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Floradise

A lifestyle blog by Marette Flora

Christmas at the Flora House

This has been a special Christmas for us: It was the first in our new house, and it was Addi’s first! V had some new traditions, too.

Our Christmas recap:

I love our tree this year despite never finding a tree topper after ours broke. I plan to also purchase a new tree skirt next year.

We chose to stay in Chicago for Christmas this year vs. traveling to Arizona or Kentucky. We wanted to continue our own tradition of having Christmas morning breakfast and then opening gifts together. Our tree had lots of gifts that were sent to us by our family members, and we let the girls open a couple of them on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas Day.

The weekend before Christmas we had a mini Cookie Day, a tradition for the Flora family in Kentucky. We missed it this year because traveling to Louisville was challenging for us over Thanksgiving and we weren’t sure we could do it twice in month. Graham’s parents drove to Chicago to visit for the weekend, which was so nice. We exchanged gifts (They gave us a birdhouse!) and made many batches of cookies.

We didn’t make it to Brookfield Zoo, Breakfast with Santa at Chicago Botanic Garden, Lincoln Park Zoo or Christkindlmarket this month. Those events had been on my radar, but we just couldn’t make them happen this year. We aren’t fully adjusted to being a family of four and chose to make things easier for ourselves. My hope is that next year we will have more energy and have things more figured out. We did make it on the CTA Holiday Train, though, despite a little mishap. It’s one of our favorite family traditions.

Addi was able to meet Santa a couple of weeks ago. She stared at him and seemed puzzled by the strange man holding her, but at least she didn’t cry!

I wasn’t sure what to put in Addi’s stocking or what presents Santa should bring her at 8 months old. She ended up getting blocks, stackable rings, a fish toy, teethers, an Oball gift set, and a Fisher Price Laugh and Play Puppy. I also bought her a Cuddle + Kind doll, which provides 10 meals to children in need. V has a successful year and Santa brought her all the gifts on her wish list. (We allow her to make a list of five things she would like every year. We then purchase an additional gift(s) from us as her parents.) I saw a post around social media about the four-gift rule for children, and that seemed like a great idea and wonderful, but it’s not something we will do. We like to give our children whatever we would like to get them, and what the budget allows, and don’t think any parent should be shamed for their gifting choices. Whatever works for your family is best! Speaking of gifts, my wrapping was not that great this year. It’s a miracle that the wrapping even got done. ha!

A new tradition for us this year was matching Christmas pajamas, except my plans were foiled when the men’s sizes ran out weeks before, after I had already ordered the girls’ pajamas. I was hoping they would be restocked but they never were. I wasn’t able to find all of our sizes at any retailer that sold matching family pajamas. Next year I shall be on the ball and order them early!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday if you celebrate! What are your favorite traditions?

Related posts:

CTA Holiday Train 2018
Flora Family Cookie Day 2017

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Riding the 2018 CTA Holiday Train in Chicago

We continued our tradition of riding the CTA Holiday Train in the Chicago area this year. If you’re not from Chicago and have never heard of it, it’s a holiday-themed train that only runs on certain L Train lines at scheduled times. In 2016 and 2017 we caught the train on the Red Line, which runs north-south through the city. This year, we picked the Purple Line in Evanston because we live in the village next door.

The holiday train was set to stop at Central Station in Evanston at 5:38 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, so we left our house at 5:10 p.m. to give us enough time. We parked in a garage next to Evanston Hospital, where Addi was born, and walked over to the station. Several other parents with young kiddos were also waiting for the train with us. It was due to head north to Linden, the last stop on the Purple Line, before turning around and heading back south. We waiting until almost 6 p.m. when the delayed holiday train finally arrived. Addi was starting to get a bit impatient because she’s not used to being in a carrier much anymore and she wants to crawl around. V. too, was starting to lose her patience.

When the train got to our station, the excitement of seeing Santa through us off and we didn’t board in time! It was the biggest fail. The doors closed as I tried to walk on and we were left in disbelief. Luckily for us, the train came back about 10-15 minutes later and we boarded then! It was another short train ride, but one that V loves and remembers.

I recommend picking a couple of dates and times to ride the train to give you a backup plan in case something happens. It’s definitely worth the ride, because kids love it and the elves pass out candy canes and buttons. It’s so fun for them!

Have you been on the CTA Holiday Train?

Watch a video of our ride!

Related posts:

2016 CTA Holiday Train
2017 CTA Holiday Train

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Thoughtful Etsy Small Gift & Stocking Stuffer Ideas

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

I know by now many people have an idea of what to buy their loved ones for Christmas/the holidays, but I wanted to share a quick post on four stocking stuffer ideas found on Etsy. I am a huge fan of the site for personalized gifts as well as other handmade items. I shop Etsy frequently for thoughtful and personalized presents for my friends and family.

Four Etsy Gift Ideas:

  • Personalized ornament: I bought one for Addi’s first Christmas, but you can personalize this to fit your needs, such as for bridesmaid gifts. The handwriting is available in two styles and looks beautiful. I went with the modern version.

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  • Dog ornament: Any dog lover would be overjoyed to receive this.  I plan to order one as a gift this year.

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  • Gemstone necklace: I love wearing gemstone or crystal jewelry. It’s so pretty and makes such a good gift.

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  • Small succulent planter: Can’t Keep My Plants to Myself is just one of the available saying on the 4-inch handmade ceramic planters. It would be a fun idea to order one or two of these and grab some succulents.

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Where do you like to shop for small gifts or stocking stuffers? Have you ever shopped Etsy?

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Thoughtful Gifts to Buy on Etsy
Etsy Wedding Purchases

Why the Holidays Are a Perfect Time for Decluttering

I recently decluttered yet again, but this time I did it differently. In previous declutters I would take everything out and sort through items one by one, KonMari style. I don’t have that kind of time to devote to decluttering in my current phase of life, so this time I tackled my simplifying in a different way: I decluttered as I went. What this means is that when I would open a drawer to grab something I needed, I also quickly glanced around to see if there was anything in there that could go. Anytime I opened a closet, drawer, basket, etc., I would assess the contents and decide if I wanted to part with anything. This helped me accumulate several large bags of items to donate or recycle/repurpose in just over a month.

Examples of my current decluttering method:

When I reached for tops or bottoms for the baby and found anything that no longer fit, I tossed it in the bag.

When a toy broke or I noticed it wasn’t played with, I asked V if she still wanted it. I also asked her to let me know if there were toys she no longer was interested in because she would likely be getting some gifts for Christmas. She was sweet enough to put together a small pile of toys that she said she wanted to go to kids who don’t have many toys.

When I put clothes or shoes on V and they were too tight, I put them in the donation pile.

As I unpacked boxes or organized in our new house, I noticed if there were items I had forgotten about that I could do without.

When I did my makeup, I assessed how often I wore certain lip colors and took note of when makeup was set to expire.

When I put socks on, I threw those without matching partners or those with holes into the textile recycling bag. (Our city offers recycling for shoes and clothing.)

When I took out the holiday decorations, I donated or tossed anything that was broken or too worn out.

This decluttering method isn’t groundbreaking, but it does work for those who claim to have no time to devote to empty an entire room and then sort through items. Keeping a bag or box in a certain location that you can easily add to takes little to no effort. Then simply drop it off at your favorite charity or have it picked up. The key is getting those donations out of the house as soon as possible, though. No driving around with them in the trunk of your car for months. Pencil it into your planner immediately.

I wanted to declutter before the holidays because Christmas is always a time when people tend to shop more and accumulate more belongings, whether you want them or not. I pick up decorations, buy wrapping supplies and have a bunch left over, and receive gifts, like many people do. The tendency for many is to make a new year’s resolution to simplify and declutter, but really starting before the holidays gives you a headstart.

 

Related posts:

Inspiration From “Year of Less”
Decluttering and a Family Tradition
Thoughts on “Joy of Less”

 

The Coziest Gift You’ll Ever Give

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

Hibernation season is upon us here in the Chicago area, and I’m all about being cozy and warm at all times as we approach the holidays. While I completely believe in getting dressed and ready for the day, I do like to keep my feet comfortable as I get my daily work done and care for my family. I want to share that same gift of comfort with my friends and family this holiday season, so I’m continuing one of my annual traditions: Giving away pairs of Isotoner slippers as gifts!

Fun fact: I have given at least one pair of Isotoner slippers to loved ones every single year. Why? I know firsthand how cozy and soft Isotoner slippers are to wear because I’ve owned several pairs over the years. Isotoner’s signature 360 Surround Comfort™ technology keeps your feet snug and warm while you prepare for the holidays  — and every day. Whether you’re prepping a holiday meal, wrapping gifts, playing with your kids or pets, or decorating, you can feel relaxed and comfortable as you move about, and that gift will last all year long. I plan to wear my slippers to keep my cozy for our annual family Cookie Day, gift wrapping and for breakfast on Christmas morning, among many other upcoming moments.

 

I wear them when having breakfast with and getting my preschooler ready for the day; while feeding, rocking and playing with my baby; while editing at my desk; and while doing other household tasks throughout the day. Slippers are a must for me because our home has hardwood floors that can be so uncomfortable to walk on barefoot or while wearing only socks, especially when winter hits. Plus, these Isotoner slippers fit like a glove!

 

I have both the Microsuede Marisol Closed Back Slippers and the Women’s Microsuede Basil Hoodback Slippers, which are both available in various colors.

 

If you’d like to grab a pair of Isotoner 360 Surround Comfort™ slippers for yourself or to gift a family member or friend, check out Isotoner!

Have you experienced the comfort of Isotoner slippers?

Dia De Los Muertos: Our Family’s First Ofrenda + DIY Sugar Skull

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

This year we decided to create the first Flora family ofrenda for Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. While I have celebrated the holiday with family in Mexico in the past, I have never made an ofrenda of my own at home, so I looked for inspiration on Instagram and Pinterest and compiled a list of what seemed to be good components: marigolds, papel picado (a paper banner), fruit, drinks, candles, photos and sugar skulls. You can add personal items or pretty much whatever you’d like.

The most challenging part of putting together an ofrenda was compiling photos of deceased family members. I didn’t have photos of some of them, so I had to ask family to find them among their photo collections, send them to me and then print them out. We made sure to include a photo of our dog Taylor, who died a year and a half ago.

We also painted our own sugar skulls as a fun family project one night. I bought ceramic white skulls here and then purchased a small set of acrylic paints, along with some paint brushes. I found an image on Pinterest that I wanted to recreate on my skull and tried my best. I am pretty pleased with the result given that I’m not an artist and that I messed up a few times and covered the errors with white paint. My skull now lives in the ofrenda.

 

We have also added sugar skull glasses to hold beverages, as well as more photos. We still have more work to do, like adding food, beverages and personal items to the ofrenda, but I wanted to show the progress so far. We still have more time before Dia de los Muertos.

Do you celebrate Day of the Dead? Have you ever created an ofrenda?

Watch a video of the DIY Sugar Skull:

Buy a ceramic skull to paint**:

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Related post:

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

Learn more:

National Geographic: Top 10 Things to Know About the Day of the Dead

Eco-Friendly Easter Basket Ideas

Eco-Friendly Easter Basket Ideas

This is my first time putting together an Easter basket! Last year I totally failed and didn’t things done in time, so this year we are making it up to V. I wanted to incorporate some eco-friendly Easter basket ideas to minimize waste we create this year. While I am not done with her basket, I wanted to share some ways I found to cut back on waste and be more intentional with my Easter spending. Our basket isn’t going to be 100 percent green but I think we have a good start on making changes.

  • Buy mostly (or only) Easter eggs made of recycled materials. V loves to put things in containers, so I know she will continue to play with the eggs after Easter. I can also store them and reuse them next year.

  • Include toys made of recycled materials that are made in the U.S. I found Eco Toys bath toys online and decided to replace her discarded bath toys with them instead.

Green Toys Bath Toy

  • Purchase board books. Because we are going to have another kiddo, we know any board books we purchase will be put to good use for years to come. I find that board books hold up well and V loves her story time.

  • Gift items or toys that you will use often and will last. We decided to buy wireless headphones for when we travel and she watches her tablet. To us this was a way to be more intentional vs. just buying whatever toys we randomly find in a store.
  • Use tissue paper or shredded paper you already have for the Easter basket grass. This is what I had planned to do, but G later also bought some paper Easter basket grass. I plan to reuse this as shipping or gifting material afterward. If you have to choose between paper and plastic, paper would be the way to go. You can also find recycled paper grass online.

Is it important to you to reduce waste in your household? Are you intentional with your purchases?

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Related post:

V’s Hawaii-Theme Birthday Party

CTA Holiday Train 2017

In you live in the Chicago area or plan to visit in the month of December in the future, I recommend trying to find the CTA Holiday Train, especially if you have kiddos! The train already stopped running for 2017, but you have plenty of time to plan for next year. We took Victoria for the first time last year and she loved it! The Red Line is most convenient for us, so we waited for a day when it was running near us, but you can also find it on the other lines as well on different days. The schedule is always posted on the CTA website, along with the Holiday Bus schedule.

This year we decided to take the train north vs. south like we did in 2016. We discovered that maybe it’s not the best idea to ride it to the end of the line, because everyone deboards the train and crowds around Santa. Our best advice would be to get off the train a stop or two before the end so the kids can get a good glimpse of Santa before he rides off without being in a crowd. Either way, it’s still fun for them to wave goodbye to the big guy. Inside each car you’ll see elves who hand out candy canes, too!

Have you seen the holiday train in Chicago, aka Santa’s Express? If you’re not in Chicago, what fun holiday events do you like to attend?

 Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more fun videos!

 

Watch last year’s ride on the CTA Holiday Train:

Holiday Magic Experience at Brookfield Zoo

Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic Experience 2017 near Chicago

 

We’ve been doing all the Christmas things lately! After a mostly quiet weekend at home, Graham had the idea of going to see holiday lights at Brookfield Zoo. I bought our tickets to the Holiday Magic experience online to save $1 per ticket and we made our way to Brookfield, which is typically a 45-minute drive from our place.

We underestimated how popular this event would be, and our drive added an extra 30 minutes because of a ridiculously long line for parking. Tip 1: Arrive early. The zoo is open all day before the event so you should just make a day of it. It turned out OK, though, because our V just took a nap in her car seat on the way there and we listened to music while checking out the supermoon.

Tip 2: Dress in warm layers. It was a chilly evening once the sun set. I am glad I wore my winter jacket because I almost left my house without it!

By the time we got to the zoo I was starving so one of our first stops was at a cafeteria for dinner. Brookfield Zoo was offering tamales for Holiday Magic and I was grateful they had a vegetarian option: Poblanos and cheese. They were delicious! (They were made with a bit too much masa but the filling was tasty.)

Every walkway is lined with Christmas trees that have been decorated by various groups and families. Tip 3: It’s helpful to take a map of the holiday attractions so you can see what you want. (Though it’s so dark and hard to even see it without the light from your phone screen!) Santa was available at a certain time period, but we skipped that so that we didn’t spend our entire time in line. We do plan to take V to see Santa, though!

Brookfield Zoo's Holiday Magic Experience 2017 near Chicago

By the way, you don’t need kids to have fun at this event, though you must be tolerant of them; they are everywhere! We had a fun and festive evening worth every penny.

The remaining dates are Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 9-10 and 16-17 and Tuesday-Sunday, Dec. 26-31. Brookfield Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Holiday Magic festivities begin at 4 p.m.

Have you visited any holiday attractions where you live?

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Related posts:

December Playlist | Christmas songs

Holiday Season Check List | Things to Do in November and December

Cruelty-Free Beauty Wish List | Gift Ideas

Companies That Give Back | Holiday Gift Ideas

Our 2017 Family Holiday Cards

December Playlist | Christmas Songs

Christmas music

Can you believe Christmas is in 24 days? It’s time to put on some Christmas music and wrap or make gifts for our loved ones! We’ve also been watching a holiday movie every night as a family, and that’s been so fun. I actually refrained from listening to holiday music until Thanksgiving week this year, but I’ve been known to start playing my favorite Christmas songs in early November in the past.

Some of my favorite Christmas songs:

  • “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey. This is my all-time favorite. It’s just so good!
  • “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Johnnyswim (I like it more than the original.)
  • “Oh Holy Night” Any version.
  • “Mele Kalikimaka” by Bing Cosby
  • “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” Any version.

Want to listen to my playlist? You’ll find a mix of Christmas classics with newer versions. Just hit shuffle and enjoy! You can also follow the playlist on Spotify to see any additions I make this month.

 

 

The list currently has 27 songs but it’s constantly growing.

What are your favorite Christmas songs? Do you like a specific version/singer? When do you start listening to holiday music? Let me know in the comments!

Related posts:

Holiday Season Check List | Things to Do in November and December

Cruelty-Free Beauty Wish List | Gift Ideas

Companies That Give Back | Holiday Gift Ideas

Our 2017 Family Holiday Cards

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