Holiday Tunes

We’ve been listening to all sorts of holiday tunes this month. Here’s a sampling of what’s playing in our house:

1. Erran Baron Cohen Presents: Songs In The Key Of Hanukkah
2. The 99 Most Essential Christmas Masterpieces
3. Wintersong (Sarah McLachlan)

4. Midwinter Graces (Tori Amos)
5. Christmas (Rebecca St. James) (note: this is a very Jesus intensive album!)
6. Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Other great holiday songs:

One Little Hanukah Candle (Susan Salidor) (for the kids!)
Miracle (Matisyahu)
Candlelight (Maccabeats) (see their video here)
Peace (Norah Jones)
Winter Song (Sara Bareilles with Ingrid Michaelson)
Silent Night (Jewel)
Sleigh Ride (KT Tunstall)
It’s Almost Christmas (Elmo and Sheryl Crow)

Albums I haven’t heard yet, but intend to request from the library:
The Hotel CafĂ© presents… Winter Songs
And Winter Came (Enya)
December (George Winston)
Christmas Classics

What are some of your holiday favorites?

Favorite Board Books for Kids

We’ve been busy getting ready for the holidays, trying to plan ahead with presents and decorations to limit the last minute scrambling that inevitably happens each December. This year instead of our typical Week of Design, we’re talking about holiday gifts, presenting items we love and recommend, as well as items from our wishlists for fun splurge items.

We love children’s books and especially appreciate board books for little ones. The thick pages allow toddlers to turn the pages themselves (how empowering!) and are strong enough to stand up to lots of daily use (kids love repetition!) and drool. Here are some of our most treasured board books, which we’re read over and over and over again. (Yes, we have them all memorized!) Enjoy.

Baby Love: A Board Book Gift Set/All Fall Down; Clap Hands; Say Goodnight; Tickle, Tickle
Blue Hat, Green Hat
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
The Carrot Seed
Chicka Chicka ABC
Forest Bright, Forest Night
Global Babies
Good Dog, Carl
Good Night, Gorilla
Goodnight Moon
Gossie and Friends
Hands Can
Harry the Dirty Dog
I’m as Quick as a Cricket
Jamberry
Mama, Do You Love Me?
Mommy & Daddy Hugs & Kisses
The Owl and the Pussycat (stunning illustrations by Jan Brett!)
Planting a Rainbow
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Won’t You Be My Kissaroo?

In the Kitchen Gift Ideas

We’ve been busy getting ready for the holidays, trying to plan ahead with presents and decorations to limit the last minute scrambling that inevitably happens each December. This year instead of our typical Week of Design, we’re talking about holiday gifts, presenting items we love and recommend, as well as items from our wishlists for fun splurge items.

Today we’re talking about items for the kitchen.

Kitchen gadgets I own, use, love and recommend (perhaps for stocking stuffers?):


Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer, Lemon (also available in the lime size) – shown above
As someone who squeezes fresh lime or lemon into my water everyday and loves to make mojitos all summer long, it feels imperative that we own an easy to use and easy to clean juicer. I LOVE this one. We own just the lemon size and it works well for both lemons and limes. This gadget works so well I can easily push the peels inside out to get every last drop in three seconds flat.

Stainless Steel Strawsshown above
Dishwasher safe, BPA-free, reusable, durable, recyclable, perfect for hot and cold drinks. We love them and use them every single day!


Oxo Good Grips i-Series Y-Peeler
I’ve used many crappy peelers in my lifetime and, believe me, they are so not worth it. This one is easy to use and not just for easy to peel vegetables either. I use it to peel more typically difficult items like butternut squash, no sweat!

Harold Mini Measuring Glass
I own several of these and keep meaning to pick up a few more. They are wonderful liquid measures, so much easier to clean and use than measuring spoons.

Kitchen gadgets I’m lusting after:

Oxo Good Grips Lemon Zester and Microplane Grater/Zester
After years of zesting citrus on our six-sided grater (SO not what it’s meant for!), I am ready to zest easily. For under $10 each, I may just have to buy these for myself.

Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick Baking Pans
We own two Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch loaf pans and they are completely nonstick. Not nonstick now and then not so much two years later once you’ve used them a ton and the coating has rubbed off. Our pans are as nonstick now as they were when we bought them several years ago and I LOVE THEM. I keep hoping that David will buy me these Goldtouch Mini Loaf Pans or perhaps this fabulous Goldtouch 6-Piece Essentials Bakeware Set that contains a muffin pan, a cookie sheet, a half-sheet pan, two 9″ cake pans and a cooling rack. With the breads, muffins, and cookies I would whip up, David would benefit from this gift too. Sigh.


KitchenAid Mixer Accessories
I love our KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer that we received from my grandmother for my bridal shower. I lust after the Pasta Roller Attachment for Stand Mixers and have you seen this New Metro Design Beater Blade for KitchenAid Mixers? No more scraping down the bowl! I love it.

By the way, we also own this great cover that I recommend for anyone who owns a mixer. Keeps it dust free and ready for immediate use.

Lodge Enameled Cast-Iron Casserole in Caribbean Blue
We love Lodge’s cast iron pans, but have you seen their new affordable enamelware?! I’m so in love.

Let’s get cooking!

Etsy Gift Ideas for Kids

We’ve been busy getting ready for the holidays, trying to plan ahead with presents and decorations to limit the last minute scrambling that inevitably happens each December. This year instead of our typical Week of Design, we’re talking about holiday gifts, presenting items we love and recommend, as well as items from our wishlists for fun splurge items.

Etsy shops with wonderful gifts for kids!

Beautiful, Simple Posters:

InkTreePress Check out their Alphabet Canvas Growth Chart!

Sarah & Bendrix Original and Handmade Love these heart paper cuts.

Creative Thursday Adorable, friendly animals! Perfect for kids!

Felt food and felt toy patterns:

Bugga Bugs Creative felt patterns for toys and food.


Ume Crafts Delightful felt food patterns and kits!

Felt food (already made for those of us lacking the time or inclination or skill to sew it ourselves):

Mixed Baby Greens Salad (by dashingBean) and Sewn Sweets Bacon, Eggs, and Oranges by Sewn Sweets (plus many more creative and well-sewn items in their shops!)


onenonly88 Incredible cakes and treats!

Printables:

Sarah Jane Studios Love her illustrations and printable, seasonal paper dolls.

Quality wooden toys for babies and toddlers:

Little Alouette
Eco Friendly Wooden Organic HANDMADE beautiful Montessori and Waldorf Wood teethers, organic blocks, safe infant and toddler toys, modern traditional rattles.


Just Hatched
Handmade wooden puzzles and toys. I LOVE their Wooden Leaf Puzzle and Wood Teether with the International Breastfeeding Symbol.


Blackberry Mountain Toys and Treasures! I am quite fond of their Autumn Accents Table Decor, Nature Table or Autumnal Sorting Play Set and Rainbow Matching and Sorting Game, Ball, Scoop and Cups Set.

Family Friendly Music and Musical Instruments Gift Ideas

We’ve been busy getting ready for the holidays, trying to plan ahead with presents and decorations to limit the last minute scrambling that inevitably happens each December. This year instead of our typical Week of Design, we’re talking about holiday gifts, presenting items we love and recommend, as well as items from our wishlists for fun splurge items.

Some music the whole family can enjoy:

Elizabeth Mitchell’s You Are My Little Bird and her new 2010 album, Sunny Day.


Go Itsy by Asheba and Go Baby Go by The Baby Loves Jazz Band (we prefer this cd to their other album, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1-2 though this one is fun too).


It’s A Big World by Renee & Jeremy and Victor Vito by Laurie Berkner (we LOVE her Rocketship Run cd too!).


Beethoven’s Wig 2: More Sing-Along Symphonies (my favorite of their four cd series) and Music Together Family Favorites 2 featuring some of our favorite songs from music class!

For making music together, here are some items that we’re putting in Miss Leyba’s stocking this year:

Castenets (Miss Leyba’s favorite instrument for free musical play in Music Together class) and Trophy 4-Bell Wristlet (we recommend four per child, one wristlet for each arm and leg!).

Kidsplay Maracas (their size makes them easy to hold on to) and Egg Shakers (fun for dancing with too!).

Other great musical instruments for kids that we’ve enjoyed in our music classes and at home include Finger Cymbals, Tone Blocks, Recorders, and Small Woodblocks.

What better way to encourage creativity in your family than a little hootenanny improvisation?!