Coping with Anxiety

October 22, 2019 by Katie Wilson

In some ways, I think I’ve always suffered from a mild version of anxiety but perhaps, my self awareness didn’t really come into play until I repeatedly felt a certain way in specific situations. Perhaps like many people my anxiety manifested after a turbulent airplane flight, or after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, or after the disturbing mass shootings across the country in recent years. I can’t pinpoint a specific situation but I do know that becoming a mother has exacerbated these feelings. It’s made me feel things more deeply and of course, constantly fear for the safety of three little children that I brought into the world.

I try not to let these feelings overrun my life but I can’t deny that every time I get on a flight by myself, have a medical procedure or send my kids off to school that I always say a few quick prayers that I will get to see them again. Or that when I go to a movie or a concert that I don’t immediately make myself aware of the exits and a safe place to hide. It seems that these low grade feelings of anxiety are becoming more and more commonplace for me and while I can still go on about my day, in the moments I have to myself my mind tends to wander. It’s in those quiet moments that the worry sets in.

Thankfully, the topic of anxiety is becoming more mainstream and people are opening up about their own experiences. I know that some people deal with debilitating anxiety and what I deal with is really very mild in comparison. However, I don’t want to discount my feelings because they are really very real and can sometimes cause a lot of stress. At this time in my life I’m not on any medication for anxiety but I have found a few different techniques that help me cope with my anxiety.

Most often some sort of escapism helps me deal with my feelings of anxiety whether it be reading a book or watching a movie. I tend to gravitate towards period dramas, comedies or documentaries when watching movies - the less like real life the better. This probably explains my annual Pride and Prejudice viewings! Books follow along suit, I prefer something light, entertaining with endearing characters. Truly just something that I can get lost in and that helps me to pass the time without my mind wandering has been a huge help for me - especially when flying! When at home spending time working out and focusing on planning for something fun in the future are also tactics that help me cope. It’s taken me a while but I’ve found that different tactics work for different situations and that I need to constantly evolve them as my needs have changed over time.

Truly, I’m not an expert here but the point is that many people deal with anxiety and that’s ok. If you can test out your own coping mechanisms and find success that is wonderful but if you find that your feelings still overwhelm you please talk to someone and get help. Be honest and take care of yourself. Life is too short and it’s not worth missing out on its experiences.

2019 Halloween Children's Book Edit

September 22, 2019 by Katie Wilson

Tomorrow is officially the first day of fall and if you’re anything like me and my kids you’ve already gotten Halloween on the brain. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. I think my excitement for Halloween can also be attributed to the amount of energy I have in October…we’ve just come off a lull of big holidays, the weather is usually decent and there is plenty of prep time. By the time Christmas rolls around I can barely form a cohesive sentence! So it’s safe to say that Halloween is my new favorite holiday, I’m totally here for the semi homemade costumes, decorations, parties, candy and of course the books! If you’ve been following my blog for the past year you’re well aware of my LOVE for seasonal children’s books. I can’t resist them…no matter the holiday.

Bringing out the Halloween books and setting up our seasonal bookcase is basically the “unofficial” start to the holiday season in our home. This year we’ve added a few more to our collection to accommodate the growing reading levels in our home. These books are perfect for kids aged 2 - 10 and even adults so check out my TAKE on new Halloween titles below and don’t forget to treat yourself to some Halloween candy while you’re at it!

Happy Halloween Reading!

2019 Halloween Edit

For previous Halloween book edits please see here (2017) and here (2018).

School Lunches + Plastic Reduction

August 21, 2019 by Katie Wilson

A new school year is around the corner as is packing lunches for not one but two kids this year! I always start out energetic and hopeful about packing lunches with nutritious value and by the end of the year I’m throwing in all the processed goods. I can’t promise that this year will be any different but I am making a more conscious effort to use less plastic and more recyclable and reusable goods. I had a few reusable lunch containers but doubled my collection this summer after taking the Plastic Pledge at work.

The Plastic Pledge Is National Geographic's multiyear effort to raise awareness about the global plastic trash crisis. I started this effort along with many colleagues in July and I’ve completely eliminated my use of single-use plastics. This mostly boiled down to water bottles but straws and coffee cup lids also played a role. The challenge was a great intentional way to get me to make me more conscientious and it made me feel good about my choices.

I continue with the same habits at work today but am slowly incorporating them into my home starting with school lunches. This will mostly focus on the packaging of foods (i.e. reduce single packaged snacks) and ensuring that food is packed in reusable containers. Read on for my TAKE on all the reusable products perfect for school lunches!

Lunch Boxes

We have a variety of lunch boxes but the Skip Hop Zoo Kids insulated lunch box is my favorite. Sure, it comes in adorable designs but my favorite feature is really the interior pocket that is the perfect place to stash an ice pack or silverware.

Water Bottles

In many schools kids are allowed to have a water bottle in the classroom with them. It’s less disruptive that visiting a water fountain and keeps them hydrated throughout the day. Our favorite brands are CamelBak and Klean Kanteen as they come in kid appropriate sizes and easily fit into the mesh side pouch of our backpacks.

Thermos

I use these insulated food jars to send items like mac n cheese, pasta and soup with the kids to school. They love the designs and the spork that comes with the set but if you’re looking for something a little more grown up the brand DaCool has a well reviewed thermos with a folding spoon. Regardless, of what kind insulated container you use, if you’re trying to keep the food warm my number one tip is to heat it with boiling water (I use my tea kettle) for a minute or two before placing the food in the container. This keeps the food warmer longer just don’t forget to dump the water before adding the food!

Plastic Containers

Sistema Klip It food storage containers are my favorite for lunches. I have a variety of pieces but this design is my favorite. It’s multi use and is used almost daily! With the addition of George’s lunches this year I had to add to my collection. We commonly use this design for a half sandwich and fruit, cheese and crackers, or half a slice of banana bread and goldfish. If you’re into bento box style containers I’ve heard great things about Yumbox Lunch Box containers.

Reusable Bags

Aside from our lunch boxes I have to admit that I’m newer to using reusable snack or sandwich bags but this school year I’m trying the following: Bumkins reusable snack bags, Lunchskins recyclable paper sandwich bags and reusable Beeswax food storage wraps. This will take some education on the kids parts as to not throw in the trash but rather recycle or bring home…the one thing working in my favor here is that they’re not very good about throwing trash away, in the first place!

Straws

The banning of single use plastic straws is on the horizon and if paper straws aren’t your thing why not use reusable? I don’t mind paper straws but I don’t love how they become soggy after a little while so to combat this I’ve invested in a handful of options. If you’re drinking smoothies this glass set of straws by Hummingbird is well recommended but maybe not the best for school. For school lunches this reusable silicone straw works best!

Silverware

There isn’t always a need for silverware at school but I prefer to send some along with the kids if they have items like yogurt or pasta in their lunch. This eliminates the need for them to grab a single-use plastic spoon from the cafeteria. Re-Play is my favorite brand recycled silverware. While they may be geared towards toddlers they are completely appropriate for elementary children and bonus they’re made of recycled milk jugs!

While starting to make a bigger effort in the home, we’re also educating the kids to try and be more conscious of their choices and actions with the book, What A Waste: Trash, Recycling and Protecting our Planet. It’s eye opening and there are some facts and graphics that really capture the kids attention.

I hope these products help make your school lunch process run a little bit smoother and make it a little more eco-friendly!

American Girl Benefit Sale

July 26, 2019 by Katie Wilson

This past weekend we traveled to Middleton, Wisconsin to attend the American Girl Benefit Sale. I’ve been a fan of American Girl since I was a kid and I’m so pleased that my oldest is into the brand as I don’t think there is a better mix of history and imaginative play out there. As for the sale it wasn’t technically my first as I partook in one 28 years ago when attendees slept overnight on the sidewalk to gain entrance! While the memories are priceless, thankfully, overnight camping is no longer required for sale entrance. I’m sharing all the details of our experience and some things that I wish I would have known beforehand below. Read on for my TAKE on the American Girl Benefit Sale!

What is it?

Every summer (typically in July) the Madison Children’s Museum hosts a two day American Girl Benefit Sale in a warehouse in Middleton, Wisconsin. The thousands of American Girl products at the sale are donated by American Girl (Mattel) and the items are typically either overstock or returns. All items are offered at a discount; generally between 30 -70% off with deeper discounts on some items the second day. The sale proceeds benefit the Madison Children’s Museum as well as the American Girl Fund and is almost entirely staffed by volunteers.

How to attend?

Tickets for the event can be procured through the Madison Children’s Museum. There are two days of the sale the General Sale (Saturday) and Markdown Day (Sunday) which offers some of the remaining products at a deeper discount. In order to get our Saturday tickets I participated in the Lottery Pre-Sale and purchased tickets for $8.00 each. Based on the lottery we were awarded tickets with a Noon time slot which was a little bit on the later end as we missed out on some product available earlier in the morning. If you don’t want to pay an ticket fee for the sale your best bet is to attend the General Admission portion of Sunday’s sale, which generally begins after 9am.

The most comprehensive details about tickets can be found here and I recommend signing up for the mailing list to stay notified of hotel blocks, events, sale details, lottery details and procedures as tickets do sell out.

What is at the sale?

Aside from the warehouse filled with dolls, books and accessories there was also a silent auction, raffle and vendors. The vendors mostly consist of booths selling clothes to fit the 18” dolls but there was also one food vendor who because of their monopoly was quite popular. I have to be honest, I didn’t expect to buy anything from the vendors but we ended up with three well crafted outfits. Elsa, Anna and Super Woman costumes have found a new home in our house.

The main event is, of course, the warehouse. The warehouse is filled with to the brim with product that volunteers have busy processing for almost an entire year. The mix of product changes every year but for the 2019 sale at least there was a large variety of dolls: Bitty Baby, Wellie Wishers, Truly Me, Girl of the Year and a handful of BeForever dolls. Some dolls had large quantities available whereas, others were quite limited. All were available at a discount, some steeper than others. There was also a large selection of books (all available for $2 each) and a handful of clothing, accessory and large voucher items. Examples of the large voucher items were: Melody’s bed, Kit’s Garden Shed and a spa chair. I wish there had been more clothing options and big ticket items but again, this changes every year and isn’t shared prior to the event. Regardless, there is a vast amount of items all of it in pristine condition.

What I wish I would have known?

Entrance times at the sale tend to be delayed. Be prepared especially as there is little shade and seating outside of the warehouse. We were set to enter at noon and didn’t get to enter until around 1pm. Timing updates are posted on Twitter and the Museum’s sale page but be warned that cell reception around and in the warehouse is not reliable.

The Silent Auction and Raffles are quite popular. The Silent Auction is especially a great way to score some clothing and accessories that are currently retired. I almost ended up spending a small fortune on Lea Clark but last minute decided to rescind my offer…my daughter loves Lea thanks to the movie Lea to the Rescue on Amazon Prime but it’s best I didn’t break the bank.

The weather can be extreme you will spend time outside either waiting to enter during your time slot or walking around and visiting vendors. Plan to bring snacks, water, rain gear and in extreme heat a portable water spray fan would be wonderful. I wish we would have had one.

If you get an email from Madison Children’s Museum about the ticket lottery, hotel blocks opening up or additional events like this years’ PJ Party - act fast! The sale is very popular and people do travel in for it so the blocks and the events sell out. For example, I waited to book tickets for Friday nights PJ Party at the museum and it sold out. Luckily, they opened up a second night and I was able to grab some quickly but that too sold out. My advice would be to act on these things and if you find out you can’t attend, there will most likely be someone who will want to purchase the tickets from you.

However, the number one thing I wish I would have known about is, The Mattel Toy Store! The toy store is located in Middleton next to the American Girl HQ and they also carry American Girl amongst other brands. I heard from a number of people that they were able to find quite a few accessories here as well as Maryellen’s Camper at half off! If you want to check this store out your best bet is to go Saturday morning (it’s relatively close to the warehouse) as they are closed on Sunday. This would have been a great time filler for us and I’m sorry we missed it.

Additional Insight…

There are shuttles to and from the sale from nearby hotels and parking lots. We were able to find street parking a short walk away and I would recommend this. It was then easy enough to drive up the car for pick up of our sale purchases. It would have been a hassle to take them on a bus.

There are a handful of social media accounts that you can follow to help you stay informed. The American Girl Benefit Sale Facebook page and the agbenefitsale_2019 Instagram account were the most helpful for me.

Additional events like the PJ Party at the Madison Children’s Museum are worth it! I’m not sure if they do these every year but it was a great way to see the museum and make some memories. Tickets for the kids were $30 and chaperones were $5 a piece. There were doll themed activities like a scavenger hunt, t-shirt decorating, bracelet making, button making etc… Plus snacks and the ability to explore the museum for 2.5 hours. All that plus a brand new Melody doll (included in the price of the child ticket) was really too good too pass up!

All in all, it was a really fun experience and if you love a good shopping “high” this sale may be for you. My oldest daughter loved it, she wants to come again next year and she said it felt like it was her birthday. She was definitely spoiled but when your birthday is six days before Christmas…it’s ok to have a little bit of Christmas in July too! Next year’s sale dates are already posted, so mark your calendar for July 18th and 19th 2020…maybe we’ll see you there!

The Balance of Motherhood

May 12, 2019 by Katie Wilson

As it’s Mother’s Day weekend I thought I’d write a post about balance. I was scrolling through Instagram last week and saw a post from a working mom asking for comments and feedback about this topic. My thoughts about finding balance have been swirling in my head ever since. This is a question thrown at mother’s all the time whether you stay-at-home or work full time, I promise you, at some point you’ll be asked, “How do you balance it all?”, “How do you find work/life balance?”, “How do you do it all with three kids?” yada yada yada…there are more variations on this question than I can count. So here it goes…brace yourself, I’m adding my TAKE on this widely discussed topic too.

In reality, this topic infuriates me. The word balance infuriates me. The fact that society pressures anyone to achieve this, infuriates me. I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t exist - it’s an illusion, it’s a myth. By definition balance is an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady. There is nothing evenly distributed about motherhood, EVER - it’s an all in kind of thing. A wonderful yet all consuming for the rest of your life kind of thing and when paired with other facets of life like work, relationships, self care, volunteering and spirituality it is wholly unattainable.

Certainly a person can live an entirely fulfilling life being a mother but please don’t expect to find balance. Rather be prepared for it to be a juggling act where your time and focus will need to ebb and flow. One week you may feel like you’ve got it all together the kids are happy and healthy, you’ve spent quality time with your partner, had time for yourself and wrapped up a project at work but who knows what the next week will bring. Without fail, it will be something different and there will be challenges and sleepless nights, possibly guilt and you may even feel like an imposter. The thing is this is normal and don’t let other people lead you to believe that they haven’t experienced this because we all experience some variation of this. Our are lives are meant to change it’s natural and sometimes it’s really really hard but don’t let outside pressures stop you from creating your version of happiness. We should band together rather than let society pressure us into an unrealistic ideal.

As a mother of three, I’m often asked how I keep it together. And the thing is, I don’t always have it together but whatever I do, I just do it. There isn’t another option. Of course, I have a wonderful partner who is hands on when he is around and a nanny who helps set schedules for our kids and does dishes and puts laundry away etc… But the majority of the time it is just me with the kids and it isn’t always pretty. I’m always running late, dishes are almost always left in the sink, beds are never made, I rarely have phone conversations, I have 100+ emails I haven’t read through at work and on countless occassions I’ve taken my kids to school in the same clothes that I’ve slept in the night before.

But what I’ve come to realize is that I don’t think my kids will remember any of this and I’m not sure I will either and it doesn’t matter. What matters is that when I’m with them or when I am at work I try to stay present and if that means I need to have a flexible work schedule in order to be present at a school play and instead work when the kids are sleeping then I’m going to find the way to have the conversation and make that happen. Life isn’t about struggling to achieve a balance that doesn’t exist, rather it’s about creating memories and carving out that time with your loved ones to share those experiences. It’s going to be messy sometimes but altogether worth it.

If you’ve read this far, thank you for reading my rant. I’m certainly not an expert but I’ve been doing this for a while so I have some experience and it truly, wasn’t until I had my third child that everything kind of clicked. My reality changed drastically and I became better at prioritization and constant re-prioritization, saying no to meaningless things, setting boundaries, finding time for myself and identifying the impact I can have at work and at home within a finite amount of time. Letting go of the stigma of balance was hard but it’s so freeing and once I came to the realization that I had the power to design a life full of family, work, friends, volunteering, hobbies etc… that I wanted, I felt empowered. The bottom line is don’t set unrealistic expectations upon yourself. I do still think we can have it all but maybe, just not all at the same time. When I look back on my life I don’t think I will be thinking about a week where I felt like I was a failure but rather my entire life and how when everything is pieced together I will feel whole. It may not be a life of balance but something fluid and without guilt and on this day I wish that for you. Happy Mother’s Day!

A Berry Lovers' Themed Birthday

April 24, 2019 by Katie Wilson

Our youngest turns two next week and while bittersweet, I’m looking forward to the day. We aren’t throwing her a big birthday party, rather just celebrating the five of us but of course, a theme will be involved! For some people, themes can be overwhelming but for me they help me to focus and get excited about the upcoming event, while helping to make the celebration memorable. Read on for my TAKE on a Berry Lovers’ Birthday!

Unlike her older siblings Maggie (Magnolia) loves all sorts of fruit, especially berries. Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries are high on her list of favorite fruits and will eat them with abandon. When in New York for work earlier this year, I stumbled across Strawberry paper cups at Flying Tiger. The cups were adorable, inexpensive and after purchasing them I started noticing strawberries everywhere so the theme just kind of snowballed from there.

We’ll have berries for breakfast on the big day, plus some Strawberry themed wrapping and gifts. To end the day I ordered a cake from Sweet Mandy B’s with painted Strawberries - I can’t wait to see it! Maybe I can even find some Strawberry shaped helium balloons. The day will be simple, sweet and pretty low maintenance which I’m quite excited about. For some of the Strawberry themed gifts in the mix and a few that our still on Maggie’s wish list, check out the links below!

Strawberry Themed Gifts

Hoppy Easter!

April 10, 2019 by Katie Wilson

Do you celebrate Easter? Is it one of your favorite holidays? If you’ve answered yes, to any of the questions I can relate. Easter is easily one of my favorite holidays (maybe my favorite) and with it being a little more than a week and a half away it’s at the forefront of my thoughts. We’re traveling for the holiday this year but that doesn’t mean I’m not filling our suitcases with loads of Easter goodies! I’m trying to scale down with plans to pick up some items on vacation but I love Easter baskets more than I love Christmas stockings and that’s saying something. Perhaps it’s related to my love of bunnies..seriously, I can’t resist them. One of my first pets was a bunny and The Country Bunny is one of my favorite books from childhood so clearly, in my mind an Easter basket isn’t complete with a bunny or two. Read on for my TAKE on ideas for this years Easter basket goodies.

In order to successfully pack for our trip I’m limiting Easter goodies to one suitcase. I’m trying to stick to around 3-4 items per kid and limiting sweets along with our collapsible Bunny baskets from Paper Source, that will certainly fit the bill in the space saving category. I figure I can always pick up a last minute chocolate bunny and find some last minute crowd pleasing bubbles to top the baskets off!

Here are some of the items that made the cut this year (as pictured above): LEGO Brick Headz Easter Bunny Building Kit, Mad Mattr Modeling Dough, Bunny Pencils (Flying Tiger Copenhagen), freeze dried Astronaut Ice Cream Sandwiches (a little unconventional but fun), TWEE Unicorn Horns Sidewalk Chalk, Meri Meri Surprise Heirloom Carrots, a new book (Duck! Rabbit!), a sand toy (HABA Sand Brick Maker Set), Plus Plus Construction Building Toys Tube Sets (Dinosaur + Unicorn versions), and an often requested USPS Mail Truck to add to our ever growing collection of cars.

I may or may not have scooped up a handful of the flocked Easter bunnies (pictured above) to use in the baskets and/or as part of centerpiece for Easter dinner. I couldn’t resist them and they come in up to 10 colors and in various sizes. I’ve seen them in a few shops around Chicago (Hazel, Four Sided) but haven’t been able to find them online. I will be sure to update once I do.

P.S. If you’re looking for some more Easter ideas, last year the kids Easter baskets were seriously EXTRA and I documented them in a detailed post here. Plus some of my favorite Easter books to help build up the coming holiday can be found here!

Hope y’all have a Happy Easter!

Color Factory NYC

February 07, 2019 by Katie Wilson

Work brought me to NYC this week and it dawned on me that I would have a few hours to myself. Alone time is rare and typically when traveling I end up working late in my hotel room but this morning it dawned on me that I should do something unconventional with my time; something that I could only do in NYC - so I booked a ticket visit Color Factory (tickets now available thru February).

Color Factory is a pop-up interactive exhibit that celebrates the discovery, serendipity and generosity of color. Interactive exhibits are a bit of a trend these days but Color Factory was one of the originals. It’s first iteration was in San Francisco in 2017 and New York opened in August of 2018. I’ve been following the museums co-founder Jordan Ferney on Instagram for over a year and the dedication, creativity and tremendous sacrifice that she and her team put into opening Color Factory NYC is really what drew me to it. It was an intense labour of love; a vision that they should be proud of.

Of course, the museum is full of wonderful interactive surprises, tasty treats and photo ops for the Instagram set. I may have taken my second selfie ever but it’s more than that; it’s a celebration of color and a collaboration of different artists chock full of inspiration. It’s meant to be experienced and while it was unusual to that by myself it was nice to be able to absorb something on my own.

Perhaps, it was the chance to focus on the experience without my kids or perhaps I wish my life at work was a bit more visually colorful but the Color Factory left me feeling motivated and inspired. A reminder to step outside of the norm and experience more art. It’s pretty amazing what a group of people can create when working together…something that would serve us all well to remember.

Will You Be My Valentine?

February 04, 2019 by Katie Wilson

Valentine’s Day is a less than two weeks away and I can’t help but think it’s become much more commercial and heavily celebrated than it was even 10 years ago. Maybe I feel that way because I didn’t have kids 10 years ago and holidays and their traditions seem to intensify with children. I find this to be especially true when they’re in elementary school. Don’t get me wrong I love traditions and holidays but sometimes I struggle with making the celebration manageable yet manageable.

So, that brings up the question of how to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The options are endless..balloons, heart shaped pancakes , DIY school Valentine’s, parties, themed clothes, presents you name it. What I’ve found that works best for me and my family is to try and stick to a “rule of three.” This means that we focus our efforts on three manageable i.e. somewhat low effort yet high impact traditions.

This almost always involves some sort of fun themed breakfast and holiday themed children’s books that we read leading up to the day but has also involved flowers for our daughters’ first Valentine’s Day, personalized cards and even festive attire. Whatever you do, enjoy the holiday and just make it fun especially for the kids! If you’re looking for festive ways to celebrate please read on for my TAKE on Valentin’e Day celebrations.

Festive Attire

I have a hard time avoiding matching holiday pajamas for my brood and this year I fell hard for this rainbow heart version from Primary.com. My 20 month old loves them so much she even attempts to put them on herself! Aside from pajamas which I generally fall prey too at all holidays I don’t really get into Valentine themed clothes unless it leggings. Heart leggings I find are appropriate at all times! This year, I ordered these heart leggings from Gymboree and I genuinely love the print but perhaps I’m feeling a little bit sentimental as the brand is going out of business.

Holiday Themed Books

I love to collect children’s books and they always help to build excitement around the holiday. We have a couple of new favorites this year; LOVE and Mirabel’s Missing Valentines. LOVE is not so much Valentine specific but has a lovely message and incredible illustrations and Mirabel’s Missing Valentines is just darling and perfect for a shy child. Both of these have been often requested at bedtime in addition, to my list from last year.

Personalized Gifts

In general, I love a personalized gift, even if it’s just a card or a personalized note. It shows you put a little extra thought into something and people like to know you care. I don’t always think ahead but when I do I can always find something amazing. This year this amazing spoon for my cereal loving children caught my eye as well as these festive conversation heart balloons! If you’re into sending a personalized note to friends or family this personalized stationary set is adorned with the most classic red heart!

Holiday Book Obsessed

December 12, 2018 by Katie Wilson

Earlier this month, against my better judgement I counted the number of holiday books in our collection. There are 62, to be exact. Not including Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine’s Day and all the other holidays we celebrate. These are merely, our Christmas book collection. I’m not sure if I should be embarassed or proud of this number but I’ll go with the latter. Regardless, I think it’s clear I’m obsessed. I’ve been building this collection for the past 7 years and each year add more on St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6th) and Christmas Eve. With three children the holiday books easily grow exponentially each year. This year there are so many new-to-us and wonderful newly released holiday books that I felt they were worthy of a blog post. If you’re looking for a new holiday read to add to your collection or a gift idea check out my TAKE on these holiday children’s books.

My Top 10 New Holiday Books

Construction Site on Christmas Night
- For our son who loves all things construction, this is a darling addition to Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site.
The Lost Christmas
- An addictive seek-and-find book that takes you on a journey to find missing ornaments
A Loud Winter’s Nap
- We have this in the board book version and it’s perfectly engaging for a 1.5 year old
Last Stop On The Reindeer Express
- This may be our eldest’s favorite book this season. With whimsical illustrations and a bit of magic it has captured her imagination.
Dear Santa
- Another board book this a lift-the-flap book along the lines of another favorite, Dear Zoo.
All Aboard! The Christmas Train
- If you have a train lover in your life this is a fun book, giving you a glimpse into Santa’s Christmas train.
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker
- My oldest loves ballet and my youngest two love music so this book is a crowd pleaser. It’s a different take on the classic Nutcracker story as you can listen to the music as you read along.
Pick A Pine Tree
- This book celebrates every step in selecting and decorating my very favorite Christmas decoration; a pine tree.
Over The River And Through The Wood
- While technically this book ends with a Thanksgiving feast…it gives off more of a Christmas vibe!
The Little Snowplow
- A classic tale about being slow and steadfast takes shape in this story. Again my son, loves all trucks and snowplows are no exception!

*Note that some of the books are newly released this year whereas, others are merely new to our collection. All are wonderful and appeal to a wide age range think 1 - 9 year olds!

Not only, do I collect books to read each night in December with our children but I love to select one book each year to gift to our nieces, godson and close family friends. This year, we’re gifting The Lost Christmas because a seek-and-find book is oh so fun!

Believe it or not, one book that we do not have in our collection is, Twas The Night Before Christmas. I’ve been searching for a fabulous edition for years. I’d love something with really lovely and elaborate illustrations so please share if you have any leads!

Happy Reading!

25 Books of Christmas

November 28, 2018 by Katie Wilson

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and I’ve always wanted to pair it with another favorite in my life; children’s books. So last year we tested out a new holiday tradition - A Christmas Book Advent Calendar! We ended up coining the tradition; 25 Books of Christmas. Trust me when I say that, homemade countdowns are incredibly easy to pull off but have a huge impact. So if you’re into holiday children’s books and looking for a new tradition to build excitement check out my TAKE on creating your own advent calendar.

Creating your own advent calendar just may be the simplest thing you do all year. With the help of my husband and mother-in-law we wrapped 25 of our hardcover Christmas children’s books in kraft paper. I then used red printable labels from Paper Source to showcase the number. Our printer wasn’t working at the time so I drew the numbers on with a Gold Sharpie marker. I then displayed the books on our fireplace mantle and we read one each night. It was so fun, the kids loved it and it made me so happy to repurpose books from our existing holiday collection. All of the books we read last year are listed below: Numbers 8, 13, 14, 17, 19, 23 and 25 are my absolute favorite.

This year I’m trying a new tradition but we’ve gotten all of our holidays books out and I plan to re-create 25 Books of Christmas another year. If you want to follow along and watch as this years’ tradition unfolds I’ll be posting to my Instagram stories every night from December 1st - 25th.

25 Books of Christmas

Primary.com Wardrobe Essentials

November 25, 2018 by Katie Wilson

Do you have a hard time finding wardrobe basics (sans graphics) for your children? I’ve been there. But with the help of Primary.com I won’t have to search high and low again! It took me a few years of seeing advertisements and receiving introductory offer postcards from Primary.com before I ordered from the company. I had always loved their concept of offering colorful basics at a reasonable price as I had frequently found myself in a situation where I needed a plain t-shirt in a myriad of colors and couldn’t find at my routine retailers of choice. But it wasn’t until our third child was born, that I decided to place an order (with an introductory 20% off) and try some of the well reviewed wardrobe staples. I found the site to be extremely intuitive: you can shop by color, babies, kids and best sellers.

Upon receipt of the first of my first order, I was extremely impressed by the color and fabric quality. The kids love that the clothing items are colorful, tagless, feature different animals according to size and overall are very comfortable! Ever since that first order I’ve turned into a loyal customer. Products run TTS and I’ve been consistently placing large orders about 2x a year including items for our Halloween costumes this year. I appreciate that the clothing goes up to size 12 so at least I know I’ll have one aspect of parenthood (wardrobe basics) nailed for the forseeable future. Read below for my TAKE on our favorite Primary.com wardrobe essentials.

Favorite Primary.com Wardrobe Essentials

The Long Sleeve Tunic - Potentially my favorite product. I buy this for both the girls but mostly for my oldest in multiple colors. She frequently wears to school with funky leggings. Bonus: It’s long enough to cover her tush.
The Baby Cozy Dress - I prefer this over the long sleeve tunic for my younger daughter especially in the colder months as it’s thicker. I also pair this with leggings and find that at (18M) she can easily wear two different sizes (12-18M) or (18-24M) the main difference being the length.
The Under Short - My oldest daughter stills enjoys wearing dresses and skirts in warmer weather. I insist that she wears shorts underneath and the under short from Primary.com is the best I’ve found especially, if you’re looking for a white version. (They’re not see-through!)
The Legging - The leggings from Primary.com are thicker and more durable than most leggings I had purchased from the past. They come in fun colors and the girls (pictured above) especially love the rainbow stripe version.
The Pajama Sets - I bought The Long Sleeve PJ Top and PJ Pant from all kids for our PJ Masks Halloween costumes this year. They were perfect for the DIY costumes (pictured above) and the kids have been wearing them to bed ever since.
The Long Sleeve Polo - This is my favorite “boy” item and our son has a collection. I often send him to school wearing these as he is comfortable in them and I feel like they’re a little dressier than the standard graphic t-shirt. Pair with shorts, jeans or corduroy and you’ve got a classic look.
The Henley - I bought this style for the first time this fall and appreciate the variation from the classic t-shirt. It’s a great staple for the boy in your life!
The Peter Ban Babysuit - I love love love a peter pan collar. These bodysuits have been a favorite for our youngest in both the long and short sleeve versions.
The Stripe Zip Footie - I have to admit, I’m an easy sell when it comes to stripes on pajamas. These are extremely durable and I appreciate the footies!
The Baby Cozy Hat + The Baby Cozy Mittens - These are new products and I bought them for Halloween for our youngest to match her green costume. We didn’t end up needing them as the weather was warmer than expected but both items are lined and super cozy. The mittens are especially great and stay on! The hat and mittens come in larger sizes too.
The Long Sleeve T-Shirt - You can’t go wrong with the long or short sleeve version. We have them in multiple colors and sizes and they were the first item that drew me to the company.

If you’re looking for some children’s staples don’t hesitate to try Primary.com. Now is a great time to do so as there is a Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion where you can save 25% off + Free Shipping with code CM18. Trust, me when I say this is the most generous Primary.com offer you’ll find all year!

(Affiliate links are included in this post)

10 Travel Tips for Family Road Trips

November 20, 2018 by Katie Wilson

The Thanksgiving holidays are here and we’re off on another road trip adventure headed towards New Jersey and the Big Apple. We often travel over the Thanksgiving holiday as it’s always a guaranteed four day stretch of vacation; opposed to the randomness of the Christmas holiday. Besides, there is much less schlepping over Thanksgiving! This year our Thanksgiving travels are a little bit grander than usual but we’re excited to visit family in New Jersey and after our epic road trip to North Carolina we feel like this 12 hour drive should be a piece of cake.

Recently, I’ve been met with looks of horror when I tell people that we’re DRIVING to New Jersey for the holidays. “You’re driving, really?” “Have you done that with all three kids, before?” Why, yes actually we have! Sure, we may be a little bit like the Griswold’s out on a wacky adventure but right now, driving provides us with a little bit more flexibility and the opportunity to travel more frequently. Both huge wins in my book! We’re lucky that our kids are very decently behaved and comfortable in the car but the trips are not without their moments! I’m just hoping that the two youngest (as demonstrated in the photo above) can get along this trip.

I never got around to writing a round up about our summer road trip but I wanted to share my TAKE on what worked well for us in hopes that it’ll help your next road trip pass a little smoother.

Top 10 Tips for Traveling with Kids (Road Trips)

When driving split travel into multiple days (I find that we max out at 8.5 hours)
Attempt to stay in a hotel with a pool; always a draw for the kids and a nice treat at the end of a travel day
On your first day of travel make sure to pack sandwiches (or something substantial) for the road. This helps to ensure that kids especially are able to get something decent in their tummies. Helps for grown ups too!
Eating on the road can be tricky but if your schedule allows it make time for at least one sit down meal each day. So helpful for the little ones to have some time outside of their car seats.
Snacks. Bring loads of snacks. My best advice here is to load the front pouch of your child’s backpack with 4-5 snacks; i.e. applesauce, cashews, granola bar, pretzels etc… This way your child can grab snacks from their pack when they want them. Your arm and shoulder will thank you for this!
I wrote an entire post about how to entertain kids while on a road trip (here) but the best tip is to have a gift or surprise for every state that you drive through. Our kids love this and it helps keep them off their tablets. Playing a road trip “theme song” as you pass into each new state can also be really uplifting for the passengers and the driver.
So, it’s true some states are really long and for those states that you spend countless hours driving through I’d suggest packing a handful of other activities to pass the time. A map of the United States from (Mr. Printables) to color in as you spot the state liscense plates, Imagination Magnets and travel bingo are some of our favorites.
Packing and preparation takes a lot of time but is worth it. There’s an entire post about packing that I wrote (here) but let me just reiterate that packing cubes are where it’s at. They’re such a time saver when you get to your final destination.
If you plan stopping overnight while en route my best advice is to pack a separate “hotel bag” full of your tolietires, pajamas and a fresh change of clothes for the next day. This saves us so much time and it’s so nice to just grab the bag and go when we’re rolling into a hotel past bed time.
The most important thing is to have fun! The best part of driving is that you get to plan your own adventure and experience different parts of the country along the way. Don’t take yourselves too seriously and don’t have too high of expectations for the kids and I promise it will be fun. After all, the best part of life is the journey!

P.S. The kids each have a travel backpack that they are responsible for on the road. It helps to contain their possessions and house snacks. Hopefully, it teaches them a little bit about responsibility and organization too! Backpacks (L to R) Lucy: Herschel Supply Co. Heritage Youth Backpack; George: Herschel Supply Co. Heritage Youth Backpack and Maggie: BlaBla Panda Backpack (I don’t believe BlaBla makes these anymore but I’ve been saving this one for years and did a quick search on Amazon and found one ladybug available.)

National Young Readers Week

November 14, 2018 by Katie Wilson

Today is the last day of National Young Readers Week (Nov 10 - 14) and I’m sharing my TAKE on some books to get your readers at home excited about reading. But first, let’s talk about National Young Readers Week. This week was founded in 1989 by Pizza Hut (Remember, BOOK IT?) and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. It’s an annual event the second week in November to raise reading awareness. Many schools recruit their principal, local authors or “celebrities” to read aloud to children in their classrooms. Some schools go as far as to challenge their principal to read all day long to students. We don’t celebrate this in my children’s school but I’m thinking I may need to suggest something for next year! Regardless, I’m always trying to inspire my children to read more so check out my TAKE on our new favorite books. Happy Reading!

Inspiring Books for your Young Readers

The 50 States Fun Facts - This is a companion book complete with a United States puzzle to the fantastic, The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps! We love these colorful and informative books especially when traveling cross country in a car as they are filled to the brim with facts and conversation starters.

The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation - This is the 4th book in a series about Princess Magnolia. One, with a daughter named Magnolia I was super excited to find a series with her name in it. Two, these books are perfect and sometimes a bit challenging for my 1st grader who is learning to read on her own. And three, I love how empowering these stories are. There are currently six books in the series and more to come!

When’s My Birthday? - We hear this question frequently in our house especially as a siblings birthday approaches. This book is beautifully illustrated and full of all the birthday questions. If you’re looking to get someone excited about their special day, this book will do the trick!

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus - The author Mo Willems, is a favorite in our house and his Pigeon books are at the top of the list. As a former writer for Sesame Street, Willems has a knack for appealing to children. This book will no doubt, have your toddler in stitches before it’s over.

Eye Spy: Wild Ways Animals See the World - This book is a must for animal lovers and those fascinated with science and/or the body. It is insanely illustrated. Literally, the reptiles look so real I get a little creeped out by the snake. The book is broken into sections: i.e. dog, cat, cow, reptiles etc… and shares details about how different species of animals see the world differently. For example, if you could only see the world in five colors. Each animal’s eyes has a flap in which you can open to explore their vision - it’s eye-opening!

A Big Guy Took My Ball - The Elephant & Piggie series from Mo Willems is another favorite in our home. The repetition of words and visual cues are perfect for early readers. The books share important messages are incredibly clever and appeal to preschoolers - second grade. I especially can’t resist all the of the books in the series that have won a Theordor Seuss Geisl Award.

Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes - If you’re a fashion lover and feminist you’ll love this book and want to share it with your children. The author Eva Chen is the Head of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram and is one of my favorite people to follow on Instagram. In conjunction with the launch of her first book she also collaborated with Janie & Jack to launch a Juno Valentine capsule. I’m currently trying to resist (very hard) from purchasing something but I’m a sucker for a collection and some of the looks are too cute!

Tooth Fairy Traditions

October 26, 2018 by Katie Wilson

We’ve been losing a lot of baby teeth in our house. Six within the last 8 months to be exact and the subject of wiggly teeth often dominate the conversation. I wish I could attribute it to Halloween candy consumption but I’m pretty sure that my little kiddos are growing up. Ugh. When our oldest lost her first tooth we had to scramble. She had heard about the tooth fairy at school and had questions. It quickly brought to head how we were going to celebrate the tooth fairy in our house. I’m big on Santa Claus and magical childhood traditions so it wasn’t a question of if we were going to but rather how. Read on for my TAKE on the Tooth Fairy and the traditions we decided upon in our home.

We wanted to make a decision about the tooth fairy and the traditions surrounding losing a tooth that could be consistent and easily attainable for all of our children. $20 a tooth or even $5 a tooth isn’t something we wanted to set a precedent with but we did want to make the experience exciting and memorable. As per usual, I did a quick Google and Etsy search and found lots of fun ideas; most memorably ones that involved lots of glitter and teeny tiny foot prints. (Um, no thanks. Too much mess.) There were other ideas about leaving little baskets of goodies too but in the end we decided on some really simple and classic traditions: a tooth pillow, leaving a coin or bill, a note and for the first tooth a Maileg tooth fairy mouse.

I like to think we elevate these classic traditions by leaving a silver dollar and $2 bill (thankfully my husband had the foresight to order these in bulk from the bank) and leaving notes in teeny tiny penmanship. The notes are quite fun as they often require a magnifying glass to read! Tiptoeing into our kids room while they sleep to capture the tooth is such a rush and afterwards I store each tooth in a quaint little box. I’m not sure what I will do with the teeth, if anything but it doesn’t feel right to part with them.

If you’re children are into reading about the Tooth Fairy and the loss of a tooth Little Rabbit’s Loose Tooth was one of my favorites growing up, I still remember her tooth in the bowl of chocolate ice cream so vividly. My oldest is especially into imagining that she can capture the tooth fairy so we frequently read, How to Catch the Tooth Fairy. Whatever your traditions may be it’s just fun to celebrate this time in their lives and don’t forget to take photos of your toothless wonders!

Tooth Fairy Tradition Essentials

Oeuf Tooth Pillow
Maileg Mouse Tooth Fairy
Kate Spade Tooth Box (no longer available but found something similar)
How to Catch the Tooth Fairy
Tooth Fairy’s Night
Magnifying Glass

Semi Homemade Halloween Costumes

October 20, 2018 by Katie Wilson

A few years ago, I recall my mom at one point telling me that I was going to end up like Sandra Lee, a semi homemade cook. I’m pretty sure I took offense as Sandra Lee’s tablescapes creep me out and I aspire to be a cook like Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa (btw her new cookbook is amazing). I hate to admit it, but she was right. I have become more of a semi homemade type person in all aspects of my life. There just aren’t enough hours in the day! This semi homemade lifestyle, applies to Halloween costumes as well. I normally purchase items from a few different places and piece them together but this year I’ve taken things a bit further and I’m even attempting to sew! Read on for my TAKE on a semi homemade Halloween costume.

PJ Masks Semi Homemade Halloween Costumes

My son George, has had his heart set on being Cat Boy from the Disney Jr animated series, PJ Masks since last spring. Lucy, my oldest is content enough dressing as Owlette so naturally, I thought we should dress Maggie as Gecko to complete the entire PJ Masks trio.

Due to the semi homemade nature of these costumes I have both bought and made (am still making) pieces of them with the help of our amazing nanny. In regards to the purchased items it’s really just the core of the costume aka the pajamas and masks. I’ve been shopping at Primary.com for the past year and have been really pleased with their products Anyways, because of their primary color offerings it was a no-brainer to purchase the long sleeve pj top and pants via their site for all the kids. The pj’s are made of pretty thick cotton but because Halloween weather is hit or miss in Chicago they are all going to wear their favorite Cuddl Duds base layers underneath for added warmth. Just this week Primary.com launched cozy mittens and I’m thinking I may need to snag these too!

In order to make their pajama sets truly feel like PJ Mask pajama sets I did what any mother would do…I turned to Etsy.com. I quickly was able to find a shop that specialized in a variety of iron on transfer pieces both in glitter and and non-glitter versions. They even have vinyl decals for Romeo, Ninjalino and Luna Girl in case my husband and I decide to join in on the theme. Believe it or not this if my first time using any iron on decals but these were all well made and easy to apply. Plus, they truly elevate the status of these pajamas andI know my kids will want to wear these to bed for months to come.

In addition to the pajamas and the character themed decals I also purchased character masks. I found these masks on Amazon but I’ve also seen them at Target. The masks are made of plastic yet are comfortable enough to wear and include an adjustable strap. Maggie is a bit scared of hers but the older two have been wearing them non-stop!

For the remaining aspects of the costumes which we are doing sans patterns, I’ve been focusing on cutting scales, feathers and stripes whereas, our nanny and her sewing machine have made a cape for Owlette and tails for Gecko and Cat Boy. There have been countless trips to Joann Fabrics where I discovered one of my favorite new products, HeatnBond. HeatnBond is an iron-on adhesive which has literally saved me and my non-proficient sewing skills hours of work. We’re nearly in the final stretch of this costume making adventure and I’ll be sure to share the final products via my Instagram account. At one point, I was even thinking of turning our Radio Flyer wagon into the Gecko Mobile for trick-or-treating but perhaps my need for sleep will overrule this lofty idea.

My husband has asked multiple times over the month whether or not I’ll try to make parts of their costumes again…and I won’t say never but it’s been time consuming and costly as I needed to bulk up my fabric/sewing supplies. So…I might take a year off. I mean, Pottery Barn Kids always has darling costumes but then again, I’m sure I will come up with some sort of crazy idea that I will want to execute on. Either way, homemade, semi homemade or store-bought Halloween costumes are just fun!

Happy Halloween!

2018 Halloween Children's Book Edit

October 10, 2018 by Katie Wilson

If you’ve been following my blog for the past year you’re well aware of my LOVE for seasonal children’s books. I can’t resist them…no matter the holiday. I seriously, have bins of books that I bring out at the beginning of the holiday season and they absolutely, help to build excitement. Last year I posted about all of my favorite Halloween children’s books here.

This year we’ve been generously gifted a couple of new books from family that I wanted to share. Ok, ok…I may have purchased some new ones too! These books are perfect for kids aged 1 - 8 and are heavy on the alphabet as we’re practicing recognizing our letters a lot these days! Check out my TAKE on new Halloween titles below and may I suggest to enjoy them with some candy corn and peanuts. I swear by this combo - it’s the only way I can eat candy corn!

Happy Halloween Reading!

2018 Halloween Edit

5 Things I've Learned in my First Year of Blogging

September 30, 2018 by Katie Wilson

It’s official today marks the one year anniversary of my first blog post on Katestake.com! Before launching the blog last September I had thought about blogging for a while; but had never taken the plunge partially because the domain I wanted wasn’t available and partially because I was intimidated. So last summer when the domain katestake.com did become available; I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone; grabbed onto that moment of micro bravery and took action. In a way it’s been scary to put myself out there but I’m happy I’ve done it and will continue to do so. Thank you for sharing in this experience and read along for my TAKE on five things I’ve learned in my year of blogging.

I’m a pretty private person so starting a blog was a leap of faith…I did it because I wanted a creative outlet and I wanted to share my ideas. I’ve been slowly learning to put myself out there. I’m always the one behind the camera both on the blog and in my private life. I need to start being present (in photos) if not for me; certainly for my kids. I want them to remember that they had a magical childhood and I was right by their side enjoying it with them. It’s not just about the photos though…personal posts about sensitive topics are the hardest for me to write but often resonate with readers the most.
Blogging is a lot of work! Holy cow, people put a lot of time and effort into their blogs. I now understand how blogging can be a full time job. I once read that to grow your readers a blogger should post 4-5 times a week. Ummm… I’ve posted 42 times in the last year; which doesn’t even net out to 1 post a week! Eep! While, I don’t think my life as a wife and working mom of three will ever allow me to post 4-5 times a week I do want to set a goal to post at least 60 times in the next 12 months. I have loads more to share and when I sit down to write it’s actually cathartic…clearly, I should do more of it!
Spending time working on my blog or on my Instagram account is OK! Sure, sometimes this means that the dishes are left in the sink, the kids beds aren’t made or that clothes are left in the dryer; but its OK! This is my creative outlet and I’ve learned that it’s important to give myself permission to do things that make me feel well; like myself. Being a mom, means giving up a lot to raise these tiny little people and I’ve finally learned that I’m a better mom to them when I can do a few things for myself too!
Finding your voice and being authentic is important. Content on my blog showcases ideas I have and do/would execute in my private life regardless of having a blog. I want to keep it that way. It’s important to me that I never highlight a brand, idea, product, a recipe, or book that I don’t fully stand behind. Of course, if I find a new recipe, or discover a new children’s book I will continue to share it because life is all about learning from others, right?
I’m still a complete novice with so much to learn but hope to make blog updates in the coming year. Things like, gasp; a search bar, subscription service or maybe even better content organization would be awesome interface enhancements. If you have followed along from the beginning or just read one post…thank you! No matter how small or large my group of readers are...I’m grateful and I hope that y’all find some value in the content I share.

DIY Back to School Sign

August 22, 2018 by Katie Wilson

I love this time of year when my news feed is full of my friends and family and their children on their first day of school. Most often kids are looking their best, showcasing their widest grins and holding some sort of sign to help document this important day in their lives. Back to School signs have become a fun (possibly panic inducing way) to celebrate the first day of school. Read on for my TAKE on a quick and nostalgic DIY Back to School sign.

I can't take credit for this idea...I borrowed it from a friend last year. As soon I saw photos of her children I feel head over heals for the green chalkboard signs and was ordering one for my oldest as quickly as I could. To my delight, I found signs and chalk markers on Amazon and was able to quickly make one for my daughter before she entered Kindergarten.

If you're interested in making a DIY sign for your children I recommend using the products I've linked below and to measure out your text in advance. The VersaChalk markers are awesome and have reversible tips so play around with them before writing directly on the board. I make my signs free hand so if you do make a mistake or want to re-do a letter keep a piece of lightly damp paper towel nearby and the chalk marker will easily wash off the board. I'm a perfectionist at heart so I redid my letters a couple of times last year once after letting it sit for a few hours. The chalk did come off but it was a bit more challenging as the chalk wasn't fresh. If you let the chalk sit for a few hours/days, I recommend purchasing the chalkboard cleaning kit to ensure your board will clean easily. If you don't feel comfortable free handing the letters using a stencil would also work.

DIY Sign Items

We have a couple of weeks before school starts but I'm thrilled to be able to make two signs this year; one for our first grader and one for our first time preschooler! If DIY signs aren't your thing but you'd still like to commemorate the day I've used a couple of other mediums in the past too: a letter board, photo props and banners. I completely understand that sometimes it's just easier to order something that can be re-used vs going the personalized route. There are so many creative ideas out there these days but the most important thing is to help your child get excited to head back to school. I know, I'm excited (wink, wink)!

Kate's Book Corner - Back to School Edit

August 15, 2018 by Katie Wilson

I have always loved fall and the back to school season. Back to school shopping may have been one of my favorite things as a child. Special outings with my grandmother for a new outfit and a pair of shoes and then a family trip for supplies at Target. I'm sure my mother secretly loathed the trips where I insisted on all new supplies and then spent hours organizing them in my backpack when I got home. I now get to do it with my two oldest which is extra special. Unfortunately, this time of year isn't pleasant for everyone so I thought I would share some books that we have read over the years to help us with the transition.

The nine books in my Back to School Edit are appropriate for kids aged 2-8 but enjoyable for kids (and adults) of all ages. School's First Day of School is beautifully illustrated and all about first day jitters from varying perspectives. Our daughter's is nicknamed Birdie so we love Birdie's First Day of School and I can't get over her mother's chic wardrobe. Goodbye Brings Hello is a new addition this year and it helps to teach children to accept various change in their life like a new school, a new home or a new sibling. Miss Nelson is Missing was one of my favorite books as a child. In fact, the entire collection is fabulous and if you don't know who Miss Viola Swamp is please add this book to your must-read list! A Bad Case of Stripes is a clever story about learning to be your authentic self which is an important lesson for the 1st grader in our home. If you're looking for a board book A Day At School has been a much loved book in our home for years. It's perfect for children in daycare or those starting preschool. flap books have been long standing favorites for years in our home. The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade shares powerful message about how one person can make a difference and it's authored by one of our favorite children's singers Justin Roberts! We love to collect Berenstain Bear books and The Berenstain Bears' Go To School is all about sisters first time at school. Finally, our son is entering preschool this fall and we couldn't be more excited to we have been reading this preschool appropriate book on repeat, Maisy Goes to Preschool.

Happy Reading!

The Back to School Edit