You Are One [KOHL] Dad!

What do you get an amazing man for his birthday, who has reached his 70s, and is a simple person? I know, right? It's hard!!!! My father-in-law celebrated his birthday on October 22nd and I told him yesterday that it is really a challenge finding gifts for him.  NOT because he isn't worthy. It's QUITE the opposite of that. BUT because he really doesn't need anything and as stated before, he's a simple man!

Girls Just Want to Have Funds!

Never forget to give your children's bus driver a gift.  They have that tedious task of driving 30+ wild children to and from school. I don't even like driving my three kids places at the same time. LOL! So "treat yo bus driver"!

Don't Make Me Use My "Teacher Voice"!

Back-To-School always involves teacher gifts and bus driver gifts! I try hard NOT to give too many coffee mugs, applely gifts, or what have you! But this year, the twins' teacher is BRAND NEW! Which means her classroom could probably use some "decor".  

Dance Gifts!

Another dance competition means another "Bully Buddy" dance gift.  I was very prepared this time because I was on the HUNT for this competition at the same time I was on the hunt for last competition. In the Summer, before each dancer is given a Bull Buddy, the dancers are ask to fill out a questionnaire about their LOVES and FAVS.  Lilah's Bull Buddy, Elizabeth, wrote that she LOVES HedgeHogs.  So I had my eyes pealed for HedgeHog items.  Above: I found the cutest hedgehog mug at Five Below, only $5.00.  She may not be a coffee drinker, but it will be perfect for hot cocoa.  

World Class Talent Entertainment - 2019

Wow! Has it really been five days since I have posted? Life has been CRAZY, with a capital C.  I just couldn't spend time at my computer last week. There were far too many pressing things happening, like... Valentine's Day, classroom parties, basketball games, basketball practices, dance practices, and a dance competition just to name a few....

Better Than...

CHOCOLATE!!!!!

What's better than roses or chocolate on Valentine's Day? You got it... a heart-shaped box of premiere make-up and skincare for your honey! 

Oh No! Ewe & Pew!

Oh those silly elves.  They are always up to no good.  This time, humoring our kids with all of those potty words. What happened now?

A Gift For A Thespian!

As you know, Lilah was blessed to be casted for Annie.  The play Annie was performed (9) times. Yes. I repeat (9) times. I was thankful even though it was a little taxing.  Those little thespians worked their tales off and I can't imagine having less than 4 shows after all of those late night practices. I couldn't possibly give Lilah (9) gifts, but I did have a new gift for her EACH OPENING weekend.  

On weekend 2, I made my baby girl a bouquet of CANDY! Flowers are great and beautiful, but kids like candy way better than flowers.  I did this for her during Snow White and not only did she enjoy it, but her cast-mates were in total awe.  

I tried to design this particular candy bouquet with gold, red, and silver candy!

My Annie "edition", of this candy bouquet, was transforming a Russell Stover's Chocolate bar, adding a photo of Daddy Warbuck's to the front of the $1,000,000,000, instead of Santa Claus.  

It's hard coming up with unique gifts for those special occasions, so while I had already given Lilah something similar, for another show, the candy choses was entirely different as were the color schemes and sweet details! Lilah LOVED it.  In fact, she still has a few pieces of candy left in her bouquet  because she just can't bring herself to eating it all. Eating is all makes her feel like she's saying goodbye to the Annie production and her cast.  

Bus Driver Gift - 2018/2019

I totally dropped the ball on a gift for Ms. Robin, the kids' bus driver.  I didn't realize it until about 4:00 p.m. yesterday.  Darren and I went to Kroger and we stood in the gift certificate section and just made a mini date out of trying to come up with something clever.  We had quite the laughs.  For instance, Home Depot, Darren said, "We know you can't wait to take our kids HOME!!" Burger King was "You are the KING of the bus!"  CheeseCake Factory was "Thanks for allowing our kids to ride the CHEESE!" The list was endless, as was the laughter.  While some of those ideas were clever, they were not practical.  The bus driver is a female and I felt like a gift card to Home Depot wasn't the most exciting gift I could have given her.  Burger King is Burger King.  And we don't have a local CheeseCake Factory.  So... I decided on a gift certificate to Target.  NOW WHAT?

I used the above bus image to type a clever something, to Ms. Robin.

I left a blank spot to insert the gift certificate to Target.

Along with the $25 gift certificate to Target, I enclosed a few other awesome gifts.

What was inside the gift bag?

First up, DUH, a school bus brownie.

 Second up, DUHx2, Project 7 Champagne Bears.

 Third, a collection of nuts.

 Fourth, a globe/world pen.  I found this, last minute, at the Dollar Tree.

For last minute, I think this gift turned out pretty darn good. I did contact my creative friend Kaitlyn Belcher to help me with wording.  Kaitlyn helped me incorporate the Project 7 Champagne Bears into the wording.  If you read carefully, you will see that each gift relates to one of the words: "beary", "target", "nutty", "drive", and "toast".  

Happy Valen-PRIME'S-Day!

What do you get your kids for Valentine's Day?!

My kids are obsessed with ordering things on Amazon, so I designed a cute, catchy phrase and a printable to attach an Amazon gift card to. If you would like to use this idea NEXT Valentine's Day, click here.

It all started after a customer of mine, in Connecticut, asked for ideas, for her son.  It got my wheels spinning and we BOTH used this idea.  The gift to her son is the LAST photo in this post.  BOTH ideas are darling.  

My kids were very happy and thankful.  NEEDLESS TO SAY, the gift cards have zero balances on them already.

Valentine's Day ~ 2018

Darren and I started a new tradition, years ago. We celebrate Valentine's Day with our kids FIRST and then wait for the best time for us, as a couple, to celebrate. I love finding unique things to show my love for them.  Starting with the cute card above, Jax received that and all of the below. Each kid received a $25 amazon gift card. I made the printable and I will be sharing it on the blog soon!

A Gelli Baff.

 A framed photo of his favorite Dallas Cowboys player.

Jax also received a cute pair of boxers and an outfit, but he had it on the day I took photos of everything.  

Each kid received a gummy pizza to replace the heart shaped box of chocolates.

GROSS.  LOL!

Ty received this card and...

Boxers.

A red polo.

A framed photo of one of his favorite Steeler's football players. Along with all of the other items mentioned above.

Lilah Received...

Each kid received a heart-shaped ring pop.

"Be The Light" journal.

A "Fluffy Slime" kit.

A fun pen.  Every time you click on it, it says something different.  It's kind of like an 8 ball in pen form.

"Life Is Sweet" cup.  LOVE THIS! The sprinkles shake and make noises.  

Scented, macaroon cookie, bath fizzers.

And of course all of the other items mentioned above too (Amazon gift card, gummy pizza, etc). I always blind fold my kids, make them wait until the count of 3, and then, they all turn around and look at their gifts. 

I got the best reaction when they opened the gummy pizza.