Happy Holidays!

This is better than any blog post I could ever write. Enjoy.

Affordable Holiday Gift Ideas

I've never done a holiday gift guide. I never thought I was one of "those" bloggers. You know, those bloggers who know about cool toys and handmade sweaters and host giveaways of all their holiday favorites. So I still don't know about those things, and hosting more than one giveaway in a month is more than I can handle, but I do like shopping.

I obsessively curate my kids' Amazon wishlists, even though they never wind up with even close to all the stuff I have on there. Hell, I have a wishlist. And a separate book wishlist. Because books are special. I find the whole wishlist thing to be like retail therapy, except it doesn't require actual money.

It really suits our budget.

Thinking about our budget made me realize that I can't be the only parent out there who looks for AFFORDABLE (under $30) stuff their kids will ACTUALLY play with, so. . . .

Culled completely from my kids' Amazon wishlists. And if you click on the links from here, I might earn enough money to actually buy one of these things for my own kids. Not that they actually need any more toys. 

I know you're looking at that picture and thinking, "What the hell IS that?" That's exactly what I thought when my mom Santa got Bilibos for the older two kids a while back. Basically, the kids sit in them and spin, or tilt, or whatever. I have seen 3 year olds have fun in them and I have seen 10 year olds have fun in them. Hugmonkey, of course, wants his own this year.

Another one from Hugmonkey's list, these Dado squares are a fun open-ended toy that are great for traveling. We're big fans of building toys around here and though I'm pretty sure we could have an all Lego Christmas, I think it's important to change it up a little. Plus, these look easier to avoid stepping on than Legos.

Ironflower is still obsessed with American Girl dolls - and she'd better stay that way until she's 15 or so, with the money we've spent on them - though now she really covets their accessories. Which are just as ridiculously priced as the dolls. But these bunk beds fit American Girls just fine and cost less than half of what they'd cost if they actually came from American Girl. The brand is Badger Basket and they have a ton of stuff that works with American Girl.

Usually I hate board games. Rather, I hate board games that are appropriate for my children. Except for Apples to Apples. I looooooove this game and it's not just because I always win. We have this version, but there's also a Disney  version that kids will probably love.


This game is deceptively simple, portable and entertaining for preschoolers through adults. I like this one for letter recognition, but they've also got animal and holiday versions.

I put one of these on each kid's wishlist. Not because they asked for them, but because they go through art supplies like they're edible.


Hugmonkey actually got this for his birthday, but all of the kids have been playing with it. Even Ironflower, though she probably wouldn't want to broadcast that to some of her friends at school. I like Imaginext products a lot, they let my boys act out stories with figures without feeling like they're playing with dolls (Hot Guy and I would love for them to play with regular dolls, but school has already socialized them into thinking that boys don't do that). Some other fun and affordable Imaginext sets include the Castle Wizard Tower, Super Friends Gotham City Jail and the Monsters University Row.


Nancy B's Science Club Binoculars and Wildlife Activity Journal look like the perfect thing to supplement our hiking and geocaching activities. I got binoculars when I was a bit older the Ironflower and they entertained me for hours. (Note to self; do not let children spy on neighbors with binoculars, which I may have done way back when. Sorry, former neighbors.). Coming in at just over $30, Nancy B'S Science Club Microscope & Activity Journal also looks pretty awesome.


So. . . .there you have it, my first holiday gift guide. What awesome, affordable gifts did I leave out? And should I do a book gift guide?

A Christmas Miracle

Hot Guy had to work today. (That's not the miracle, you cynics) We had planned to relish our holiday at home, with just us, by baking cookies and having a decorating extravaganza. Hot Guy, in case you are one of the few people reading this who doesn't actually know me and/or hasn't been reading me for a long time, is the cook in the family. He is also the patient one in the family (unless it involves screaming children before 11am). So the children associate cooking with Daddy.

In fact, Ironflower may have teared up when she found out that Daddy would not be here for cookies.
But I actually can handle cookies, especially when I use ready made dough. So I assured her that all would be well.

Because if you can't lie to your children at Christmas time, when can you?

I tried not to be lyingI planned things strategically. I rehearsed what I would say when they flung frosting, or spilled things all over the clean floor or otherwise got on my nerves. I decided to not even attempt to take pictures, because often trying to capture the perfect image distracts me from the experience at hand. Plus I didn't want dough in the lens of my camera. I even mentally organized how I would set things up at the dining room table to minimize mess. I reviewed my cookie painting procedures (egg yolk, food coloring, paint brushes, raw cookies) and my cookie decorating procedures (pots of different colored frosting, blunt knives, sprinkles). I timed things so that Hugmonkey was napping through much of it. I took a preemptive Excedrin Migraine.

And it went beautifully. Seriously.

We had a great time. Hugmonkey even frosted a cookie, in between licks of the spoon. Nothing burned. Nothing was flung. The cookies are beautiful. The children are happy. I didn't even freaking burn myself.

It's a Christmas miracle. Or a sign that I should plan every day like a military commander.

Either way, we're having pizza for dinner. There's only so Christmas luck to go around.

The Best Gift I Ever Gave

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I love to shop. I can be just as happy at Nordstrom or at a garage sale, as long as I get to buy something. In times of great stress, I may even fill up an online shopping cart without actually ever purchasing anything. Usually that's what really fits my budget. Anyway, my love of shopping means that I generally enjoy buying gifts, even if my budget precludes buying as many gifts as I would like. Or buying them at Nordstrom.

The truth is, though, that when I first read the topic for this post, my mind flashed through all the best gifts I've ever gotten - the Barbie Dream House, the grown up bed (after years on a futon), the ring, the first ornaments made at preschool. It was remembering the first ornaments from preschool that did it, that reminded me of our first Christmas in New Jersey.

Ironflower had just turned 3 and was halfway through her first year of preschool. Lovebug was a few months from 2 and had just discovered Thomas the Tank Engine. Hugmonkey was still a couple of months away form even making me nauseous. Things had been tight, but I was determined. It was the first time we would not be spending the night at one of our parent's houses on Christmas Eve and I wanted the kids' eyes to light up when we came downstairs in our own house.

Which is why Hot Guy spent several hours putting together a train table and a play kitchen. And I do mean hours. Bless him. It would have taken me days.

Anyway, unlike losing your virginity, the first time your kids marvel on Christmas morning never disappoints. I mean, they'd certainly been excited before, but never in their own living room. And never to that extent. I almost cried. In the years since we've had a few more Christmas mornings in our own house and lots more excitement. But I've never been able to match the thrill of giving them presents they hadn't asked for but were absolutely what they dreamed of (thanks, toy commercials).

PS Remember how I'm only doing posts for things I really, really like? This is one of those things.


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