Friday, November 20, 2020

Five on Friday - Hair Waver, Heated Blanket, Christmas Tree Collar, and Sentimental Stuff

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

Another week has flown by, and it’s already Friday again!  I can’t even believe it, y’all!  Ready for some favorites from the week?

O N E – Hair Waver

I bought this hair waver a couple of months ago after seeing several bloggers rave about it.  I’m always looking for ways to give my baby fine hair a lift, but no matter what I try, nothing really works… especially when it comes to hot styling tools.  Well, I’m happy to report that this hair waver is every single thing that it’s cracked up to be and more, y’all!

I finally got around to using it for the first time on Halloween and I was shocked at how quick and easy it was to use.  What shocked me even more was how well the waves stayed in my hair!  Six hours after styling it, my hair still looked every bit as good as it did when I first finished. 

I thought for sure it was beginner’s luck, or maybe even a fluke, so I wanted to try it again, this time for an entire day.  The following Tuesday, I pulled it out and used it bright and early at 6:30 AM.  16 hours later, my hair was still looking freshly styled.  Mind.  Blown. 

I will say this – those two days were low-humidity days which, I’m sure, had a little something to do with it, so I’ll have to try again sometime on a high humidity day.  That said, my regular hair style never holds on low humidity days, so this waver has to be something special.    

As for styling and setting, I spray this texture spray all over my head after washing and drying it, then I use the waver, I tousle my hair a little, and then once I have my hair exactly how I like it, I spray a layer of Pantene Volume Hair Spray over my whole head to help the style stay in place.  Easy peasy and it only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.




T W O – Heated Blanket

My mother-in-law and step-father-in-law got this heated blanket for me from my birthday wish list this year, and I have finally started using it since temps have dropped into the 30’s and 40’s here and there the past few weeks. 

Y’all, I have no idea how I ever lived without a dang heated blanket!  It is amazing!!  I haven’t used mine in the bed (yet) but I am loving wrapping myself up in it while I work in my office in the morning.  We keep the thermostat on 68 in the winter, so I’m basically an ice block all winter long. 

I typically work all bundled up in fuzzy socks, slippers, a cardi, and a blanket, and most of the time I’m still cold.  This heated blanket warms me from my head to my toes and it’s pretty much the best thing since sliced bread. 

 


T H R E E – Christmas Tree Collar

I wanted this tree collar SO badly last year, but I waited too long, and they sold out before I was able to grab one.  I was relieved to see that they were back in stock this year, so I snagged one in early November so I didn’t miss out again.  Lesson learned.  It is so great looking in person, and it’s going to add so much to our tree.  We’ve had tree skirts in the past, but we can never get them to stay in place once we start putting gifts under the tree, so I’m looking forward to having this beauty instead. 

This will also require us to trim more off of the bottom of our tree, so that will be fewer branches that will need lights.  Which also means, no more branches dragging the ground by Christmas morning.  Well, hopefully anyway.  Haha.


 

F O U R – Old Family Picture

My Great Uncle Max turned 100 this past Saturday, and to commemorate his special day, my Daddy posted a few pictures on Facebook that I’d never seen… this one was taken back in 2010 at the airport.  Uncle Max is a World War II veteran, and he was able to go on an Honor Flight to Washington DC 10 years ago.  My family all went to the airport to welcome him home, and it was such a sweet event.  I was actually pregnant with our first baby in that picture, but nobody knew at the time because it was so early on that we hadn’t told anyone yet.  I was feeling AWFUL that day – so much afternoon and evening sickness – but I didn’t want to miss it, so I powered through. 

Uncle Max is an amazing man and I truly believe that if everyone was like him, the world would be a better place.  He loves God, he loves his fellow man, he’s gentle, he never speaks a word of negativity, and he is an absolute joy to be around.  He also plays a mean game of checkers… he’s the one who taught me how to play.  <3  He’s just a spectacular person, and I wish everyone would strive to be more like Uncle Max.  Happy 100th birthday to him, and thanks to my Daddy for pulling this picture I’ve never seen out of the archives.



F I V E – Love Notes from My Girl

And finally, I cleaned out Olivia’s school folder one day last week as I always do, and I came across this precious little note that she’d written me at school.  She addressed it to “Lindsay” – LOL – and it’s just the sweetest little thing.  Surprises like this one always make me smile.  Definitely a keeper.  The note, and Olivia, of course.  ;o) 




Friday Funnies

Because the holidays are coming, a reminder to WEAR YOUR MASK!!!!

Wear a mask

Wear your mask.

Be smart, wear your mask.

Do it for others.

No, you haven't.

If my kids can wear one for 8 hours every single day, you can too.  :o)



On the Blog This Week

 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids Ages 4-12

Our Week – The One with Quarantine, Week 35 (Veteran’s Day and Errands)

Holiday Gift Guide for Teen Girls andTeen Boys

What I Wore – October 2020



 

Happy Friday, y’all! 

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

Thursday, November 19, 2020

What I Wore - October 2020

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

As always, November in the south is pure craziness – freezing cold, hot, rainy, chilly, sunny, and everything in between.  As you’ll see, my outfits were all over the place this month, but at least I was finally able to bust out some of the sweaters!  Woo hoo!

Here are my looks for the month of October…

October 1 - Gold Flats // Leopard Watch Band

October 2 - Zella Live-In Leggings // Native Shoes

October 3 - Zella Live-In Leggings // Leopard Watch Band 

October 4 - Leopard Flats

October 5 - Tank // Zella Live-In Leggings // Nike Shoes

October 6 - Leopard Flats

October 7 - Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 8 - Leopard Cami // Boots // Leopard Watch Band

October 9 - Tank // Zella Live-In Leggings // Black and White Tennis Shoes

October 10 - Zella Live-In Leggings // Black and White Tennis Shoes

October 11 - Native Shoes

October 12 - Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 13 - Leopard Tee // Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 14 - Tank // Best Leggings Ever! // Nike Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 15 - Striped Top // Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 16 - Leopard Flats // Leopard Watch Band

October 17 - Zella Pocket Leggings // Leopard Watch Band

October 18 - Leopard Flats // Leopard Watch Band

October 19 - Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 20 - Striped Cardi (similar) // Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 21 - Zella Live-In Leggings // Leopard Watch Band // Nike Shoes

October 22 - Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 23 - Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 24 - Zella Live-In Leggings

October 25 - Leopard Watch Band // Olivia's Corduroy Dress/Skirt

October 26 - Leopard Flats // Leopard Watch Band

October 27 - Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 28 - Best Leggings Ever! // Leopard Watch Band // Nike Shoes

October 29 - Pumpkin Spice Top // Leopard Watch Band

October 30 - Native Shoes // Leopard Watch Band

October 31 - Pumpkin Sweatshirt // Spanx Faux Leather Leggings


Happy Thursday, y’all!

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Holiday Gift Guide for Teen Girls and Teen Boys

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

Teens are always so hard to buy for, and we have several on our list this year.  Most of the time we just give them money because, let’s be honest – that’s what they actually want – but I still prefer to give gifts when we can.  Today I’m sharing some gift ideas for teen girls and teen boys, and as always, items on the lists are interchangeable.   

I had someone point out to me on Monday that there are boys who like "girl stuff" and girls who like "boy stuff," and they were wondering why I split my gift guides up by gender.  That prompted me to add this little bit of info to this post in case you were curious, too...

YES, we believe that all toys are for everyone!  There are boys who love dolls and girls who love Hot Wheels and that's awesome!  It's important to let kids be kids and play with the things that they are most interested in... it makes them well-rounded.

The only reason I separate my guides into "boys" and "girls" gifts is for SEO (search engine optimization) purposes for the blog.  Most people, when searching for gift ideas, do search by gender and age, for example, "gift for 7-year old girl" or "gift for 5-year old boy," so that's why I always split them up.  It's a technical thing.  :o)

Y'all ready for today's guides?  Here we go!  

For Teen Girls



1 – Inflatable Lounger

This inflatable lounger is compact so can be taken anywhere, and it’s easy to inflate.  It has a pillow headrest for added comfort, and it allows you to “park yourself” comfortably absolutely anywhere.  It comes in 15 different colors and patterns, and it’s a #1 best seller on Amazon with 4.4 out of 5 stars and 5K reviews.


 

2 – Yeti Tumbler

These Yeti tumblers keep your drinks cold for 12+ hours, so they are the perfect accessory for any high schooler or college student on the go. 


 

3 – Lighted Vanity Makeup Mirror

This makeup mirror is compact, and it has 16 LED lights to provide a clear view for easy makeup application.  Brightness is adjustable, and the mirror itself can also be adjusted 180 degrees so the user can find the perfect angle.  With nearly 1,000 reviews and 4.3 out of 5 stars, this is a great choice for any teen on your list.


 

4 – Macrame Photo Holder

This boho chic photo holder provides a beautiful and creative way to display photos.  It comes with 30 removeable wood clips and is perfect for bedrooms and dorm rooms. 


 

5 – Live in Light: 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Girls

This beautiful book provides daily 5-minute devotionals that speak directly to teen girls.  It contains relatable scripture as well as a spiritual toolkit that relates God’s words to issues that girls deal with in real life – body image, social media, self-worth, etc.  With 4.8 stars and over 1,000 reviews, it’s a #1 best seller on Amazon.  I already have this in my wish list for Olivia.


 

6 – Watercolor Brush Pens

This set of watercolor brush pens contains 20 premium colors in a no-mess storage case.  All pens are nontoxic and washable, and they are perfect for any artist in the making.


 

7 – Grace Not Perfection for Young Readers

It’s no secret that I adore Emily Ley, and she recently converted her book Grace Not Perfection into this version for young readers.  This book teaches kids at an early age how to prioritize the important things in life and let go of the things that aren’t as necessary to help create space for them to live a life of grace and simplicity that they will love.


 

8 – Letter Board with Lights

Just when I thought I couldn’t love a letter board even more, somebody went and added marquee lights to this one!!  What a cute little gift to give to any teen (or tween) girl on your list!  It comes in lots of different colors and it includes 340 letters and emojis.


 

9 – Scrunchie Set

If you had told me a couple of years ago that I’d be including scrunchies on a gift guide I would have laughed in your face, but here we are.  Yep, scrunchies from the 90’s are all the rage again, and this set of 18 on Amazon is only $8.99 so your girl can have lots of variety for little cost.  This set includes florals, stripes, and solids, and every single print is just darling. 


 

10 – Let Me Sleep Pajamas

Every teenager I know loves their sleep, so these PJs could not be more appropriate.  This two-piece shorts and tee set is made from lightweight, stretchy polyester and spandex for a soft and comfortable fit… perfect for sleeping or lounging around the house.


 

11 – DIY Journaling Set

I was HUGE into journaling when I was a teenager and I would have loved to have a set like this!  It includes a 70-sheet journal with loads of embellishments – stickers, gems, frames, die-cut shapes, glitter tape, fun paper clips, bookmarks, a keychain, a glue stick, and a pen.  


 

12 – 100 Albums Scratch-Off Bucket List Poster

This scratch-off poster features 100 must-listen albums across all genres.  Perfect for any music lover in the house!


 

13 – Portable Bluetooth Speaker

This portable Bluetooth speaker is tiny and waterproof so you can literally take it anywhere – to the pool, to the beach, hiking, camping, and in the shower.  It comes in six different colors and has nearly 6,000 ratings with 4.4 out of 5 stars.


 

14 – Marquee Lightbox

I know this lightbox is basically the same concept as the letter board, but this is a fun alternative to the standard board.  The set includes the lightbox plus 100 letters, numbers, symbols, and emojis. 


 

15 – Marquee Letter

More twinkly things because what teen girl doesn’t love twinkly lights?  This marquee letter is nearly 10 inches tall and cordless, making it the cutest addition to any teen’s bedroom or dorm.  It comes in silver or white, and as I type this, every letter is available on Amazon.  Spell out your name, your favorite word, your initials, or just the letter of your first or last name.  Such a fun way to add a little bit of twinkle to any room.


 

16 – Apple Airpods

These Apple Airpods allow for wireless listening… perfect for teens who love to walk or run and don’t want to have to worry about the cord getting in the way.



17 – String Lights Photo Clip

This set of string lights includes 50 clips, spaced 8 inches apart, so you can hang pictures from it.  It’s battery operated, and it includes a remote control and eight lighting modes – steady on, twinkling, flashing, wave, sequential, etc.  Lights are also dimmable, with four levels to choose from.


 

18 – Cozy Pom Pom Throw

This fleece throw comes in 11 different colors and patterns (including buffalo check!) and it’s trimmed with tons and tons of little pom-poms.  It’s cozy, soft, and cute, and it is the perfect addition to any bedroom.


 

For Teen Boys





1 – Inflatable Lounger

Here it is again!  This inflatable lounger is compact so can be taken anywhere, and it’s easy to inflate.  It has a pillow headrest for added comfort, and it allows you to “park yourself” comfortably absolutely anywhere.  It comes in 15 different colors and patterns, and it’s a #1 best seller on Amazon with 4.4 out of 5 stars and 5K reviews.


 

2 – House Slippers

These house slippers have comfort memory foam for a cozy and comfortable fit, and they contain a durable, gripped sole so they can be worn inside or outside.


 

3 – Walk in Faith: 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Guys

This book is the boy equivalent to the devotional for girls that I posted about above.  Directed at teen guys, it relates God’s word to the issues that teen boys deal with every day – dating, peer pressure, etc. – and it helps them navigate life’s trying moments.  This one is in my wish list for Jacob as well.


 

4 – Yeti Tumbler

These Yeti tumblers keep your drinks cold for 12+ hours, so they are the perfect accessory for any high schooler or college student on the go.  As always, they come in loads of different colors, so there’s something for everyone on your list!


 

5 – Journal

This leather journal is the perfect gift for the guy who loves to write.  It contains metal rings so paper can be refilled, and it’s the perfect size to take on the go.


 

6 – Kids Against Maturity

Kids Against Maturity is a cleaner version of the adult version Cards Against Humanity, so it’s more appropriate for the younger crowd.  It has great reviews and many people rave about it and how hilarious it is, so it sounds like the perfect gift for a teenage boy or girl.


 

7 – Marquee Letter

Twinkly lights aren’t just for girls!  This silver marquee letter would look great in a guy’s bedroom or dorm.


 

8 – Top 100 Video Games Bucket List Scratch-Off Poster

I told y’all there is literally one of these posters for every person in your entire household!  This version contains 100 must-play video games, and it’s perfect for the teenage gamer in your household.


 

9 – Apple Airpods

These Apple Airpods allow for wireless listening… perfect for active teens!


 

10 – Buddha Board

The Buddha Board was created to promote a sense of relaxation and mindfulness, and it is meant to teach the user how to live in the moment.  The stand is filled with water, and the user can draw, paint, and write on it using the included bamboo brush.  As the water evaporates, the artwork fades away, teaching the user to practice the art of letting go.  This board has nearly 3,000 reviews with 4.7 out of 5 stars, and it is a #1 best seller on Amazon.  This would truly be a great gift for anyone!



11 – Laptop Backpack

This backpack is the same one that I posted in the men’s gift guide, but I thought it was also perfect for highschoolers and college students.  It’s sleek and has compartments for everything that your teen 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!


 

12 – Star Wars Mandalorian Razor Crest Ship

This Lego set is for the teenager who is still a kid at heart… are you ever really too old for Legos?  It includes the Razor Crest ship from The Mandalorian, plus five Lego minifigures including BABY YODA!!!!  It’s 1,023 pieces, and it’s on the holiday hot list this year.  If you’re thinking of buying, you may want to grab it now as new Lego sets are known to sell out quickly at Christmas time.  I know a little boy in our household who is going to be one happy camper on Christmas morning.  ;o)


 

13 – Gamer Socks

These socks are perfect for any teen who spends the day playing video games with his feet up all day.  ;o)


 

14 – Portable Bluetooth Speaker

This portable Bluetooth speaker is tiny and waterproof so you can literally take it anywhere – to the pool, to the beach, hiking, camping, and in the shower.  It comes in six different colors and has nearly 6,000 ratings with 4.4 out of 5 stars.


 

15 – Gamer T-Shirt

This graphic tee is perfect for any gamer, and it goes perfectly with those gamer socks.  ;o)


 

16 – Tortilla Blanket

I cracked up when I saw this blanket that looks exactly like a tortilla… makes for a hilarious gift for any teen, especially anyone who loves tacos.  ;o)


 

Whew, that’s it!  I hope I was able to provide a few ideas for those hard-to-buy-for-teens who are a little too old for toys, but not quite old enough to enjoy those practical adult gifts.  ;o)


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