All right.  Fourth of July was a tad early to be seeing Christmas decorations.  But once Thanksgiving has come and gone, its time to bring on the holiday decor, Connecticut!  If holiday spirit is what you’re seeking, check out some of these super festive streets in Fairfield County.  Creative store window displays, twinkling street lamps and beautifully lit trees can brighten anyone’s mood! For more holiday fun check out our Holiday Guide.

I have to admit, I have never been the kind of girl to grab a bottle of tanning oil and head off to the beach to bake for hours at a time. Don’t misunderstand me; I love the beach! But after 15 minutes of sunbathing, I start getting antsy. Not surprisingly, my kids are the same when it comes to beach habits. So when we head out on a beach adventure, I always look for beaches that offer more than just sunbathing. Below are a few of our favorites. They all work as day trips from Fairfield County. Then for more beach fun, check out 10 more Fun Beach Day Trips.

Dry skin or not, for this family, it’s time to start getting back in the pool.  And although it’s warm, it’s not quite warm enough to hit the Long Island Sound!  Instead, check out some of these indoor swimming options in Fairfield County:

I’m not kidding when I tell you that I nearly fell over last week here in Fairfield County when our new 15 year old babysitter informed me that she charges…$13/hour!!!!  Are you kidding me? I’m seriously considering having my husband quit his finance job and go into the babysitting racquet.  At the very least, I will be signing my kids up for a babysitting course ASAP. I’m hoping their babysitting money will fund my retirement.

When cold and dreary days show up it’s always good to have a list of indoor play spaces you can take the kids to when they - and you – desperately need to get out of the house.  Burning off all of that creative energy is a must and what a better way to do it than take them out to jump, swing and climb somewhere else other than your home! We've listed some fun options in Fairfield County. For even more indoor fun check out our Connecticut Indoor Play Guide.

For years, my husband and I have been saying that we need to get bikes.  So today, after a quick coffee stop (much needed) we drove to a nearby bike shop.  Now, the last time I got a new bike, the only decisions to be made were which color (blue or pink) and basket or no basket.  Well…things have changed!  Mountain bike, hybrid bike, street bike, racing bike, suspension, no suspension, road tires – my head is still swimming.  Somehow me managed to leave with two bikes ordered, ready for pick up in a mere 7 days.  So tonight I’m looking into bike trails that the five of us can tackle together before the cold weather sets in.  Listed are some nice places in Fairfield County. Hope to see you out there…I’ll be the one on the pink bike with the basket, no bell.

In this house, we believe in wearing every color of the rainbow - preferably all at once. As a result, we have lots of bottles of nail polish in our house and sadly, polish does not stay relegated to finger and toenails alone. Nope, we’ve adorned our couch, floor, sink and various other pieces of furniture with nail polish.

So to satisfy their love of multi-colored nails and my love of not having nail polish everywhere, we will be going to the professionals for some nail care this year. In fact, we'll be taking some friends with us as we host a spa birthday party! Not having been to one before, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are many options in Fairfield County for kids' spa parties. For even more fun party ideas check out our Party Guide!

Gala. Honeycrisp. Cortland. Liberty. McIntosh and Macoun. It just wouldn't be autumn in Connecticut without a delicious apple-picking adventure. For most families, it means enjoying the outdoors on a beautiful autumn day, road tripping with friends, or eating nothing but cider donuts and apples for three straight hours (and the inevitable-but-oh-so-worth-it stomachache that follows). If you are heading out to pick straight from the tree, call ahead to see what's available, but meanwhile, check out our Apple Picking Guide, which includes farms all over the state. Below are some wonderful family-owned orchards to consider in Eastern Connecticut: