Liked & Loved {November 2025}
It’s felt like a long time since my last Liked & Loved post, mainly because we were away when the last one was published. Now, at the end of November, we are counting down to Christmas – I can’t believe this time next month it’ll all be over!
But for now, here’s everything we’ve liked and loved over the last few weeks!
New York
During October half term we went to America, flying into New York and then home from Washington DC. It was a bucket list trip for us, one that I’ve wanted to do for my whole life and it was extra special doing it with the children.
We ticked so much off in New York with the top things being Hamilton on Broadway, ice skating at the Rockefeller Center – and Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Center too! Climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty was incredible and spending a day in Central Park is something I will never forget.
We were there for six nights and crammed so much in to every day, always doing over 20k steps, walking for miles and seeing so much. I loved every minute. I’ll be sharing our full new York itinerary and what we got up to soon.
Washington DC
After our time in New York, Washington was a slower pace for us and, due to the government shutdown, a lot of our plans had to change. During this time any government funded buildings were closed – like the Smithsonian Museums. But we didn’t mind too much – we just loved visiting such an iconic place.
We got the train to Washington DC and spent our first full day seeing all the statues and monuments. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin D Roosevelt Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and obviously the White House and the United States Capital. This day was bitingly cold but wonderful – we saw so much!
For the rest of our trip we picked up a car and went on an adventure. We spent the morning in Alexandria, a really historic old town on the coast of the Potomac River. It was a fantastic place to wander and we could easily have spent all day there – if the museums had all been open when we visited.
In the afternoon we went to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home, and this was incredible. We had a tour of the house and then did a Hamilton tour of the grounds, where they used the Hamilton Musical to explain American history and Washington’s life to us. It was great!
Our last day was spent having a nice breakfast and then visiting various shopping malls, outlets and favourite shops like Target, Trader Joe’s and Books-a-Million. It was the chilled day we needed – and the holiday was over far too soon! I’ll be sharing more about what we did in Washington soon.
Afternoon Tea at West Court Retreat
We kicked off the festive season with festive afternoon tea at West Court Retreat. The boutique hotel was a lovely place to relax and unwind, and the afternoon tea spread was delicious – so many classic favourites but with festive twists. You can read the full review here.
Windsor Illuminated
Last week we kicked off the festive season with a trip to Windsor Illuminated. This is one of our closest,a nd favourite, Christmas events and we had a fantastic evening. The light trail is a great length – at least an hour and a half – and the displays change every year. You can read our full review here.
Christmas at the Castle at Warwick Castle
We also went to Christmas at the Castle at Warwick Castle for the first time which we really enjoyed. As well as a light trail, you can also enjoy Stories with Santa and ice skating plus a festive food and drink village. It’s a really big event full of festive magic. You can read our full review here.
A Warwick Castle sleepover
Whilst at Warwick Castle we stayed at the Warwick Castle Hotel which was lovely! It was so nice to relax back at the hotel after the event and we all slept really well. Plus, a glorious buffet breakfast was included which was a fantastic way to start the day – and end our time in Warwick. I’ll be writing a full review soon.
New sofa
A real highlight of this month was finally getting a new sofa. Friends, and people who follow me on social media must think that we get new sofas more regularly than most people have hot dinners. But, we’ve just been unlucky with them really! Our very first sofas we bought from Ikea when we moved into our first house in 2006 and they stayed with us until Little Man was born in 2013 – the best innings of any of our sofas! Since then we’ve had three sofas – including those ones – and our new one is our fourth.
Sadly, the last sofa had real issues with the cushions and they lost their supportiveness within a couple of years – it felt like we were sitting on the sofa frame. So it has been lovely to get a new one. This is from Zofa and has a ten year guarantee on the cushions – we’ll see if it lives up to the expectations!
New books
When we got back from holiday, a lovely delivery was waiting for us – an advance copy of Murder at the Ivy Hotel. A cosy mystery, aimed at 9-12 year olds, it looked like just the sort of book LP would enjoy.
The story is about two girls who live in a hotel who are drawn into a murder mystery. Set in Dublin, the story has a really traditional feel, perfect for fans of classic Enid Blyton, and introduces the reader to so many wonderful characters like long-term hotel residents Colin, the quiet little boy who plays piano, and Agatha, the eccentric older lady who stays in a plush suite with her dog, Milo. Released in February 2026, you can find out more and preorder it here.
This month I have also discovered Chris Whitaker, devouring All the Colours of the Dark and We Begin at the End in a matter of days. They’re such long books, and quite intimidating to pick up, by the pages seem to fall away as you get sucked into a new world, with really well described locations, deep characters and intwined stories with twists that just keep appearing. I can’t wait to read more of his work. You can see all Chris Whitaker’s books here.
We’ve also been sent Your Kid Belongs Here which is billed as An Insider’s Guide to Parenting Neurodiverse Children. It’s a heartfelt, practical guide to parenting children in a world not designed for them – or their parents. It combines personal stories, research, and helpful strategies and offers a powerful narrative of advocacy, empathy, and resilience, addressing the unique challenges faced by neurodiverse families while celebrating the strengths of neurodivergent children and parents alike.
I’ve only just started reading this book and see that it would be a great book not just for parents of neurodiverse children but for teachers, caregivers, health professionals and anyone else who wants to understand neurodiverse children, heir lives and parents better. It’s eye opening, informative and well worth reading. Find out more here.
New products
This month we have been trying lots of lovely new products that you might like to try too! Toast’em Pop-Ups come in a range of flavours – Frosted S’mores, Frosted S’mores and Frosted Chocolate Fudge – and are a fantastic sweet treat whenever you need one.
Simply pop in the toaster on the lowest setting and you almost instantly have a lovely warm and comforting sweet treat that can be enjoyed at any time of the day or night. Quite like a pastry or cake, they have glorious sweet fillings and are so easy to heat and enjoy. We’ll definitely be buying them again! Find out more here.
We’ve also been enjoying Cruncheez as an alternative to traditional crisps. These corn snacks are baked rather than fried and completely gluten free. They are a crunchy, fun snack that is great to enjoy as part of a buffet spread or simply with your lunch. The Fiery Hot and Cheezy Jalapeno varieties give a fantastic burst of flavour!
And we’ve also discovered AW Root Beer this month. This rich and creamy drink is a classic that is full of nostalgia. Full of flavour, it’s a great choice for cosy winter evenings, with an unforgettable taste. We really enjoyed it.
Saying a final good bye to my dad
Not exactly something I’ve liked or loved but something I wanted to record somewhere all the same. My biological dad died back in April, and we had his funeral in May but, for many reasons, it took a while for everything to be ready to inter his ashes. But, a couple of weeks ago we travelled down to Somerset to lay him to rest with his late wife, who died back in 2012. It brings me comfort that they’re now back together again.
And I’ve finished the month with a sickness bug, which luckily only lasted 24 hours but had knocked the energy completely out of me. Hopefully I’ll be back to my usual self in a few days! I hope you’ve had a lovely November, whatever you’ve been up to and I’ll check back in again this time next month – when Christmas will be done and dusted!
