I love this time of year. I love the Christmas lights, music, family time, and all of the baking. You know what I don’t like? Setting unrealistically high expectations for myself to do all of the Christmas Traditions. It’s stressful and takes the joy right out of the holiday season for me. More and more,…
Family Traditions
Christmas Eve Box (a Super Easy Family Tradition)
Put together a special Christmas Eve Box for your family. Not only is it a fun present they get to open a day early, but it creates instantly family quality time! One of my very favorite things to do every Christmas is put together a Christmas Eve Box. It’s the one family tradition I have…
10 Ways to Rock New Years Eve With Kids
10 Ways to Rock New Years Eve With Kids New Years Eve isn’t the same experience now that I have kids. The days of staying out all night are long gone and have been replaced by dinner time, bath time, and bed time. I know I’m not alone, so I have put together some fun…
11 Ways to Give Back This Holiday Season
Guest Post: Today’s post is from Jennifer of Mindfulness Mama. The holidays are a time for giving. While most people envision wrapped packages with pretty bows on top, there’s a lot more to giving than the exchanging of gifts. The holidays are a wonderful time to give back to the community and help those in…
Kindness Elves, an Alternative to Elf on the Shelf
Note: This post on the kindness elves contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here. Kindness Elves are a wonderful alternative to Elf on the Shelf. I first learned about this fun Christmas tradition from my friend who does it with her boys every year (thanks for the inspiration, K). She uses a small elf…
8 Family Traditions to Start This Fall
8 Family Traditions to Start This Fall Fall is such a fun time to get cozy with your family and create some lasting memories. My favorite way to do this is to create family traditions that can be repeated each and every year. Go apple picking This is a fun family tradition even for little…
The Reverse Bucket List
As we start a new year, many of us are looking forward at what we want to accomplish in the future. But what about the things we have already done? Have you taken the time to reflect on the things in your life that are just amazing? That’s where the reverse bucket list comes in….
Enjoying the Holidays with Young Children
Enjoying the holidays with young children can be a challenge. The holidays are a magical time – full of wonder and merriment. They can also be overwhelming for families with young children. There are many ways to enjoy the holidays with your little ones, without feeling stressed out. To read my tips, head on over to The…
Starting Thanksgiving Traditions
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to reflect on what’s most important and to teach your children about gratitude. It’s also the perfect time to start Thanksgiving traditions. Our Little Family This will be my family’s first time celebrating Thanksgiving without any extended family. It will be just our little family of four. Cooking our little…
The Family Table
Welcome to Aileen Cooks! This is my VERY FIRST blog post! I am in the kitchen every day, usually several times a day. I have a family to feed and my goal is to make as many wholesome meals at home as possible. That way, we can avoid highly processed foods and the high costs…
