The week of Thanksgiving feels like the perfect time to officially kick off holiday season on the blog. First up, a gift guide for the little kids on your shopping list.
When buying presents for preschoolers ages three and up, look for toys that encourage problem solving, pretending, building, and creating. Activity toys to practice physical skills (kicking, throwing, climbing, and riding) make great holiday gifts, too
The way I see it, there are two kinds of coffee drinkers: those who enjoy it for the taste and those who consume it for the caffeine kick. Before JB and I had a lesson in manual brewing, I was content drinking pretty much anything as long as it came with a buzz.
Since then, however, we’ve become slightly obsessed with attaining the perfect cup of coffee at home. It’s been fun experimenting with different roasts, grinds, and brewing methods. (Our favorite, so far? The Chemex.)
Here are 11 gift ideas for coffee lovers that may inspire them to put down their Starbucks holiday drink and embrace the art of simple brewed coffee… READ MORE!
Whenever I pick up Levi from nursery school, I ask him about his playground adventures. Did he go down the slide? Did he crawl through the hippopotamus tunnel? Did he play with any of his classmates?… READ MORE!
Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 11th. Have you purchased something for your mom already? Has your husband asked you what you might like to receive?
If you’re still in need of ideas, have no fear… I’m here to help! I always enjoy putting together gift guides because they’re usually a combination of what’s on my wish list and what I’d buy for my friends and family — and this year’s Mother’s Day gift guide is no exception!
1. Patent leather Birkenstocks for the mom who gave up wearing heels a long time ago.
2. The best ever flat iron for the mom who wishes she had straight hair.
3. An eye-catching card case to hold store credit and loyalty cards for the mom who loves to shop.
4. The limited edition FEED + Oh Joy! diaper bag that’s playful on the outside and practical on the inside for the mom who just had a baby.
5. This set of three nylon pouches for the mom who plans to spend every summer weekend at the beach.
6. A silk-screened scarf with an unexpected pattern for the mom who is always chilly in an air conditioned room. (Bonus! BRIKA is offering all Bunny & Dolly readers free shipping with the code BUNNYDOLLY. Offer expires in one week.)
7. The Hands Free Mama
8. A flash chill tea maker
9. A delicate dual birthstone ring for the mom with two adorable yet exhausting kids.
I’d love know what’s on your wish list! Leave a comment or send me a tweet with the Mother’s Day gift you’re hoping to unwrap this year.
PS – More lovely gifts for the ladies.
Still searching for the perfect gift for your mom, sister, or best friend? Here are a few lovely gifts for the ladies on your list–though you may be tempted to keep them for yourself!
1. Bobbie Brown’s Old Hollywood Eye Palette features a mix of warm and cool hues that are easy to wear and universally flattering.
2. The Catalina Weekender might inspire an impromptu getaway.
3. Mix and match rose gold, yellow gold, and sterling silver bracelets to create the perfect set of three cuffs.
4. Cheaper than a massage and almost as soothing, the Herbal Ease Neck Pillow
5. She won’t need a necklace when she wears this Colorblock Foulard Scarf.
6. Crafted from hand dyed canvas and leather accents, this Fold-Over Cross-Body Bag adds a modern bohemian twist to any outfit.
7. A Michelle Armas 2014 Calendar does double-duty as a beautiful work of art.
8. This Slim Zip Contrast Wallet makes an elegant addition to even the messiest purse or diaper bag.
9. A new fragrance for the new year: Tory Burch Eau De Parfum.
10. The Tata Harper Deluxe Beauty Set is a luxurious upgrade from the drugstore-bought skincare products in her medicine cabinet.
11. These Mini Sunburst Stud Earrings are small enough to wear every day but special enough to get noticed.
12. For the lazy chef, the Year-Round Slow Cooker
Buying gifts for little kids can be tough. What do you buy for the kiddo who already has an overflowing playroom? If you need inspiration, here are some tried-and-true toys Levi already loves, plus a few still on his holiday wishlist!
1. Pancakes and Strawberries, your little one’s favorite Sunday breakfast, now available any day of the week.
2. For the dress-up box: a felt Fox Mask (or any other woodland, barnyard, or zoo animal mask).
3. A cute and cozy Penguin Sleeping Bag for family slumber parties and overnights with cousins.
4. Who says bedtime has to be boring? This coordinating set of Faux Fur Bear Slippers and a Fleece Bear Robe are perfect for pre-hibernation playtime.
5. A Twig Creative wooden camera that looks just like mom’s to help develop (get it?) his imagination.
6. Eventually they’ll learn the rules. For now, it’s more fun watching them play with Animal Dominos
7. No delayed flights or security hiccups with this wooden Airplanes Box Set
8. A classic-looking Radio Flyer Scoot-About Tricycle
9. Markers plus clothing plus furniture often equal one big mess. Color Wonder Drawing Paper
10. The bandleader in our house is the one who plays the Glockenspiel during sing-a-long time. (Can you guess who that is?!)
11. Animal Nesting Dolls that work on problem-solving skills–and look good on a shelf, too.
12. A Grey and White Dot Teepee that kids will love hiding inside and you’ll love looking at.
PS – More toys for toddlers, and gifts for infants.
I recently contributed a gift guide for techies over on BHG.com, but JB thought I left out a few impressive products. He’s here today sharing more tech gifts for the technologically-savvy guy (or gal!) in your life.
1. Organize the rat’s nest of power cords and charging accessory cables on your desk with the Quirky Cordies.
2. Before she got her iPad 2, I bought PJ a third generation Kindle that we ended up returning when she decided she didn’t need a e-reader. However, after borrowing her mom’s old Kindle for our babymoon, she’s come around to the idea of using one. The new Kindle Paperwhite
3. and 4. The Xbox One
5. Use your iPad as a tablet to sketch, color, illustrate, and design with the Bluetooth-enabled Pencil that enhances the company’s award-winning Paper app in astonishing ways!
6. and 7. No connected home is complete without a Nest thermostat and new multi-function alarm.
8. The iGrill Mini, a new pocket-sized version of the wireless meat thermometer, connects to an app on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch.
9. A wet/dry mopping robot so your guy can spend more time playing video games and less time cleaning the floors.
10. The iPad Air is awesome, but PJ’s mom just got a new Retina Mini, and it’s unbelievably cool.
11. Create a personalized watch using your favorite Instagram photo and customize everything from the band to the watch arms. The most amazing part is how affordable it is!
12. They may be improving, but if smartphone cameras aren’t doing it for you, why not carry just the optics of a point-and-shoot camera? Your phone becomes the interface when you use an attachable lens-style camera
PS – Father’s Day gifts he’d be happy to receive for the holidays.
Toddlers are funny little creatures. While adults crave variety, they thrive on repetition — which explains why they love having the same book read to them over and over and over again. Toddlers actually enjoy knowing what’s going to happen when you turn the page!
While it may pain you to read your two year old’s newest library acquisition three times a day, seven days a week (been there, done that!), your toddler is benefitting from the repetition. According to a UK study, repeatedly hearing the same stories increases a preschooler’s vocabulary.
If you’re thinking of giving the gift of books this holiday season, why not choose books for toddlers that are equally enjoyable for mom and dad, too? Here are 9 of Levi’s current favorites that we don’t mind reading over and over and over…
1. Happy Hector
P.S. More books for two year olds, plus board books and picture books perfect for gift giving.
We have several reasons to celebrate JB in the upcoming months: a milestone birthday, completion of his master’s degree, and, of course, Father’s Day. I typically have a hard time buying my husband gifts because he doesn’t ask for anything, but recently I’ve been forcing encouraging him to brainstorm with me.
Inspired by JB’s wish list, here are some potential birthday, anniversary, or Father’s Day gifts for the guy in your life .
4. Shaving kit
6. Wireless activity & sleep tracker
What are you getting your dad (or baby daddy) this year?
P.S. – JB’s Father’s Day wish list from last year, plus what I actually bought him. He loved it!
