Non-Chocolate Advent Calendars on Amazon for All Ages

These non-chocolate advent calendars from Amazon are a great way to create some holiday cheer!

The holiday season is upon us! Even as an adult with no kids, I LOVE ADVENT CALENDARS! Advent calendars are a fun way to stay festive and savor the season, even amid the rush. Candy advent calendars are easy to find, but not everyone wants chocolate every day. Here are some awesome non-chocolate advent calendars from Amazon for 2022!

Harry Potter Advent Calendars

Make the holidays just a little more magical with exciting treasures for those of us who love the Wizarding World! There are quite a few options for wizards looking to count down to Christmas. This 24-day countdown comes with fun Harry Potter themed trinkets. There is also a 12-day countdown Harry Potter charm bracelet set and a sock surprise box for those looking to free the house elves! 

Best Fall Books to Read in October

It's my favorite season and I love breaking out of all the spooky, fall feel books to read in October!

I absolutely LOVE Halloween and fall and all things October! It also happens to be one of my favorite reading seasons. A few years ago I shared a post about Spooktacular books to read in October. I thought I would do a bit of a refresh with some of the books I am reading this fall. Here are some of my favorite fall books to read in October!

Fall Books to Read in October

The video shares a bit more in-depth thoughts (and a few small side tangents- lol) about the books I would recommend for October, but it includes: 

Mary Downing Hahn for Spooky Ghost Stories

Mary Downing Hahn writes middle grade fiction and her ghost stories are so spooky they even slightly scare me as an adult. I have loved scary things since I was a kid and her book Wait Till Helen Comes was the only book that actually kept me from falling asleep because it scared me so much I had to finish it before I could sleep. I love rereading these as an adult if I am looking for something I can read in one or two sittings. There's an awesome boxed set that just happens to include my three favorites of hers! 

Ways to Live More Simply

Living a simple life sounds refreshing, easy, and welcoming to most people, but it can often feel really hard to get there. In this day and age, is living a simple life even possible? Sometimes it doesn't feel like it, but I think it can be with a little work! Here are a few ways to live life more simply.

Ways to Live More Simply

Invest in Self-Care

It's impossible to give your people attention, love, and care if you are not first giving it to yourself. Take time to do things that excite you, fill your heart, and renew you. At the end of the day, find a way to unwind and forget about it all- even if it is just for a little while. I know that it can be hard to just forget about the stressors in your life, but it's important to do something you truly love, the required no obligations elsewhere in order to pour back into yourself. 

I firmly believe that you can not pour from an empty cup, so before you can truly help someone else, you first must have something to pour from. Read a book, listen to an audiobook, write in a journal, drink that glass of wine, have that bowl of ice cream, and take that bubble bath. Whatever helps you relax is what you should focus on, which looks different for each individual. The key is to not make this a one-time occasion but to incorporate taking time for yourself into your everyday life. 

Put Down Your Social Media

We are SO focused on social media. It's hard not to be when we've become so accustomed to turning on the screen and scrolling. I am trying hard to put be more mindful of my social habits. To be honest, the longer I spend away from social media, the more present I feel. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, but finding ways to simplify social can make a huge difference. Take some time to declutter your social feeds. Unfollow anyone that does not bring you joy, encouragement, or healthy knowledge. You'll be glad that you did!

Find a Screen-Free Hobby

Technology makes life easier in a lot of ways, but it has also seemed to encroach on every aspect of our lives. Where we once painted a picture, now we do "paint by numbers" on a screen. Blocking out part of the day for screen-free activities takes us back to a simpler time. Take up gardening and grow your own vegetables. Maybe get back into a favorite hobby from childhood, like puzzling, knitting, or getting outside for a bike ride. These are great ways to essentially turn back the clock and make life feel a bit more simple.

Clear the Clutter

Clear the clutter in your home by only keeping the best and most necessary clothing, home decor, and entertainment. Create a simple, comforting space that allows you to focus on connecting and spending time with the ones you love instead of having to devote all of your time to cleaning and moving around the clutter non-stop. 

What do you do with all the clutter that you cleared? Sell, donate, trash, or put it in storage. If you need help moving large items or storage solutions, MT. Zion Moving & Storage can help you. In fact, they can help with any moving-related need, especially residential moving services and Tampa long-distance moving services, too. They are fully licensed and bonded, have moved thousands of homes, and if you need something complicated done, try them - they've done it all with ease!

Make Sunday Prep Day

Eliminate the stress of a busy week by setting yourself up for more success. Plan meals for the week ahead, tidy up the house for a clean slate, write the week's tasks, and fill your tank up. Give yourself time to rest so that you are ready to go for a busy week.

Focus on Life's Priorities

Instead of worrying about every little thing, shift your thinking and focus on the priorities in your life instead. What is most important to you? For most people, it will be 1) happiness, 2) family, and 3) work. Find ways to prioritize AND balance your priorities so that you can make the most out of each day while living simply. Having too many priorities will just stress you out, and that becomes FAR from simple.

These are all simple way to, well, make life a bit more simple. And doesn't that just sound simply wonderful? I know it does for me! 

Prime Day Finds 2022 Great Harry Potter Deals on Amazon

  Happy PRIME DAY! 

Here are some of my favorite finds this year! 

RV Living Prime Day Finds 

Dehumidifier | Water Filter | Hose Support | Kindle | Hammock

Dehumidifier- We currently live off of Damp-Rid in the camper, but have been considering switching it up to a dehumidifier. This one has great reviews and a good size capacity for small spaces. 

RV Water Filter- We always have one of these attached to the hose. 

Hose Support- We went without one for way too long! 

Kindle- As much as I hate reading books on any kind of device, I had to start reading from my phone while we were on the road because it was easier than finding a bookstore, plus I can do the library ebooks. Think getting an actual e-reader may make it feel more realistic than reading from my phone. Trying to decide between regular or Kindle Paperwhite... does anyone use either and have advice? 

Double Hammock- nothing better! Grabbing a second one so Babe will have his own when he doesn't want to cuddle me.

General Prime Day Finds 2022 

Roomba | LifeStraw | Revlon Dryer Brush | Echo Dot | 23 & Me DNA Kit

Nugget Ice Maker (Crunchy Ice Dreams)- Ice Maker with side tank, no bluetooth 

Roomba- Because I have always wanted to NOT vacuum! 

Shark Mop Vac- If you want more than just a robot vacuum, the Shark model can also mop. 

Off-Brand LifeStraw- Mostly because the hiking geek in me has always wanted to suck water straight from a stream. 

Revlon Dryer Brush- this thing will CHANGE your life! Not actually part of Prime Day, but 50% off the black with the pink trim only. 

Echo Dot- I am still debating this one, but the deal is too good to pass up. Probably because the want to hear everything we say, but hey, it they will turn my lights off for me so I don't have to get out of bed well why not?! 

23 & Me DNA Test Kit- Always wanted to try one! 

Exploding Kittens- This is one of our favorite games and it doesn't go on sale often! Snag it while you can. 

I will be looking for other great snags over the next few days! All items found will be added to my Amazon Affiliate Storefront under Prime Day Finds 2022! 

What are you finding for Prime Day this year?!

January Currently 2021 Rewind and 2022 Goals

I completely fell off of blogging in the last quarter of 2021. We've had a lot of changes going on, and I know I say this every year but, I am determined to be more consistent and present in this space. Anne's Currently linkup is always a super helpful motivation for me. So starting off 2022 by wrapping up 2021 and sharing some goals for the new year.

2021 Highlights

- Welcomed a new little nephew

- Went back on the road

- Explored the Northeast US

- Made it all the way to Maine (loved it so much we stayed two extra weeks)

- Saw Niagara Falls

- Got Monetized on YouTube

- Skied Breckenridge on my first big sister trip in many years (repeat in Feb!)

- Went snowmobiling for the first time and LOVED IT!

- Saw a lot of sunsets

- Enjoyed our annual aunt and uncle Georgia adventure

- Did a bestie road trip and taught her to enjoy a car ride!

- Came back to Florida because Babe was SUPPOSED to go back into the office

- Spend more time with the people was love

- Bought a house!

Yep, we're staying put again! I am NOT sure how I feel about it, but its the right move for the moment. Even though they again postponed Babe having to go back into the office he will be asked to go back in a few days a week at some point in the near future. We have been wanting to open ourselves up to the possibility of foster car and growing our family and that isn't an option in an RV (at least not the fostering).

It means saying goodbye to our Orlando house (our first home together), which has been rented out the last 4 year. It's bittersweet; I love the layout and the charm of that home. I wish we could take it with us, but it will make another family very happy.

We made the decision to move to NSB. It's funny how life works out. We would never have come here for any prolonged period of time if we hadn't help open the Crimson House, but the time we spent here (plus our time on the road), showed us how much we love the quieter, slower life of a small town. We bought a new build construction in a DR Horton planned community (more on that later). 

So life is taking a super tight left turn for us for a while, but if there's anything I have learned the last few years its to never say never and things are never permanent.

{Anticipating} Whether its excited anticipation or trepidation I am not sure, but anticipating what's to come with all these changes. I am finally feeling more at peace with everything now that we've officially closed on the house. We are still in the camper and going to take the month to slowly transition. The bigger space just seems so intimidating right now. 

{Organizing} ALL. THE. THINGS! We have the camper which will have to be organized while we decide what's staying in the camper (we are keeping it and planning alllll the road trips) and what's going into the new house. We also had tons of stuff in storage at our Orlando house (our renters were amazing) and spend two full weekends downsizing that and fixing up the house for sale. Honestly, it's amazing how easy it is to get rid of stuff you swore you would "need" when you haven't seen it in 4 years.

{Reading} Very slowly at the moment. I listened to 5 books while we were fixing up the house and it was amazing! Made me want to flip houses so I can just paint, scrape, and listen to books all day. Since then however, I have been trying to make it through The Maidens (audio) and The Dark Lure (physical read).

These are the books I listened to while I was painting and I would recommend all of them!!

The One: Such a unique perspective on dating apps. It matches you with "The One" by blood type.

Mother May I: If you love Joshilyn Jackson like I do give this one a try. Her last two books are a shift from her typical style and I did NOT like the previous book, but I did enjoy this.

The 6th (and final) School for Good and Evil Story: Middle grade fiction that's great for adults who like fairytale adaptations. Centers around children of famous fairytale characters, plus "readers" from the real world. A tale of friendship and sisterhood. Currently free on Hoopla.

The Moonlight Child: Currently free on Hoopla and a good, easy yet suspenseful listen.

{Resolving} I don't really do resolutions, because I am horribly inconsistent. However, I do have some goals for 2022. Even if I don't meet them having a goal really helps keep me focused and moving forward.

Goals for 2022

- Start a new YouTube channel

- Spend less time on my phone and more time engaged in what's around me

- Walk regularly/ Be more active

- Spend more time with the people I love

- Be at peace with staying put

- Start foster care classes

{Scheduling} Deliveries for the new house. We need so many things and I have no desire to actually buy anything. Maybe we'll just sit on the cardboard boxes after they bring the fridge.

And that's it for now. 

What were 2021 highlights? 

What are your goals for 2022?

Currently: Feb 2021 | August 2021 & Favorite Reads