Life After I "Dew"

I think the thing I love {and already miss} most about the time between Thanksgiving and New Years is all the time spent with family. Not just my family but my in-laws and my friends {they're family too}. I am Kendall's Girl Scout troop {co} leader now and this week I went around the table and asked the girls what their favorite thing they did over winter break was and I couldn't believe how many of them said, "spending time with my family".  Warmed my heart.

Some people might argue that all the family time is the thing that stresses them out the most during the holidays but I love it, can't get enough of it.  In fact, my dad and cousin have birthdays in the mix and I love that that means we have two more opportunities to get together during this time.

Whether we are sitting around my aunts kitchen island, spoiling our dinner with appetizers, or having a big family movie night at my in-laws home theater we always have a great time, a lot of laughs and leave feeling full.

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Mom It Forward Blogger Network and Organic Doctor  but all my opinions are my own.

Anyone else a super last minute shopper this year?

Normally I like to have everything done by the week of Christmas but this year I'm finding myself out in the hustle and bustle just a few days before Christmas.  Honestly, it's not that bad.  I thought it was going to be crazy busy, people were going to be rude and grumpy and I was going to come home completely drained of Christmas cheer.  I've been pleasantly surprised at the general mood this year, everyone seems a little more laid back and friendly {minus the young men who refused to open or hold open a door for me but that's another story for another day}.

Today I wanted to share with you some of my favorite things to shop for, STOCKING STUFFERS!  I love stocking stuffers because we do them last so just when you think the presents are over...nope, STOCKING STUFFERS!  As a kid, my mom always wrapped stocking stuffers and sometimes my dad would surprise me and I'd have real {small} presents in there so and I loved knowing that I wasn't quite done opening gifts.

When Organic Doctor asked if I'd be willing to share some stocking stuffer ideas, including their naturally inspired products, I immediately said, "YES!"  I love beauty and skincare products just as much as the next girl and I would love to receive all or any of these things in my stocking this year.

1.  Aveda Volumizing Tonic.  I have tried lots of volumizers over the year thanks to flat,fine hair and I have loved none until I started using this.  I love that it smells amazing {duh, all Aveda products do} and it doesn't leave my hair feeling weighed down or like there's build up at my roots.

2.  Organic Doctor {available at your local CVS}.

• Organic Rose Otto Facial Serum.   This is a light serum designed to renew elasticity, restore skin integrity and leave your skin feeling soft and toned.
• Organic Snail Gel.  This moisturizing, anti-aging gel will soothe and hydrate skin in these harsh winter months.
• Organic Olive Oil Skin Lotion.  Help moisture dry, flaking winter skin with this all-over body lotion that will leave skin feeling softer and smoother all day long.

3.  Philosophy Amazing Grace.  If you ever wondered what I smell like {I know you do} this is it.  I've been wearing this, exclusively, since college {or maybe before}.  I'm obsessed and it's the only perfume I've ever finished a bottle of.

4.  NARS blush {orgasm}.  I'm sure you've all heard of {and probably use} this universal blush.  It's my go-to and, even though I feel naughty about the color, it really is perfection.

5.  Makeup Brushes.  After scouring the Internet and reading reviews till I went cross-eyed, I finally added these to my wishlist this year.

6.  COVERGIRL Outlast.  I've never tried Lip Sense {too expensive for my taste} but this stuff is the same concept.  I have two colors and both have lasted me 8+ hours and less than $10!

7.  Not Your Mothers Dry Shampoo.  I've tried more expensive brands like Living Proof and I just keep coming back to this one.  It smells good, won't break the bank and {coming from a girl with EXTREMELY oily hair} works amazing.

8.  Urban Decay Naked Basics.  Call me crazy but the Naked palettes give me anxiety, too many options.  I have this one and it's perfect and you can still create a lot of pretty looks with fewer options.  

9.  Essie nail color in Chinchilly.  This color is not new and I don't do my nails often but this is my go-to fall/winter color.  I still love it all these years later.

10.  Headbands and hair ties.  I'm partial to Brady Bands and wear nothing else.  Nonslip headbands for the fitness lover or maybe something a little dressier for the girly girl in your life.

There you have it!  Now all you last-minute-shoppers tell me what you're shopping for!

My all-time favorite holiday tradition is my family's annual cookie exchange.  We've been doing it as long as I can remember and even before that.  What started out as a way for my mom, aunt and grandma to gift their love of baking to friends and family has turned into a more simple family get-together.  We no longer bake millions of cookies in every variety you can imagine.  There's no more burnt hands from making hard candies.  Gone are our standard assortment of cookies and now everyone kind of makes what they want.  One thing that has remained the same throughout all these years are the cutout sugar cookies.

As much as everyone loves to complain about icing the cookies, it really is our most fun time together.  We get silly with our decorating, we eat more than we ice, we laugh, we listen to Christmas music and it's just good old fashion family fun.  Now that I have kids of my own I am so happy to be passing this tradition onto them.


This year I wanted to make a little something different than the standard "Christmas cookie" so when the folks at Honey Bunches of Oats® asked me to come up with a holiday treat I was up for the challenge and quickly ran to Kroger for my ingredients.  I decided on a peanut butter, chocolate treat bar that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars {featuring Honey Bunches of Oats® }

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups peanut butter
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 cups Honey Bunches of Oats® Cereal {I used Honey Roasted}
• 2 milk chocolate bars

Instructions

• Microwave the peanut butter, syrup and sugar in a microwave safe bowl for 3 minutes. Stir every 30 seconds to one minute to avoid burning make sure it's melted all the way through.
• In a large bowl mix the cereal and your melted ingredients to coat
• Pour the mixture into a 9x9 baking dish and pack firmly
• Melt the chocolate bars
• Pour and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the cereal
• Let it firm up and once bars have set cut into squares and ENJOY!

Christmas with kids, it's the best isn't it?

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, I'm pretty sure it's everyone's. Although...4th of July is pretty awesome too {SUMMER!}...anyway...

I've always loved Christmas.  My dad, who isn't one for holidays, always made Christmas special.  He'd wake ME up at 5am Christmas morning with Christmas music on the surround sound throughout the whole house.  We'd have presents opened and my mom would have breakfast before
the sun was even up that day.  Christmas was always a special time.

Christmas is the only holiday I decorate for.  I mean really decorate.  Sure I'll throw a new spring wreath on the front door when the temps warm up.  I'll bust out my adorable pumpkin centerpiece and place mats once October rolls around.  But Christmas, I rearrange furniture, take things off the walls to be replaced with festive decor, our house totally transforms and I love it.

This season is magical with kids.  It goes beyond the cute decorations and the pretty wrapping.  Sure I loved Christmas before but my kids reaction to all of these things is what I live for.  It's why I do Elf on the Shelf.  It's why I plan out a daily activity for advent.  It's why I get excited about receiving Christmas cards. They are in awe of everything this time of year and the magic in their eyes is everything.

Kendall is old enough to really be excited about everything and she is.  She wakes up every day and cannot believe that Rich {Elf on the Shelf} has taken a new spot in our house.  The first thing she does is pick out our advent activity of the day.  She loves picking out gifts for others when I take her shopping.  She tells James, "oohhh look out your window!!!" when we are driving past a house with Christmas lights.  She can't wait to rip another paper ring off her paper chain/countdown she made at school.  She believes in all the magic right now and getting to relive that through her eyes is indescribable.

We don't put too much emphasis on Santa, especially this year, but she believes in him.  She wants to go see him, she wrote him a letter, she thinks Rich really flies home to him every night.  Her school did Polar Express day yesterday and surprised all the kids with Santa and I love that they are trying to keep the magic alive too.  I know that's  probably taboo in most schools these days but I love that they did that and Kendall thought it was pretty cool too.

James still doesn't understand a lot but he's excited to see lights, he loves the tree {especially his Star Wars ornaments}, he plays with all the jingle bells and musical toys.  When I asked him, "James do you want to see Santa today?" he said, "noooooooooooooooooo, Santa not nice!". I was for sure we'd end up with our first ever crying kid on Santa's lap pic but look at him!  Sitting on Santa's lap all proud and looking so big.  I swear every year I think it can't get better and then it does.

We have just over a week left until the big day and I can hardly wait. Seeing my kids be so excited has made me more excited.  But I know the day will come soon enough and then it will all be over.  No more magic, no more twinkling lights and no more excitement so, for now, I'm trying to savor each and every moment that Christmas has to offer.

I've talked, in the years past, about how we do Christmas.

We use traditional, red and green, in our decor.

We wrap stocking stuffers.

We visit Santa.

We do the whole Elf on the Shelf thing.

Over the years I've thought about starting new traditions with my kids so we've adopted the Advent calendar and filled it with ways to make memories {rather than gifts or candy}.  I often think about starting the new jammies and a book on Christmas Eve tradition that I've seen {and loved} so many people do.  My problem with that is buying Christmas PJs and only having the one night to wear them.  Sure we wear Christmas jammies long past Christmas but...you know what I mean.

This year I feel like I have grown so much in my faith and have come a long way in my relationship with God.  I pray more/harder than ever before.  We have real conversations with the kids {mainly Kendall} about God and the bible.  We pray as a family now.  It's really been an amazing year, spiritually.

I've been talking to Kendall about the true meaning of Christmas a lot lately.  She's starting to get it even if not 100%. She actually has been getting excited when we talk about it and that makes me excited.  She's going to learn about Christmas at a much younger age than I did and I can't help but feel proud about that.

We have decided that this year we are going to focus on just that, the true meaning of Christmas.  We have been talking about Jesus's birthday a lot and about Santa very little.  In sticking with this we have decided that presents are going to be limited this year.  My friend, who has been a nanny for several years, told me about a tradition one of her nanny families started and I loved it.  The kids get four gifts.

1.  Something you want
2.  Something you need
3.  Something you wear
4.  Something you read

She told me about this idea years ago and I always thought it was a great idea and always wanted to adopt it but I just couldn't bring myself to stick to it.  I wanted to get them more. I wanted the tree to filled with gifts underneath.  I wanted them to have it all.  And why?  I do not know.

It's going to be hard to stick to just four gifts for each kid.  We are going to have to be very selective about what that 'want' present is.  But it's going to be worth it.  Our kids will learn that Christmas isn't about Santa, it isn't about getting more.  It's about celebrating Jesus and all that he did for us.

In preparation for Christmas we have done a toy overhaul.  I've tossed things that are broken, missing pieces and just plain junk. The good stuff we will donate and the rest will go to the curb.  Normally we do this to make room for more toys so it feels good knowing that we won't just be replacing what we're getting rid of

We are so blessed already.  We have so much we are already thankful for.  We don't do without and we certainly have more than we need.  We will focus on that this year and we will count our blessings.

I am going to be cliche right now and proclaim my love for this time of year.  Christmas with kids makes this time of year THAT much better. It's more magical, special, and WAY more fun.  Being a parent at Christmas is even better than being a kid.  Don't you agree?  It's so cool to watch the wonder in their eyes when they see Santa for the first time.  They truly believe in magic each morning when they wake up and find that Elf in a different spot.  It's really, truly the best time of the year.

Good Morning!  I slept awful last night, how bout you?  I swear I saw every hour last night even though James slept {is still sleeping} all night and Kendall only woke up twice to potty.  I was restless, couldn't get comfortable, was hot, you name it.  Jimmy woke me up at 6 am because he couldn't find his badge for work and I said, to myself, "forget it!  I'm just getting up!"  So, here I sit and I'm going to just pretend that I'm meeting a friend for coffee and we're going to chat.  OK?

***
I'm kind of over the whole Elf on the Shelf thing.  We started him, on accident, way too early this year and, well, he's lost his luster.  Every night, just as I've climbed in bed, I think, "SHIT!  I didn't move Rich!" and I crawl out of bed to find some magical place to put him.  Truth be told, we have not been creative at all this year. Last year, our first year, I went all out and every night was some new elf antics.  This year?  He's just in a new hiding place because I just can't.  Our advent calendar, on the other hand, I'm loving.  Kendall wakes up every day and says, "Is it time to open our first envelope?" even though it's the 15th one, she still calls it the first and I kinda love that.  We've had a couple of days we've had to "fudge" for whatever reason but overall it's a hit and we're loving all the special memories.  Today we make ornaments!

***
I hosted a cookie exchange party at my house yesterday, for the first time.  My "blog friends" and my "in real life friends" got to meet so now when I tell my IRL friends "Yeah, so and so, my blog friend..." they don't think I'm a crazy person anymore.  It was so much fun having my two worlds come together, if you will.  I had lots of kids running around, way too many cookies, and lots of laughs.  And, guess what?  I didn't Instagram a moment of it!  It was kind of liberating.

***
Speaking of, do you think that social media has kind of taken the "be here, now-ness" out of events?  I feel like, anymore, people {myself included} are so quick to take a pic for Instagram or to post on Facebook that we aren't actually just living in the moment anymore?  I kinda hate that, ya know?  Like yesterday instead of worrying about sharing my delicious adult hot chocolate I just enjoyed drinking it with my closest friends, no photo necessary.  Before we went to bed last night I told Jimmy, "You know, I didn't get on Instagram at all today!" like it was some sort of victory, and, truth be told, it kind of was.  Pathetic but true.  I'm going to be better about that.

***
I have had our Christmas cards for a week or so now yet they're still sitting, addressed, on the counter waiting for stamps.  Ugh, I loathe going to the post office, especially with two tiny tots in tow, but I guess I better get on it seeing as Christmas is less than 10 days away.  We've been receiving cards upon cards and I have all but two photo cards.  I got to thinking, when I was growing up we NEVER sent a photo card or a photo in our card, just a plain Christmas card from the giant box that you buy at Target.  Now everyone sends a photo card and I love it.  I love seeing the people we love and what their families look like, what they've been up to, etc.  I love that this tradition is changing.

***
 I think we've reached the end of napping days, for Kendall.  She hasn't taken a nap for the past four days.  You guys, I'm so sad about this.  I look forward to naps.  It's my time to get things done, whether it be laundry, prepping for dinner, checking emails, catching up on the DVR, whatever.  Luckily she's been going into her room for at least two hours, one day I even thought she had fallen asleep because she was being so good and quiet.  If she does that then I'm OK with no naps because it still gives me a chance to collect my thoughts and recharge MY battery.  So, I guess it's not so bad actually.

***
We still have the majority of our Christmas shopping to do.  Like, we've only bought for two people so far.  I hate that we are last minute shoppers, hate it, it stresses me out.  I always say, every year, that I'm going to be one of those people who starts shopping EARLY and has it all done by some magical before Christmas date, in my head.  It never happens.  And this also means we're actually going to have to go out in the crazy to shop because I don't trust that stuff will get here in time, at this point.

***
I need help.  Baby James has chubby little feet and no socks will stay on him.  He kick, kick, kicks all day and I'm constantly putting his socks on.  I need to know what your favorite baby socks are, ones that will stay put!  I used to love the Circo ones from Target but now those aren't staying on either.  I've even bought bigger sizes, 6-12 months, but he still kicks them off.  Little booger.  So share with me your sock secrets, please.

Growing up every family has it's holiday traditions.  Whether it's taking a trip to visit Santa, doing a advent calendar or entertaining that mischievous little Elf on the Shelf.  When I was little we didn't do much besides the honorary decorating of my mom's famous silver/gold/crystal tree which required hanging 5 million crystal angels which we all dreaded.  Other than that we were pretty ho-hum until Christmas morning when my DAD would wake everyone up.  Usually it's the kid{s} waking the parents, not at my house.  Five in the morning my dad was up, coffee was made and Christmas music was playing throughout the house.  By 9 o'clock we were all ready for a nap.

When I got married and Jimmy and I got ready for our first Christmas there were lots of decisions, important decisions, to be made.  Colored lights or white lights?  Real tree or fake tree?  Do stockings get presents?  Some "fights" he won, some I won but coming up with our own family traditions was fun.

SO...

Do you/Santa/Santa's Elves wrap presents that are under the tree or are they put together, ready to play with when your littles wake up?  I had never heard of presents NOT being wrapped until a couple of years ago.  All presents were wrapped and under the tree when I woke up on Christmas morning.  The only thing I can remember NOT being wrapped was my Barbie Dream House which my dad had stayed up until wee hours Christmas Eve to put together.

What about your tree?  Real or fake?  Growing up we always got a real tree.  Sure it sucked stomping through the snow but that was part of making memories.  Our first Christmas we froze our butts off with a brand new Kendall in the Moby.  The following year my grandma gave us a very nice, fake tree and we never looked back.  Sure I miss the smell of the fake tree but I don't miss the mess and I can get a Yankee candle that smells just like it so win, win in my book.

Do you put presents in your stockings?  I have always had real gifts in my stocking.  One year I even got a Tiffany necklace in my stocking!  Jimmy always got small things, candy, ornaments, gift cards, etc.  Now we do a combination.  We don't put extravagant gifts in the stockings but sometimes I like to still put one "good gift" in there for a surprise.

Now the great light debate.  Jimmy likes colored, I like white.  I win.  Well on the tree anyway. We compromised that we'd do white lights on the tree and colored lights on the house.  That's fine by me, as long as he doesn't mix colored AND white lights outside, that I cannot handle.  Either all colored or all white, no mixing.

What other traditions do you get into?  Do you open a new Christmas book every night?  Get new special Christmas PJs every Christmas Eve?  Do you make an ornament each year?  I'm always looking for new ideas and traditions to start now that we have our little family.

Wow!  Well I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I am overstuffed and my eyes might go crossed if I scout out the!best!deal! for one more second.  Because, for real.

With that being said, it's Christmastime!!!  It's the most wonderful time of the year!  It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  Tis the season!  All of these have been flooding my IG and Facebook feeds over the past couple of days.  I love the feeling of Thanksgiving just as much as the next turkey lover {I actually don't love turkey} but there's just something about Christmastime that is magical, it really is.  It's a feeling, Christmas.  Am I right?

This year is really special for us.  Not only is it our first Christmas as a family of four but this is the first year that Kendall "gets it".  Last year she was still too little to really understand the true meaning of Christmas but over the past year we've gone to church a lot more and she's learning about Jesus at school and so when she asked me why we were decorating on Sunday I was able to tell her it was because we were celebrating Jesus's birthday.  And she got it, I think.  It was a very proud, special moment for me and in that moment I got really excited for this season.

This year we are focusing on what really matters, family, memories, Jesus, love, and giving back.  That's what Christmas means to me {my love}.

I never did an advent calendar as a child, sure we did countdown calendars and paper chains but we never did a real advent with presents, chocolates or memories.  Last year I thought Kendall was too young to do it but this year, right at the last minute, I decided this was the year to start a new family tradition.  I didn't want to focus on presents though, no, I wanted it to be about doing things.  Making memories.  Spending time together.  Giving back.

I scoured Pinterest and there are some CA-UTE ideas out there for DIY advent calendars. Tons.  But?  I am not crafty, had limited supplies, and needed to do this right now. So I found a cute envelope idea and went with it, surprised we had enough envelopes {don't ask me to send a letter or a bill b/c I have officially used all envelopes in the house}.
I got the markers out and Kendall and I spent some quiet time, on the kitchen floor decorating each one.  It was simple, it was easy, it was perfect.  Sure it's not Pinterest-worthy but it made my little angel happy and that's all that matters.

I filled each envelope with special holiday things, decorate the tree, donate food to the local food pantry, visit Santa, host a holiday party, donate to Toys for Tots, make an ornament, see the zoo lights, drink hot chocolate and watch a Christmas movie, etc.  It's all about spending time together and really cherishing this special time.

Kendall has been thrilled, in case you couldn't tell by the above photo.  Not only does she have her Elf on the Shelf to look forward to but now some fun activity too.  We already had to fudge it a bit because day 2 was supposed to be "visit Santa" but we kinda sorta already did that the day before Thanksgiving sooo...we improvised a bit.  Today is our day to take snack to school so we decided to "make a special snack" instead.  Thankfully she can't read yet and it was still festive so I consider it a win.

It was hard to plan the days so far in advance so I'm sure there will be lots of making it up as we go/switching days around but no matter what we will do something special each and every day this month.  I cannot wait and I hope that this is a tradition that we carry on each year from here on out.  I hope that my children appreciate learning what this season is all about and that it humbles them.

This time of year it's so easy to get caught up in the gimme gimmes and focus on buying all the things for all the people but I'm enjoying slowing down and taking a minute or two out of each day and really focusing on what this season is all about.  I hope you do too.

Well well well, I hope you all had a fantastic, belly stuffing, thankful day yesterday!  If you are up and reading this this early one of two things is probably happening, 1. you are a crazy and going to do Black Friday shopping with the rest of the crazies or 2. your boss is a dick and is making you work and therefore you will show him/her by doing nothing aka reading blogs.

Do you Black Friday shop?

I have never and will never {famous last words} torture myself with such an event.  I mean, people have been killed over what?  A discount on a Wii that their kid probably played with through mid-January and then tossed it to the side with the XBox your almost killed yourself for last year.

I don't get the appeal.  I love shopping just as much as the next person but I don't love chaos.  All the people, the waking up early, the not that great of prices.  I think I read somewhere that MOST of what is "on sale" for Black Friday was actually cheaper the closer it got to Christmas or even right after.  So...there's that.

Now wait till the day Kendall or James wants some super awesome, only available ON Black Friday gift.  Then I'll be elbowing bitches in the face with the rest of the Walmart-ers.  Until then, I'll shop from my home, in my PJs while making money via ebates and, who knows, maybe I'll even spring for gift wrapping while I'm at it.

How about you?  Do you subject yourself to the torture that is Black Friday?  Have you ever gotten one hell of a deal?  I want to hear your crazy stories, you crazies.

Don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway that we're all hosting too!  I mean, check out these prizes!
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But what's better is TODAY Becka, from Kiki La'Rue wants to sweeten the deal! She's offering up TWO of the Lenore scarves to TWO lucky readers! Enter below!
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Man,  I feel like Oprah!  Happy Monday!

Welcome to day three of the Jingle Bell Rock Blog Hop!  I hope you are loving this series as much as we are!  We have four more fun link ups in store and today is one of my favorites because I get to share a tried and true holiday idea.

Today we are talking about Christmas Yummies {aka food and drink}. Well in true L.A.I.D. fashion I'd rather share with you a delicious drink recipe.  If that doesn't count as a Christmas Yummy, I don't know what does.  

This recipe and I go WAY back.  I was still living with my parents the first time I made it and it comes from Food Network's very own Sandra Lee {of Semi Homemade Cooking}. So that means the recipe is very easy.  I watched her holiday special and immediately knew that I wanted to make this for my family as a top off to our wonderful Christmas.

It's called White Hot Chocolate and one cup will be enough, I promise.  I'm not usually a white chocolate lover but I am obsessed with this drink!  It's pretty thick and very fattening filling {thanks to the heavy cream} but it makes such a nice after dinner drink.  I promise it'll be a hit and it can be served "virgin" too, for the pregnants and underagers.

White Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 cups half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Vanilla whipped topping, for garnish
• Candy cane, crushed or whole, for garnish
• Peppermint liqueur, optional
• White chocolate liqueur, optional

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The other day I mentioned that I couldn't come up with anything I wanted for Christmas.  Trust me, this came just as much of a shock to me too.  Normally I have my list ready, pictures attached with the store and prices included starting in November.  This year?  Not so much.  In fact, everyone {and I mean everyone} keeps teasing me because "there has to be more!".  I have wracked my brain and managed to come up with a list.  A pathetic list, but a list.  I'm dedicating this year to comfort.  Obviously.

Some of you may even want these gifts for yourself!

Today is day two of our Jingle Bell Rock Blog Hop {sadly I missed day one, blogger fail} and I'm so excited to share this.  Today is  Elf on the Shelf ideas hosted by the fabulous and adorable Cheryl from Nap Time is the New Happy Hour.

This has been our first experience with Elf on the Shelf and I have to say, it's been fun!  A lot of people have asked if Kendall "gets it" and the answer is no, probably not.  I don't think she understands the concept of the Elf, Rich, being sent from Santa to see if she's being naughty or nice.  She does, however, love to wake up each morning and find him and she knows that she's not allowed to touch him or "him lose him magic powers".


From making messes and drawing pictures to eating mini doughnuts and going potty in the dollhouse, Rich is making Kendall smile each morning. Most of the ideas I have used so far have come from Pinterest, seriously what did we do without that site?

Now head on over to Cheryl's neck of the woods and share your awesome Elf on the Shelf ideas!  I can't wait to see what everyone's come up with!

I've had several people ask me what I'm getting Kendall this year {because they need ideas for their own child} or what to get Kendall this year and so I thought it might be helpful to post a few ideas for the toddler in your life.  Realize that this guide is geared more for the girl but some of the gifts are unisex and/or there is a boy version out there too.  Some of these are things that we already have and love for her and others are things she will be getting this year. There is something for every price point too and nothing is un-affordable, because that's how we roll.  And you'll notice that there aren't any clothes, PJs, or outerwear on this list {all of which Kendall is sure to receive too} because I wanted to keep this geared towards things they'd actually love {and I'm still haunted by the year I got ALL CLOTHES for Christmas}.