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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Affordable Fall Decor and the Perfect Tea for Autumn

** This post is sponsored by Celestial Seasonings but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Now that it finally feels like fall in the Chicago area I’m ready to make our home more festive. I spent some time over the past week digging out our decor from the basement as well as picking up some new items. Now that we have more space there are more areas to decorate, so it’s been fun dreaming up what our home could look like for holidays and seasons for years to come. I am starting off slow, though, because I don’t want to buy too much. I’m sharing my affordable fall decor — so far — and how I add touches of autumn throughout our home in a non-overwhelming way.

I like to add neutral color pumpkins throughout the living room, including in front of the fireplace and on shelves and tables.

I added touches of fall to the dining table and kitchen, too. I find candles and table linens to be easy ways to be festive. It’s super affordable to buy some fall filling for a vase you already have, too. You can find low-cost signs, too, or make your own.

Fall Kitchen Decor From Walmart

For me, the fall weather shift also means a transition to warm beverages. I have always been a fan of Celestial Seasonings’ Sleepytime tea, among other flavors, but I like to switch to other fall flavors when the new season starts. I picked up a new package of Sleepytime tea along with Vermont Maple Ginger on my recent Walmart shopping trip. I also like to purchase the Honey Vanilla Chamomile flavor when it’s available.

Celestial Seasonings has a large assortment of tea flavors, so I’m always trying a new one. Chamomile has always been a go-to for me, but this time I added Vanilla Sleepytime to my cart.

Vermont Maple Ginger flavor tea tastes like Vermont maple sugar paired with ginger, making it spicy yet sweet. The smell definitely summons fall feelings for me.

My favorite place to drink the tea is on the balcony adjoining our bedroom. I have been enjoying the cooler temperatures before they get too cold for my taste. There’s just something about sitting outside with my plants and watching the leaves start to fall. Those who care about our Earth will be happy to know that Celestial Seasonings tea is made with herbs, teas and botanicals that have been grown according to Earth-friendly practices. I also think it’s commendable that the tea comes packaged in natural fiber tea bags that don’t need a string, tag, staple or individual wrapper. According to Celestial Seasonings, doing this saves more than 3.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills each year.

Later in the evenings I like to enjoy Sleepytime tea after putting the kids to bed. This is my precious time to myself that I look forward to every day. Sleepytime tea is a comforting staple that blends chamomile, spearmint and lemongrass to help me wind down after a long, busy day.

What’s your flavor Celestial Seasonings tea flavor? Share yours in the comments!

Connect with Celestial Seasonings

Find your favorite Celestial Seasonings tea flavor

Great Falls Park | Virginia Trip

Great Falls Park, Virginia

We spent much of our time catching up and eating when I visited my friend Charlsy in Virginia earlier this month, but we also did some exploring in the area, including visiting Great Falls Park on the last day of my weekend trip. Great Falls Park was an easy and less than 30 minute drive from Alexandria on the beautiful George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Drive to Great Falls Park

It was a peaceful and scenic drive to the park, with one exception. We saw a near collision between a semi and what we thought was a hawk, which certainly got our hearts racing as we pulled into the Great Falls parking area. It was intense! By the way, the fee for parking/admission was $10.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day to walk along the trails and see the powerful Potomac River rushing below us. Great Falls Park separates Virginia and Maryland, and you can see beautiful fall foliage on either side. You can hear the power of the water, and you’ll see many signs warning you not to try to swim in it.

Great Falls Park, VirginiaGreat Falls Park, Virginia Great Falls Park, Virginia Great Falls Park, Virginia

Our walk was an easy stroll, but you can make the hike what you want. We stopped at the different viewpoints for photos and to take in the scenery. We even saw a brave soul rappelling. It’s also a good idea to bring along snacks or a picnic lunch!

Great Falls Park, Virginia Great Falls Park, Virginia

Great Falls Park makes a fun and quick day trip if you’re in the D.C. area and want to do more than visit national monuments. On our way back we stopped for ramen at Jinya in Fairfax, a perfect sendoff from my trip.

Have you visited Great Falls Park in Virginia?

Related post:

D.C./Virginia Eats | Vegetarian and Pescatarian Options

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October Favorites | November Plans

** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Floradise.


October was a loooong month for me. It seemed to drag on forever, partly because I was having uncomfortable symptoms for most of the month. Luckily, the end of October brought some relief thanks to my focus on self-care and family. Here are my October favorites,  the items I loved last month because they helped me start feeling like myself again!

My October Favorites:

Bump Box: My friend surprised me with this first trimester box as soon as I told her we were expecting. She was the first friend I told, thus she was one of maybe two people who knew about my symptoms so early on. When I opened the box and saw a new package of Preggie Pops I was thrilled because I had just ran out of mine. Preggie Pops are the real favorite because they have been helpful in relieving my morning sickness (for the most part). The box also contained other goodies, like a water bottle, a bath bomb and an anti-nausea drink mix. I didn’t use the anti-nausea bracelet or the belly stickers, but I appreciated the gesture of sending a box.

Sweater Weather three-wick candle: To be honest I am not obsessed with every Bath and Body Works three-wick candle scent. Sweater Weather (sage, juniper berry, eucalyptus, fresh woods) is one of the few I actually enjoy. I am also currently burning Tis the Season, which smells like rich red apple, sweet cinnamon and cedarwood. (Too soon?)

IZZE Sparkling Juice Clementine drinks: I recently rediscovered this drink and have since craved it constantly, though I’m trying to stick to water as much as possible. It’s refreshing and sweet and so good!

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub: I just picked this up but it’s already a favorite. It tastes so good and leaves my lips soft. Plus, it has that gentle tingle I enjoy in my lip balms.

Lush Rosy Cheeks Mask: This, too, is a new addition but I already love it. It smells amazing and left my face feeling ridiculously soft and moisturized. It wasn’t really exfoliating or anything, just a treat to use.  It has a nice cooling and soothing effect since it’s supposed to be kept in the fridge.

What products have you been loving?

What I’m excited about in November:

I’m really hoping this month brings more relief and a lot more fun!

I’m looking forward to:

  • Sharing the gender of our baby!
  • Seeing Johnnyswim perform in Chicago.
  • Visiting my friend Charlsy in Alexandria.
  • Celebrating Thanksgiving in Louisville.
  • Doing some Christmas shopping!

What are you excited about this month? What are your goals?

Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns at Chicago Botanic Garden

Happy Halloween! Graham and I had a spooktacular date night at Chicago Botanic Garden on Sunday. It was a bit past our old folk bedtime, but we managed to find tickets for the sold-out Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns on the last day of the event. We would have preferred to attend the earlier time slots, but we were only able to find 8:45 p.m. tickets available. We were still pumped to plan our first night out together in weeks.

We arrived at exactly 8:45 and quickly realized we should have planned to get there earlier to allow time for parking. When you buy the tickets ($28 for two), you get an email suggesting arriving 30 minutes before your time slot. A line of cars snaked out of the parking lot onto the main street, but luckily Google maps had directed us to come from the opposite direction, so we were able to turn into the parking lot and make our way through the members-only car line easily. We had paid for advance parking, which means we could bypass the other line. The woman in the parking booth didn’t even look at our parking receipt, which made me wonder if we should have even bothered paying! Parking still took a bit of time, though. We made our way through the garden entrance to the event waiting area to find another long line. I was a bit surprised that even with ticket time slots we waited until about 9:15 to get in, but once we were able to begin the walk, any annoyance was forgiven.

Each section of the walk has pumpkins carved to fit a certain theme, including music legends, Chicago sports, and Halloween classics. I was in awe of the talent of these carvers from the start!

Music:

 

 

 

 

 

The Solar System:

 

Pluto was included even though it’s not a planet. A sign next to it said: “Pluto, We Miss You. Love, Your PFF (Planet Friends Forever).” Adorable!

 

Sports:

 

 

 

 

They had other Chicago sports pumpkins but I only really care about the Cubs, duh. Also Michael Jordan.

Other Jack-o-Lanterns:

 

 

We were thrilled to see our name on a pumpkin. 🙂

 

 

 

 

At various tents you could observe as carvers created their masterpieces and you could ask about the process. You can and should stop by for a hot cider, chocolate or coffee and a dessert. (We got the apple cider doughnuts bites. Yum!) My hot chocolate actually made the pregnancy symptoms I was having go away, and the treats made the chilly walk more enjoyable! By the way, those beverages can also be spiked if you prefer/are not expecting. Or you can just get beer, wine, water or soda.

You also walk through a Wonderland Express section with countless trains. Kids would love it, as did we! We saw a miniature version of Wrigley Field that we very much enjoyed. Entertainers such as a man on stilts also greeted us as we walked around the garden.

The ivy inside the mini Wrigley Field was out of control!

We were done with the entire walk through the jack-o’-lanterns at 10:40 p.m. and appeared to be among the last people out. It was a nice way to beat the Sunday Scaries before another workweek!

Have you been to the Chicago Botanic Garden? What are your Halloween plans? Which pumpkin is your favorite?

 

Watch our video:

 

Fall Fun at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm | Chicago

 

Each year we choose a different farm for our pumpkin picking adventure. Now that Graham finally has weekends off, we could start to do ALL the fall things. This year we went to Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm, which is at least an hour drive from where we live in Chicago.

We got there about an hour and a half after it opened, and the line was filling up to buy tickets. The farm seemed to have plenty of parking (and it was free). To save time, buy tickets online at a discount or bring cash; those lines moved more quickly. We had a free child admission pass from Graham’s work, so we paid about $14 each for two adults. Your general admission price includes 30 attractions; the only attractions you pay for are the rock climbing wall, pony and horse rides, the gem mine, the zombie paintball ride and the Jumping Pillows (First jump experience is free and all-day jumping pass is $5; Free Monday-Friday).

Our first stop was to say hi to the llamas, goats, chicks, pig, chickens and cows.

The goats at Siegel’s would stick there heads all the way through the fence; it was nuts!

I was starving at this point, so we stopped by the cafe at the entrance for some snacks: cheese pizza (one of the only options for a vegetarian), a pulled pork sandwich for Graham and a hot dog for V. It was all so underwhelming but what you’d expect to find at a place like this. I later bought a pretzel with cheese that I also didn’t like. I would recommend packing your own picnic and enjoying in the barn designated as a picnic area.

 

Pumpkins were scattered around the farm for your choosing. You could also find some wheelbarrows by the baby chicks to carry your perfect picks.

Pretty much everywhere you go has a photo opportunity.

We dressed for cooler weather than expected that day. I wished I had worn shorts by the end of our time in the corn maze. It was a good time nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

If you have kids, they will not be bored at all. Victoria rode the train twice; the second time because she insisted on being the conductor. (This ride is also included in admission.)
We saved our shopping for apple cider doughnuts until the end, so we could pay for everything at once and not carry it around. Once you pay, you can leave your pumpkins at the front with the farm hands and go get your car. That way you don’t have to transport your picks all the way across the parking lot.
It only took me about two minutes to find my perfect pumpkin, but Graham puts more thought into his selection. He walked around for quite a while until he was satisfied with his decision. (V grabbed the first little one she saw.) Anyone else take a long time to decide?
Aren’t they beautiful?
We found that Siegel’s would be fun for people of any age and with or without kids (as long as you’re not bothered by kids running around.) You can get wine and beer at the picnic area and carry it around with you if you’d like. We saw many 20-somethings at the farm enjoying themselves alongside families with young kids. Plus, who doesn’t love pumpkin picking?!
Out of the three Chicago area farms I’ve now been to, I would say this is my second favorite. I enjoyed All Seasons Orchard in Woodstock more, because you actually take a ride to the patch and get your pumpkin there vs. choosing among the pumpkins just lying around the farm. Also, All Seasons has an apple orchard for picking. However, Siegel’s has a lot more to do attractionwise, at least it seemed that way, and they were mostly included in the admission price.  I also think All Seasons has better food, from what I remember. Out of all three we’ve been to, Siegel’s had the best pumpkins, in my opinion.
 
What’s your favorite pumpkin farm or apple orchard?
 

Related posts:

All Seasons Apple Orchard and Pumpkin Patch | Didier Farms

 

 

Non-Scary Movies to Watch in October | Fall Happenings

Raise your hand if you’re too afraid to watch horror movies. I refuse to see them. If scary films aren’t your idea of fun, either, try any of these fun options below during the month of October, or anytime! You have probably watched them all before, but sometimes you forget about films you watched as a kid. What would you add to this list?

  • Mean Girls (On October 3rd)
  • Hocus Pocus
  • Casper
  • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
  • Nightmare Before Christmas
  • Harry Potter (any)
  • Practical Magic
  • Edward Scissorhands
  • Beetlejuice
  • Twilight (any)
  • Matilda
  • The Addams Family

October Happenings:

Among my three-year-old’s costume requests this year: Witch, pumpkin, robot, dinosaur, Princess Sophia, Elena of Avalor, wizard, and chicken. She has recently insisted on a dinosaur costume** the most, so that’s what I ordered. She looks adorable in it. It’s a bit long (She’s 3 feet, 1 inch tall.) on her, but we will make it work.
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**This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission on purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise.

We also recently bought some affordable fall decor items. I would love to look for more if we have time this weekend. A peek at our fall decor:

I won these shakers in giveaway on the Small Towns and City Lights blog last year.

 

I finally picked up the Sweater Weather candle I like.

 

The pumpkin candy holder is from Target, while the leaf table runner is from Ross.

 

We switched up our tablecloth for an autumn print we found at Ross.

 

Besides shopping for V’s Halloween costume and some home decor, we haven’t had a chance to do any traditional fall activities. I’m counting down the days until we can visit a pumpkin patch, go to the Chicago Botanic Garden or Morton Arboretum, and bake Halloween cookies. Last year I made the fall bucket list below and I find that it’s still relevant. What’s on your fall list?

Related post:

 

5 Ways to Help Others

5 Ways to Help Others

I’m someone who has always been driven by a desire to help others. (If you’re into the 16 personality types, I would be an ISFJ.) I’ve been thinking about how to help others more so than usual lately. The barrage of national and international tragedies has deeply saddened me, but I refuse to lose hope, as hard as that is sometimes. I’ve been searching for ways to feel like myself again after such an off month or so. One of the best ways I’ve found some semblance of relief (besides journaling and trying to exercise) is helping others. If you, too, have felt as I have, you might be interested in these five ways to be more giving. I’m not claiming these are totally original but really just reminding you how easy it can be to be involved. Leave your own ideas in the comments!

  1. Donate blood, canned food, household items or money. It’s impossible for many of us to help every cause right now, but so many people are in need: those affected by the California wildfires, the Las Vegas shooting victims,  Puerto Rico, Houston, and many, many more. Some of the groups I’ve given to: Unidos Por Puerto Rico, One America Appeal, JJ Watts’ YouCaring page, and the American Red Cross.
  2. Volunteer your time at your favorite local organization. (Ideas include animal shelters, homeless shelters and food banks.)
  3. Offer to help someone with something he or she is struggling with. (I’m thinking babysitting for tired parents, buying a meal, helping someone carry groceries or with a household project, etc.)
  4. Send a care package to service members or veterans.
  5. Write to lawmakers about issues you care about and laws you support or don’t want passed. Voice your concerns. Also, vote!
What would you add to this list? Any plans to give back this holiday season?

Celebrating Canada’s 150th Anniversary & a Giveaway!

I recently read an article listing Canada, which is honoring its 150th anniversary, as one of the best places to travel in 2017, which sparked my interest in finally setting dates for our trip. Because we can’t take a major vacation until winter, we’re instead looking at places to explore that aren’t too far of a drive from Chicago and have lots of activities to do as a family, especially outdoors. I’ve written about my desire to go to Toronto, Ontario, on this blog before, but now that trip seems more like a possibility. I’m eyeing an extra-long weekend in September to celebrate our third anniversary, and I can’t wait!

I’m finding that the trip is a lot more affordable than I initially thought. Radisson makes it easy to book a Toronto hotel room within our budget. To get the best bang for your travel buck, you can also join Club Carlson, which lets you rack up points that can be easily redeemed for hotel nights. I know this based on personal experience: When I redeemed my Club Carlson points in January I had no trouble at all finding available rooms. I was able to use the rewards at a variety of hotels, including Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson, and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson.

Club Carlson hotel rewards points allowed us to take a family vacation during the dreaded Chicago winter while saving us some cash. We had two of our hotel nights accounted for, which left more in the budget for Orlando and Clearwater, Florida, fun! We stayed at the Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration in Kissimmee, which was nicely decorated and conveniently located for all the activities we wanted to do on our road trip. We also stayed at a Radisson-Carlson hotel in Atlanta on the drive back, and the room was similarly comfortable, clean and nicely appointed. On this particular trip, we will be staying at the Radisson Hotel Toronto East (shown below).

Radisson Hotel Toronto East

For our Canada road trip, we plan to take advantage of a new Radisson rewards redemption option with Petro-Canada. With just 18,000 points, we can get a Petro-Canada gas card to use on our drive, and we’re already on our way there with the points we have left over from our last family road trip. Plus, Radisson has a free interactive map feature on its website where you can visualize your road trip and plan your things to do.

 

15 places to explore in Ontario, Canada:

Our upcoming Canada road trip from Chicago will be an 8-hour drive, which is nothing compared to the distances we have covered in the past. We have a list of family-friendly places to go that reflect our love of the outdoors and family-friendly fun. These attractions are all located either on the drive to Toronto from Chicago, in Toronto or close enough to make a day trip from the Radisson Hotel Toronto East, where we plan to stay.

  1. Point Pelee National Park of Canada: Exploring the trails and seeing the wildlife. It would be a pit stop on the way to Toronto.
  2. Niagara Falls: Taking in the views of the waterfalls on day and night cruises. Victoria was intrigued by photos of the colorfully illuminated falls at night.
  3. Skylon Tower Observation Deck: Getting another view of the falls.
  4. Toronto Botanical Garden: Taking one of the free weekly tours of the grounds.
  5. Toronto Blue Jays game: Crossing off another MLB ballpark.
  6. CN Tower in Toronto: Checking out the views from the building.
  7. St. Lawrence Market: Strolling and grabbing lunch.
  8. Harbourfront Centre: Admiring the visual arts installations or just walking along the Boardwalk.
  9. Toronto Zoo: Saying hello to our animal friends.
  10. Royal Ontario Museum: Getting lost in the museum that contains more than 6 million specimens, objects and artifacts.
  11. Canada’s Wonderland: Riding the amusement rides and eating too much food.
  12. Casa Loma: Touring the majestic castle.
  13. Clifton Hill Skywheel: Riding Canada’s largest observation wheel!
  14. Hershey Chocolate World: Treating ourselves to too much chocolate.
  15. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada: Our toddler would love this place!

I am not sure if we can get to all of these amazing attractions in just one trip, but we will sure try to cross off as many as we can.

We are excited about going on a Niagara Falls boat cruise!

Finding more affordable things to do in Canada this year would be no problem: Canada’s parks, historic sites and national monuments are free in 2017 in honor of the country’s 150th anniversary. While researching our trip we found more than 40 national parks, monuments and historic sites in Ontario alone. We could easily swap out a stop at one of those free sites if we wanted to save some cash.

To help you plan your own getaway, Radisson is giving away a one-night stay certificate to use on your Canada trip! See details below to enter. You can also save on a two-night stay (12 percent off) with Radisson’s Summer Promotion.

Are you a member of Club Carlson? What’s your ideal Canada vacation? Use the interactive map feature and let me know where you would go!

Enter the Radisson Giveaway!

Plan your trip with Radisson.
Victoria was captivated by photos of all the fun offered at Niagara Falls.

 

One reader will receive a one night stay certificate. The winner will be picked at random on July 7. To be eligible to win, you must:

1. Share my Facebook post.
2. Tag @Radisson.
3. Comment below!

 

Note: Winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize or another winner will be chosen. Winner will be asked for an email address to send the certificate. Hotel certificate may be used in U.S. or Canada.

Click here to learn how to travel to Canada on its 150th anniversary.

 

Gratitude + Ways to Show Gratitude

Photo by Square Mouth Studios

This year, family is at the top of my gratitude list. When Graham and I set our intention for the year as growth, we had no idea that we would be growing our family as well. Yes, we had offered to take care of her if needed,  but it wasn’t until 10 months later that we received word she would be arriving (in one week!). Caring for Victoria has reminded me I have much to be grateful for. I should always be aware of my blessings, but sometimes life causes me to lose sight of them.

What I’m grateful for this year:
  • Having a fun, sweet, smart, loving and challenging addition to our family.
  • Being able to work from home to care for her.
  • The experiences I had cheering for the Cubs, especially the World Series festivities I was lucky enough to attend.
  • The resources and support that helped me train for and complete the Chicago Marathon.
  • Wonderful family and friends who checked in on us, offered to babysit and sent gifts for Victoria.
  • Being able to pursue my interests and the activities that make me happy.
  • Meeting new people through this blog and through running.
  • The fact that we are on our way to achieve our dream of being business owners in the future.


What are you grateful for this year? Share in the comments!


Photo by Square Mouth Studios

Along with listing what you’re grateful for, I think it’s key to also show your gratitude through action. It doesn’t have to be some grand gesture; any small act of kindness does the trick. Switching the focus to others helps illuminate what we have in our own lives, if you have forgotten. 

Simple ways to give back and show gratitude this week (and always)

  • Participate in a canned food drive or toy drive. (Or organize one in your office or among friends and family.)
  • Give money to local charities or volunteer in your community. Donate to non-profits. Declutter your home and donate the goods to a charity.
  • Write letters to your elected officials on behalf of a cause you care about. Remind them of the needs of the community. 
  • Give up your seat on public transit to someone who needs it. Buy a meal or coffee for a stranger.
  • Buy a gift or bake treats for a neighbor who may not have family around.
  • Invite someone to holiday festivities who may not have lots of family or friends around.
  • Write a thank you note to people in your life for the small and big ways they have impacted you.
In what ways do you give to others?

Field Museum Fun

Graham, Victoria and I met our friends on Sunday for a play date at the Field Museum. Visiting the museum was on my summer bucket list and has been on my Chicago list since we moved here. The Field Museum surpassed any expectations I had. The colossal building contains so much history that you would have to visit many times to explore all of its exhibits. We spent hours here and left with plans to come back.
We started by letting our toddlers play in the kids lab, where they could color, put together puzzles, play musical instruments, hold plush dinosaurs, and lots more. We worked up an appetite and dined on vegan dogs, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, sausage and peppers and burgers at the Field Bistro on the Main Floor. (By the way, the stroller entrance is on the east side of the building and you will be on the Ground Floor. Also, there’s a picnic area on the Ground Floor.)
On the main floor of the Field Museum you’ll find Stanley Field Hall, home to the information desk, a gift shop, and entrances to many of the exhibits. You’ll also see Sue the T-Rex.
We then checked out the first part of the Ancient Egypt exhibit before moving to the Tibetan and dinosaur exhibitions. 

It is impossible to read every bit of historical information as you walk by. I gravitated toward the displays about evolution and dinosaurs, which I find most interesting. Bones, Stones and Human Evolution was the most challenging class I ever enrolled in during college, and I had flashbacks of studying as I walked through the Evolving Planet exhibit. I suggest picking the topics you like the most and spending as much time as you can in that exhibit.

We also checked out the Cyrus Tang Hall of China exhibit, which had a fascinating video portrayal of the changing physical boundaries of the country throughout its history. Check it out if you go! You’ll need an exhibit ticket to access this area, which also has touch screens on its displays where you can find a vast amount of information.
A video plays on a screen in the Hall of China.

We next checked out garden and gemstone exhibits before heading back to Ancient Egypt to see the mummies. I could not believe all the artifacts the museum has on display. It’s the most impressive museum I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.

We had a wonderful time at the museum and can’t wait until we can go back. It’s the perfect way to spend a cold winter day when we are tired of being stuck in the house. 

Have you been to the Field Museum in Chicago? 
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