Stocking Stuffers

Now that we have a kid to shop for, the Hubs and I usually keep it small and simple when it comes to gifts for each other. He's impossible, mostly cuz the usual "dude" gifts don't work for him. He doesn't have the kind of job that requires a tie or cuff links, not into brewing his own beer, doesn't play golf, and he's not a gamer. On top of that, he can get all the gadgets and gizmos he needs for his big hobby (offshore & kayak fishing) at work...with a big discount. That makes it super tough when it comes to gift-giving. If you're headed out to do a little gift shopping this weekend, here are a few ideas. 

For Her: mug | bracelet | Yes Please | Essie polish 

 Peppermint Bark candle | Tassle keychain

For Him: Burt's Bees | Waterproof Journal | The Trident 

 Socks | Dollar Shave Club | Moose Mugs

The Hubs claims I'm the tough one to shop for, but, honestly, I had a hard time narrowing it down. You can't go wrong with a great mug, good book, simple bracelet or keychain, a delicious candle and the perfect shade of holiday red.

For him? Practical with a touch of fun. Hand salve for those wintry fingers, cozy socks for work, a clean shave, a good book, a waterproof journal to keep track of secret fishing spots, and a little something to set the tone for the perfect fun old-fashioned family Christmas. 

What are your great gift ideas? 

Zoey's Christmas List

Is it just me, or is December flying by? Fifteen days till Christmas? Seriously?! Wasn't it just Halloween? In true form, the Hubs and I took forever to come up with a decent list for Zoey. With her birthday in February, we don't want to use up all the great ideas for Christmas, and have nothing left for the old birthday. Plus, we like to over research every idea, reading reviews and other blogs, making sure that our, the grandparents', Santa's dollars are well spent. So here's a few of our best ideas we think Z will be super jazzed to see on Christmas morning. 

BlaBla Bunny

Radio Flyer Trike | Magna Doodle

Alphabet Puzzle | Secret Life of Squirrels

Kind tee

I'm slightly obsessed with BlaBla dolls, but their price tag has kept me from getting one for Z. But now that she's older, and very into stuffed animals, we figured the time was now. Tough deciding on one, we're torn between Pierre the Bunny and a snazzy little fox in a necktie. Too cute! 

While taking a spin through Toy's R Us not too long ago (on a Christmas recon mission-yes we are total dorks!!), the Hubs and I came across this Radio Flyer and the magna doodle. Two toddler-hood essentials. We put Zoey on the trike in the store and she went nuts for it, so I can't wait to have her wheel around in the driveway! She's so artistic and loves to color, paint, and draw...the magna doodle is such an obvious choice.

I love a good puzzle, and Zoey does, too. And she loves "singing" the ABCs with Ernie on her Sesame Street phone. So this puzzle will be perfect. Plus, I love how colorful the chunky letters are. We'll have fun with this one, for sure!

Zoey is majorly into squirrels lately. They're all over our backyard, running around in the coconut palms and burying palm nuts under the holly tree in the front yard, driving Scout bonkers, and she can't get enough of them. So when I saw this book featured on the Today show, I knew it would be a big hit. She even saw it when I was grabbing the picture above and started squealing the way she does when we see the squirrels out side. I know she's gonna love this one!

I love a good tee, and there are so many great ones out there right now for toddlers. Storenvy and Etsy are lousy with them. This Mama Said Tee is one of my favorites...I may even have to get one for myself. (Big dork..I told you!) 

So there you have it.  Throw in some stocking stuffers, maybe some Little People, and few more books, and you have Zoey's second Christmas wrapped up with a bow. 

What's on your toddler's wish list? Any must-haves that we're missing? (we can always add them to the birthday list!)

Our Extra Long Weekend

Happy December, friends!! The holiday season is officially upon us and I couldn't be more excited!  Over here, we're already listening to holiday music and getting ready to start cookie baking! Hope you all had a delicious and relaxing Thanksgiving. If you're like me, you're probably just coming out of the mashed potato and pie haze. 

Our Turkey Day began the way it always does: bright and early in the chilly temps for Bacon Fest.

tunic - Gap (sold out) | skinny jeans - Gap Outlet (in store only) | boots

What's that, you might ask? Well, our street is on the route for the annual Running for the Pies 5K, and one of our neighbors sets up a tailgate tent, brews some coffee, mixes mimosas, and fries up a ton of bacon. Neighbors gather to cheer on the 1500+ runners as they fly by at the start & end of the race. Every year the Hubs & and I swear we're gonna run "next year", and this time was no exception.   Next year is gonna be our year!

Once the runners passed, we headed back to our place for breakfast, peppermint hot chocolate, and the parade, then started prepping for the big meal. We were super excited to have my brother in town for the holiday, since we haven't seen him since Easter. I'm just bummed that I didn't get a pic of all of us together. (I managed to lose my camera charger about a week ago and still need to replace it. I keep hoping it will magically appear before I shell out $$$ for a new one. Grr! That also means no pics of our decor or table and only selfies and one tired iPhone shot of the three of us at the end of the night. Boo.) Zoey pulled a Beyonce and had several wardrobe changes thanks to the changing temps throughout the day. 

bunny dress

Friday was a lazy day for Z and I. The Hubs had to work (boo!), and I'm not much for Black Friday crowds, so the kid, Scout, and I snuggled in and spent most of our morning under a quilt on the sofa before braving the cold wind for a long walk around the hood. 

striped tee - Gap (old) | skinny jeans | gray Chucks

We actually ventured out on Saturday to watch a little Gator football. The game ended terribly (but not surprisingly), but we had such a good time seeing old friends and watching Zoey play with their dog (this kid love loves dogs!) and another little girl her age. She actually cried when her new friend left. It was so sweet!

striped tee - Gap (sold out- similar here)

Sundays usually mean errands, and this weekend was no different. We hit Target, had lunch at Moe's, one of Zo's favorites, hit Home Depot, and started the hunt for our Christmas tree. Along with everyone else in Palm Beach County. 

The weather was beautiful, and the day started out so promising, but this is where it took a turn. We checked two places for trees and came out empty handed. So we decided the tree could wait, and turned our focus to putting lights on the house. In our old house, we really did it up. But the place we're in now is kind of limited, landscaping-wise, as far as places to actually put lights. So we keep it on the simple side, which is tough since we trend more towards the Griswold side of things. And in true Griswold fashion, most of our lights had gone kaput, so we foolishly braved our under-construction walmart in search of a few new strings of lights. And that's the last time I go anywhere near that joint until construction is done, and maybe even after! We got a few strings up before dinner and settled in with a little Christmas Vacation before bedtime. Not a bad way to end a crazy day! 

And today...we finally got our tree!! Zo had way too much fun running between the trees and made it impossible for me to get a decent pic. 

Lights went on tonight, ornaments later this week. Once you get the tree, it really starts feeling (and smelling) like Christmas! We are hosting Christmas this year, so we really had to find the perfect one. Z even helped with the lights! 

pjs - Gap (sold out - similar here)

It's amazing how a lighted tree can make your whole house feel cozy. I think Clark would agree. 

Have you guys started decorating yet?