Our Favorite Holiday Books

Books are one of favorite family collections. I really love adding books that are not only fun but that we can all learn from (hence the different holiday ones we have and love!). We put away all of our seasonal and holiday books in a plastic container and when we pull them out it's like they are all brand new! But don't feel like you have to buy a bunch at once, I add a couple every year ( our collection started 7 years ago for Zoe's first Christmas).

1. Olivia and the Christmas Present

2. A World of Cookies For Santa

3. Twas Nochebuena

4. The Legend of the Poinsettia

5. The Secret of Santa's Songbird

6. I've Seen Santa

7. A Very German Christmas ( my brother and his little family live in Switzerland and I love the idea of the girls learning these stories)

8. Alvin And the Chipmunks - The Reason For The Season

9. Three Kings Day

10. How To Catch A Snowman

11. Pete The Cat Saves Christmas

12. Elmo's Merry Christmas

13. Christmas Around The World

14. Donde Esta El Regalito Navideńo De Bebe

15. Dasher

16. Where is Santa? Donde Esta Papa Noel?

17. Llama Llama Jingle Bells

18. That's Not My Santa

19. Hanukkah Story

20. Santa Claus Puppet Book

21. What Is Christmas?

22. The Bernstein Bears and the Joy of Giving

23. Madeline's Christmas

24. Merry Christmas Daniel Tiger

25. S is for Santa

26. Merry Christmas Little One

27. Together For Kwanza

28. Santas Story

29. Mr. Willowbys Christmas Tree

30. The Story of Hanukkah

31. My First Kwanza

32. Together for Kwanza

33. My First Kwanza Book

34. How The Grinch Stole Christmas

35. 12 Days of Christmas

36. The Night Before Christmas

37. Claris Chicest Mouse in Paris - Holiday Heist

xoxox

Natalie

Fall & Halloween Books On a Budget

Well hey there!!! Ah the weekend is almost upon us, THANK GOODNESS.

Checking in with one of our favorites things. BOOKS. Books, are our love language. I use them for introducing new feelings, new subjects, seasons and especially holidays. So of course I was THRILLED to find a site that got us some incredible books at a great price. And with an extra 15% off until the 13th! Here are my Halloween & Fall picks!

1. Room On The Broom

2. Spookie Pookie

3. The Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

4. Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin

5. The Nightmare Before Halloween

6. HAPPY HALLOWEEN, DANIEL TIGER!

7. Mouse Loves Fall

8. THANKSGIVING IS FOR GIVING THANKS

9. Over The River

10. Through The River In The Fall

11. Pumpkin Patch Blessings

12. HEDGEHUGS: AUTUMN HIDE-AND-SQUEAK

13. Happy Harvest : Precious Moments

14. Scarecrow Magic

15. Otis Gives Thanks

I am working on one more post for this week, because as I shop for loungewear I found some awesome sets that I know you will love, so stay tuned. And here is to a long weekend and some R&R (well as much as can happen in mama-hood.

xoxo

Natalie

Diverse Books For Kids of All Ages

I want to create an entire tab on my website with books we are reading, loving and want to read (not just kiddo ones but parenting and self help or fun reads for grownups.) Reading to the girls and again now for myself brings me soooo much joy, so I have to share it.

And to be honest the way to raise a reader is to let them see you read, read out loud to them and have interesting (to them) books that get them excited. I have always felt that the best tool for parenting have been books, we use them to explain change (like moving or traveling), a holiday or event, we use them to explain emotions and what is expected, for bedtime and naptime etc. So why not just make sure that the people, the skin colors and the cultures are all different in the books? We made that conscious decision a long time ago, and I want to make sure you can too. Here

are some of our favorites.

Zoe has been zipping through chapter books the last few months and I decided that she needed to diversify her collection, so I ordered

Keena Forde and the 2nd Grade Mix Up ,

Zoey and Sassafras - Dragons and Marshmallows and

Sofia Martinez and my Family Adventure.

Nikki & Deja

(I printed out these little book report templates, we like the one with the circles and she fills them out for each book that she wants me to replace with a new one. She loves rereading them a few times before writing one.)

Full Full of Love,

Skin Like Mine,

Hair Love and

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History ,

Kaya's Heart Song is a great one on meditating for bed time

Island Born (on Dominican history),

I Am Enough,

Just Ask (on all kids being different!),

I am Brown,

I am Human,

Dreamers,

The Princess In The Pea (one of my favorites)

For more baby books:

Please Baby Please

Baby Dance

Dream Big Little One

Baby Says

BedTime

Loved this one about nighttime hair, may get it for Ami in hopes that she will let me use a cap on her curls!

I pre-ordered this one on Martin Luther King Jr coming out this summer and can't wait because I love "The Story Of" series,

and also pre-ordered Black Heroes.

Let's Talk About Race is out of stock but I ordered it for when it becomes available.

Going to buy we are Different We are the Same (Sesame Street!),

Can I Touch Your Hair

Listening With My Heart

For MLK books we have this one, this one, this one, this one and this one. So many great ones!! We also have this one on Coretta Scott King

So so so many more books I can share but for now I will stop here. I am going to share some of my favorite parenting books next.

I really hope that you are enjoying your summer, that you are finding joy in small moments and that although nothing will look the same that you are planning out some opportunities to make memories.

xoxo

Natalie