gift guide (techy friends)

I asked my friend Nick for some help to come up with this list for you guys, and I am so glad that I did!  Here's what he came up with and said that all your tech-y friend would LOVE to find underneath the Christmas tree this year!  

1.  Pebble Watch--With the Apple watch releasing in early 2015 at a price tag of $300.00 and higher, the watch market has been very busy.  The Pebble Watch does some of the "key" features the Apple watch does, ie:  notifications, long battery life, water resistant, fitness tracking, and readable in daylight at a fraction of the cost.  The base price starts at $99.00  

2.  Jawbone--Music is everywhere and everywhere is music.  Having the ability to have good quality sounding speakers in your office, in your bedroom, or in your bathroom while you are getting ready in the morning is everything.  Jawbone has good quality products, you pay for the quality, however the new "mini jambox" costs about the same as Beat's Pill.  I choose Jawbone of the overly eq bass of Beat's Pill.  I love Beat's head phones, but low the Jawbone Mini for a portable speaker. 

3.  Hyper Juice Mini--No matter what the IOS updates say, NOTHING helps battery life.  I have to charge my phone throughout the day.  I'm always on it, always connected, always texting, always e-mailing and always browsing through hundreds of Instagram photos.  You can find a battery powered phone charger, but the Hyper Juice Mini has 2 USB ports, so you can simultaneously charger your phone and tablet all at one.   

4.  Monoprice eGift Card--Seems like I can never have enough phone chargers, HDMI cables, USB cables to hook up a printer, etc. etc....STOP paying Best Buy/Wal Mart or any other department store mark-ups!!  Order from Monoprice!  iPhone 5 cables for $12, HDMI cables that run $39.99 at Best Buy, cost $4.41 on Monoprice.  Monoprice allows you to order 9 cables for the price of 1 at a near by department store.  For Christmas, send someone an eGift Card from Monoprice!  

Thank you so much Nick for your contribution!  Now, get to shoppin!  ;)

gifts that give back.

I love giving, and buying things that I know the people I love, will love.  We are blessed to live in a world where most of us truly don't "need" anything...but again, it is just so fun to GIVE to be the people we care so much about.  So why not gift them with something that also gives back to people who truly are in need.

Noonday Collection has been all the talk the last few months.  I know a few girls from college that sell it and I admire them for sharing this wonderful pieces of jewelry with us, that we will not only love and have fun wearing, but also help woman in foreign countries earn money to live, and feed their children.  Providing them with sustainable jobs and a livelihood.  Something we all take for granted every day.  

[$58.00]

These are my two favorite necklaces...I could seriously see myself wanting to wear the second one EVERY day!  I just love those colors, and especially them together!  I love how it is styled below.  It brings the whole outfit together!  [$84.00]

I wear gold earrings almost every days...but these little dudes caught my eye because they could go with any outfit and they are about the size I like to wear!  They are actually made from cow horn!  How beautiful!  [$28.00] 

My gold obsession also lead me to these.  I'm usually not a studs girl, but I like that these are square!  Perfect when a hoop is just a bit too much...would look great paired with a flash necklace from above.   [$42.00]

I hope you will visit NoonDay Collection's site and see what you can find for the people on your gift lists this year...and maybe a little something for yourself!  ;)

Other gifts that including giving back:

A donation to Heifer International.  Last year Ryder and I were gifted with a donation by someone.  The donation bought a certain number of chickens for a family in a foreign country.  They were able to hatch some of the eggs to give chickens to other neighboring families, as well as have eggs every day to eat and gain proper nutrition.  

TOMS is always a good way to give back.  I'm not a fan of their flat shoes, but I do have a few pairs of their wedges.  And yesterday...Target came out with TOMS for Target which includes everything from clothes, to candles and journals!  That's what I'm talking about!  =)

Happy Shopping Friends!

3 year old boy Valentine's Day gift idea

What are you supposed to get a 3 year old little boy for Valentine's Day when he doesn't need anything, and especially not any more toys!  Well, I wasn't quite sure myself, considering he was asking for "an airplane that flies around" and a "basketball goal."  I set out to Target and knew I'd find something, and actually left completely happy, knowing he was going to love it all!  I thought I'd share what I found for you Mama's out there who might feel stuck like I did prior to my shopping trip!  ;)

1.  All kids love Yo Gabba Gabba...and if they don't, they should!  ;)  I was that mom who said my child would never wear cartoon t shirts...funny how you let them do simple things that make them happy!  

2.  Can't really go wrong here!  All kids love this stuff, especially that it glows in the dark!  HELLO!

3.  Not quite a basketball goal...but how fun will this be for little boys before going to bed at night?!

4.  All little boys need to the chance to get outside on a windy day and fly a kite right?

5.  Bath time is never boring around here...but this might incorporate some letter learning and writing!  

6.  Can't go wrong with these either!  They are safe on everything besides paper which causes no worries for Mama!  ;)

I hope I have helped out a few of you Mama's out there think of new and fun things for your kiddos!  It's always such a joy to see how excited they get when you get them something new!