a regular reader, you’ve seen me link up frequently in the past, with everything from cool weather running must-haves to our favorite kids games to why we love Jet.com.  Every Wednesday, I’ll be sharing five of my favorite things, which could be anything from inspiring blog posts to recipes to products we use and love.  Some weeks may have a theme and some may just be a random mix of fun finds.  I hope you’ll play along and link up too!