Yours Truly, Eliza B.

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  • Connection

    Random Thoughts on Reaching for Rhythm and Returning to the Page

    How do you begin a blog post to capture six months of a year where you…

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  • Connection

    A Course is Born

    This is the story of how I came up with the idea to create my course…

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  • Connection,  Family

    Family Night

    Back in 2020, during a brainstorming session to come up with some special rituals for our…

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  • Connection,  Lifestyle

    A Shift Toward Monthly Intentions

    Have you been wondering what ever happened to my monthly goal-setting series? Well you’re not alone…

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  • Connection

    FAVORITE SUMMER CHILDREN’S BOOKS

    I love rotating our kids books seasonally. Mainly because it feels so exciting and new when…

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  • Connection,  Creative

    Yours Truly: The Lost Art of Connection Through Letter Writing

    Can you believe it’s mid-April already!? This has been such a busy month so far for…

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  • Connection

    On Writing: A Letter to Myself One Year Ago

    Dear me (one year ago), You’re about a month into a global pandemic by now (one…

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  • Connection

    On Writing: A Letter to My Childhood Self

    Dear little me,  I have written you so many letters in my mind through the years.…

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  • Connection

    Love Card Giveaway 2021

    Well hello there! I don’t know about you, but January seems like it just flew by…

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  • Connection,  Family

    How to Send a Hug

    With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, we’ve been talking a lot about love and all…

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Recent Posts

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yourstrulyelizab

Eliza B.
Happy day 7 of my 12 days of my Christmas Holiday Happy day 7 of my 12 days of my Christmas Holiday book giveaway! To enter for a chance to win one of our favorite holiday books today + a special Bonus Book - tell me an unpopular opinion you have about the holidays in the comments below!! **Keep it KIND please! I believe we should all do what works best for our families & what feels right for us.⁠ ⁠ >> Bonus entry today, if you tag a friend to play along!⁠ ⁠ I’ve been hearing all kinds of unpopular/controversial opinions about the holidays lately, especially here on IG & they always seem to make for some great conversation! For instance, SO MANY families I know do “Elf on the Shelf” with their kids but loathe the process of moving it every night & deciding what to make the elf do! Then there are other people who LOVE the creativity of it!⁠ ⁠ I’ve also heard a lot of talk about how to approach Santa with your kids lately - like, is it considered lying if you tell them he’s real? Will they feel betrayed if they discover who is actually making the magic happen? Does he take away from the intended focus of Christmas? ⁠ ⁠ And OMG - the fuss about when you "should” (or shouldn't) put up your Christmas Tree has my head spinning this year! 🤪 Maybe you’re not a fan of a favorite Christmas movie everyone loves? Or maybe you don’t love peppermint mochas (I don’t!). Maybe you don't even like peppermint at all! I can’t wait to hear what you have to share (remember, keep it kind!).⁠ ⁠ If you win, I’ll send you a dm by tomorrow AM. And if you don’t win today, check back in tomorrow for another chance. I’ll be choosing one winner each day for the next 5 days.⁠ ⁠ // Stickman by Julia Donaldson - We love everything by this author and this one ranks high on our list. In this delightful story, Stickman goes out for a jog one morning only to get mistaken for a stick by a variety of different characters (think: a dog who wants to play fetch, a goose that is building a nest, a man making a sandcastle, etc.). This book is lyrically engaging and you’ll be rooting for Stickman to find his way back again by the end!⁠ ⁠ **BONUS book ❤️🎄 The Christmas Pine by Julia Donaldson (her newest book, just published this year!)
Still have Christmas shopping to finish up before Still have Christmas shopping to finish up before 12/25? I sure do! Although celebrating early with our Arkansas family over Thanksgiving break has definitely put me ahead of the curve for my usual elf-work during this time of year. I can’t believe we have just over 2 weeks left! 🎁🎄❤️✨ In our house we have some strategies for gift giving that work really well for us. The first is Santa-specific. When Santa visits each year he leaves stockings for everyone (even the pets 😂). He also leaves one gift for each child and one gift for them to share with each other. All other gifts under our tree are from family (or close family friends). For the kids and each other, Paul and I follow a simple philosophy: you get something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read. This has worked really well for our family through the years, even before we had kids! And we love getting creative with the categories too - that’s part of the fun! These past couple of weeks I’ve had several friends asking me for my best kid gift ideas. So I’ve pulled together a list of some of our favorites for this year and posted them on my blog! If you’ve still got some shopping to do (or if Santa needs a little help!) this list of 12 great gift ideas for kids might be just what you need to get it done! >> 12 Great Gift Ideas for Kids, gift guide on the blog today - link in bio 📷: @katimallory
We are halfway through my 12 days of Christmas Hol We are halfway through my 12 days of Christmas Holiday book giveaway! To enter for a chance to win one of our favorite holiday books today, like this post and comment below with your favorite holiday movie!! 🎥🍿🎄✨❤️ ⁠ For me, it depends on what vibe I’m going for! I love Elf and National Lampoon’s Xmas vacation because they make me laugh no matter how many times I watch them. Home Alone is one we always watch with the kids during the holidays. And if you haven’t watched Fred Claus yet, that’s another one I really like! ⁠ ⁠ One year Paul took me to a cool historical movie theater in Chicago for a date night and we watched It’s a Wonderful Life. It was his first time seeing it and the ending brought him to tears which made me fall in love with him all over again that night. Such a timeless and meaningful movie. ⁠ If you win, I’ll send you a dm by tomorrow morning. And if you don’t win today, check back in tomorrow for another chance. I’ll be choosing one winner each day for the next 6 days.⁠ ⁠ // The Christmas Truck by J. B. Blakenship. This wonderful little book is one of my favorite new additions to our collection. The first time I read it, it truly touched my heart with its simple message celebrating one of the greatest feelings of the holiday season: the joy of giving. When a disaster strikes the best of intentions - Papa, Dad, their amazing kid, and one fabulous grandmother work together and come up with a plan to save Christmas for a child they have never met. Thus reminding us of the spirit of the season - in giving to others and the magic that can happen when a family comes together. Blankenship's beautiful story, with its modern and fresh appeal and bright joyful illustrations, is sure to captivate your entire family.⁠
After a long week on the road traveling, our sweet After a long week on the road traveling, our sweet boys agreed to let me capture a photo of them from the final stop of our trip - the Christmas tree farm!!🌲🌲🌲 These hooligans sure know how to keep us laughing 😂❤️✨
Hooray! It’s day 5 of my 12 days of Christmas Ho Hooray! It’s day 5 of my 12 days of Christmas Holiday book giveaway! To enter for a chance to win one of our favorite holiday books today, tell me about a truly memorable gift you’ve given or received.⁠ ⁠ When I was around 12 or 13 years old, a very close family friend gave me an extremely thoughtful and generous $100 gift certificate to the local bookstore. She was an avid reader who always encouraged this trait in me. I remember being astonished and overjoyed (I loved books as much back then as I do now!). I spent hours perusing the shelves trying to decide what I would spend all that money on! Ultimately I ended up with a stack of Baby-Sitters Club books and I remember enjoying every second of them! It was a large sum of money to me at that age, but more special than that was her intention behind giving me such an amazing gift. I’ll never forget that feeling of stepping into that bookstore and knowing I could buy anything I wanted to read. It was pure limitless joy!⁠ ⁠ What about you? What’s a memorable gift you’ve given or received? ⁠ ⁠ If you win, I’ll send you a dm by tomorrow morning. And if you don’t win today, check back in tomorrow for another chance. I’ll be choosing one winner each day for the next 7 days.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ // Wintercake by Lynne Rae Perkins. This is a lovely new Christmas book we are adding to our collection this year! With themes of friendship, community, empathy, and generosity - this story is a joyful and meaningful read for the holiday season. When Thomas misplaces the basket of dried fruit he needs to make his seasonal Wintercake, friends old and new come together to help save the day. I just love the colorful and detailed illustrations of the winter forest and the animals who live there in this delightful tale full of surprises, holiday traditions, and how making mistakes can sometimes lead to wonderful things.
Happy day 4 of my 12 days of Christmas Holiday Boo Happy day 4 of my 12 days of Christmas Holiday Book Giveaway! To enter for a chance to win one of our favorite holiday books today, like this post and drop a comment below to tell me your favorite holiday tradition (past or present, or even one you’d like to start!).⁠ ⁠ I have dreamt about the traditions I wanted to create with my family since I was a young girl and I LOVE hearing about other people’s holiday traditions. Some of my favorite ideas have been inspired by others and I’ve also gotten a lot of reassurances of what is/isn’t within my “Christmas spirit” capacity!⁠ ⁠ Depending on the year and ultimately, the chaos of the season for us, our family tends to lean into traditions with a fairly flexible approach. Holidays can be such a mixed bag of emotions. For every joyous magical moment, there are stressful and overwhelming ones. I’ve found that the more easygoing I am with my expectations around this season, the more enjoyable we all seem to find this time of year. So that’s how I try to approach traditions. ⁠ ⁠ That being said, I LOVE our holiday traditions and they bring me so much joy and gratitude! Aside from our book advent, my next favorite one is probably decorating gingerbread houses on Christmas eve as a family. There is something magical about being around the table with everyone decorating together - creativity, candy, and LOTS of laughter! It’s the best!⁠ ⁠ I can’t wait to read more about your favorite traditions! ⁠ ⁠ If you win, I’ll send you a dm by tomorrow morning. And if you don’t win today, check back in tomorrow for another chance. I’ll be choosing one winner each day for the next 8 days.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ // Under the Christmas Tree by Nikki Grimes. In twenty-three moving poems, the author depicts universal sentiments – sights, sounds, and feelings that make the holiday season so special. This is a book of poetry, evocative and compelling, but the story of each poem also reads like narrative. It begins with taking out decorations for Christmas, and follows through Christmas Eve, the dinner, and days after. The breathtaking illustrations contribute deeply to the magical read-aloud experience of these poems.⁠
A few years ago someone made a time lapse video of A few years ago someone made a time lapse video of their family decorating the Christmas tree and I loved it so much I started making them each year after. 🎄❤️ ✨ So this is 2022. We stayed up way too late, the kids fought over who got to hang their favorite ornaments, we definitely have a clump of them all in one area where Niko discovered “a strong branch” and hung most of his, and we didn’t even get finished! We figured out after we started that most of our lights from last year have stopped working so I ended up using some red ones to fill the gaps but I’m surprised to say I don’t dislike it! Kids definitely teach us to be more flexible, look for the bright side, bask in the light and joy of being together, to laugh more often, and to pay closer attention to magic in the moments around us. Our house is finally beginning to feel like Christmas now and my spirit level is starting to spike. Now I’ve just got to try my best not to “fix” that oneeee clump of ornaments directly in front that could use some spacing 🤣 - I’m pretty sure it’s *perfect* just the way it is.
Welcome to Day 3 of my 12 days of Christmas Holida Welcome to Day 3 of my 12 days of Christmas Holiday book giveaway! To enter for a chance to win one of our favorite holiday books, like this post and tell me *something* about your tree in the comments below - when do you put it up? Do you prefer artificial or live? Colored or white lights? Mismatched ornaments or mostly ones with a similar look or theme?⁠ ⁠ >> For a BONUS entry today - Share a photo of YOUR Xmas tree in your stories today and make sure to tag me so I can see it (@yourstrulyelizab ) 🎄❤️📚⁠ ⁠ ⁠ I’ve always loved a live tree and every year we visit a tree farm to choose the perfect one (I usually have to be talked down from choosing ones that are way to big to fit inside!). This year we got TWO real trees, one for the front room that you can see from the street and our main tree for the living room which is much larger. I also added a few artificial trees to other rooms in our home because, in my opinion, you really can’t have too much holiday spirit. Our ornaments are a mismatched collection we’ve accumulated through the years and each one has a special meaning for us - telling a story of a time or place or favorite thing from our lives. We are planning to decorate our tree this evening and all of us are SO excited!! This year we're adding an airstream ornament (hooray for our Chill Pill!) and a crab ornament to remind us of how much we loved our summer trips to the beach and the boys’ crab-catching adventures.⁠ ⁠ I can’t wait to hear about your tree! 🎄❤️⁠ ⁠ If you win our chosen book for day 3, I’ll send you a dm by tomorrow morning. And if you don’t win today, check back in tomorrow for another chance. I’ll be choosing one winner each day for the next 9 days.⁠ ⁠ // Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of Christmas by Mark Lee. Perfect for any truck-lover, this book is sure to add a dose of Christmas cheer with its brightly colored illustrations, a full array of trucks, and counting/rhyming fun. Twenty trucks roll into town full of sparkle and anticipation, ready to set up for the holiday festivities. When disaster occurs, two kids come up with a creative solution. This is a joyful read-aloud and a wonderfully unique Christmas story.
Yay for day 2 of my 12 days of Christmas Holiday b Yay for day 2 of my 12 days of Christmas Holiday book giveaway! To enter for a chance to win one of our favorite holiday books today, like this post and then comment below with your favorite holiday comfort food (+ a bonus entry if you share a recipe!!)!⁠ ⁠ For our family, homemade gingerbread cookies and peppermint bark top this list when I think of favorite holiday foods. There is something wonderfully comforting and Christmasy about being able to grab one of these sweet treats to enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, or hot tea. ⁠ ⁠ As far as home cooked dishes - my grandmother always used to make sweet potato bread during the holidays and it remains one of my favorite recipes of all time that she would prepare. And my mama’s recipe for potato au gratin is deliciously savory and always makes the holidays feel special!⁠ ⁠ If you win today, I’ll send you a dm by tomorrow morning. And if you don’t win today, check back in tomorrow for another chance. I’ll be choosing one winner each day for the next 10 days.⁠ ⁠ // Carla and the Christmas Cornbread by Carla Hall. This is a heartwarming tale about a little girl who loves Christmas! She and her sister visit their grandparents' house on Christmas eve where her grandmother bakes her favorite food - a special cornbread recipe that she loves! Later that evening when Carla accidentally takes a bite out of Santa’s sugar cookie after dinner, she thinks she’s ruined Christmas. With her grandmother help- they come up with a plan to to make things right. Full of bright, colorful illustrations and a sweet story of family traditions at Christmas, this book is sure to warm your heart this holiday season. (There's also a recipe at the end of the book for the delicious cornbread recipe!!).⁠
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