a cozy winter season
If you too have not always loved winter, grab a blanket, your favorite warm drink and cozy up. :) A blizzard made its way through this past week closing down the interstate from one state to the next, reminding me we are in the THICK OF IT. Winter is not naturally my favorite season - the darker days, colder temps, often times kiddos coming down with something. But the Lord created us for seasons, so past year I started leaning in, delighting in the coziness winter brings. The slower pace, the cozy evenings in, the rest this season lends itself too - sweet gifts from the Lord I can so easily miss.
Winter doesn’t have to feel dreadful sweet friend. We can choose to delight and search for the beauty in this season. :) the Lord is so kind to remind me of that again and again as I reflect on the very heart of this blog.
In an effort to uplift your spirits this winter season - here’s a few favorites that are making this season feel cozy and delightful. Read on for easily accessible links to seasonal favorites, a warm nourishing bone broth hot cocoa recipe, and a few honorary mentions to make the season feel cozy without spending a dime. :)
Ember Mug // Keep your favorite beverage at the perfect temp as you sip it throughout the morning.
Bone Broth Hot Cocoa // The easy button for nourishing hot cocoa - add a half scoop of Just Ingredients Chocolate Protein Powder to a hot cup of water, use a little frother to mix it in and that’s it! Just Ingredients is gifting you $10 off your first purchase with this link. :)
Warm Winter Boots // The best investment for midwest winters - comfy, warm, grippy soles, waterproof, and neutral enough to wear day to day. :)
Cozy Blanket // Soft blankets perfect for cozying up with a pile of books or snuggling under by twinkling lights.
Kindle // The simplicity and ease of use while rocking babies in the middle of the night has made me a big fan of kindle reading in this season. :) Currently reading and learning so much from Be Good to Your Body by Jordan Lee Dooley. Highly recommend. :) All about nourishing our bodies well, stewarding the gift that they are, and getting back to God’s design.
Board Games // My husband is in his board game era & I’m here for it. :) This one was recommended by a sweet friend and has been such a fun calming game to play, with a cup of tea in hand to round out the night.
Candles + Candlesticks // There’s just something about the warm flickering glow of candles that just feel like a deep exhale. A couple thrifted candlesticks + candles lit around the dinner table in the evenings, make the early sunsets feel sweeter. :)
A hot cup of tea // A few years back we did a favorite things exchange and this tea was one of the gifts received. It has turned me into a tea drinker. ;) The decaf is such a warm, comforting treat to wind down with at the end of the night.
Red Light // Quite possible the most used item in our home this year - Immensely grateful to have this wellness tool on hand to use for just about anything. A cozy blanket, some red light therapy, and a hot cup of tea are the perfect trio in the winter months. :)
A few more favorite ways to make the most of this season:
Finding a cozy snowy ambiance with some calming music to set on the tv
Starting a cranberry cinnamon simmer pot on the stove
Warm winter gear - having warm gear makes being outside in the winter months so much more enjoyable! Soak up that fresh air and sunshine even in the winter. :)
Having a puzzle out to work on little by little
Antique Candle Co. Candles - my sweet sister just gifted me one of these for Christmas and it smells incredible and makes our whole kitchen feel so cozy.
Homemade Bone Broth Hot Cocoa:
1/4 cup bone broth
1/2 cup of whole milk
1-2 tbsp cocoa powder
splash of vanilla
splash of maple syrup
optional - a small scoop of collagen (we’ve used the needed brand)
heat up on the stove top, whisk together & enjoy!
That’s it friends! Hope these ideas spark a little joy for you this winter. May your winter months feel restful & cozy. :)
- Rachel
Hattie's Birth Story
Hello friends! Wow, it has been a minute since the last blogpost! Only for the very best reason. :) A precious baby girl one joined our family this spring and we are just in awe of the Lord’s faithfulness. If you’ve been around since the beginning, you might remember that once upon a time we weren’t even sure we’d be able to have any biological babies as we walked through a season of infertility. More on that part of our story here and here and here. To now have three precious babes to care for each day is an absolute honor and a gift we don’t take for granted. God gets the glory in every bit of this story.
The story of our sweet Hattie Louise. Here we go!
Late last summer we found out we were expecting baby #3 days before heading out on vacation. We were in awe, overjoyed, and quite honestly it didn’t feel real yet. We soaked up every bit of the sweetest big family vacation.
From the moment we got home from that trip, one ball began to drop after another. If I’m being honest, it felt like the enemy was working harddddd to steal our joy in this season & it stretched our faith in a whole new way.
We came home to a broken AC, a few weeks later our son had dental surgery and the bills came back seven times what we were quoted. We purchased a bigger vehicle in preparation for three carseats and the “new to us” vehicle started having a slew of issues before we even got home from driving it off the lot. We would find out a month later a loved one received a stage 4 cancer diagnosis, two other family members underwent surgery, we had a dishwasher leak that resulted in ripping up flooring throughout most of the kitchen to dry everything out, our water heater was on its last leg, & Ry got rear ended by a dump truck.
I wish I could say it stopped there, but it didn’t. At 28 weeks I found out I had gestational diabetes this time around, our daughter had an allergic reaction that landed us in the emergency room, and in lieu of all that we’d been hit with in the last 6 months, the bank account wasn’t thriving. ;)
The Lord truly carried us through some of the weariest months we’ve ever walked through. I found a instagram story I had shared in the midst of this that said “we trust the Lord even when (especially when) life feels weary. He has great plans. He’ll provide. He’ll never leave us or forsake us. We can rest in that”
Teary eyed typing that up on the other side 6 months after that was posted. Goodness has the Lord provided with far more than we deserve relationally, financially, and through the birth of our sweet baby girl. He’s been in the details of it all.
Back to the final days leading up to her birth.
After a long induction process with Remi Kate, we prayed and prayed that wouldn’t be the case this time around & that labor would begin and progress on its own. After being monitored for IUGR and gestational diabetes, the odds weren’t in our favor. With many conversations, prayers, seeking wisdom and encouragement from close family and friends, conversations with our doctors, etc. we had set a date of March 27th to induce if baby hadn’t come on their own by then.
March 25th I went in for a checkup and was 1 cm dilated (and had been 10 days prior). I left feeling a little discouraged that over the course of ten days I hadn’t progressed at all. But we knew the Lord was sovereign. He was good whether labor was long or short. He was good whether it came down to an induction or labor began on its own. He was good even if nothing went as we had hoped and prayed for.
Throughout this pregnancy, the Lord refined my heart and taught me that His goodness isn’t dependent on my circumstances.
That night we went out for ice cream together and just soaked up the final few days with the two big kids. :)
The next morning I woke up early to read my bible and just before the first kiddo woke up, I had a contraction. I didn’t think much of it. The kiddos and I had breakfast, played, read books, and dove into our Easter activities for preschool that week. The contractions continued throughout the morning & I thought maybe I should start making note of these time wise just to see. They were anywhere from 15-20ish minutes apart and I knew they could very well subside at any point. I prayed they were helping me make some sort of progress before the morning.
We carried on with our day and keeping up with the kiddos was such a gift to keep my mind from wondering what tomorrow morning would bring when it came time for the induction.
I texted Ry at work to let him know that I’d “had a few contractions” but that he didn’t need to worry. See below for the few contractions. ;)
As the day continued, the contractions hadn’t subsided and were gradually getting closer together. Ry came home from work and as he walked through the front door I was leaning over the island swaying through a contraction and his eyes grew huge as he says “you are much further along than you led me to believe…we need to pack the car” I literally laughed. I told him we weren’t going to the hospital tonight. The induction was set for tomorrow morning and I didn’t want to drive all that way only to still be 1cm and be sent home.
He nervously paced the house for the next hour as we decided what to do. I texted a friend who’s an OB at the hospital and asked her what her thoughts were - she said to give the hospital a call and that it sounded like we’d be heading in. ;) Still in denial, I hopped in the shower and while the hot water felt incredible, the contractions were steady at 5-7 minutes apart at this point. We still had to pack up and get the kiddos off to a friend’s house and the hospital was nearly an hour away, so I told Ry we could probably start packing up. The look of relief on his face. ;)
Around 5:30pm we hugged and kissed the kiddos goodbye and started making the drive to the hospital. Each drive to the hospital always feels so sweet and special. Playing our favorite worship music, dreaming of who this little one might be, the anticipation of adding another sweet little love to the family, reminiscing on the other kiddos births, all of it feels so sentimental.
On the ride there the contractions started to pick up in intensity, and one in particularly I could feel her starting to move down and thought “oh wait maybe this is real” ;) Riley randomly rolled the window down to “distract me” and I burst out laughing quickly followed by “stop I can’t laugh, this hurts” hahaha.
We got to the hospital and checked in. While getting hooked up to the monitors, filling out paperwork, etc. contractions continued and were starting to get a little uncomfortable. The nurse asked if I wanted her to check me and I said yes, nervous that I’d still be 1-2cm.
The next words I heard “Oh my goodness girl, you’re 6-7cm and your water bag is bulging.” I started SOBBING tears of relief. ONLY GOD! Here we were 12 hours out from a scheduled induction and the Lord so kindly answered our prayers to not only let labor begin on it’s own but to be progressing!! I had never had a labor progress on its own without pitocin and was just in shock in the best way. Our sweet nurse also happened to know my sister from nursing school so we facetimed while she was in the room - God is in the details. :)
After about an hour, I had an epidural and then things flew. The next thing I knew we were at 9cm, they broke my water, and it was time to push. While I could feel the pressure and knew it certainly was time, I kept asking “are you sure it’s really time?!” still in shock at how quickly and smoothly it was all happening.
We didn’t find out the gender throughout the entire pregnancy and our doctor said “okay mom and dad, final guesses?!” we stuck with our initial guesses of girl, though by the way I had carried her so low at the end, I was convinced she was a boy. Three pushes later, they laid the most precious tiny baby on my chest and Ry said “It’s a girl! It’s her, It’s hattie!”
We could not stop smiling through happy tears. The Lord had been SO kind and SO good to us. He answered a thousand prayers. Our sweet girl was here, safe and sound. He carried us through some of the weariest months of our lives. Her birth was a dream come true. He gets the glory in every bit of this story.
Meet our Hattie girl.
Big brother and Big Sister came to meet her the following day and were just as smitten as us. :) That night my parents came to visit and I was confused as I saw them carrying in another carseat…and then my precious sister, just 4 weeks postpartum, and one day post surgery getting her wisdom teeth removed, rode all the way up to surprise us with her newest little one. Cue the tears again. ;) The sweetest day.
The Lord is SO faithful friends. We pray you see His goodness on display through her story. :)
xoxo Rachel
Easter Basket Ideas on Amazon
If you find yourself needing something in a pinch or simply prefer grabbing all the easter basket things in one spot and crossing this off your list - this is for you friend! :) Rounding up all the fun easter basket ideas on Amazon! Did you know there’s a fun little feature that highlights small businesses on Amazon too?! If you love supporting small businesses with the convenience of Amazon - you’re in the right place!
Wooden Ladybug Puzzle // Flora Pop Up Botanical Book // Hannah the Bunny // Sunglasses // Read it See It Say it Sing it // Woven Basket (Small Size)
Easter Basket Inspo
A little inspiration for curating Easter baskets for your little ones. Such a sweet time to teach our little ones about the hope we have in heaven because of our savior dying on the cross and rising again.
Before we dive into some fun spring themed easter basket ideas, here’s a few ideas that point our kiddos back to Jesus to center our hearts on Him this Easter!
In His Kids Company // coloring mats, t-shirts for little ones, and even some fun free resources all pointing our little ones back to the Lord
Baby Believer Board Book Series // sweet board book series sharing simple concepts that stem from scriptures
Daily Grace Co. // Gospel conversation cards + family devotionals + children’s books to cultivate hearts centered on the Lord
Brave Little Ones Easter Tees // sweetest small shop with an incredible mama that runs it, glorifying the Lord with this business, and curating some of the sweetest little neutral clothing pieces
Now onto some fun spring themed ideas for Easter Baskets for little ones! One of my favorite “easter basket hacks” is to purchase things they’ll need for spring/summer regardless but sticking in an Easter basket just makes it that much more fun. :) Swimsuits, sandals, spring clothes, replenishing chalk or bubbles for outside play, sand toys, etc. all make perfect items to fill their easter baskets with!
And ofcourse any seasonal basket in our home wouldn’t be complete without a few books. :) This year we added a few picture books, a few books that tell the story of Easter and the big picture of the bible, and some fun PaperPie activity books.
Items are linked in order right below each graphic to easily explore. Let’s hop to it!
Silicone Lego Water Toys // Lou Lou & Company Jammies // Easter Sound Book // Rainboots // The Hare & The Tortoise Board Book // Olli & Ella Picnic Basket // Tubby Todd Easter Bathbombs (10% off coupon linked here)
Always happy to curate a custom book idea list for your little ones if that would be helpful for you!
If you’re looking for ideas to grab everything in one place, there’s a whole blogpost filled with Easter basket ideas on Amazon too to explore. :)
Hope that gives you some ideas and inspiration for creating your own easter baskets with your little ones!
xoxo Rachel
Easter Book Roundup
Springtime is on the horizon!! Bring on the fresh air, sunshine, garden planning & days spent outside. Rounding up some fun spring + Easter reads as inspiration to draw from over the next month or two! Let’s dive in.
Baby Bunny // Pop Up Seasons // That’s Not My Bunny // Little Blue Truck’s Springtime // Play Hide & Seek with Bunny // Poppy and Sam and the Bunny // Fingerwiggly Easter Bunnies // You’re My Little Honey Bunny // Easter Sound Book // Spring in the Forest // Eggs are Everywhere // Bunny Roo I Love You
Valentine Book Roundup
Cue the heart eyes…the Valentine Book Roundup is HERE!
From silly stories to sweet life lessons, romance novels down to board books, there’s book ideas for readers of ALL ages.
Make yourself a cup of tea and browse away!
Bananas for You // Calming Music Book // Babies Love Valentines // Little Blue Truck Valentine // Happy Valentine’s Day Mouse // You’re My Little Cuddle Bug // That’s not My Teddy Bear // Construction Site: You’re Just Right // L is for Love // That’s Me Loving You // Apple of My Pie // Tiny T.Rex and the Perfect Valentine
Winter Book Roundup
We’ve wrapped up the holidays, the hustle and bustle is slowing down and we’re settling into cozy winter rhythms over here.
The cold winter weather sets the perfect backdrop for cozying up with a pile of books, a knit blanket, and a hot cup of coffee while reading with your kiddos. Any time of year is the best time to start reading with your kiddos, but there’s something about a new year and fresh energy that make it a perfect time to set some new reading rhythms together. Check out this post on the difference 20 minutes a day can make & this post on whether reading aloud to our kiddos really matters.
Alright let’s dive into some fun winter books to add to your collection our checkout from your local library this winter season! Books are linked in order below the graphic to make it easy for you.
Grab your free winter reading tracker below as a fun motivator to read and mark off books with your little ones.
Happy Reading Friends!
xoxo Rachel
The Ultimate Christmas Book Roundup
IT’S HERE FRIENDS! The ultimate Christmas book roundup, with a mix of Christmas classics and fun newer additions. Whether you’re looking for board books, picture books, or a few ideas for yourself, grab a cup of hot cocoa and dive in friend! I hope this makes your holiday book browsing a BREEZE!
All book titles are linked in order right below their coordinating graphics
Pick a Pine Tree // The Tree That’s Meant to Be // Silent Night // Construction Site on Christmas Night // Santa Post // Bear Stays Up for Christmas // The Night Before Christmas // Jesus Calling: The Story of Christmas // The Grinch Who Stole Christmas // The Christmas Promise // A Simple Christmas on the Farm // Llama Llama Holiday Drama
Twas the Night Before Christmas // Tough Cookie // Last Stop on the Reindeer Express // Festive ABC’s of Christmas // Little Red Sleigh // Faith Based ABC’s of Christmas // Dasher // A Very Merry Christmas Prayer // The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker // Bedtime Classics: The Nutcracker // 12 Days of Christmas // Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Moo Baa Fa La La // The Not Very Merry Pout Pout Fish // Where’s Santa Claus? // Little Blue Truck’s Christmas // Nibbles Christmas // You’re My little Christmas Cookie // Don’t Tickle the Reindeer // That’s Not My Elf // Baby’s First Slide & See Christmas // Twinkly Twinkly Nativity // Merry Christmas Mouse! // The Nutcracker
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe // The Santa Suit // The Holiday Swap // The Twelve Dates of Christmas // A Season for Second Chances // In a Holidaze // Always in December // Comfort & Joy // All I Want for Christmas
happy holiday reading sweet friends! xo Rachel
Introducing...Books & Babes Co.
Cue the confetti! I’m so glad you’re here, friend. If we were together in real life, I’d be giving you the biggest squeeze and buying you your favorite beverage so we could sip and catch up on life together. Until that day comes, let’s do it virtually. :)
Welcome to Books & Babes Co.
A place where you can curl up and gather literacy ideas for your little ones, binge our favorite book lists, shop the bookshop, request custom book recommendations tailored to your little one, or dive deep into why it’s so important to get books into the hands of our kiddos. spoiler alert: I think it just might be life changing.
I’m here to serve you however I can sweet friends! Looking for screen free swaps to keep your kiddos busy during down time in the day? I’ve got you! On the hunt for books that will ACTUALLY get your kiddos excited about reading? Let’s chat! Need a few ideas on how to get books into your home on a budget? Let’s brainstorm together! Truly I just want this space that feels fun and serves you well. Cheers to raising little readers friends!
Continually in awe at how the Lord has woven together so many passions across so many different seasons to bring THIS to life.
Three years in the making. THREE YEARS friends.
Grab a cup of coffee & let’s dive in. Here’s the backstory. ;) This dream has been on my heart for literal years. If you were following along back when we sold our home, had no idea where we were going to live, moved into a friends barn, and the world shut down…I shared this dream with my husband way back then. :) The ways He is at work in every season and weaving everything together for our good & His glory. Such a gift!
After praying over where the Lord was calling me to use the unique gifts and passions He’s given me in THIS season, it was so clear that this was it. So many passions rolled up into one. I could cry at his goodness and graciousness. The ways He is at work in every season and weaving everything together for our good & His glory. It blows my mind in the best way.
If I’m being honest, a small part of me still wants to wrestle with the Lord with little fears and doubts, but I know there is a mama out there who needs to know she’s not alone when she feels like there’s no time in her day to read to her kiddos, a teacher out there who can put these ideas into action in their classroom, kiddos out there who NEED BOOKS IN THEIR HANDS.
So we’re doing this thing! & I am SO excited for what’s to come in this little space.
Here’s my prayer for this space. That the Lord would use me to SERVE YOU in the absolute best ways I can. That the Lord would get the glory from this little space. That He would do it with it whatever He wants to. & that so many would be blessed by it!
Books & Babes Co. Here We Go!!!
xoxo Rachel
Kansas City Roundup
We’re headed to explore Kansas City this week, and after asking for ideas on instagram, friends shared SO many fun ideas…now the hard part is deciding which to pick!
I rounded up some of the ideas and recommendations and put them together all in one place for any other friends who may visit there in the future. :) Hopefully this is a fun starting point! Since we haven’t been yet, I can’t personally share our experiences with any of these, but we’re excited to check a few of them out!
Places to eat, experiences to try, date day ideas, coffee shops…here we go!
Maybe we’ll have to make this a part two, sharing what we did while we were there and our own favorites. :)
Hope you friends are having the best summer!
xoxo Rachel