Our weekend should be a good one. We’re hoping to take advantage of the sunny weather and fill our days with some festive fall activities as well as good food and family time. I am hoping to have the chance to share a recap of the fun on the blog on Monday but until then, let’s dive into my weekly roundup of favorites, shall we?
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend and that some gorgeous fall weather is coming your way!
Things I’m Loving Friday
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Halloween Books (+ Seeking Your Recommendations!)
As a kid, I loved reading holiday-themed books. My mom always tucked our family’s holiday books away with our holiday decorations every year so it felt like a treat when they came out of storage and we could read them again. I’ve started acquiring a small collection of holiday books for our boys over the years and when I decorated our home for fall last weekend, I unpacked our Halloween and Thanksgiving books as well. We have a few favorites in our house, but I’d love to hear any recommendations you might have for Halloween or Thanksgiving books for children. I checked four new-to-us books out at the library this week and they were all duds so I’m hoping you guys might be able to help us discover some new good ones this year.
And just in case you’re looking for recommendations as well here are our family’s current favorites:
For Chase: The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything (Chase gets so into this one! Highly recommended!), Room on the Broom, Pete the Cat: Trick or Treat
For Ryder: Little Blue Truck Halloween, Never Touch a Monster (not technically Halloween-specific but monster-themed and a great touch-and-feel interactive book)
When I shared the clear makeup bag I recently purchased for travel with you guys last week, I mentioned my love for a see-through pouch for the boys’ snacks and had a few questions pop up about that one as well. I used to use a Ziploc bag to corral the boys’ snacks but replaced them with non-toxic silicone Stasher bags and they’re the best. Not only do we use them for keeping snacks in one place in a backpack or diaper bag, but they’re also great for storing fruit, sandwiches, snacks, etc. since they’re dishwasher safe and easy to clean.
They seal well enough to secure liquid when we’re marinating something so I never worry about food or snacks or liquid falling out all over my bag or our refrigerator. Stasher bags come in a variety of sizes and our family uses the 1/2 gallon size and sandwich size most often. I highly recommend them both for their functionality and for the way they allow you to use less plastic. Win, win!
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Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
Meet Me in Monaco was an unexpected delight. I admittedly went into the story not knowing much about Grace Kelly and her real-life wedding to the Prince of Monaco but that seemed to only increase my enjoyment of this novel. The book has heart and intrigue and kept me engaged the whole time. Though fictional, I enjoyed the way the story was woven into a true event in history.
Set in the 1950s, Meet Me in Monaco takes place in the middle of the paparazzi mayhem surrounding the wedding of the 26-year-old actress to Prince Rainier. Though Grace Kelly is a focal point of the story, we see glimpses of the soon-to-be princess through the lens (literally) of James, a photographer sent to capture images of Grace Kelly during her visit to Cannes during the famous film festival where she first met the prince and the woman who immediately catches his eye, Sophie, an ambitious but struggling perfumer whose chance meeting with Grace strikes up a life-long friendship.
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Burn Boot Camp Upper Body Workout
You guys know by now that upper body workouts are my all-time favorite so I’m sure it’s no surprise to learn that my favorite workout of the week was this upper body blast from Burn Boot Camp. We cycled back and forth from the two exercises in each superset for a total of six minutes. It was a partner workout so the partner doing the exercise with the reps noted next to it was the person who told the other partner when to rotate.
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Around the Web
Food: Cauliflower Chowder / One-Pan Veggie Curry / Double Chocolate Chunk Walnut Cookies
Fitness: 5 Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy / Lessons From 11 Marathons / How to Fuel a Long Run / Body Image Like a Cavewoman (Not fitness-specific but I LOVED this post!)
Weekend Sales: 40% off at LOFT with code FALLFEST (I fell in love with this beautiful faux shearling coat and immediately ordered it… So much potential but I’m curious to see how it actually looks on and crossing my fingers I can pull it off! I also ordered this simple long-sleeve peplum tee since it seemed versatile enough to pair with jeans and booties or leggings and sneakers.)/ 40-60% off everything at American Eagle (I couldn’t resist ordering this tie-dye hoodie since I basically live in hoodies this time of year) / 40% off all tops and leggings at Aerie (I love their 7/8 high-waisted leggings and they’re only $24 on sale + this cozy sherpa looks like a dream) / 50% off sweaters and jeans at Old Navy (love this v-neck tunic)
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Friday Flashbacks
Collagen Baked Oatmeal (I made this on Tuesday and it made grabbing a healthy breakfast all week long a breeze! I topped mine with peanut butter and blueberries.)
Do Anywhere Workout (A great workout to keep in mind for when holiday travel picks up… although all I can think about when I see these pics is how sick I was when they were taken! I was pregnant and had the flu and it was horrible!)
Question of the Day
What is one thing you are loving this week?
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Book recommendation-The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin.
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-legend-of-spookley-the-square-pumpkin-joe-troiano/1016901092
Thank you!!
It’s not a book, but follows your books, Room on the Broom and Spookley the Square Pumpkin are also cartoons. They have them in Netflix. We don’t do much TV but those two are special treats! Both my kids (9 and 5) love watching and these are both favorite books. Where’s my Mummy is a super cute book that somehow stays in rotation year round!
oh that’s awesome!! i didn’t realize they had cartoon versions!
Yes, was coming to comment the same thing! My daughter is 2.5 and Room on the Broom is a favorite book right now, so when I saw the netflix cartoon which is the book animated it was the perfect thing for a rainy day!
I’m
Loving joggers !! As a work from home mom I can’t bring myself to get dressed up so
These are life savers and TJ Max has great ones
yesss! i feel ya on this one!
I second the recommendation for The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin.
Also suggest: The Ghost’s Dinner by Jacques Duquennoy
Fall Mixed Up by Bob Raczka
Perfect! Thanks so much!
Hey Julie! Hope you guys have a great weekend. My 2 year old has been loving the book Fall Mixed Up. It’s not specific to Halloween orThanksgiving but it’s a really fun and silly fall themed book. Another favorite is Too Many Pumpkins which is very long but super cute.
sounds great — thank you, julie!
By the way, Room on the Broom is also a short movie. Check it out! My little one loves it. I think you can find it on Netflux.
We were just gifted Room on the Broom this week and my 2.5 y/o LOVES it! For Ryder, we really love The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin- we read it year round!
Popcorn by Franch Asch. It’s one I had from my childhood books and my 3.5 year old loves it!
oops.. should have been Frank Asch 🙂
Boo! A book of spooky surprises is a Halloween version of Brown Bear – text by by Jonathan Litton.
Pumpkin Shapes – Charles Reasoner
Pumpkin Party – Maudie Powell-Tuck
Scaredy_Cat Splat – Rob Scotton
Not Halloween but 2 great fall books are I know it’s autumn by Eileen Spinelli and the Apple Tree by Zoe Hall
My two favorite Halloween books, that I still have from childhood…!!!
Meg and Mog by Helen Nicoll
Happy Halloween Little Critter by Mercer Mayer
We checked out Runaway Pumpkin from the library and it was so cute!
I JUST blogged about Room on the Broom today! We LOVE it! There is a Netflix version you can watch while you read it 🙂 That’s our daughter’s current favorite little activity! And we are loving the cold front that came through last night – it’s finally COLD here!
My sister got my 13 month old daughter “Hoot Howl Halloweeen”. It has 10 noises that go along with the book that they can press and play on the side of the book. Reminds me of books I used to have as a kid! My daughter now makes the ghost sound and it’s pretty adorable. ?
Have to say that I made the cauliflower chowder and it was quite bland :/
Hariot’s Halloween Candy by Nancy Carlson
Boogie Knights (we randomly picked it up in the library – the kids loved it, the cadence was fun to read, and it was clever enough to be enjoyable for adults).
It’s not a Halloween book specifically, but my girls LOVE the book A Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds, it has a spooky vibe. The same author also has a book called Creepy Carrots, that they also really like. Berenstain Bears are always a hit in our house, and there is one called The Berenstain Bears Trick of Treat. Happy Halloween!
Our two favorites are Boo by Leslie Patricelli and Spooky Pookie by Sandra Boynton.
Aw yes!! Ryder loves Boo as well!
I’m loving a pair of black pumps I bought for work. Comfy and cute.
I would snag that Sterling coat from loft in a heartbeat, but here in Phoenix area would only have use for it aamybe a week out of the entire year. Lol. Enjoy it it will go with so much.
Our latest is Goodnight Goon based off of Goodnight Moon. My 3 year old loves it!
Room on the Broom! We also love Dem Bones. It’s not a Halloween book but it has skeletons, is educational and you can sing along. 🙂
We have a ton of Halloween books and constantly grab them at the library in October also! Ones I didn’t see in any other comments-
We’re Off to Find the Witch’s House by Richard Kreib
Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
5 Little Monkeys trick or treat- Eileen Christelow
Berenstain Bears Happy Halloween book set
Ten timid ghosts- Jennifwr O’Connell
My kids are 2.5 and 4.5 ?
Go Away, Big Green Monster! This is a huge hit with my son, and incorporates counting in Spanish so you can involve Chase in reading it!
https://www.amazon.com/Go-Away-Big-Green-Monster/dp/0316236535/ref=asc_df_0316236535/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312680791333&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15935740463060227663&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-437116290915&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62255331975&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312680791333&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15935740463060227663&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-437116290915
I hope you and your family are having a great weekend! So let’s see, one thing I’m loving this week is the book I’ve been reading. It’s called The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs. The story is a really unique and different one, so it’s been been intriguing thus far.
Try adding instruments while reading The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything. Each spooky item the old lady comes across gets a different instrument (real or homemade). I do this in my Pre-K classroom and it is always a hit! Of course, right now I can’t remember what sounds/motions each item makes in the book or what instruments I use.
that is such a cute idea!! love it!!
“Duck and Goose: Honk, Quack, Boo!” is fabulous for halloween — in fact, the whole series is wonderful!
We love that series but somehow missed the Halloween one. I’ll have to check it out!
Thank you SO much for telling us about the Stasher Bags. I bought one and love it so much, I ordered another. And you’re right, they wash up so nicely in the dishwasher. I learn of so many good ideas from you!
So glad you’re enjoying them!! <3