The Perfect Cyber Baby Shower Gift

So I was recently invited to my first cyber baby shower which I personally thought was a fabulous idea. A way to shower a new baby and mom with gifts when they live too far away from family and friends to attend a baby shower in person.  And any excuse to shop online, count me it! The mom-to-be was registered at Babies-R-Us and to be quite honest the shipping prices were really outrageous and I enjoy giving gifts that are unique and different and nothing on the registry was screaming out "buy-me" so I took my shopping over to Amazon, only to discover the perfect gift for a fabulous new baby girl and great shipping deals too, what more could an online shopper want!


Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether

To start things off an adorable teether and what can I say, I just love this!  And doesn't every little girl need to start out with something adorable and slightly extravagant?  I say yes....LOVE it.


Prince Lionheart Original Slumber Bear

And just a touch of pink, I love the slumber bears not only because they are adorable but, they are also so helpful at soothing fussy babies.

Baby Bunch Cupcake Onesies

A little something every mom needs, onsies and who can resist cute little onsises wrapped as cupcakes? Oh, I just LOVE these!

Crane Cow Humidifier
And finally on the practical side, a humidifier. Something that I use nonstop at my house during cold and flu season.  These are so quiet and cute, perfect for babies room.

Now I know that cyber showers break a few of the traditional gifting rules, but I say go let's go with it!  Happy gifiting to mom's and babies' far away let them feel the shower of love from loved ones a far.



The Perfect Gifts For Preschool Boy's

Great gifts for boys ages 3, 4 or 5 years old

As we are quickly approaching an epic batman party for my four year old son's birthday I thought I would share a few of our favorite toys at our house, toys that would make great gifts for the little men in your life.

My sons favorite toy. It has a touch screen just like mom's iPad so he was sold that it was the real deal. He has dropped his Leapster multiple times and it has even been in the bath tub...and still working great! The only toy he owns that he plays with every single day, we LOVE it.

Another toy we love, we were having trouble getting my son to sleep in his own bed at night and looking for a sleep aid and purchased this.  He loves it, it is a very gentle light and sits very gently on his pillow each night for bed.

I love this firetruck, the main reason why? It doesn't make any sounds! It's just a nice classic truck without all the loud firetruck sounds and my preschooler loves it and plays with it for hours.

Great for teaching preschoolers to ride a bike.














Love this rocking chair, very cute and classic the perfect size for preschool boys.

Super sturdy, very well built, great price and hours of imaginative play. Love the Batcave!

Another Perfect Gift Idea For Mother's Day: Our Best Bites Cookbook

Another great gift idea for Mother's day is Our Best Bites cookbook.  This cookbook is fantastic has beautiful pictures, easy to follow directions, and great recipes.  Every recipe I have made has turned out amazing.  The perfect gift for mom, anyone who loves to cook, or simply loves cookbooks. Also great for beginning cook's because the directions are all right there step by step.  Or in my case a great gift for yourself, LOL!  Best cookbook I have bought in years, love it and highly recommend it as a perfect gift. Enjoy!

The Perfect Mother's Day Gift 2011

I have shared a few of my gift idea's for Mother's Day this year but this has to be my favorite gift, so worthy of its very own blog.  I ordered this for my mother-in-law and I just received it, and I LOVE it!  The embroidery is beautiful and the bag is perfect.  Working with Lady Linen was a great experience she was very helpful, we exchanged emails back and forth until we had the bag just right with all the perfect finishing touches. The wording is your choice, the stick faces can be edited by hair color and features, the color of thread used and font also are your choice. She helped me pick some coordinating colors and it turned out beautiful. This would make also make a great birthday gift for mom's, grandma's, sister's, or aunt's.

Above is the digital image we worked with and below is the finished bag.

My Favorite Mother's Day Gift 2011

Springtime Gifts For Preschool Kids

Looking for a great springtime gift? Here it is. Now I know these are expensive but are worth every dollar they are well made built to last.  Western Chief Kids makes just about every popular character, so take a look for your child's favorite.  I bought this set for my 4 year old Batman love. He eats sleeps and breaths batman so if you have a Batman kid this is sure to delight them.  The coat is actually lined so we use it as a jacket/wind breaker since the wind has been terrible and he wears the boots everyday rain or shine.  Since it was expensive we bought a size bigger and rolled up the sleeves so he could get a few years use out of it. When he walks into school every morning with his Batman coat on all the kids are in awe and the cape is fabulous.  Great buy and great gift! 

And for the Hello Kitty Kid at our house!

Top Ten Mother's Day Gift Ideas 2011

Mother's Day is officially a month away and for those of us Internet shoppers that means we better get started asap!  Here is a list of my favorites and as you can see I am all about personalization this gifting season.  Just a few ideas to help make your search a bit easier these are all products that I love from my go-to gifting websites.  And shhhh don't tell my mom about anything you have seen on this page ;-) And if your shopping for me, anything here will do just fine =)

1.  Personalized Tote Bag from Ladylinen.com





2.  Personalized Blanket throws from Giftsforyounow.com



3. Family Name Print from Personalcreations.com




4. Mother Snow globe from Thingsremembered.com
 


5. Photo Keepsake Box from Snapfish.com




6. Mothers Bracelet from Tinyblessings.com




7.  A Bouquet for You Personalized Vase by Lenox.com




8.  I Love My Mother picture frame by Personalizationmall.com




9.  Mothers Charm Necklace at Redenvelope.com




10. "Because I Said So" Pajamas at Pajamagram.com

The Best Toys: My Pal Scout and My Pal Violet

For any parent searching for toys for younger kids it can be hard, they aren't really old enough to know what they want and there are so many toy options out there to choose from.  As a parent of a toddler and a preschooler and what feels like mountains of toys, really only a few stick out as what I would consider a great toy or would recommend to anyone and these are at the very top of my list. My Pal Scout and My Pal Violet by Leapfrog are toys WE love at our house, meaning kids and parents. 

I first ran across this dog when I was searching for something to help my four year old sleep in his own bed at night.  After reading and researching I thought he was probably too old for the toy and maybe it was simply a baby toy and so I ended up buying one for my three year old because she loves anything cuddly and it looked really cool.  It was an instant hit with her, she loves it and can't sleep at night without it.  It is really neat toy, you hook it up to your computer to personalize it with your child's name, favorite foods, and animal and if your not computer savy don't let that scare you away because it was quick and easy.  My daughters face lights up each time Violet sings songs with her name in it.  It is a great price at around $20.00 it isn't too fancy, but just enough which is one of the things I love about it.  My four year old also fell in love with it and now his his own and they both love to sleep with them.  I also just ordered one for my nephew who is only a few weeks old but, this is really a toy that will last from baby through to preschooler, not many toys out there that can do that.  This would be a great gift for a baby, toddler, to preschooler who needs a cuddly friend.

One quick gift giving tip for this toy, if your going to give this as a present open it and hook it up to your computer to get it personalized for the child before wrapping it up. I know technically this goes against some gift giving rule out there, but trust me it's a rule worth breaking in this case and the parents will probably thank you with one less toy to maneuver out of a package. The parents can always go back and modify or change the settings later but, when this gift is unwrapped and it is ready to go the child will be delighted when the puppy says it's name just like magic!

Kids In Training: The Perfect Baby Gift for Sport Loving Parents



So I have to let you in on this little secret of shopping and gifting, pay attention to details.  Even the smallest detail can lead you to a greatest gift.  I recently found these art prints on Ebay when searching for the perfect baby shower gift .My husband was complaining that baby showers were always geared towards the mom and what "they" wanted and dads were left out....(I know, seriously they are about the baby honey) and since the shower was for his brothers new baby he wanted us to give our soon to be nephew something special. So I started searching out a baby gift to delight a new daddy.  Now knowing that my brother in law loves Notre Dame football, the search began.  I found lot's of baby cute baby clothes but, I figured that they might already have some Notre Dame baby clothes since daddy was a big fan.  I kept searching and then I ran across these sports prints and they are too cute.  I bought the Notre Dame In Training and just loved it.  It was the perfect gift and daddy was thrilled! The print was excellent quality and a great price, they are having it framed to match their crib and it will hang in their nursery.  So check out Kids In Training, if you are needing a more unique baby shower gift or baby gift these are sure to delight. 

Mothers Day Gift Ideas 2011

With Mothers Day a little over a month away I have already started shopping, for starters I love to buy personalized gift items.  I think they add that extra touch of thoughtfulness and are usually received with genuine appreciation for taking the extra time to make the gift special.  With that being said it also takes some advance planning because personalization can take up to 4 - 6 weeks sometimes. Another gift giving tip is to give someone something they can use, and an all purpose bag seems to be functional and cute.  So I am gearing up to purchase this bag from Lady Linen. I have been researching these bags quite a few on the Internet right now. I liked this site the best Lady Linen had the cutest faces with the most options, so I am going to give it a shot.  Once I receive my bag I will blog to let you know how the end product measure up. 

My second gift idea is a personalized blanket and going with the grandma theme (I am all about themes when giving gifts) I thought this blanket would be perfect tucked inside of this tote for the finishing touch. I really want this blog to be about great products that I have tried and loved but, also about ideas for gifts. So these are both on order and once I receive them I will give them a quick review. I have really high expectations and am in high hopes that they will both measure up to my standards.  The blanket is from GiftsForYouNow.Com they have quite a few different options and here is the link. Check it out!

Personalized Family Throw Blanket Printed Blanket for Her

Gift Blogging

I am always on the hunt for the perfect gift because, honestly the older you get the more people you know and the larger your family gets so it is always somebody's birthday or a holiday rolling around. Living in rural town and depending solely on the Internet for purchasing it takes advance planning.  But, that's where the fun comes in searching the Internet for new ideas and the perfect gift.  So what's coming up Mothers Day of course! And if your like me and have to shop for your mother in law then notch the stress up for that gift a smidge.  Easter, but I have already have that covered after 13 years of playing Easter bunny I think I finally have the "perfect" Easter basket down. Maybe a blog about that to come.  And two toddler birthdays coming up.....so lots of planning and shopping in the next months for me. Any suggestions are welcome, send them my way and I will check it out.

So last night I was googling "Top Ten Mothers Day Gifts" and seriously was laughing at the majority of the items on the lists.  Some of these sights were created just for men to make shopping easier and just had it wrong.  Okay, let me back up they had a few basic suggestions but nothing that would wow or have real meaning to a wife or a mother.  On one list they had a blender, now I love to cook so if my husband and kids want to get me a new Kitchen Aid mixer or set of Le Creuset pans I am all in!  But, just a blender?  Really? Possibly if your wide or mother is REALLY needing one but, gifts should be so much more and mean so much more. And I am all about quality items, yes they usually cost more but, if you are actually going to use it then spending more money is a good thing. And flowers, if your just gonna send flowers there is a whole science to ordering flowers on FTD if you really want to make an impression. Maybe I can blog a few helpful hints when ordering flowers and actually getting what you pay for.

So here starts my blog, a way for me to keep track of great purchases and gifts.  I make lists so that if I am off my gift mojo or no time to research I can check it out for a quick reference.  So many purchases to blog, so many more gifts to buy!  And in this economy any gift needs to be the perfect gift, no room for wasting money.

Top Ten Baby Shower Gifts

When I get an invite to a shower immediately my mind starts racing, I love buying gifts and shower gifts can be so important to new moms.  It is the perfect time to show up with not only a cute gift (admit it we all love the cutesy baby clothes because they are so to tiny and sweet) but a gift that the mom and baby will actually use and thank you for later. So resist the urge to buy tons of baby clothes and blankets, okay maybe just one outfit you can throw one in the gift bag but here is my list of perfect shower gifts. Having two babies a year apart, we literally had two of almost everything and learned a lot about what we needed and what we used.  So here is my list of essentials that I couldn't have lived without:

1. Crane Humidifier

These humidifiers seriously are not only adorable but work great, they also come in so many different options I have seen a duck, frog, pig, and tiger to name a few. At our house we have an elephant, dragon, Hello Kitty, and a basketball and during cold and flu season they are usually all running.  My younger kids who are now toddlers love these, and we set them up right next to their bed when they are sick.  They are super quiet and mine are all about three years old now and so far so good.  They are a good price around $35.00 and a humidifier is something every mom uses because kiddo's get sick and every household can use more than one.  Sure to be a big hit at at any baby shower, practical and cute!

2. Prince Lionheart Original Slumber Bear with Silkie Blanket

Again my number two pick is not only cute but practical as well. These come in three colors the neutral beige color, pink, and blue. (I had the one above for my daughter and it was the perfect color in her crib and a blue one for my son)  These are just too cool, they have motion sensors in them so when baby rolls over, moves, cries the sensor picks it up and the heartbeat/womb sounds start....and it works!  My middle child was the worst sleeper ever doctors kept telling me he had colic because he cried nonstop and the only time I could get him to sleep or set him down on his own was next to his slumber bear.  It saved my sanity, because there are those times when you actually need to put your baby down for a minute and this worked like a charm for me. Loved them!  And again super cute and functional all in one.

3.  BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Air

So I know this isn't as cutesy as my first two picks, but I LOVED this pack. It is more expensive than most but worth every penny.  I used it and used it, it was comfortable and my baby was secure in it (I just couldn't figure out and feel comfortable with the sling thing...) I remember purchasing it and thinking about the cost it was around $100 and after using it I never thought about the cost again.  With my older son I had a baby pack that I don't even remember the brand it was cheap and didn't fit me or him, this pack is wonderful for snuggle babies that moms can keep close and free her hands up for a minute.  I loved to wear mine to little league games, I had my baby close, my kids would sleep in them and I didn't have to worry about lugging my stroller through the terrain and crowds. A gift any mother would love Babybjorn!

4. Baby Delight Snuggle Nest

Again, another product that I LOVED!  We bought my daughter our first and only girl a beautiful fancy very expensive bassinet which she hated from day one, wouldn't sleep in it for a minute and would literally scream the second you laid her in it and she wouldn't sleep in her crib either (Yes we should have known she was a tiny diva right then and there) Anyway, after a week or so of her literally sleeping on my chest and exhaustion consuming me, I saw this and purchased it at once.  We had a pillow top mattress and I was panicked and wouldn't let her lay on it, yes I am a mother of many fears. This was perfect, she could sleep right on the bed between my husband and I, she was happy and would sleep and therefore we were happy.  Now, I know we all hear it "My baby isn't going to sleep in our bed." But, for those of you with little diva's this was amazing and thinking back she was so little and tiny it was nice to have her sleeping so close to us.  Perfect co sleeper!

5.  Fisher Price Rain Forest Soother

This is just so cute, and the music isn't annoying, it has all sorts of different setting for the sounds and music.  So when you hear it kick on at night it is soothing music that babies love and doesn't drive the parents nuts. I bought this for my son and another pink princess fisher price soother for my daughter, my kids are now 4 and 3 and still have them in their rooms and listen to them to fall asleep.  Fisher price makes a few different versions, and I think they are wonderful by far my favorite crib soother.

6. Bebe Au Lait Nursing Cover

Now you may be thinking that this is silly because, one could just use a blanket to cover while nursing BUT this is so much better.  Wow, for a breastfeeding modest mom this is a lifesaver because those situations arise where you may be in public and you just have to do it or you may have company over and don't want to be rude and leave the room. Now, don't get me wrong I loved breastfeeding my children and it is natural but, I was also modest and wanted to be covered.  This was awesome, it is just the right fit, there is a little strap around your neck so it stays put, it doesn't get it hot like blankets do.  It was perfect for me, my baby could actually eat and I wasn't a nervous wreck shifting around crazy in a hot baby blanket trying to make it work.  A great gift for the modest mom.

7. Fisher Price Rain Forest Jumperoo

LOVED this, my son tried his hardest to jump the springs off ours!  Perfect for active babies.  It rotates, it makes cool sounds, it doesn't have "too" much going on, and it is so easy to wash and clean up.  I love Fisher Price and this jumperoo was so fun for my little kids.

8. Fisher Price Precious Planet Play Yard

Now I didn't have this exact play yard, I had the rain forest one but, it was essentially the same just a different theme.  Again, I loved Fisher Price this was so sturdy, easy for me to assemble, and the bassinet attached was so nice.  We actually had this set up in our living room when we brought our babies home and it was a great place for a quick diaper change or a little nap for them.  It is so cute with the mobile, my kids loved this play yard we traveled all over with it we had a few others that didn't make the cut because they weren't as sturdy and this one was very.

9. Bumbo Baby Seat

 This used to be my favorite baby shower gift to give but, it seems as of late that the Bumbo craze has set it and actually at the last shower I went to the mom received two so I was really glad I didn't add a third.  Now, don't get me wrong I loved my Bumbo and it has made my top ten list of baby items I couldn't live without and now they come in all sorts of cute colors so they are a great gift but, be a little cautious and check around to see if other guests have nabbed one before you because they are so popular now and they are popular because they are great.  I really used mine a lot, so easy to feed little babies in that are too tiny to sit in a high chair, easy to clean up, and fun for play.

10.  Brittax Car Seat

Now for those of you looking to spend a few extra dollars or a group of you are going in on a gift, this is by far one of the best gifts I got at my daughters baby shower. They come in all sorts of cute colors and patterns, my daughters is pink with white daisy's, so cute! After my son was born, we literally went through 3 car seats the first year so I sat down and did my research before getting one for my daughter and I LOVE this car seat, my daughter is now 3 and still is using this car seat.  We eventually bought my son the Brittax Frontier Booster seat and we love them both.  These are so sturdy, they are easy to adjust, and I just feel safe knowing my kids are in them so different than a lot of the car seats on the market today. Did I mention how much I love this car seat?  Because, I really really do!

Okay, well those are my top ten favorite things that I loved and used with my babies and would recommend to any new mom out there. And trust me my poor sister in law just had a baby and I have given her an earful, now I am on to blogging so that I don't drive her crazy with any more suggestions, LOL!  All are brands that I had great success with after much trial and error they were the products that left an impression on me. For me when you give a gift you are giving a bit of yourself, not just your money, but your ideas and thoughts, sending that energy towards new baby and mom. So each shower gift that you give should not only be from the heart but, something that they will love and enjoy and endure. So here are my tips, hope they help and happy shopping!

And, all of these items are available at Amazon for easy shopping! Click on the pic for easy link, if you have any other great suggestions let me know.