February is Black History Month! If your child’s library isn’t already brimming with adorable picture books that feature diverse characters, this is a great month to start! Here are a handful of picture books we know and love!

We picnic in The Woodlands as often as possible, but in the past, our picnics have almost always looked the same. But not anymore! I found this gem of a book - A Year of Picnics - at one of our libraries, and the author has planned 20 different themed picnics for us to sink our teeth into. It's really getting my creative juices flowing! I can't wait to implement some of these ideas along with many of my own. Each picnic idea includes a menu, packing listing, and suggested activities. While a "Breakfast Picnic" might include playing games like hide and seek, walking along a creek, or eating homemade biscuits and jam, a Bird-Watching picnic might implore you to pack binoculars and a birding field guide plus a lunch that includes pickled eggs and birdseed cookies.

When I was growing up, there were very few people on the big screen who looked like me – not that I necessarily noticed; but looking back, I can ascertain that it was a reality. I’m grateful that times have changed, and my daughters get to enjoy interesting movies with all sorts of remarkable characters including some who share their same ethnic background. I thought it would be meaningful to make an acknowledgement post during Black History Month, and, although the month is celebrated in various ways by different people, let’s have fun with it and discuss some good movies starring black actors! Here are 14 of our faves that you can (probably) watch with your entire family: