In honor of MLK Jr. Day, my daughter and I made cards for seniors in nursing homes/rehab facilities. We’ve been doing this for a few years now and really enjoy it. I was in charge of the writing, and my daughter did all the drawings ❤️.
This amazing program is facilitated by GlamourGals. Check them out!
Carnegie Hall has great family programming. This past Saturday, we enjoyed their Musical Explorer program, featuring three performers. It was a great blend of music, dance, and storytelling. Everyone, especially the kids, was encouraged to sing along and learn different cultural dances. We had a great time!
We are starting the new year by trying new things and learning! Every first Saturday of the month, Home Depot holds a free workshop for kids. This month, the workshop focused on building a tow truck. Staff provide you with everything you need to make it, including all the tools.
I wasn’t sure if my daughter would enjoy this activity, but she absolutely loved it. The instructions are easy to follow, and upon completion, they leave you with a sense of accomplishment. Each packet also includes a certificate of achievement and a pin to collect. The activity goes from 9 am – 12 pm while supplies last. I arrived around 9:10 am, and the area was already packed.
Next month, the project will be making a penguin mailbox.
Looking back at October, November, and December.
In December, my daughter had her dance performance! She did a version of The Nutcracker. She was a little mouse 🥰.
2025 is a wrap, looking forward to what 2026 has in store.
Looking back at July, August, and September.
My recap of 2025, covering April to June.
In June, I said goodbye to my role as Affiliation Council Head at the New York Junior League.
It’s about that time for me to recap my year!
In March, I was honored as an Outstanding Volunteer by the New York Junior League for all the volunteer work I’ve done for the past 10 years.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. I’m currently curled up on the couch with my favorite people and reminiscing about the past year.
I picked up a new hobby this year, collecting pins. It all started during my birthday trip to Disney World (more on that next week).
I bought pins after riding Toy Story Mania in Hollywood Studios and Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom. I don’t know what compelled me to start buying them, but these stores had a great selection of pins, and I just picked the ones that spoke to me. I did not choose the Ursula pin, though. I actually hate her, but my husband and daughter decided it would be a hoot to buy it for me as a surprise.
I also randomly got three mystery pin boxes, Up, The Incredibles, and I picked up a Star Wars one in another shop. Little did I know that this would be the beginning of my pin journey.
I have since bought more mystery boxes (mostly Disney-related) and I’ve been enjoying opening them with my daughter. I’ll share more another time.
Advent calendars are my jam. I think this will be my families fifth year participating. This year I kept it simple, but still fun.
Time to enjoy day 4!
The Casual Explorer 