GIFTS!
I love gifting (though it must be thoughtful, personal) & I’ve got a round up of some of my fave things.
But first. You know, yesterday’s post was a little glum. And maybe I should do that more often because yesterday, the actual day, turned out to be rather idyllic. Joseph had to work late & didn’t get home until 7:30 & I didn’t leave the house other than to take the kids to school, pick up Hyrum from his after school Scrabble club, & chauffeur Amalia to her dance class. So nothing obviously extraordinary about this day. But, there were a few things that made it fabulous.
The good things:
1) I took a long nap with Salem & woke up feeling like a million bucks. Sometimes a simple nap will do that.
2) I followed that up by making some of this. I did make a few substitutions–I halved the recipe & only used rice Chex since that’s all I had in my cupboard, I used non-dairy butter & vegan Worcestershire sauce, & instead of sugar I used 1/2 c. agave (if you do whole recipe use 1 c. agave). Having that warm, delicious aroma fill my house, while it got colder & dark outside, with my white Christmas lights glowing, was a happy feeling.
3) The kids & I were able to get the house in good order so that when Joseph finally did get home, the floors were vacuumed, the kitchen swept, dishes put away. I made quick & easy waffles for dinner (Thursday is our breakfast night & the kids look forward to it all week). Even though we didn’t eat dinner until 8 pm, the house was warm, cozy, & (mostly) clean & we sat around with eachother & ate & talked. After, we did our night-time Christmas advent calender, book opening tradition, followed by Joseph reading a Christmas story.
I may have mentioned that Joseph is a US Air Force JAG attorney.
He spends a lot of his days prosecuting airmen who’ve been less than stellar (the range goes from petty theft, to drug use, sex abuse, & beyond). The past few days he’s been in court dealing with that kind of stuff. Since the contrast of his work during the day to our rather insulated home life is so stark, he appreciates us even more, & I really felt that last night.
4) I fell asleep, curled up on our couch, our (artificial) fire aglow in our (faux) fireplace, Christmas music playing on Pandora & woke up later with the kids all in bed. Joseph & I then got to spend some time together, then as we drifted off to sleep I thought to myself–I have no idea how it happened, but I do believe I just lived a perfect day.
I also want to mention something else.
You may wonder why I continue to blog, nearly every day, when my life is full of lots of responsibilities & as I prepare to have another baby.
I can’t quite define exactly why, but I just have this feeling that this blog is important. Of course every blogger thinks all their words & everything they say & do is just amazing (we sort of have to, otherwise, if we don’t believe our thoughts & ideas are worth the time, who will?), but it goes beyond that.
I know I’m never going to be the next Pioneer Woman, or Joy the Baker, or any number of big-shot bloggers. And that is okay.
Because I believe the beauty of blogging comes in the intimacy of the interaction between blogger & reader, & some of that intimacy gets lost as the following grows to gigantic proportions.
I love that I know many of my regular readers by name & have interacted with them on a regular basis for years. That is such a gift.
I’m honored, tickled, delighted when I receive a kind & uplifting email from someone who is willing to share their journey with me. I never would have imagined 10 years ago, when I was in college studying the personal essay, that I’d have the opportunity each day to share my own personal thoughts with such a wide & varied audience from all over the world (blogs didn’t really exist back then). It’s an honor.
I don’t see blogging as drudgery, or as something I have to do, but rather, as–I get to do this? Cool! (This is coming from someone, who as a child made newspapers & magazines to send to family & give out to anyone who would take it.)
For the time being, I feel it’s one of my callings. I have to say thank you for allowing me into your life in a small way.
♥♥
Now, onto the gift guide.
Here’s my roundup of lovely things I think are worth gifting*:
1// spiral bound mini-book of names & faces from pinhole press, $29.95
Kids LOVE to look at themselves & people they know. I love that this book is spiral bound & the perfect size for little hands. I’m making one for Salem this year.
2// whirly pop stovetop popcorn popper from Amazon, $19.95
Fill this with a small jar of coconut oil & some organic popcorn kernels, top with a bow & give to another family. Such a fun way to make popcorn (& much better than microwave popcorn). We have great memories of making popcorn together & my kids love helping by churning the handle & hearing the popcorn pop.
3// bring joy tote, from my shop, on sale $9
(plus, if you order 2 or more get FREE shipping: enter hohoho at checkout)
4// “It’s Best Fresh from the Farm” 8 X10 print — silkscreen printed by hand from Tasty Yummies etsy shop, $15
Beth has several classy & clean “foodie” inspired silkscreen prints & items, all $15. I would love to give any one of them to fellow food lover.
5// Usborne Illustrated Grimm’s Fairy Tales, from Amazon, $24.99
I’m a HUGE fan of all Usborne’s books. They are well-made, carefully curated & a pleasure to read (& kids love them too!). This collection is a must-have for every child’s library & includes all the Grimm’s classics such as: “The Frog Prince”, “Rapunzel”, “Hansel and Gretel”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, “The Bremen Town Musicians”, “Tom Thumb”, “The Elves and the Shoemaker”, “Sleeping Beauty”, & more. I recommend all of their collections, especially: Illustrated Stories for Girls, Illustrated Classics for Girls, Illustrated Stories for Boys, & Illustrated Classics for Boys, all of which I own & read to my kids on a regular basis.
6// “I should like to give you a kiss” tote, from Seeker of Happiness etsy shop, $12
Joseph saw this tote & wanted it. (He loves Peter Pan.) I told him it might be kinda, um…gay? (no offense gay friends) if he carried a tote around. But I told him I’d buy it for myself & he could enjoy seeing me use it. Lots of other cute totes in this shop. (Carrie is the one who designed my tote).
7// Naturally Sweet & Gluten-free, by Ricki Heller, from Amazon, $15.95
I have my own copy & think though it may not be for everyone, it’s the PERFECT gift for anyone trying to cut all refined sugars out of their diet. The book has a clean design, beautiful photography & meticulous & thorough instructions. Ricki’s recipes are truly delectable & all recipes have gone through rigorous trial testing. This is an excellent gift for that person on your list who loves sweets but is looking for gluten-free, refined sugar-free, vegan alternatives.
8// flirty apron, from flirty aprons, $29.95
Joseph bought me a flirty apron several Christmas’s ago (you can see it in this post) & I wear it ALL the time. In fact, one of my friends commented every time she comes over to my house I’m wearing that apron (it’s true–I love my kitchen). Their aprons are classy, cute, well-made–just perfect. I want one in every color & style. Everybody needs a flirty apron.
9// calvin & hobbes the complete collection, boxed set, from Amazon, $58.99
Calvin & Hobbes transcends the cartoon genre. It’s art, it’s literature (extremely introspective & clever), adults & kids love it. I will often find my kids, with a Calvin & Hobbes book on their lap, engrossed in reading/looking at the illustrations. When I’m feeling down, or after a long day, nothing cheers me up quite like reading a few pages of Calvin & Hobbes. The perfect gift for anyone who loves & can appreciate the good things of life.
10// certified reburbished Blendtec blender, from Blendtec, currently $279.95 (over $100 off regular price!)
The Blendtec is THE ultimate tool for healthy lifestyles. Give this gift & it will keep giving for 7 years, or more (thanks to a 7 year warranty & AMAZING customer service). This beautiful, powerful blender will wow & woo that special someone in your life. (Or buy it for yourself!)
{Looking for edible gifts? Check out my Best of Edible Gifts–10 vegan & gluten-free recipes}
For more giftspiration, check out these fabulous roundups:
Ella’s pretty & bright gift guide
Angela’s holiday gift guide for the veggie lovin’ cook
Beth’s awesome holiday gift guide that includes suggestions for food & drink, kitchen tools, & yoga gear
Joy’s gift guide for fashionable toddlers (so cute–love those little sneakers) & her gifts for girlfriends
Jennifer’s classic play gift guides (you must check these out if you have kids on your list)
& take a peek at Design Mom‘s gift guide boards on pinterest: gifts that make the world better, gifts for friends you really like, gifts for kids, gifts for the men in your life, gifts kids can really make.
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