** This post contains affiliate links and gifted lighted Christmas decorations. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! This year I upgraded our family's Christmas decorations because we could use some extra cheer. I found some gorgeous lighted Christmas decorations on Lights.com and some other decor that have really ... Read more
DIY Christmas Wreath
** This post about my DIY Christmas wreath contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! Over the weekend I tried my hand at creating a DIY Christmas wreath using items I had in my home. I'm sharing what I used along with ideas for recreating this wreath while not spending a lot of money. ... Read more
Gifts for Kids
** This post about Christmas gifts for kids contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Have you started your Christmas shopping? While most of the gifts I am purchasing have been from small businesses, toys are one category for which I often shop at major retailers. I'm sharing several ideas of gifts for kids to consider ... Read more
Our 2020 Ofrenda for Dia de Los Muertos
I am proud of my family's ofrenda, or altar, for Dia de los Muertos this year. Day of the Dead is a holiday on Nov. 1-2 this year that celebrates our loved ones who have passed away. We set up an offering table with photos and memories of those who have died. I'm sharing what we included in our ofrenda this year: Faux flowers. I was unable to find marigolds because they are no longer in ... Read more
Making Special Memories With Letters From Santa
** This post is sponsored by Santa's Letter Factory. All opinions about requesting letters from Santa are my own. This year we want to make Christmas even more special by getting personalized letters from Santa for our girls. It's been such a difficult year for the girls with having to distance and not see our family, so I'd like to make it up to them as much as possible with unique ... Read more
What’s in My Kids’ Easter Baskets
** 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