Holiday Gift Ideas: Toys We Love

This has been the year of downsizing at our house. So! Much! Stuff! How did we accumulate so much? No trendy KonMari methodology here; just some good old-fashioned purging of items we don't use anymore.

My closet was first; next Andi's; then 20+ totes of baby clothes I'd stored away for a rainy day. I gifted several of Tory and Aden's gently-used baby outfits to friends and family with newborns and it filled me with delight to see those sweet babies wearing tiny outfits I'd once loved.

Next up, TOYS. I'll admit, I'm the culprit in wanting my children to have every single toy on the market. We have a pink Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, for example, but my brain keeps telling me Aden needs his own blue Little Tikes Cozy Truck. Isn't that excessive? They also make a gas pump for the little cars, and wouldn't it be adorable to have one? (Ahh, make it stop!)

There are some toys Tory and Aden absolutely adore and play with often. I'm totally fine with those things taking up real estate in our house so long as they're being used. I thought I'd share some of our favorite toys for anyone looking for winners in the toy department this holiday season:

Fisher-Price My First Dollhouse

Hands down, THE BEST toy we've ever purchased for Tory. She received this dollhouse for Christmas in 2013 and has played with it non-stop since then. Like, every single day for hours at a time. Tory loves the little dollhouse family and affectionately calls them "Mom," "Dad," "Big Girl" and "Baby." Sometimes, the dollhouse people even sleep with her tucked into bed at night. It's fun for me as a parent to listen to her imagination run wild as she plays. I also like how sturdy the pieces are (no small parts) so Aden can play with it, too.

Fisher Price Learning Home

This toy has seen a lot of mileage in our house, too. Tory received it as a first birthday gift and it continues to be played with by Tory, Aden and every other kid(s) who happens to visit our home.

Pottery Barn Anywhere Chairs
Tory and Aden each have one of these over-sized kid chairs and they LOVE them. I'm not sure why exactly, but the kids play with them everyday. They tip them over and build forts underneath them; they sit and read books in them; they fight over who gets to sit in which chair (even though they're exactly the same).

Disney Dusty the Plane 4-in-1 Ride-On

Aden received this as a birthday gift last year, and it's been a great transitional toy. We keep it inside the house, and he used it in the rocking mode with safety belt when it was on the younger side of age one. We've since removed the base and now he tears around the house using it as a ride-on toy.

Melissa & Doug Princess Dress

Tory received this princess dress last Christmas, and it's my favorite of all her dress-up clothes. The material is soft (not scratchy) and sturdy (no rips like many of our Disney-brand princesses dresses quickly aquired). It's definitely held up to many hours of play. Best of all, Tory can pull this dress on and off by herself.

Disney Magic Clip Princesses

These Disney Magic Clip princesses have been a top toy in our house this year. Tory plays with the tiny princesses in her dollhouse, carries them with her in the car and on airplane trips, and totes them to the cabin on the weekends.

I love the holidays, but I am already dreading the amount of *stuff* we'll collect when it's all said and done. (Total princess problem, I know; don't I sound horrible saying that?) I have a feeling there'll be another round of purging and donations in 2016 to make room for all the kids' new toys and gadgets. At the same time, I'm also excited to see what new, fun things they'll receive.

Happy shopping!

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Holiday Gift Ideas: My Favorite Things

Okay, I admit it; I've been listening to Neil Diamond Holiday station on Pandora for a couple weeks now. Andi overheard me the other day, raised an eyebrow and said, "A little early, isn't it?" Eh, I disagree. Christmas music makes me happy. Why not enjoy it for a few extra weeks?

It's not like I put up my Christmas tree ... yet. No shame for those who've started decorating; if it weren't for Aden's birthday this week I probably would've, too. I ordered my Christmas cards this week, and I began plotting advent calendar ideas into our December happenings. Fun takes planning!

Planning ahead means I've also started shopping for Christmas gifts. We're driving to Nebraska for Thanksgiving next week, and my goal is to bring gifts for anyone we won't be spending the holidays with this year (vs. shipping them to my parent's house in December). All this gift-buying has me thinking about some of my own favorite things. In my opinion, the best gifts come with a referral -- "I tried this, I love it, and I know you will too!"

In the spirit of Christmas (and Oprah!), here's a few of my favorite things:

Heat Holders Winter Socks


Winter is coming, and so are the cold temperatures. I live in these socks during the cold weather months (so, in Minnesota, basically November - May). My feet are always cold, and these socks warm them right up!

Snoozie Slippers


Speaking of cold feet ... if I'm not wearing my Heat Holder socks, I'm usually wearing my Snoozie slippers. My mom gave me a pair of these slippers a few years ago, and they're ridiculously ugly (the patterns!) but so comfortable. I have two pairs -- one for home, one for the cabin.

Tervis Cup (with Straw Lid)


I am obsessed with my Tervis tumbler. I like it because it keeps my water cold and doesn't spill when the cup's knocked over. Tervis comes in two sizes (16oz. and 24oz.) and has two lid options. I prefer the 24oz. tumbler with straw lid because I personally drink more water when it's through a straw. That's just me, though. Andi likes the 16oz. size with regular lid for coffee and/or cocktails.

Electric Wine Bottle Opener


This is possibly the best invention ever. I (happily? sadly?) use my electric wine bottle opener quite often. We've owned a few different ones, but I like this brand/version best.

Brownie Pan


My mom gave me this brownie pan for a gift last year and while I don't use it daily, I do love having it in my baking arsenal. It's perfect for making my favorite homemade granola bars, as well as brownies or other dessert bars.

Mesh Strainer


This was one of those silly purchases that has made my life so much easier. Why didn't I buy one of these sooner?! I use my mesh strainer every day to drain boiled noodles, canned fruit, homemade chicken stock, and more. Seriously, love it!

I Love Mom mug


Andi gave me this mug for Mother's Day a few years ago, and I love drinking my coffee out of it. I don't know why, but it makes me smile.

Cheese Knife


Andi's sister Lindsay jokes that every time she visits us at the cabin, we serve a cheese plate. Well, seriously, who doesn't love cheese? Andi and I discovered this cheese knife a few years ago and it's the best invention for cutting cheese ... or any food with a weird texture (i.e.: hard boiled eggs). The plastic blade slices right through cheese without any of it getting stuck on the blade. Magic!

DSLR Camera Strap 


I love taking pictures of my kids (#1 subjects!) but I rarely have an extra hand to hang onto my camera while I'm chasing after them. Love this strap for my DSLR camera because it keeps my camera secured by my side, and allows me to draw the camera up and shoot quickly as it slides along the cross-body sling.

JJ Cole Picnic Blanket


I use this all-purpose blanket every single day in the summer for trips to the park, picnics, outdoor concerts, etc. Spills wipe off the material easily, and sand and dirt just shake off. Best of all, it folds up nicely into itself with a carrying strap so I throw it over the stroller handle and go.

*Amazon affiliated picture links

Kid's Halloween Craft Kits

Tory loves to make crafts, just like her mama. It's a great way for the two of us to spend quality uninterrupted time together doing something we both enjoy.

When Tory stopped taking naps in the afternoon, I had to step up my crafting game considerably. It never fails, she turns to me every day after lunch and says, "So, Mom, what kind of craft do you want to make today? I guess it's become our 'thing.' If I don't have something up my sleeve, she'll throw her pointer finger up in the air and shout, "I know! We could make a chicken craft!" .... and then I've got to come up with a chicken craft on the fly. So, it's better to be prepared.

One thing that's been a great resource are the "Lit Kits" at Tory's preschool. Each week, parents can check out literature kits at no cost. The kits includes a book and a coordinating craft for the parent and child to do together. Some of the activities are puzzles, coloring activities, paper crafts, scavenger hunts, etc.

I took the same idea and made Halloween gifts for all the little ones in our extended family. Tory and I made pumpkin-shaped sun catchers for the windows one afternoon last week, so I put together a few extra supplies for my sister and cousins to do with their children. It seriously took about five minutes to do. I hope they appreciate having a pre-arranged, yet homemade, craft ready to go just as much as I do!

Inside the Halloween kit, I included all the supplies they'd need for the craft: coffee filters, pumpkin stencils, triangles for jack-o-lantern faces and instructions detailing how to make window sun catchers. I also sent along Halloween coloring books and crayons for the kids.

Here's our finished pumpkin sun catchers proudly displayed in our window:

Happy crafting!

Linking up with Sweet Turtle Soup for Countdown to Halloween

Father's Day Gift Idea for the Fishing Enthusiast

If there were a prize awarded to the most difficult person to buy for, my husband would win in a heartbeat. I saw so many "Father's Day Gift Ideas" floating around the Internet in the weeks leading up to the holiday, and not one of them fit the bill for my favorite guy.

See, the problem with Andi is that he buys everything he wants before I have the chance to give it to him. He's a man of instant gratification. Most dads wear clothing and other favorites until there's no life left in them, but not Andi. Chances are, he's moved onto the next best thing. I'm not necessarily complaining as he keeps me outfitted with the latest and greatest as well but come holiday-time, he can be difficult to buy for.

Andi's taken interest in fishing recently, so I decided to make "fishing" my Father's Day theme this year. First, I did what I do best: craft something special for him. Tory and I made a Happy Father's Day banner to hang at the lake cabin as decoration. I printed this free printable from Pinterest (seriously, what did moms do before Pinterest existed?!) and mounted the circle banner to cut-out pieces of construction paper fish to tie in with the theme. This was a nice activity for Tory to practice her cutting skills while I sat idly by and silenced my inner voice of perfectionism.

I also whipped up some chalkboard art at the cabin featuring this cute little saying I found online: "DAD -- a son's first HERO -- a daughter's first LOVE." Kind-of cheesy, but so true. I thought it was perfect for Father's Day.

Then Tory, Aden and I made a handprint craft for Andi featuring a fishing poem I found online. Handprint crafts are next to impossible with toddlers, so I ended up tracing Aden's hand on a different sheet of paper, then re-drawing his print onto the fishing poem. His love/tolerance for crafting isn't as strong as Tory and I's, unfortunately. (And since it might be difficult to read the text in the photo, I'll type it out here as well):

"Daddy, it's my greatest wish that my little hands will catch big fish. That'll I'll be there fishing with you, I know you'll teach me just what to do. You'll show me how to bait my hook, when we fish the lake and brook. And, how to find the fishing hole; the way to cast my fishing pole. Daddy, I know you're dreaming too, of the special times I spend with you." -- Author Unknown

For Andi's Father's Day gift, I picked up a styrofoam cooler from a local convenience store and filled it with fishing-related items. Contents of the cooler included: a bottle of Four Roses bourbon (which has nothing to do with fishing, but I know Andi likes it), a Tervis tumbler, Swedish fish and gummy worms candies, dried fruit, a fish-shaped stainless steel bar of soap that eliminates odors left on hands, a floatable minnow scoop to replace the one Aden chucked into the lake a few weeks ago, liquid fish attractant and a fishing utility tool. I printed this adorable free printable I found online that reads "O-fish-ally the Best Dad" and mounted it to the outside of the styrofoam fishing cooler. (It's also the place I originally saw this idea for a Father's Day gift).

Andi seemed pleased with his gift, and I hope he'll be able to use all the items I selected especially for him. Only 362 more days to think of something to buy him for Father's Day 2016!

Easter Basket Goodies

Hip, hop, hooray! Easter's on the way!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays because it summons so many fond childhood memories. Beautiful floral dresses, ruffly socks and white patent leather shoes; the smell of the crisp morning air on our family's way to church; plastic Easter egg hunts in the backyard with cousins; special goodies left by the Easter bunny; and, everything is so sunny and bright with the promise of spring and warmer temperatures on the way.

We're staying in Minnesota for Easter this year for the first time ever. I'll miss my Nebraska family, but I'm also excited to create Easter traditions for our family in our own home. We'll attend an Easter service at church and host Andi's immediate family afterwards for brunch. Of course, the Easter Bunny will be paying Tory and Aden a special visit too. They'll get plenty of candy and treats from family, so I, er, the Easter Bunny stuck to bigger non-food items they need, books and a few extra trinkets when filling their Easter baskets this year. Here's what they'll receive Easter Day:

Tory
Age 3 1/2

1. Little People Easter Is Here Book: Tory is obsessed with these lift-the-flap books. I like how durable the pages and flaps hold up to repeated use. We also have the Valentine's Day one, so I'm anxious to add this book to our seasonal collection.

2. Carter's Hula Girl Hooded Towel: With baths and swimming lessons for two little kids each week, our household could use a few more kid-sized bath towels.

3. Koosh Ball: Remember these? I was standing in line at a local coffee shop last week and spotted these koosh balls on display. Oh, the memories! The kids are going to love them.

4. Reese's Pieces candy: Okay, every Easter basket needs a little candy ...

5. Foam Water Blaster (similar here): On vacation last month, one little boy had a squirt gun like this at the pool. It was so easy for the kids to fill up and use by themselves. Perfect for the lake this summer!

6. Sunglasses: Target Dollar Spot. We own a thousand pairs; obviously need one more for summertime.

7. Crayola Grow With Me Flower Pot:  Tory has shown interest lately in planting seeds and watching flowers grow. I thought this would be a fun learning project to do together.

8. Princess Notebook: Typical first-born Tory loves to make lists in notebooks.

9. Speedo Water Shoes: I buy Tory a pair of water shoes every summer. They're perfect for the lake cabin.

10. Lip Smackers: Disgustingly perfect Easter flavors, no less -- Bubble Gum, Jelly Bean and Pink Chocolate

11. Bubble Gun: The Easter Bunny brought Tory a similar bubble gun last Easter, and it was so fun and easy for her to use.

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Aden
Age 1 1/2  

1. Carter's Swim Shirt and Trunks: Aden could use another swimming suit for summer, so ...

2. Munchkin Scooper Hooper Bath Toy: New bath toys are always welcome in our house. I like to rotate in new toys (and disgard old ones after they get icky).

3. Koosh Ball: Aden loves balls, and he's going to flip over this one.

4. Foam Water Blaster (similar here): Aden probably won't be able to work this toy on his own, but I figured I better keep things fair when it comes to water toys this summer.

5. Carter's Shark Hooded Towel: More bath towels!

6. Bubble Gun: Aden might be a little young for this toy, but in an effort to avoid fights this summer I bought each child one. What is it about bubbles that makes kids so crazy??

7. Bubble Bath: Need some!

8. Elmo Easter Book: Aden loves musical books, so I think he'll really enjoy this Elmo one.

Santa's Shopping List: What My Kids Are Getting For Christmas

I'm a complete slacker in shopping for Christmas gifts this year. Usually, I've got a list populated by October and presents wrapped and under the tree by mid-month but this year, the countdown to Christmas Day is creeping up on me. Alas, I do have a list of presents Santa Claus is bringing my little elves this year ... his workshop just hasn't made them (ahem, purchased them) yet.

Last year, I tried the now-famous Want / Need / Wear / Read gift giving philosophy, and it worked out really well for us. Tory and Aden generously receive so many gifts from family members over the holidays, they don't really need more stuff. Santa Claus will leave his gifts proudly displayed in front of the tree on Christmas morning and that'll be it. They won't receive additional gifts from Andi and I, though I will admit it takes mad will-power skills on my part to contain the gift-buying to only four items per child.

Tory's big Something I Want gift this year is a beauty vanity. She hasn't asked for this gift specifically, but I know she'll go nuts over it. One of her little friends has a similar toy vanity and Tory bee-lines for it the minute we enter her house. I hesitated buying this gift because we need another big plastic toy in our house like we need a hole in the head, but Santa Claus shows no restraint. It's Christmastime!

Tory (Age 3)

For Something I Need, Tory is getting a Melissa and Doug brand My First Calendar. This is perfect timing because she is so interested in the days of the week, months of the year, etc., but still needs a little practice in what order they happen. At preschool, the kids sing a days of the week song to the tune of the Addams Family theme and it's just the cutest thing. Anyway, I'm hoping this calendar helps her.

Tory insists on wearing dresses near daily, so that's what she'll receive for Something to Wear. 

And, for the Something to Read category, she'll be thrilled when she discovers a new collection of Fancy Nancy stories waiting for her under the Christmas tree. Fancy Nancy is one of her newest obsessions and I secretly enjoy reading the books with her, too.

Aden has been a very sweet boy this year, so Santa Claus is bringing him lots of fun things as well. For Something I Want, Aden is getting a collection of Little People toys. He is obsessed with all of Tory's little dollhouse characters and crawls around the house with them clutched in his cute, chubby hands, so I think he'll like the Little People Tow and Pull Tractor (we already have the barn) and the Little People Wheelies Airport (we already have the airplane).

Aden (Age 1)

This is a bit of a stretch, but for Something I Need, Aden is getting a set of musical instruments. This boy loves our weekly music class so much, I think he'll enjoy the toddler-friendly maracas, shaker eggs, bells and drums. They're somewhat educational, and I know Tory will get a kick out of playing with them, too.

For Something to Wear, Santa is giving Aden a cute little outfit. Mama, err, I mean Santa has no trouble buying adorable little boy clothes for him.

To add to our growing book collection, Aden will receive Roadwork and Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site for the Something to Read category. I love adding little boy books to our personal library and I hope he enjoys reading these as well.

Halloween Cards and Gifts for Kids

Isn't it funny the things you remember about your childhood? I'm one of the lucky ones; mine was pretty great. One memory I have (or a string of memories, really) is the way my mom made every holiday a big deal for my siblings and I.

On Valentine's Day, we'd wake up to a small box of chocolates and a card set out on the table. On May Day, we'd make baskets of homemade treats to deliver to the neighbor kids. And on Halloween, we'd craft paper ghosts and pumpkins to hang in our bedroom windows. One year, we painted our Halloween pumpkins to look like Cabbage Patch Kids complete with yarn hair and all, and every year we carved pumpkins together as a family - always. All these years later, I still remember the extra effort my mom (and dad) gave to make those celebrations special for us. 

It's the little things, isn't it? It sure made me feel special. 

To this day, I love to be crafty and I try to create those fond childhood memories for my kids. I also might be far away from my nieces, nephews and cousin's kids (who feel like extended nieces and nephews to me), but I still like to show them how much I care.

A few weeks ago, I stocked up on $1 Halloween items to give to all my favorite kiddos. It didn't cost me much -- maybe $10 or $15 total -- but it's the thought that counts. And I know Tory, Aden and all the little loved ones in my life will have fun opening a special Halloween treat. I found Halloween books, festive orange and black hair ties and packs of stickers in the dollar bin and purchased enough so every kid would each have a few things.

Then, one afternoon Tory and I pulled out the construction paper and paints and set to work making Halloween cards to go with our gifts. Tory asks to make a craft almost every day, and she really enjoyed this one. I wanted it to be something simple she could participate in, so I grabbed some cotton balls, paper plates and paint and set her loose. 

I showed Tory how to stamp the cotton ball into a glob of paint and move it around on the card stock paper. My idea was to make a "monster" shape and I'll admit, I had to shush my inner voice more than once when she wasn't rubbing the paint around on the paper exactly as I would've done it. Calm down, self. Let the three-year-old do her thing ... 

"This is fun, Mom. I like this!" Tory exclaimed more than once.

Well then, mission accomplished. I love that she loved making our activity together. 

After the paint dried, I pulled out my hot glue gun and adhered googly eyes onto the color blobs. I let Tory decide what eyes (big or small) and how many went where, then I glued them in place. 

I took a black Sharpie marker and made the blobs into monsters by drawing arms, legs and antennaes. Tory wanted to draw too, so she grabbed some markers and added her flair to each card.  Finally, I glued the monster cards onto black construction paper and wrote notes on the back to each gift recipient. 

I dropped these Halloween gifts in the mail last week so all my favorite kiddos can enjoy their goodies throughout October!

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Linking up with Courtney @ Sweet Turtle Soup and a few others for a Countdown to Halloween.