When I became a parent, there were certain things I wanted to make sure I did when it came to Christmas. First, I wanted to make sure we ALWAYS had a live Christmas tree and that we strung popcorn on it. We’ve had a live Christmas tree many years, but we have yet to string our own popcorn garland; second, I wanted to have cute, matching stockings with all of our names on them. We still have a hodgepodge set of stockings; and third, I wanted to get my kids awesome advent calendars every year to count down the days to Christmas. We’ve had them a few times.

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I wish I could say I was better about doing the Advent Calendars with the kids, but the only thing I can say is that time of year is always crazy busy and I end up forgetting about it. The only calendars left are the kind with the not so good chocolate inside. But, nonetheless, I pick those up. That is why I am writing this now…this way you can quickly order a cool one on Amazon before they are all gone!

Lego Advent Calendars

These calendars were ALWAYS on my list to buy for my kids. My son, especially, was addicted to Legos, like all kids are, and he especially loved the mini figures. Your kids will go nuts for this Lego Advent Calendar!!

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Don’t they look cool?!? I honestly would not even worry about whether or not the calendar is the 2018 version or not. The kids won’t care. They all have the same amount of little windows to open up!

Calendars for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Don’t fret! There are some really adorable themed calendars for your toddlers and preschoolers. My son was OBSESSED with Thomas when he was little. He would have loved that calendar. My daughter would have loved the Little People Advent Calendar. She loved her Little People!

Fisher-Price Little People Advent CalendarVTech Go! Go! Smart Animals Advent Calendar Amazon ExclusivePaw Patrol Advent Calendar with 24 Collectible Plastic FiguresThomas & Friends Fisher-Price Advent CalanderHot Wheels Advent Calendar

The Best Chocolate Advent Calendars

If you are going to get a chocolate Advent Calendar, get one with GOOD chocolate in them. No sense in spending money on something with yucky chocolate that you end up throwing away each day. That’s pointless!

New – Lindt Bear Advent Calendar 250gGodiva Chocolatier Advent CalendarCadbury Dairy Milk Advent Calendar 90gMadelaine Chocolates Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar, Filled With Solid Premium Milk Chocolate Presents Hiding Behind Victorian Village Toy Shop – 1 PackFerrero Kinder Maxi Mix Advent Calendar 2018 351g (Styles May Vary)

I don’t know about you, but I love Cadbury chocolate, so that would be on my list to get!

Reusable or DIY Advent Calendar

Don’t want to buy a new Advent Calendar every year? That’s OK! These reusable calendars are adorable and something your kids will look forward to year after year. You can even add something small like a Tootsie Roll or a Starburst to each pocket as a little treat!

Aparty4u 1-24 DIY Felt Christmas Advent Calendar Christmas Tree Countdown Calendar with Pockets for Kids Christmas DecorationsC&F Home Plaid Snowman Calendar 28Kubla Crafts Nativity Fabric Advent CalendarBucilla Felt Applique Advent Calendar Kit, 14.5 by 18-Inch, 86540 Santa

Aren’t they cute?!? If you are looking for something a little lower key, this count down to Christmas printable over at Mommy Musings is right up your alley!

Whatever route you choose, when it comes to an Advent Calendar, it will be so much fun for your kids and a tradition that they will look forward to year after year!

Getting older has never bothered me at all. In fact, I embrace it and enjoy each year older I get. Now that I have a son in high school (9th grade) and a daughter in middle school (6th grade), I’ve started thinking about all the things I wish I would have known then that I know now. Since I can’t go back in time, nor would I want to, what I can do is compile this list of 30 pieces of advice for my younger self and make sure I teach these things to my kids.

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If you have kids, you know what it’s like to try and give them advice and have them basically (or literally) tell you that you don’t know what you are talking about. We can’t make them listen and take our advice. All we can do is continue to be open and honest with them and hope that someday they will remember the things we tell them and it will finally sink it. So, for that reason, I have compiled this list of 30 pieces of advice for my younger self that I would like my kids to know.

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1. Be yourself. Know that who you are is enough. If someone doesn’t like you for who you are, then they are not worth your time.
2. Set goals for yourself and work to achieve that goal. If it seems like you will never meet that goal, it’s OK to reevaluate and change your goals a bit.
3. Don’t make up excuses. Own your mistakes; learn from your mistakes; and move on from your mistakes.
4. Surround yourself with people that boost you up. Don’t be afraid to cut ties with those that cut you down.
5. You are responsible for YOU. Choose to be happy.
6. Be kind to others. Especially that person others don’t seem to be kind to. People may not remember all of the mean things said to them, but they will aways remember when someone was nice to them.
7. You will ALWAYS learn more from listening than from talking. So listen more.
8. Don’t let failure hold you back. Pick yourself back up and try again.
9. Always be grateful. Be grateful for what you have; focus on the good; let go of the bad.
10. Try really really hard not to be so gullible. It’s OK to trust, but you need to learn to verify things. You do not want to be known as a gossip that spreads lies.
11. Step out of your comfort zone. Try new things. Be curious.
12. Learn to forgive. You may not ever forget, but forgiveness is good for the heart.
13. Stop thinking you’re fat. Eat healthy, get exercise and you will be just fine. The number on the scale and the number on the tags is just that…a number.
14. Change is good. Embrace change. Don’t fear change.
15. Pay attention in school. School is your job. Treat it like a job.
16. Respect others. There is nothing worse than a disrespectful person.
17. Respect yourself. If you want others to respect you, you need to respect YOU.
18. Write things down in a panner for school. Trust me. Your brain may be capable of remembering your reading assignment now, but things won’t always be that way. Train yourself to write things down NOW!
19. Friends will come and go. The one thing you will always have is your sibling(s). Remember that.
20. It’s fun to have boyfriends and girlfriends, but those relationships don’t always last. Everything will be OK if and when they don’t last.
21. Curfews are there for a reason. Follow it. Know that it is not easy for your parents to let you go out, especially at night, alone. Save them headaches and worry by coming home on time.
22. Learn to take compliments and say thank you. Don’t feel like you need to cut yourself down because someone paid you a compliment. Just say thanks!
23. When it comes time for college, pursue your interests. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it.
24. Being “cool” is just a matter of opinion.
25. Saying “no” is fine. Learn the word. Don’t let others pressure you into saying yes for something you don’t want to say yes to.

What are pieces of advice would you give your younger self? I’m curious. Leave me a comment and let me know. There are so many times I hear myself tell my own teenager things that I then sit back and think, “wow. I wish someone would have told me that when I was his age”. So as you can imagine, when I was writing this list of advice for my younger self, I did so with my own kids in mind. Everything on this list is something I have said to them or will say to them at some point.

Hi! My name is Leah and I am a TV addict and I totally blame my husband for my TV addiction! With him working out of town most weeks, once the kids go to bed, I have nothing else to do. Sure I could clean something. There’s always something to clean, but that’s not fun! So I feed my TV addiction and watch every show I can. My DVR gets a major workout every single night! So…what are the must watch fall tv shows?

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I love the fall. Not only does the weather get cooler, which means jeans, hoodies and boots, but all of my favorite TV shows, plus all the new shows, start. Shoot…a few family members and I love This is Us so much, we have a group chat going where we discuss each episode. If you happen to get behind on an episode, you could end up with close to 100 missed text messages!

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So what are the must see fall TV shows?

The shows I looked forward to returning most are:

• This is Us
• Grey’s Anatomy
• Law & Order SVU
• The Good Doctor

Those four shows are my favorite, by far. The writing for This is Us will amaze you. Just when you think you’ve figured things out, they throw something else in. That show gives you all the feels.

Other shows I look forward to that I totally recommend you check out are:

• 9-1-1
• The Resident
• Station 19
• Will & Grace

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As you can see, I really like doctor shows! 9-1-1 is an intense show. Not in a bad way. I really like it a lot, plus it has Peter Krause that plays Adam Braverman from Parenthood and I LOVED Parenthood.

New shows that are just coming out that I have on my DVR and am really enjoying are:

• FBI
• New Amsterdam
• Manifest

The first episode of FBI was a bit boring to me, but I decided to stick it out. I am currently watching the second episode and I am beyond hooked. New Amsterdam is like This is Us…it gives you all the feels. It also makes you wish all doctors were like Dr. Max Goodwin!

Of course, that’s not all. My guilty pleasure TV (I probably shouldn’t share this) is reality TV. I think it drives my husband crazy to see all the reality TV saved on the DVR. My favorites are:

• Married at First Sight
• Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
• Keeping Up with the Kardashians

I can’t help myself when it comes to reality TV. I especially like reality TV shows that are SO far from my life. It’s interesting to me how people can marry someone they don’t know. When it comes to Jersey Shore and the Kardashians…I honestly have no words. They are just entertaining to me.

If you are looking to binge watch something on Netflix, check out this post on my favorite, binge-worthy Netflix shows!

What are your must see fall TV shows?