Monthly Archives: January 2015

Personalized M&M’s |Valentine’s Day

Queen Darlene - January 29, 2015 - $20 or Less, Anniversary, Birthday, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day

Chocolates are a girl’s best friend. Some would say diamonds but oh… how chocolate satisfies that indescribable craving!

Randy surprised me last year for Valentine’s Day by giving me my favorite candy – M&M’s! And they were personalized. I had no idea he even knew you could purchase them that way. I’ve seen personalized M&M’s at baby showers and birthdays and thought they were waaay cute!

My M&M’s had messages of Love Randy, Happy Valentine’s Day and the American Sign Language sign for I Love You (that one was my favorite!). The ASL “I love you” sign is a tradition used in my family by my grandparents, parents, brothers, sons and us. Continue Reading

The Promise of New Experiences

Princess Diana - January 27, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Experiences, Valentine's Day

I received a most thoughtful gift from my husband for Christmas, but it’s perfect to use for Valentine’s Day, birthdays and anniversaries. In it, he promised new experiences for us to enjoy together throughout the whole year.

Spend quality time with someone you care about by giving them new experiences you can share together.

The romantic way he promised it brought tears to my eyes. This was no empty promise.

In a letter, my husband wrote to me:

I spent some time thinking about what to buy you, but I couldn’t come up with any ideas for a new gadget or item that would make your life better or increase your happiness. I also thought about our life together, and how much I love you and how much we love sharing in new adventures. I want every year to be our best year together, so here are a few things I’d like to either do or start doing next year for us.

Archer City, Texas | Road Trip to Yesterday

Queen Darlene - January 22, 2015 - Birthday, Experiences

For years, I’ve wanted a D-H-R weekend – Darlene, Harvey, Rodney. My wish came true on my birthday for my two brothers and me to spend time together.

My brothers and I stand on our front porch in 1961.

We took a road trip to Archer City, Texas where we grew up.

It had been exactly 50 years ago on my birthday that we moved away. I was 12, Harvey was eight and Rodney was six.

ROAD TRIP TO ARCHER CITY

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Click to enlarge

It was a 2 1/2 hour trip from Oklahoma City and the time spent in the car was priceless. I brought along over 100 pictures of us as children during the time we lived in Archer City.

As we looked at each picture, we reminisced about our parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, the water tower, the fields we rode our bikes and the friends we played with everyday. Continue Reading

Sunburst Gifts Offers Gift Consulting Service

Princess Diana - January 20, 2015 - Catch All

You don’t have time, you may hate shopping, or you may just have run out of good ideas.

But there’s no good excuse for not finding that special gift for that special someone. Whether for personal or business, gifts express how much you care so it’s important to get it right.

The good news? Customized gift giving assistance is now available through Sunburst Gifts.

We provide gift consulting to individuals and businesses by working one-on-one with clients to match the perfect thoughtful gifts to the person and the occasion.

The best part? We offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. We really mean it.

So we suggest you give our gift consulting service a try because we will decrease your stress load while increasing the “Wow!” or “Awwww!” factor of the next gift you give!

Learn how quick and easy it can be to get professional assistance from a gift consultant.

A Single Rose | One Year Old Birthday Gift Tradition

Queen Darlene - January 15, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Kids

First birthdays are a big deal, not for the child as much as it is for the parents or maybe I should say–mothers.

I was more than thrilled to celebrate my child’s first birthday! They are walking, chattering and making the cutest expressions. I watched him open (with some help) his gifts. I snapped pictures of him eating his cake and making a huge mess.

I was one proud mother! I wanted my son to have a “Happy 1st Birthday” so I could have pictures to cherish and share with him when he got older.

All of us moms understand the significance of birthdays. My son, Dustin, who is single and 33 years old doesn’t have a clue.

When Dustin’s best friend Jayson called to remind him that his daughter was having her one year old birthday party in an hour and asked if he was coming, Dustin said, “Yes, I’m on my way.”

He had forgotten all about it and hadn’t purchased a gift!

72 Employees Surprise Pizza Delivery Guy With Tip of a Lifetime

Princess Diana - January 13, 2015 - Business, Experiences

This is a story of how small acts of kindness can change someone’s life in an enormous way.

During a company retreat of Wymer Brownlee, a financial firm based in Enid, Oklahoma, its CEO Kyle Brownlee asked his employees if they wanted to participate in a random act of kindness by expressing their gratitude to the pizza delivery guy who would be arriving at lunch. Together they could give him words of encouragement and appreciation and the tip of a lifetime.

All 72 employees agreed this was a great idea.

They spent part of their morning writing positive messages to this man they had never met before letting him know that he was important and that his job mattered. Then they pooled their cash together. Those who didn’t carry cash made trips to the ATM just so they could contribute.

Gift of Warmth | Towel Warmer

Queen Darlene - January 8, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Housewarming, Mother's Day

The gift of warmth comes in all kinds of presents. Coats, hats, scarves, gloves, boots, insulated underwear, wool socks, electric blankets and on and on.

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Gift of Warmth a towel warmer.

How about a unique kind of warmth? A towel warmer.

I instantly thought of my niece when I saw the towel warmer from Brookstone. She is 23 years old and is 100% disabled. Whitney is unable to walk without the help of her mother, Nancy. My niece is also legally blind, has diminished hearing, and communicates only through her actions and touch.

Nancy has taught me that instead of focusing on what she cannot do to find things that she can enjoy.

She definitely possesses her sense of touch and what better way when you get out of the shower but to have a warm towel wrapped around you. Ahhhh… the immediate gift of warmth! Continue Reading

When Your Gift Doesn’t Get the Reaction You Expected

Princess Diana - January 6, 2015 - Catch All

It’s a wonderful feeling – the excitement of presenting someone with a gift that you’ve put so much thought into and that you absolutely know they’ll love. Unless they don’t… love it.

You’re blindsided. What?? No squeals of joy. No grin from ear to ear. No outburst of “It’s perfect! You know me so well!”

Instead, in return for your awesome gift, the recipient gives you a forced smile and half-hearted thank you.

Now that feeling – totally sucks. But if the movie Frozen has taught us anything, it’s to Let It Go.

Don’t carry around feelings of disappointment, anger or bitterness when your gift doesn’t get the reaction you expected.

10 New Year’s Gifts for Me, Myself and I

Queen Darlene - January 1, 2015 - Gifts for Me

Have you noticed how New Year’s resolutions have become detested by the majority? Gosh, it’s like social suicide to even bring New Year’s resolutions up in conversation these days!

I think it’s because the term “New Year’s resolutions” has become associated with the word “failure.” I have an idea of how to get out of that negative mindset! Make your list a New Year’s Gifts to Me!

When you are making your New Year’s Gifts to Me list, think of yourself first and how your list will benefit you when it is accomplished. I’ve taken the top 10 most popular New Year’s resolutions listed in the graphic to the right and added a “thoughtful twist” to frame them in a positive way.

1. More Time with Family & Friends! – My gift to me: I laugh more when I am around people I enjoy, and laughter is the best medicine!

2. Forever Fitness! – My gift to me: When I exercise, I sleep better, I’m more energetic, and I’m more conscious of what I eat because I work hard exercising. I think I’ll try yoga!

3. Lose It! – My gift to me: Health benefits, blood pressure comes down, change in body shape, and clothes fit, look and feel better. My reflection in the mirror will make me smile!

4. Live Life! – My gift to me: Change my hectic schedule by saying “No” to things I really don’t have to do, and saying “Yes” to more things I want to do. Take singing lessons, learn photography, become an artist or whatever my heart desires!

5. Ashtrays are Out of Style! – My gift to me: By quitting smoking, it will improve my health and save hard-earned dollars. That money saved can go towards more worthwhile things like paying off debt, buying a new flat screen TV, or going on a much-needed vacation. Aloha! Continue Reading