Monday, November 9, 2020

Holiday Gift Guide for the Guys

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Guys are always so hard to buy for… or at least in my case they are.  Today I’m sharing a few items that would make great gifts for the guys who have everything… I hope you’ll find a few unique suggestions!




1 – House Slippers

While my husband would probably never wear house slippers, I know a lot of guys do, and these Hanes slippers look comfy, but manly, and not at all house-slippery.  Haha.



2 – Apple Watch Bands 5-Pack

This is the same 5-pack as the ones on my gift guide for the ladies, but a different color selection.  The quality of these bands is excellent, and pretty much identical to those that come with the Apple Watches.  At just $12.99 for the pack of five, it would make a fun and affordable gift!



3 – Dual Port USB Charger

With so many items that need to be charged these days – phones, speakers, earbuds, watches, tablets, etc. – there just aren’t enough outlets to go around!  These dual chargers turn a single electrical socket into a port for two items.  Brian has a couple of these and we love to bring them when we travel… you just never know when you will run into an outlet shortage at a hotel or Airbnb!  These are $13.99 for a two-pack, and they have nearly 7,000 reviews with 4.7 out of 5 stars. 


 

4 – Drop Stop

Ever had something tiny fall down between the seats in your vehicle that was nearly impossible to retrieve?  With these, you never have to worry about that again.  Those of you who watch Shark Tank probably already know about this ingenious product, but for those of you who don’t, Drop Stop attaches to the seat belts in your vehicle to block the gaps between your seats.  They are universal, they never have to be reinstalled or readjusted, and they last a lifetime.  With almost 17,000 reviews and 4.6 out of 5 stars, you know they’re great!  Brian has had these in his SUV for years and they are the best. things. ever.  I didn’t need them in my previous vehicle because the gaps were so wide, but I will be getting a pair for my new SUV ASAP as I’ve already dropped my phone in the crack twice. 


 

5 – Apple AirPods

These Apple AirPods don’t really need any explanation.  Wireless earbuds, yes please!! 


 

6 – United States of Craft Beer

This book is perfect for the beer lover, especially those who love to travel. It highlights breweries and beers state-by-state, so your man can check out all of the best ones in the U.S.!


 

7 – JBL Flip Waterproof Speaker

This speaker is small, lightweight, portable, and waterproof, and the sound is amazing.  We’ve had one for a few years, and we’ve taken it all over the place, including the beach.  It is truly one of my favorite things and it’s always one of my favorite things to recommend.


 

8 – Laptop Backpack

This backpack is sleek and has compartments for everything your guy may need to carry, including a laptop.  It’s water resistant and sturdy, and it has a luggage strap that allows it to fit on a suitcase.  With over 24,000 reviews and 4.8 out of 5 stars, it’s no wonder it’s a #1 bestseller on Amazon!  It comes in seven different colors and it’s only $29.99!  So affordable!


 

9 – The Best 100 Movies of All-Time Scratch-Off Bucket List Poster

Here’s another bucket list scratch-off poster!  This one lists the best 100 movies of all-time (that’s debatable, of course), and your guy can scratch them off as he watches.  Since we’re all stuck in quarantine, now is the perfect time to work your way through the list!


 

10 – Beer Cap Map

This beer cap map is another great gift for beer lovers!  It’s a wooden map of the United States with slots to put beer caps in from each of the 50 states.  B has one similar to this in his office, and he loves it… it’s perfect to hang in a man cave or home office.


 

11 – Copper Mugs

I think I’ve put copper mugs on every mens’ gift guide that I’ve ever done, but they truly make a great little gift!  B and I love Moscow Mules, and they really do taste better in a copper mug.  The copper keeps the drinks cold and frosty until the last sip, and they’re the perfect eye candy for a bar cart.  If you do purchase copper mugs, just be sure to purchase some that are 100% copper… a lot of them are not.  These are, though.  ;o)


 

12 – Oversized Mug/Soup Bowl

Now that B is working from home, he is eating lunch at home every day instead of going out a lot, so he has taken to eating soup some days to have some variety.  He found this oversize mug/soup bowl with a handle, and he eats his soup from it every day.  I have one with a Friends design, and it truly is the best thing for eating soup!  The handle makes it so much easier to transport, and it makes microwave removal SO much easier when the soup is hot!  This one is big enough so that it comfortably holds an entire oversized can of soup with room to spare.


 

13 – Stand-Up Workstation

Now that so many people are working from home, everyone seems to be fancying up their home offices.  B purchased this stand-up work station for his home office, and he has been using it ever since.  It rises and collapses easily and it is fully adjustable with 12 different height options.  It was also easy to set up.  It’s portable, lightweight, and durable, and it’s perfect for the person who hates sitting at a desk all day.  I have one similar in my office, and it’s been a total game changer for my tailbone and back.


 

14 – Yeti Rambler

This Yeti Rambler is the same one that I had on the gift guide for ladies, but in a different color.  Again, this Yeti Rambler holds 32 oz., but fits in any cup holder, and it keeps beverages cold for up to 12 hours.  I carry mine everywhere with me and it helps me keep my water intake in check!


 

15 – Amazon Echo Dot

An Amazon Echo Dot could truly be on any gift guide, but I stuck it on the guys’ list since I had some extra space.  We love our Echo products and they’re a great addition to any home.  They can assist you with turning lights on and off in your home, controlling the temperature in the room, answering any random questions you may have, setting timers for you, telling jokes and riddles, playing games, maintaining your daily schedule, playing music or trivia, and literally thousands of other things.  We have two of these in our house and we adore them.



And that’s about it, y’all!  I hope you found something useful!

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Saturday, November 7, 2020

Black Friday Prices on Artificial Christmas Trees Today!!!!

*This post contains affiliate links.  

Hi Friends,

I don't ever post on Saturday, but I just wanted to pop in and let all of you know that Michael's has all of their artificial Christmas trees on SUPER DUPER sale today, so if you're in the market for one, today is the day to buy.  

My 7-foot tall, pre-lit, pencil tree in my office is always one of my most asked about items, and you can find it here today for just $39.99!!  It's regularly priced $109.99 so it's $70 off today.  I loved mine in my office so much last year that I bought THREE MORE this year (hahahaha) - one for Jacob's room, one for Olivia's room, and one to replace the old one in our bedroom.  


And if you're not looking for a pencil tree, ALL of the artificial trees are deeply discounted at Michael's today.

Michael's offers three different methods online - they will ship it to your house, you can pick it up in the store, or you can opt for curbside pick-up when you arrive, and that way, you don't even have to get out of your car.  We have opted for curbside pick-up both times and it was quick and easy! 

If you want to see a better look at the pencil tree, just head over to my Instagram stories today... I posted about the one in our master bedroom last night! 

This post isn't sponsored in any way, I just love Michael's, I loooove my pencil trees, and I love to share great deals with y'all when I see them!  Happy shopping, y'all!


Friday, November 6, 2020

Five on Friday - November Goals

October was pretty darn good, and I feel like it was the most normal month we’ve had since quarantine started seven months ago.  The kids were in school, Jacob was playing baseball, Olivia was back at dance classes in person, and we actually got out of the house a bit.  We have, of course, been doing all of these things safely, and there was, of course, some stuff that we missed out on, but I do feel fulfilled nonetheless. 

Today I’m recapping my October goals and listing my November goals.  As always, I’m using a Y for YES and N for NO to indicate whether or not I accomplished my goals.  And since I opted not to do seasonal bucket lists this year, all of our fun Thanksgiving and Christmas activities will be here instead.  ;o)



October Goals

Relationships/Connect

Y  Celebrate my Momma’s birthday, take two. – I said yes for this because we did get to spend some time with her and give her gift to her, but it wasn’t our usual dinner and cake celebration, too.  Nothing we can really do about that right now, though, I suppose.

N  Celebrate my littlest brother’s birthday, take two. – I literally haven’t seen my littlest brother in weeks, y’all.  He moved out of my parents’ house into an apartment and he works so much that he’s never able to be there for the rare moments we’re able to get together with family.  I do have a gift for him and hope to get it to him ASAP, though.

                                                            Personal/Health/Wellness/Fitness/Beauty

Y  Meditate every day.

Y  Quiet time every day.

Y  Drink 64 oz. most days.

Y  Close all rings on my Apple Watch at least 15 days. 

Y  Visit with therapist via Zoom.

Y  Annual checkup with my midwife.

Y  Get my hair done.

Y  Try out a new hair style with my new curling iron.

Y  Schedule an appointment to donate blood.

Y  Make a serum with Frankincense essential oil and incorporate into skin care routine.

Y  Continue reading Get Out of Your Head.

N  Try a pumpkin cream cold brew, take two. – So I went to Starbucks a couple of times and had the opportunity to get one, but y’all, when I want coffee, I just want it hot… so I just decided to remove this from my future goals. 

Family/Fun

Y  Get flu shots.

Y  Go to the mountains.

Y  Go apple picking.

Y  Go to a winery.

Y  Go gem grubbing.

Y  Go to Trader Joe’s and load up on all of our favorites!

Y  Wrap up Jacob’s baseball season.

Y  Olivia start attending dance classes in person.

Y  Watch our Georgia Bulldogs play (on TV)!!

Y  Take family pictures for Christmas cards.

Y  Carve pumpkins.

Y  Have a special Halloween dinner.

Y  Celebrate Halloween (amended for Covid, of course).

Y  Make a Halloween charcuterie board.

Y  Watch more fall and Halloween movies. – we watched Hocus Pocus, Toy Story of Terror, Casper, The Dog Who Saved Halloween, The Addams Family (animated), and It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.  Our fall/Halloween movie game was the strongest ever this year! 

Home

Y  Finish setting up my new SUV.  – Yep, got my old license plate transferred, got the inside compartments organized, got my UGA decorative plate attached to the front of the SUV, and got my decals on the back.

Y  Hang new bulletin board in office and decorate.

Y  Develop pictures for frames.

Y  Create a holiday prep spreadsheet for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, NYE.

Y  Move all pictures/videos to external hard drives and upload to Amazon cloud.

Y  Delete all pictures/videos from phone and computer.

Y  Organize old ticket stubs.

Y  Start shopping for Christmas.

Y  Clean out Jacob’s bedroom, take two.

Y  Clean out Olivia’s bedroom, take two.

N  Clean out playroom, take two.

Y  Complete 2 things on Master To-Do list. – Yep, I crossed 7 items off the list, but I added 3 more, so for the sake of decreasing the list, it’s like I did 4 items.  This month, I cleaned out some boxes in my office, got some pictures framed that I’ve been wanting to frame forever, and a few other items. 

Blog

Y  Post 3 times per week. 

Y  Share Amazon Prime Day on Instagram.

Y  Pitch to a couple of brands for collabs. 

Summary

 

41 items accomplished

3 items not accomplished

 

Monthly Stats 

Books Read: 0

Meditation Days: 31

Rings Closed on Apple Watch:

    Move Ring: 16

    Exercise Ring: 17

    Stand Ring: 31

 Workouts Completed: 20

    Dance: 4

    Mixed Cardio: 7

    Outdoor Run: 3  (7.48 miles)

    Outdoor Walk: 5 (5.50 miles)

    Stair Stepper: 1

    Strength Training: 0

    Yoga: 0

 Time Spent Working Out: 11:15:24 (hours:minutes:seconds)

 Calories Burned During Workouts: 3,000 

Pictures of My Successes

Meditation

Apple Watch rings

Celebrating Momma's birthday

Got my flu shot!

Trader Joe's goodies

Apple picking in the mountains

Winery!

Gem grubbing

Halloween movie watching

Halloween charcuterie board

Pumpkin carving

Festive Halloween dinner

Trick-or-treating

Jacob's end-of-year baseball celebration


Now for the November goals… 

November Goals

Relationships/Connect

Get together with family to celebrate Thanksgiving somehow.

Celebrate my littlest brother’s birthday, take three.                                                                                      

Personal/Health/Wellness/Fitness/Beauty 

Meditate every day.

Quiet time every day.

Drink 64 oz. most days.

Close all rings on my Apple Watch at least 16 days.  (Lots to do this month, so taking a break from working out five days a week.)

Visit with therapist via Zoom.

Donate blood.

Have my annual mammogram.

Follow up with dermatologist.

Finish reading Get Out of Your Head. 

Family/Fun 

Attend Jacob’s end-of-season baseball party.

Watch Jacob play in a baseball tournament.

Take Olivia to the orthopedist to follow-up on her elbow.

Take Olivia for her quarterly thyroid check-up.

Decorate the whole house for Christmas.

Make an apple pie from scratch.

Watch lots of Christmas movies.

Have our first fire of the season.

Celebrate Thanksgiving.

Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (even though it will be different).

Have our annual North Pole Breakfast.

Start working on holiday cards.

Watch lots of college football. 

Home 

Continue shopping for Christmas.

Clean out playroom, take three.

Complete 2 things on Master To-Do list. 

Blog 

Post 4-5 times per week. 

Share all holiday gift guides.

Pitch to a couple of brands for collabs. 

Friday Funnies

Olivia!!!!  Every. Single. Time. something special is happening.

Anybody else?

I laughed way too hard at this because it's so true!

Bring on the new wave of Baby Yoda memes since the second season is officially out!

For all of you haters who think we early Christmas decorators don't celebrate Thanksgiving... we totally do!  Hahahaha.



On the Blog This Week 

What I Ordered from Amazon in October 2020 

Our Week – The One with Quarantine, Week 33 (Another Hurricane and Halloween) 

Holiday Gift Guide for the Ladies 




Previous Monthly Goals Posts


Happy Friday, y’all!

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.


Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Holiday Gift Guide for the Ladies

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Halloween is over and I am officially in Christmas mode!!!!  I know a lot of you don’t agree with starting the Christmas festivities this early, and I totally get it!  However, I wanted to go ahead and start cranking out the gift guides because even though a lot of you may not be listening to Christmas music or decking the halls just yet, you’re probably at least starting to think about gift-buying.  I know I am! 

With Covid this year, I started shopping earlier than ever because you just never know what will happen over these next couple of months.  With cases on the rise nationwide, who knows how our economy will all be affected.  For all we know, everything could shut down in an instant again, and I want to make sure we’re prepared. 

About 95% of my picks this year are from Amazon.  I figure, fewer people will be shopping in brick and mortar stores this year, so I wanted to find items that can be shipped easily (and for free!!).  Amazon pretty much always beats everyone else in the pricing department, so it’s my favorite place to shop anyway. 

Without further ado, here are my 2020 picks for the ladies…




1 – Fuzzy Slippers

I bought a pair of Minnetonka fuzzy slippers a few years ago and they are just the best things ever.  I found these slippers on Amazon, and they look almost identical, but for a much better price. 



2 – Boss Lady Mug

This mug with metallic gold accents is really cute… perfect for any coffee or tea-drinking girl boss in your life!



3 – Naked-Feeling Leggings

I have three pairs of these leggings and I can honestly say that they are the best leggings I’ve ever put on!!  They are just the right thickness, they’re buttery soft, and you truly feel like you’re wearing nothing when you have them on.  They are high-waisted so they stay in place, and the legs don’t ride up or shift around.  They wash and dry well, and they are truly the best leggings ever.  At a price tag of under $30, they’re cheaper than most of the brand name leggings and they’re worth every single penny.  They come in 38 colors and patterns, so stock up for every lady on your list!



4 - Ceramic Diffuser

Y’all!!!!  How gorgeous is this ceramic diffuser?!  So, I purchased one very similar from Nordstrom last year, and it was $70.  Yes, you read that right… 7-0.  This diffuser is every bit as beautiful (if not more), and it’s less than half the price of the Nordstrom diffuser at just $25.99!  And bonus, this diffuser has seven different color settings!  I may just be adding this to my own wish list.  I’d love to have this one in my office so I can put the one in my office in one of the kids’ rooms.  I’d like for them to have their own diffusers since they love using oils at bedtime.   


 

5 – Yeti Rambler

I have this exact Yeti, and it is one of my favorite purchases ever.  I carry it LITERALLY everywhere with me.  Every. single. place.  I don’t like being anywhere without water, so I always have it with me.  This Yeti holds 32 oz., so all I have to do is drink two of them to meet my water intake for the day.  I love that I only have to refill it once, and I love that it keeps my water ice cold the entire day… up to 12 hours!  They come in lots of different colors, so these aren’t just for the ladies.



6 – Set of 5 Apple WatchBands

At just $12.95 per pack of five, these Apple Watch Bands would make for the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for guys or girls.  There are several different color options to choose from, but I just adore this option because of the rose gold and silver glittery bands. 



7 – AirPod Protective Cover

This case is the perfect gift for anyone who uses Apple AirPods.  It slides right over your AirPods case to protect them from drops and scratches, and it has a built-in dust cap to keep the charging port clean.  The very best part is that it has a clip and hand strap to make them even easier to carry around or clip to something.  It comes in 10 different colors, and it has 4.7 out of 5 stars with 27,000 reviews.  At just $6.99, it would make the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone on your list.



8 – When Less Becomes More by Emily Ley

I read this book at the beginning of 2020 and it spoke to my heart in a way that no other book has.  I think every busy woman should slow down long enough to read this… it will change your life.



9 – O Venture Key Ring

This key ring is another one of my favorite things of all time.  I bought one of these keychains a couple of years ago and I’ve been using it ever since!  The ring is big enough to slide on your wrist, allowing you to be hands-free to hold all the things.  I also love that the ring is large enough to keep my keys from sliding to the very bottom of my purse.  These come in hundreds of different materials, colors, and patterns, and they are perfect for every single lady on your list.



10 – Bow Handbag

I’m a huge fan of handbags with bows… there’s something so feminine and chic about them.  This purse has handles as well as a removeable and adjustable shoulder strap, multiple inside pockets, and it’s so dang cute.  It also has a zipper closure, so you don’t have to worry about anything falling out.  It comes in eight different colors, has over 1,000 reviews, and has 4.4 out of 5 stars.  At just $34.99, it would make a great gift!



11 – Simplified Planner

I’ve been using a Simplified Planner for the past two years, and it’s by far my favorite planner of all-time.  With daily editions, weekly editions, and the option to select an academic year (August – July) or calendar year (January – December) version, there’s something for everyone.  I love that this planner has every single thing that I need and nothing that I don’t, and I love knowing that I’m supporting a small business when I purchase one.  The quality is incredible, too – luxurious thick paper, gold binding, and the most beautiful covers you ever did see!  I highly recommend this for any lady who loves a paper planner.



12 – Decorative Plate

This is the cutest little plate, perfect for holding jewelry, paper clips, or any other little trinkets that need a home. 



13 – 100 Cocktails Bucket List Scratch-Off Poster

Okay, I stumbled upon all of these bucket list posters earlier this year and I am completely obsessed with them!  How fun are these?!  This particular poster is the cocktails bucket list, and it has 100 cocktail suggestions to try.  When you try one, you scratch it off to show that you’ve checked it off the list, and it reveals a picture of the cocktail.  It’s such a fun way to keep track of everything you’ve tried, and also a fun way to  inspire you to try new things!  There are lots of versions of this poster – books, albums, movies, places, etc., so there’s one for everyone on your list!  You’ll be seeing these on nearly every gift guide I’m putting together this year. 



14 – Acrylic Makeup Organizer

I used to store all of my makeup in a makeup bag and it was a pain to pull it all out and put it away each day, so I finally bought an acrylic makeup organizer a few years ago, and it has been life-changing!  It has shaved so much time off of my morning routine because I no longer have to sort through tons of stuff to find what I need each morning. 



15 – Cozy Pom Pom Throw

I bought this pom pom throw last year, and I use it every single day.  I keep it in a basket in my office for easy access, and nearly every morning I sit, snuggled up in it while I work.  It’s super soft and warm, and it’s very similar to the Barefoot Dreams throw that everyone loves so much, but for a fraction of the price.  I actually like this one better because I think the pom poms make it so fun!  I mentioned this throw in a Five on Friday blog post at the beginning of this year, and it has been one of the top selling items from my blog EVER.    


  

So, what did y’all think?  I hope you got some great ideas, either for your loved ones or for your own wish lists.  I’ll also be doing gift guides for the guys, for kids three and under, for boys age 4-12, for girls age 4-12, for teenage boys, and for teenage girls, so stay tuned for more ideas!

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