** This post about what's in my kids' Easter baskets contains affiliate links. I'm trying to keep our daily life as normal as possible given the circumstances, and that includes planning to have an Easter egg hunt at home and give the girls their Easter baskets. This year I purchased their Easter basket gifts ahead of time, in early February. Luckily I have not needed to go anywhere to shop for ... Read more
Galentine’s Day Gift Ideas
** This post on Galentine's Day gift ideas for your best friends contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Besides Valentine's Day, there's one day I love to celebrate and wish I could spend with my friends each year: Galentine's Day. If you've ever watched "Parks and Recreation," you know it's February 13 and it's a day ... Read more
Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve at Eataly Chicago
We had no plans for NYE, so I figured we would stay home with the girls and have a nice home-cooked meal. But then I saw a giveaway on Instagram hosted by ChicagoGoodLife and Eataly that looked like it would be perfect for us: a family-friendly NYE dinner at Eataly for four (two adults, two children). I won! We were able to have a lovely last meal of 2019 by spending a part of New Year's Eve at ... Read more
CTA Holiday Train 2019
For the fourth year we've made it on the CTA Holiday Train in Chicago. It's becoming one of my favorite holiday traditions now that we have young girls, because their faces light up when they wave to Santa and ride the festive L train. This year we waited until Santa's Express was on the Purple Line in Evanston because that's near our home and not too crowded. We boarded at Central Station ... Read more
Finding Time for Fitness During the Holidays
The holiday season is busy, I get it. It's easy to let your fitness goals go for the season and start back up in January. This year I'd still like to fit in workout time because it helps with my anxiety and overall health. I've been consistent for the past couple of months and I want to keep it going despite the busyness of the season. I'm sharing ideas for how to find time for fitness during the ... Read more
Holiday Magic Experience 2019 at Brookfield Zoo
I want to make the Christmas season as magical as possible for our girls, so the Holiday Magic Experience at Brookfield Zoo was on my bucket list. We had skipped last year because A was only 8 months old, making this was our first time with our two girls. We had a blast, but I'll admit it's a workout to go anywhere with two kids. It's totally worth the 45-minute drive to Brookfield, ... Read more
Eco-Friendly Holiday Tips
Something that's been weighing on my mind is how much waste is created each holiday. I feel torn between wanting my children to have the toys they want for Christmas and buying all the things, but worrying about the environmental impact of shopping/consuming. Beyond that, the season has a lot of celebrations, and with those come gift wrap, travel, single-use plastics and more. I've been thinking ... Read more
2019 Holiday Events in the Chicago Area
There's so much to do in Chicagoland this holiday season! We have already checked out Lightscape and can't wait to experience more festive fun. I'm sharing some of the best holiday events in the Chicago area and will be adding to this list periodically, so check back! CTA Holiday Train and Bus: One of our favorite family traditions is riding the CTA Holiday Train. You also have the option of ... Read more
Our Visit to Lightscape at Chicago Botanic Garden
** Chicago Botanic Garden hosted our visit to Lightscape. All images and opinions are my own. I'm feeling festive after our visit to Lightscape this week. Months ago I saw photos of Lightscape on Chicago Botanic Garden's website and I knew I wanted to take my family to wander along the vibrantly illuminated trail during the holiday season. Lightscape combines color and sound on a milelong ... Read more
Affordable Christmas Decor Home Tour 2019
** This Christmas decor post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. As I mentioned last week, the Christmas decor is out at the Flora house. It took me almost a week to put the tree up because I realized I wanted a new tree skirt and bows this year and because it's more challenging to put up a tree when you ... Read more