The Parting Gift

I left you all on a bit of a cliffhanger about what I was going to get Blanche's mom since she's abandoning us for greener pastures. Was I even going to get a gift? I think you all knew I was going to get a gift, right? It's what I do.

Well, I got her a nice bag with our town's name on it. Seriously, friends, it's a nice bag. 

Then I filled it with my favorite road trip snacks.

Then I got Blanche some presents, too.

And then I gave it to her. I didn't even cry. Not once.

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Do you find it challenging to meet friends as an adult? 

Go To Gifts

As some of you may know, I like to give gifts. But I'm also a lady who doesn't like to think about things very much because my brain is tiny. Here are some of the gifts I give all the time.

New Baby

Burp cloths and a rattle for the baby, something indulgent for the mom (this may be a scarf, a candle, a dozen cookies, or a bottle of fancy lotion depending on the lady). 

Baptism

Personalized baby block and personalized storybook 

Birthdays

If my niblings throw a party, I try to get them a fun gift and a book. If they don't have a party, I send a check for $25. For adult birthday parties, I usually throw some chocolate in a gift bag and call it good. 

New home

Personalized address stamp

Wedding/wedding shower/baby shower

I just buy off the registry. Look, sometimes you just have to give people what they want. If it's a wedding we attend and we send a big gift ahead of time, I frequently buy a personalized Christmas ornament (first Christmas!) so I don't show up emptyhanded. 

Housewarming

This is a bit more challenging, but it depends on how well I know someone. Can they keep a plant alive? If so, they get a plant. If not, they get some nice dish towels for the kitchen because you can never have too many dish towels. I have also started to give folks LED candles because they bring me so much joy in my own house. 

Random office gifts

You know the gifts I'm talking about - so and so just had a baby, so and so is retiring, our student worker is graduating, it's National Custodian Appreciation Day, whatever - I give $20 - $30 depending on what's in my wallet. 

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Okay, here's why I started writing this all out. Because I am in a real pickle now. My niece is now 18. She is graduating from high school and her open house is (consults calendar) in two weeks. Typically for high school graduates I give an LL Bean backpack if the person is going to go to college and $150 or $250 if they are not going to college/training. 

Is that okay for my niece? Should we be giving more as the DINK aunt and uncle? Should we give something else? This is setting the bar for what we give all the other nieces and nephews for when they graduate, so I feel like we have to get it right.

Oh, and what about birthdays? Do I still send her a birthday card with a $25 check? Just a card? What do you do when your niblings start growing up?!

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If you don't want to delve into my graduation present angst, do you have go to gifts for different occasions? 

Presents: What I Got Everybody

This year I dramatically reduced who I bought presents for. Buying presents was so stressful and I just dipped out. Here's what I got for the loved ones in my life.

1) 15-year-old nephew (got him in the draw) - His parents told us to get him clothes and I also added a book:

A Hawkeye shirt, as requested by his parents

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

The books

2) 13-year-old nephew (got him in the draw) - His parents told us to get him books and said he likes facts. I added a cooperative dice game, hoping he'll play with his cousins and/or siblings:

The Complete Book of US Presidents, Fourth Edition - Includes Biden, so it's the most up-to-date as of right now. 

The Logic Puzzle Book for Teens

Scorpion Masqué Sky Team Cooperative Dice Game

Cooperative games!

3) 17-year-old niece (got her in the draw) - Her mom said to get her stuff for her dorm next year when she goes to college. I asked my freshman seminar students what they wish they had and they gave me the most practical answers. I bought some practical stuff and will write down everything else they said on a list for her. Also, I'll give her the gift receipts so she can return it all and buy makeup if that's what she wants:

Memory Foam Mattress Topper

Portable Clip-On Fan 

Fairy lights - Yes, I had to get LED. Damn it all. 

Such practical gifts

4) TJC: 

Stuff from her wish list

5) Dr. BB: 

Gift certificate for guitar lessons (he asked for this)

Three pairs of SmartWool socks

Two pairs of water bottles for his bike - We threw out a lot of our water bottles after the Great Mouse Incident of 2024. 

6) Yoga lady -  The woman who runs yoga at the student union is doing that on her own time. I think she deserves appreciation for doing something that benefits me tremendously: 

A pair of SmartWool socks

7) Peer mentor - There's an older student who was assigned to help me with my freshman seminar last semester. I bought her a gift for all her help:

A small gift set of hand lotion, lip balm, and soap locally sourced

A scarf

A small set of chocolate truffles 

8) FIL and his wife:

Went in with the family gift to get them a subscription for steaks or something - Dr. BB handled this. 

9) Secret SANta swap partner:

You can see my gift here

10) Us - Every year I try to get the two of us a couple of presents:

Our ornament for this year is going to be the one I made with Anne

Paint the Roses board game

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Are you done with your shopping? 

Tuesday Tidings

I'm leaning into the dark these days. Hannah and I have been LOVING our morning walks in the pitch black. It's just me and her and I like to just let her sniff and enjoy the world. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's nervous as all heck and jumps if so much as a leaf falls near her, but at least I'm having a good time. 

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On our walk on Sunday night, I even took the holiday cards to the blue mailbox and dropped them all in (except for my five Canadian cards - I have yours sitting next to my goal journal all stamped and ready to go out as soon as the strike is over, Canadian friends) and whispered happy travels for them. I ordered my cards through Minted again, despite the fact that I literally have never been 100% satisfied with my orders from them.

One year, we did not get any envelopes. One year, we actually got two orders sent our way. One year some of our envelopes were duplicated, so I had to go through and make sure people only got one card from us. This year? This year some of the addresses were addressed incorrectly. The number 3 became the number 8.  Apartment numbers were added where apartment numbers did not need to be added. The abbreviation MN became MI. Now these are all things that could be blamed on me, but MY SPREADSHEET HAD THEM CORRECT. So I stuffed all the envelopes, but then had to go through each address VERY CAREFULLY to make sure things were correct. (If there is a handwritten correction to your address, I did that!) 

And let me tell you, I am not a detail lady. I am a lady who doesn't notice things like MN is MI. This took me a long, frustrating time. I don't know if I'm going to stick with Minted again. (Also, our card is HUGE. Like 5x7? This is on me, though. I just didn't look at the dimensions because I thought it was normal card size. I was wrong. I'm SORRY, friends. I'm bad at holiday card sending, I guess.) 

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But, in more cheerful holiday news, my Secret SANta gift arrived from Jenny! If you don't think that dog ornament went right on my tree, you don't know me very well!

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Also, we went on our annual trip to see the lights at the Rotary Gardens.

I did not ask my friends if I could post their photos, so I am protecting their privacy. Not my husband's though. If you see him around, maybe don't mention you saw his photo on my blog? 

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Last week, the dean of our college did a "Cookies & Cocoa" event. His partner made like a million cookies and all the leftovers made it to the kitchen on our floor and every time I go by the kitchen, I eat more cookies. The eggnog shortbread cookies are AMAZING, but I have to admit that I have not been making good choices re: sugar this December. January is going to HIT HARD.

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Speaking of cookies, do you know what my husband sent me a photo of today? 

A new KitchenAid!!! My beloved KitchenAid finally gave up its battle. We looked into fixing it (of course we did) and it was $200 to fix it and about $300 to get a new on, so Dr. BB took the plunge and bought me a new one! Who's going to make chocolate chip cookies tomorrow? This girl. (Yes, I'm going to make cookies despite the fact that I've eaten my weight in eggnog shortbread cookies this week. Don't judge my December baking decisions.)

(As part of the November/December hemorrhage of money, why not buy a new kitchen appliance? Fortunately, this came out of my husband's budget. He also paid for an oil change and the cat's trip to the emergency vet last week. Yes, all three things should have been mine to pay for, but that's how the cookie crumbles when you have a six-week winter break and your wife has to actually go into the office.)

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Have you sent out your holiday cards yet (sorry, Canadian friends - your turn will come soon!)? What's the last kitchen gadget you bought? 

Wednesday Dispatches

1) NPR had an article about eye fatigue for people who use screens a lot. I spent the morning trying to follow the advice in the article and realized it was a losing battle for me. I am not going to stop every 20 minutes to do 2 minute breaks for my eyes. I honestly would never get anything done. Also, my boss just walked by when I was doing this circle thing with my thumb and just raised her eyebrows and walked by with no comment. I don't know why I'm sharing this with you, but here we are.

2) A while back I asked all of you for some advice on what to buy my BIL for his investiture because he's being promoted to a judgeship.  He's getting an Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. book, a candle with a sticker on it that says "Only Badass Motherfuckers Are Judges" (his wife said it would be okay), and I bought a really cool card from an Etsy seller. Unfortunately I won't be able to go to the investiture, but my spirit will be there.

3) Last week I asked if anyone had any questions for my husband for a fun post later on this spring. I'm still collecting questions! Feel free to fill out this form or you can email me any questions you might have. There's a form on the righthand sidebar of this very blog if you prefer to email me! 

4) I am exhausted right now. Yesterday I was making granola, which is pretty straightforward.  You dump things in a big bowl, mix them up, then put it all in the oven on a baking sheet for 45 minutes, stirring it every 15 minutes. I literally was falling asleep in those fifteen minute increments and waking up, very confused about what was going on, to the oven timer going off. I need multiple nights of a full eight hours of sleep, some time on the beach, and the ability to erase the mental load about household chores and when we need to buy more cat food.

Alas, that is not going to happen. So here I am telling you right now that I am going to be taking a break from a couple of things. One, I am going to stop doing Duolingo daily. My streak is almost 1500 days and I'm starting to get really resentful. I'm going to stop doing it and start consuming more media in Spanish. 

5) I'm also going to be going blog lite for the next couple of weeks. I'm going to be in Michigan and I don't know what my schedule will be like. My mother is not responding to chemo well and she's having terrible complications even though she's on the lowest effective dose. I have been given the task of having the conversation about whether or not she wants to continue treatment*. Meanwhile, THREE of my aunt and uncles will also be there and that's a lot of people and I'm super stressed about this trip for so many reasons. I will be still be posting regular update posts, like my monthly reviews, a CBWC update, book reviews as I write them, and my 20th anniversary posts, but my daily writing and reading of other's blogs will likely be sporadic. I am allowing myself this as one fewer thing on my plate right now. 

*No, my sister still isn't talking to me. My mother barely returns texts and I think it's because she's sleeping like 22 hours of the day. My sister and her husband are going on a vacation (and I want them to because caretakers need respite) and I will be in charge of my terminally ill mother, my sister's zillion pets, and my aunt and two uncles (the youngest of whom is 61) will be there, too. It's going to really be a worst case scenario for me. 

So, if I'm pretty quiet over the next couple of weeks, please know that I will be back more fully after the first week or so of May. 

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Do you do eye exercises? Do you have burning questions for my husband to answer? Would you like a candle calling you a badass motherfucker?

18.1 Hat - Easter recap

 

Endless Days

Easter was delightful. There were lemon Kit Kats, a super fun egg hunt, my niblings tolerating my "pretend you like each other" as the camera was aimed at them, a birthday cake, and too many squishmallows to count. 

We have not yet had time to go through the camera and figure out if I took any decent photos, but let me leave you with two hilarious photos that I took on my phone. 

My husband was wearing his sunglasses inside. Why? No one knows. I thought that was hilarious.

My FIL's wife has this creepy (very large) rabbit and we all sort of avoid the entire room where it lives. This year I decided my SIL and I should have our photo taken with it. It's so creepy. My SIL and I were joking that we should definitely include this one on our 2024 Christmas cards. 

Favorite memories (in no order):

Joking with my nephew about his idea of parachuting people out of planes above their final destination cities when they have to fly over them for connecting flights

How some of the oldest niblings were the last to find all their hidden eggs

When a bunch of the kids were having a concert in the piano room (this isn't as pretentious as it sounds - my FIL's wife is a semi-professional musician), I was chatting with one of my nieces at the kitchen counter as we both kept slamming pound cake and leftover egg casserole

My BIL talking to me about whether or not he should read the newest Robert Galbraith even though he just finished The Ink Black Heart. 

Oh! Good accidental segue (good job, NGS). My BIL has been newly promoted to a judgeship. His investiture is in early May (I will not be able to attend; hopefully my husband will be able to). What gifts does one get a new judge?!

 

I have seriously considered a personalized bobblehead, but I'm not sure it could get here in time. His wife has vetoed any gavel-themed items. Maybe some socks? A snarky journal? I have never had this particular challenging gift-giving occasion before and probably never will. I have to live up to my gift-giving reputation! (I'd never actually give this to him because he's a lovely man who I've never heard swear, but this candle made me laugh a lot.)

Source

How was your Easter? What would you buy for a newly minted judge?

End of an Era

That's it, friends. On Tuesday night I had my last board meeting at the community center. I started at five on the nose and finished at 6 on the nose. I started the annual meeting right afterwards and we were done by 6:05. And that was the last time my name will be in the meeting minutes!

We had a potluck dinner afterwards (I brought a charcuterie board from Costco and some stuffed mini peppers as appetizers and some desserts from Costco) and one of the other lovely board members gave me a present that was so lovely and perfect. It turns out that she has been reading my blog and it made me feel like all my work there was valued, if only by one person. 

That scarf is so soft and I think it might become my regular winter scarf!

Meanwhile, even though Wednesday I still sent seven emails and made a phone call re: community center business and I went to the community center for a fitness class after work, I feel like a tremendous weight has been lifted off my shoulders. No more stressing out over board meetings, staffing, and squabbles among board members. No more phone calls taking up hours of my evening while I soothe hurt feelings. None of it! I can just go enjoy events at the community center. 

See that little tree? It's our tree! When we were first married, this was our tree. I mean, it was our tree until we moved into our house in 2017. They asked if anyone had a small tree for an event at the community center and I said we had one in the basement that hadn't been used in years. Yay for it getting used! (I did not provide the colored lights. White lights 4LYFE.)

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The tale of my volunteering position is sort of boring, but I joined the board because I love the mission of the community center and I was (sort of) coerced into a leadership role I was unqualified for, but no one else would do. Then things started to go wrong, some of which was out of my control, some of which was. In July of this year, I posted about how stressed the whole volunteer role was making me and all you dear readers suggested that I stop doing the role. I mulled over your advice and the next month I told everyone I was going to step down at the end of the year. I immediately felt good about that decision, but then everything fell apart again.

Both staff members quit almost immediately after I posted in August. And I was still technically in charge until the end of the year. I had the support of the board, but I really felt like it was a problem and situation of my own making. I was trying to run office hours, staff events, interview people for the positions, and I just felt like I was actually making things WORSE rather than better. Eventually we did hire someone for both staff positions, but then one of them quit after only three weeks.  So, yeah. There was a lot going on. (Anyone in Wisconsin want a part-time job during school hours? *sigh*)

Three months ago, I wrote a post in which I listed all of the things that were stressing me, including the volunteer situation and my long-term unemployment. And now both of those things are fixed! The volunteer gig is no more. I have a job! I wake up in the morning, excited to do the things and live the life. 

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But, hey, think of all the skills I learned while I was at that volunteer gig. Running a meeting. Hosting events. Sending awkward emails. Soothing hurt feelings. Supervising professionals. Organizing events. Strategic planning. Hiring. 

And I didn't burn any bridges. I left on good terms and everyone knows they can still reach out to me with questions. I will be attending as many events as I can over there and am hoping that there will still be occasional opportunities for me to volunteer. But isn't it a relief that none of the staffing issues are my problem anymore?!

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Have you had anything stressful taken off your plate recently? Tell me all about it!

List: The Presents

I have a long list of people I buy presents for. Every year I say I'm going to pare this list down, but every year I do not pare the list down.

My mom
My sister
My brother-in-law (actually, Dr. BB handles this and I just wrap the presents and send them off)
Two friends from college
My husband
Whichever niblings we get in the draw (this year we got a 13yo girl and a 7yo boy)

I'm not going to lie, I made it easy for myself this year. I purchased the four women (mom, sister, two friends) variants of the same items. 

1) A WTF notebook personalized for them
2) A set of nice pens
3) A long-sleeved tshirt
4) A book I handpicked out for them (Dog Songs and A Swim in a Pond in the Rain may be some of these books I picked)

Once I decided that was going to be my system, I ordered everything in a fit of panic one evening and now almost everything has been delivered and I need to wrap them and get those boxes to the post office. 

I have more time with the gifts for my husband and niblings because I do not need those presents to be shipped anywhere. Once they arrive at my house, I'll be good to go. 

My husband sent me a list, so I am probably going to buy him a golf club (*sigh*), some new socks, and some underwear. The romance is alive and well over here.

We have already purchased a nice chess set for my niece, so now I just need to get her a book. My nephew asked for a squishmallow, so we'll get him one of those and a book. 

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I also put money in cards for our student workers and the janitor at work. We put a $10 gift card out for the mail carrier. I give a $10 gift card to my hair stylist (in addition to a larger tip than usual for our appointment closest to Christmas). I am also putting money in a card for a woman who has helped us out A LOT at the community center in the last year. 

I also bought an ornament for Humphrey's person and my friends who got married last year. 

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Until I deal with all this chaos, there are boxes full of presents waiting to be wrapped all over the place and our house feels like it is warehouse storage. 

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This seems like a lot, but I suspect there are people out there who I am missing. 

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Do you have your Christmas shopping done? Who do you think I have left off the list?

#SecretSANtaSwap 2023

You know what was a delightful surprise for me when I got home on Friday after work? My fun package from Anne for San's Secret SANta Swap!

I don't remember what I put as information about myself that Anne received, but I think it was something like I like the color purple and am obsessed with my dog and my cat. I think we can all agree that's all you need to know about me, right? (Does anyone remember that old skool blog called She Likes Purple? It looks like she last posted in 2016. Hi, Jennie! if you still read here. ANYWAY. I was always really jealous of her blog title. Note to self: Someday move away from a blogspot blog and get yourself the domain name ObsessedWithPets. Note to readers: I'm too lazy to do that.)

So I was so excited to see what Anne got me based on that limited information.

A postcard with a note from Anne! Lovely purple notecards from PaperSource. Some candied pecans. Dark chocolates from Gail Ambrosius in Madison. And scarf-wearing dog and cat ornaments!  What an absolutely delightful haul for me.  It is possible that those delicious treats will be in my belly before this post even goes live.

And the ornaments?

The eyelashes are amazeballs.

Already on the tree!

This dog has a slightly worried expression, which seems perfectly appropriate to me. 

I didn't send my swap partner's gift out until Friday afternoon, so who knows when they'll get it! Hopefully soon, person who lives in an abutting state with lots of children!

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Don't forget that if you want a holiday card from me, email me or fill out this form by the end of the day today!

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Did you sign up for San's gift exchange? Have you gotten yours already?!

10.31 Activity - Scribe It

Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Each day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the thirty-first day of the month is "Activity."

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After reading Kaelyn's post about the Kindle Scribe, I talked to my husband about it and expressed some interest in going to Best Buy or the equivalent to check one out. I was interested in the idea of replacing my paper and pencil journal for goal tracking and have everything in one location. Well, then he surprised me by buying one for me for my birthday!

It's an interesting tablet that you can use as a Kindle for reading, but you can also create documents (what they call notebooks) where you can write notes. Those notes can be accessed as PDFs via your online Kindle storage or you can share them via email. Unfortunately, PDF is really the only export version of your notes, so if you wanted to add to your digital file after you've moved it off the Kindle, there's no real way to do that. 

And that's basically all that functionality that the Kindle Scribe has. It's a combo of a Kindle Paperwhite plus some built-in templates for notebooks. 

Here you can see what it looks like if you're using it to read books. Just like a regular Kindle, you can adjust font size and the backlight. You can also add handwritten sticky notes to your books (as well as typing notes like you would in a regular Kindle). I think the handwritten notes is the only functionality for reading that the Scribe has that  Paperwhite does not.

Unfortunately, the templates for the notebooks are pretty limited. There were eighteen available and most of them were just variants of grids (see above). I didn't see a template that could replace the bullet-type journal I use to track my goals, so I would basically have had to create it from scratch like I do in my paper and pencil version. I imagine in another two or three generations, Amazon will have added many more templates because there's real room for improvement here.

Also, oddly enough, despite the fact that I thought the Scribe was pretty big out of the box (Amazon says 10.2" display as compared to the 6.8" of the Paperwhite), I also thought that some of the templates weren't large enough. For example, the calendar (pictured above) would have been a lot better if it had used the space in a landscape-orientation and taken out the lines below it. As it stands, the boxes aren't large enough for my handwriting to be particularly useful. 

I will also say that it was heavier than I expected and using it to read was unwieldy. I'm definitely used to the smaller size of my Paperwhite and holding this in my hand was as cumbersome as reading a big hardcover novel. 

So I played around with it for a bit, but in the end I decided it wasn't worth the hefty price ($339 for a basic model, plus an upgrade for a nicer pen and a case) and sent it back. Maybe in another few years I'll reevaluate to see if they have made changes to make more suitable for my needs, but for now I think I'm going to be sticking with with my paper journal and my Paperwhite.

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Have you seen the Scribe? Do you think it would be useful for you?

5.24 Family - Another Birthday Haul

Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Every day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined topic chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the twenty-fourth day of the month is "Family."

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Another month, another family birthday party. My niece's birthday was Tuesday, but we got a text asking if we'd go to a birthday party tomorrow and I HADN'T YET GOTTEN A CARD IN THE MAIL, so I was thrilled to be able to say yet to the party and I was able to go on a mini-shopping spree to buy her presents.

She's turning nine, likes to wear makeup, play with her cousin, chase her dog, and dare me that I can't do cartwheels. She's getting the following, complete with gift receipts to return them if she wants to buy herself walkie talkies (I actually texted her mom to see if she wanted walkie talkies and was informed that their family has two sets already and she promised that I could play with them myself tomorrow, so now you know that my in-laws really think I'm a child and I have no defense for them to think this way because, you know, it's sort of true.):

LEGO Chain Reactions set - Recommended by some Good Housekeeping list. I dunno. It looks like a lot of fun to me.

Glitter Tattoo Kit - Look, I'm hoping that I get asked to help her and my other nieces put these on and maybe come home with an awesome glitter tattoo myself. 

The Never Girls Collection, Books 1-4 - This might be a tad too young for her, but we'll see. 

I don't think there is a family birthday around this time next month, but we will be seeing everyone for Easter, so be prepared for me to go on a rant about how my FIL's wife has a giant stuffed Easter bunny that she proudly displays which is...not okay in my world.

Would you let a nine-year-old girl paint a glitter tattoo on your arm? Do you have a go-to present for kids this age?

4.24 Family - Birthday Cubed

Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Every day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined topic chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the twenty-fourth day of the month is "Family."

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My sister-in-law and her husband have three children who have birthdays within the same month of one another. Most years they hold a party and we go with all our nieces and nephews to a gym and they goof off and then there's pizza and it's all very civilized. But most years the invitation to the party comes after the first one's birthday and I've already sent off a card and a check in the mail, so we never bring presents, but just continue to send off checks because I think it would be weird to bring a present for two of the kids, but not the other. This year my SIL was on the ball because we got an invitation to the party before the first birthday, so I asked her if she or the kids had a preference for whether or not they got presents at the party OR a card in the mail. 

(I am an oh, so indulgent aunt and made it clear that I would even personalize the experience for each child so if they each wanted different arrangements, I would be happy to do it for them.)

My SIL polled them and they said whatever was easiest for us, but with a slight preference for at the time of the party. Well, the party is tomorrow, the presents have been procured, and I am quite pleased with myself.

Child #1 (boy, 11)
SHASHIBO shape-shifting cube that is apparently really fun to play with
Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley 

Child #2 (girl, 9)
Paint Your Own Unicorn & Friends kit
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Child #3 (boy, 7)
Tetris board game
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

Why, yes, I did buy them all fantasy books written by women. You wouldn't know who I was if I didn't give them excellent books, would you? Getting a book from Aunt NGS and Uncle Dr. BB is a given for our nieces and nephews. What's your signature gift?

3.25 Relationship - A Mirror!

Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Each day we write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the twenty-fifth day of the month is "Relationship."

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When we moved into our house, we bought a bed frame and two nightstands from an Amish furniture maker that is local(ish). We were able to pick out the wood and grain pattern and we settled for a rough cherry.

Yes, we have a full-sized bed. I KNOW. I feel like a bigger bed would mean our marriage was in peril. Can you tell which side of the bed is mine?  

Nothing else matches. We also have Dr. BB's grandmother's cedar chest and two dressers in entirely different styles and woods in this room. I think if we had an unlimited budget, we might upgrade to matching dressers, but in the meantime, we have two perfectly serviceable dressers, so why bother.

But what we don't have in our house is a full-length mirror. I have complained about this since the day we moved in. There's a mirror on the door in our downstairs bathroom, but the lighting in there is bad and you can't see your whole outfit, so I have done quite a bit of jumping up and down to see my whole body in a mirror or standing on the ledge of the bathtub. I am, obviously, the coolest. (Shoutout to Suz who knows that people who say they're cool are...probably not cool.)

Dr. BB surprised me by ordering a full-length mirror to match our bedroom set! And it took over a year, but it finally got here! What a good husband. I think it was intended as an anniversary present in May of 2021, but it wasn't finished until December of 2022, so if you have a young person in your life who is good with their hands, maybe you can suggest to them that learning carpentry and making furniture is a good career path. 

Our mirror! And two mismatched dressers! And shoes!

The best thing is that I can see my entire body in the mirror. That is also the worst thing, to be honest. 

And if you thought I was done with talking about furniture, just wait until you read tomorrow's post!

What piece of furniture is the most recently added to your household?

1.30 Depression - 2022 Stocking Stuffer Ideas: $25 and Under

Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Every day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the thirtieth day of the month is "Depression."

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I am in a funk. My job has ended and I don't have any firm offers in hand. NaBloPoMo is over after today and my reader is not going to be jam packed with posts to read every morning. The best way out of that depression, though, is a bit of retail therapy. Here are my stocking stuffer ideas for the year.

Here's my guide from 2021. Those are great ideas, too. 

Games and Toys

Game of Phones ($25 from Uncommon Goods) - My goals is to host more game nights in 2023 and I think this would be a great modern addition to the game selection.

Slingshot with felt ammo ($17.50 from Handcrafted Buffalo) - We have a slingshot and it's great fun. Also, I'm terrible at it.

Unstable Unicorns ($19.99 from Amazon) - I think a game in which unicorns might be the bad guys sounds like fun.

Personalized Yo-Yo ($9.95 from Hazel Grove Customs) - What kid doesn't love a yo-yo?

Pet Lovers

Pet portrait necklace ($19.50 from Mignon & Mignon) - These are so cute and any pet lover would love one.

Memorial pet ornament ($14.98 from Pawfect House) - I have a friend whose absolute favorite cat died this year and I think I might get this for him.

Cat oven mitts ($13.95 for a set of 2 from Amazon) - Am I the only one who has to replace my oven mitts once a year because I burn/stain/ruin them?

Paw soother stick (5.65 for a 0.15 ounce stick or $17.05 for 2 ounce stick) - I have some wax for Hannah's paws, but it's not in stick form. I think I would appreciate not having it all over my hands. 

Gear

Water filter straws ($19.99 for a 2-pack from Amazon) - If you know someone who is outdoorsy or planning a big camping trip, this might be just the thing for them.

Whoosh! screen cleaner kit ($16.99 at Amazon) - I mean, who here has really cleaned their computer screen? Ever?  I think we could all use this.

Windproof, rechargeable lighter ($15.99 at Amazon) - Have you ever tried to light a fire outside in December when the wind is blowing? Matches are not cutting it. This can save so much effort.

Portable Bluetooth speaker ($17.99 at Amazon) - I love the idea of having a speaker in the shower without spending a ton of money.

Girls

Fortune cookie bracelets ($9.69 for a 4-pack at Amazon) - I think my nieces would LOVE this. Inside each fortune cookie is a bracelet. What a fun idea.

Personalized spiral notebook ($9.95 from Purple Crush Creations) - Now I'm just picking things I wouldn't mind getting in my stocking.*

Paint by Stickers book ($9.95 from Fat Brain Toys) - My 13-year-old niece loved these a couple of years back. Her mom said she would finish a book every weekend!

Lip balm ($2.97 from Wild Child Lip Balm Co) - I do not know a girl or woman who would object to some fun-flavored lip balm. Ever. Just, you know, on a random Tuesday would be good, too.

Boys

Robot crayons ($15.63 for eight shaped crayons from Pastello Rosso) - This list shows that I basically think little boys should like robots. 

Personalized harmonica ($9.99 from Little Raven Toys) - Maybe this isn't a treat for the parents' ears, but I like the idea of introducing musical instruments to kids early.

Personalized flat flashlight ($$6.47 from Karen 25 Shop) - These are also magnetized and can stick to the fridge and I think it's a great idea for a place to keep a flashlight in case the power goes out. Plus, if the kids in your life are like the kids in my life, you can never have enough flashlights for playing ghost in the graveyard.

Cubebot ($12 from Areaware) - Who doesn't love a transforming robot thing?

Fashion

Wool socks ($22 at Smartwool) - You guys. I love socks. That is all.

Cute stud earrings, like these strawberry ones ($12 at Lilliput Little Things) - I have a lot of stud earrings, but I could always use more.

Ridiculous beanie with oversized pompom ($16.99 at Everything Jolie Shop) - If you don't have a silly pompom on your winter hat, what kind of life are you living?

Scarf ($20.25 from ionnass) - I think everyone deserves a fashion scarf. Every day. (For my loyal readers, I am wearing the animal print infinity scarf as I type this. FYI.)

Personal care

Hand sanitizer ($15 for a three pack from By Humankind) - I would kill for some hand sanitizer that smells decent at this point. This comes in rose, eucalyptus, or unscented.  

Wizard soap ($8 from Orange Tulip Creations) - I am tempted to buy some of these for everyone I know. Hedwig for life.

Wet brushes ($11.99 for a 3-pack at Amazon) - Did you know there are special brushes for brushing your hair when it's wet? These brushes prevent breakage. I feel like buying this pack and splitting it with the best women in my life.

Eyeshadow palette ($15 from Sephora) - This is a real bargain for eyeshadow. The Sephora collection is usually pretty good quality, too, so this is a steal.

For Your Nerds

Welcome to the shitshow pens ($12 for a set of 5 from Shop Fun Club) - I laughed a lot when I saw these. Who doesn't love slightly naughty office supplies?

Demotivational pens ($11.95 for a set of 5 from Offensive Crayons) - I honestly think these might be a good graduation present, too. Ha!

Magic wand pencils ($15 for a set of 4 from Stuff by Sawyer) - I am an utter fantasy nerd.

Book of the Month membership ($49.99 for three months, which is $16.66 a book) - Okay, this is a little bit outside of the budget, but it's under $25 each month.  If there's a book collector in your life, this might be a good option.

Decor

Vintage map magnets ($10.95 for a set of 2 from Tanner Glass) - I am tempted to get sets of two for everyone I love who lives far from me - one with a map from my town and one from a map where they live. That way, we can always be together.

Holiday ornament ($16.98 from Little Prairie Craft Co) - Obviously, there a gazillion ornaments out there to choose from. I think it's a sweet thing to give as a present.

Personalized coasters ($22.95 for a set of 4 from Personalization Lab) - We use coasters for a lot more than holding drinks in our house and I think everyone should have lots of coasters!

Flameless candles ($19.50 for a set of 4 from Pottery Barn) - I have a set of three flameless candles on a coffee table in our living room that automatically go on from 5:30 - 10:30 every day. I love how they create a soothing ambience without me having to do anything.

What's a stocking stuff you love to get? Have you been thinking about holiday presents yet?

*We don't have stockings, actually. There's no place to hang them in our house, so we've never gotten any.

Stocking Stuffers: Gifts for $10 and Under

I know, I know. We don't like to think that Christmas is just around the corner. But maybe you still need some stocking stuffer ideas?  Here are some that I've been contemplating.

Games and Toys
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game ($9.99 at Target) - We played this with my tween nephew Christmas 2019 and he loved it. So did the adults.

Boomerang ($9.99 at Dick's) - This is such a fun toy to play with for kids and adults. It's also a heck of workout if you have to keep practicing because you're not very good (ahem). 

Customized mini-fig ($9.84 at PrintcreationsbyJo, but shipping from the UK, so get it now!) - I have a couple of nephews who would go wild for these.

Classic Boggle ($9.88 at Amazon) - I love this game. I am almost embarrassed by exactly how much I love it.

Kitchen
Dish towel ($10 at knollwoodlane on Etsy) - Dish towels are the best gift for any occasion. I've given them for retirement, birthday, Christmas, and housewarming presents. It really is my go-to gift.  Anyone can use them!

Christmas tree spoon rest ($9.95 at Crate and Barrel) - I would love to have a spoon rest for every season. Alas, I only have one boring stainless steel spoon rest in my kitchen.

Wooden spoon set ($6.99 at Target) - Does anyone else have to replace their wooden spoons every year because someone inevitably burns them?  Just me? Okay, then.

Angled measuring cup ($9.99 at Amazon) - I am not sure why the possibility of seeing the measurements from above pleases me so much.

Reusable drinking straws (these are all under $5 from WhiteCrowsNest on Etsy) - I have super sensitive teeth and I like the idea of using straws all the time, forever and ever, but not destroying the environment.  Buy a couple and leave one in the car for when you're on the go!

Rubaway bar ($8.99 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond) - Perfect for those of us who chop up a lot of garlic, onions, and peppers.

  

Clothes and Accessories
Cool barrettes (tortoise shell are $10 for LuiDesignHouse on Etsy, ribbon barrettes are $6 for ReArtfulMoms on Etsy) - I think women and girls always deserve nice things for their hair.

Scratch art rainbow mini-notes ($9.79 at Amazon) - Basically I just want these for doodling during meetings. 

Jane Austen socks ($9 at Uncommon Goods) - I think a fun pair of socks is always a good gift idea.

Enamel pin ($10 at Out of Print, Muggles, Go to the library, Book nerd, Library card) - A perfect little accessory.

Personal Care

Shower steamers ($3/piece at Pretty Fizzy Bombs on Etsy) - I am not a bath fan, but I love the idea of a pretty scent as I'm showering.  

Bar soap ($7.85 at SmartAndFineDesign on Etsy) - I love a fancy bar of soap.  

Lip balm ($5 at Long Winter Farms) - I'm obsessed with these lip balms.  The Unicorn Farts, Nasty Woman, and Coffee flavors are wonderful and I can personally attest to them.  

Nail wraps ($10 at Ulta) - Honestly, I'm terrible at doing my own nails and maybe these nail wraps would might help someone similarly afflicted.

Scented hand sanitizer ($10 at Amazon) - I recently used some hand sanitizer in a public place that smelled absolutely revolting. I sort of wish I had this pocket mister with me so I wouldn't have used it.

Technology

Magnetic phone mount ($12.99 for a 2-pack at Amazon) - It's really hard not to use your phone for navigating apps, especially map apps.  This is one way to keep it hands free, particularly if someone has an older model car that isn't smartphone compatible. 

Universal dust cleaner ($6.50 at Amazon) - I have to admit that the center console of our "new" car is disgusting and we absolutely need to get some of this gel to clean it out!

Microfiber cleaner ($4.99 at Amazon) - Who doesn't need a cloth for cleaning eyeglasses and phone and computer screens?

Samsonite manual luggage scale ($10 at Macy's) - Someday we're all going to travel again (someday, right?) and this is just the ticket for someone who has an overpacking habit.

Webcam covers ($6.99 for a pack of 2 at Amazon) - I am loosely adjacent to the cybersecurity field in my current position and we should all try to protect our personal data as much as possible. 

Literary

Leather bookmark ($9.50 at HashtagLeatherworks on Etsy) - Who doesn't love the little luxury of a fancy bookmark?

Retro pens ($7.25 for a 5-pack at Amazon) - I love these pens and have a million rolling around my various desks.  

Customized pencil set ($8.49 for a set of 5 at DesktopState on Etsy) - I love the idea of personalizing these with in jokes, quotes from favorite tv shows, or favorite book titles.

Library cards notebooks (2 for a set of 2 of 75 sheets is $5.95 at Bookish Gifts) - The cuteness is overwhelming.

Pets

Dog bandana ($9 at DapperChicDogs on Etsy) - Every dog needs a holiday bandana. It's just their natural born canine rights.

LED rechargeable night collar ($9.49 at Chewy) - Hannah has one of these and it makes her so visible at night that I'm never worried I'll lose her!  

Waste bags ($8.99 for a 60 count) - Anyone who lives in a dog house will appreciate this, I promise!

Cat toys ($2.99 for the original cat dancer or $5.99 for mouse toys) - Most kitties will play with these toys and their people will love the new toys, too.