Five Christmas Gifts For Her: Under $25

Need some gift ideas for your friend or sister that seems to have everything?
Here are some of my favorite Christmas gifts to give and get. All under $25 each.


The absolute best smelling candle on earth from Anthropologie

$12 each

Fuzzy warm slippers from Restoration Hardware. I wear them every day. 

$16 each

Super Cute Rosette Headband from Allora Handmade

$12-On Sale Now

Darling Check Book Cover from The Pleated Poppy

$19 each

Funky Serving Spoons from French Bull

$15 each

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

There is one thing that my four year old is still talking about from last Christmas.
And that is the video that Santa sent to him via the Portable North Pole.
If you have never checked it out, you must.


It's completely free and he was absolutely amazed. Heck, I'm even amazed.
You enter your kids information and Santa sends a personalized video to your email address.


Here is Gentry's reaction this year. He told me he was a little nervous.

But the nervousness only lasted for a moment.

Thanks Santa for your help. 

Now go make your video. It takes less than 5 minutes.

Shopped 'Til I Dropped....Literally

Dear Santa

{Interpretation Provided Below}

Dear Santa,
I have been good. I want an airplane for Christmas.
Love,  Gentry
P.S. Have a good Christmas

Pretty Paper Goods

This weekend we will be embarking on the adventure of picking out a real Christmas tree. 

For the first time ever. 

I may very well regret this decision, but I am willing to give it a try.

I don't know why, but a real tree puts me in the mood to make something. 

I'm feeling rustic and a bit vintagey. (Is that a word?) 

But I also don't want to spend a lot because I might feel something else next year. 

Or even next month.

Remember paper chains? 

I used an old book and cut the pages into strips. I used a glue stick to make the chain links.

I didn't really think the book mattered until my 4 year old asked me what the pages said.

The book is "I Kissed Dating Goodbye."  

It was my husbands from long ago. 

It doesn't really apply anymore (I don't think it ever really did),
so I thought it was perfect for this project. 

That is until my 4 year old asked me to read him the words. EEEK!

Let's just say I made something up.

Anyways I love the black and creamy colored paper. I can't wait to get them up on the tree

I thought some twine garland would be fun too.

I bought some Christmas die cut cards off the dollar aisle at Michael's.

I cut them in half and used the same book pages to add some flare.

I attached them to twine with mini clothespins.

Linking up with The Thrifty Home, Blue Cricket Design and My Backyard Eden for their DIY Linky parties.

Come join the fun and check out the fabulous ideas!

Photo Opp & An Expected Mishap

Aunt Becca took our family photos yesterday and I already have them back. 
Cause she is just that awesome.
Here is a quick sneak peek.
It's always quite an excursion taking photos with a two and four year old.
And this time was no different.
Isaak threw up twice. All over Daddy. 
Randomly. (He is not even sick.)
Afterwards we went to eat.
He suddenly felt better. 
Really?
Oh the joys of parenthood.

Pre-Puke Face (and clothes)

Post-Puke Face and Quite Smelly

Linking up with a super cool blog hop via Mama to 4 Blessings.

Wordle Wednesday: House Rules

Weekend Stuff

Well another weekend has come and gone and another Monday is upon us.

We made a last minute decision to visit my parents over the weekend.

I spent some of my teenage years in the Springfield area, 

but I have to say that I now have a new appreciation for the city and what they are doing with the downtown.

There are so many super cute shops, a great super market (where we ate lunch) and 

so many fun coffee shops.

We shopped all afternoon on Saturday. 

Then went roller skating to appease the wee ones.

We went back downtown on Sunday to have a cup of coffee before church.

The hunky hubby did some research and we decided on The Coffee Ethic.

I seriously had the best cup of coffee (ok, 2 cups) I have ever drank in my life. Like for reals!

I paid way too much and bought a pound of it to make at home.  

I’m sure my cheap coffee pot won’t do it justice.

I could have drank and drank and drank.

But then I would be in the bathroom all day and that would be no fun. You get the point.

The lighting was so perfect. I could not help but snap a few pictures of the boys.

I would have liked to shoot a few more, but they started getting rambunctious and the college students studying at the table next to us were beginning to give me dirty looks.

So we exited peacefully and without altercation, high on caffeine and ready for church.


We had a nice time, but it was good to get back home.
To my own bed. And my own pillow.

Cloudy With a Chance of Sharing

It's was a gray & rainy day.
The house is a mess. 
But it's Friday night. 
So who cares.


Dinner was take out pizza. 
Cause who wants to cook on a Friday night?
Not I.
Then it was time to pick out dessert. From the Halloween candy bucket of course. 
(It will provide dessert for months to come.)


Isaak picked out fruit snacks. They were gone in like two seconds.


Gentry picked out a sucker.

And when there is a candy addict in the family (well technically two of them) you have to share your sucker. 
The fact that Isaak is about the same size as his brother made no difference.
He got up in his lap and made himself perfectly comfortable.
And took over the sucker. 

I'm glad Gentry thought it was funny. I don't like to share my candy. 


We're off to visit grandma and papa tomorrow. 
Oh and I can't wait to visit Elsie's new Red Velvet Shop. 
So stinking excited!


Time to get my sugar monkeys to bed. 
Good. Night.

Day Off

I've got the day off. 
And it's a good thing. 
The last three days have felt like two weeks. All squished together.


A couple of weeks ago I bought a GroupOn coupon to here.
So me and the hunky hubby are having a lunch date today. So excited.


Then we will do some Christmas shopping at stores that are not kid friendly. 


On the top of my list for today are:

Pryde's
Bon Bon
Bunker
Hammerpress
Reading Reptile


If you don't live in KC and are planning a visit these shops are worth checking out!
If you do live in KC. What are you waiting for?
Maybe a day off like me? 
I totally get it!


Well I better get going or I might not have enough time. 
Here is to a day of finding fantastic deals. 
I hope your day is swell as well! 

Lazy Typical Day

Today is a lazy day.
I'm sipping coffee. Isaak insisted on having a drink. He'll never do that again.
Gentry wanted to know why mommy's and daddy's "like that stuff."
I didn't really have an answer.


The boys figured out how they can share the sit and spin. 

But it did not last long.
Of course the dog had to get right in the middle of them.
She likes the action.

The smiles did not last long either. I had to take the sit and spin away. 


Thinking about going to get the boys' haircut. They are getting quite shaggy. 
It's always an excursion taking them by myself. (Dad is at work.)
The one motivating factor is I might be able to sneak in one of the new cute shops at Zona. 
Just maybe. But probably not.


Later were going to celebrate my great-grandma's birthday. She turned 97.
I hope your Saturday is good. Even if not lazy like mine.

Random Reminiscing

Photo by Aunt Becca

Photo by Aunt Becca

Photo by Aunt Becca

Photo by Aunt Becca

Photo by Aunt Becca