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For the last couple of years, my husband and I have made a conscious effort to give our boys experiences as Christmas gifts instead of toys. We don’t do this to be mean, we do this because we think experiences are much more valuable than a house full of toys. I would MUCH rather give them an experience that we can do together as a family, than bring another action figure or talking dinosaur into the house that they’ll play with for a week…and then toss aside in their bedroom or playroom.

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We do a lot for our boys. When I say that, I mean we literally do a lot of things FOR them. Things that they should probably be doing themselves since they’re 7 and 9 years old. Let me be clear, it’s not that they CAN’T do any of these things for themselves, or that I ENJOY doing these things for them, it’s just…you get into a habit, you know? Over the years, you just get used to doing certain things yourself simply because you’ve always done it that way and well, let’s be honest, it’s usually easier.

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The hot toddy has been the favorite hot drink to warm up with during the coldest Fall and Winter months. Some people even swear hot toddy’s even help stave off those illnesses that plague us during those times and keep us healthy. I’m not convinced on that part, but I still enjoy indulging in a hot boozy drink from time to time. They are great to warm me up when it’s chilly outside!

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Fall is my favorite season during the year and my kids really love it too. The weather is cooler and the leaves are turning all the pretty colors. We get to sip our favorite drink – hot cocoa. And there is almost always lots of pretty fall decorations up around our neighborhood and community.

My kids love doing nature scavenger hunts so this year I created this fun Fall themed scavenger hunt with things kids might find during the Fall season. I included some of our favorite fall finds from apples to pumpkins a leaf pile and even someone’s hot drink! Maybe it’s hot cocoa or fresh apple cider or if it’s an adult, it could even be cup of coffee!