Monthly Archives: May 2015

Picture Frames | The Keeper of Memories

Queen Darlene - May 28, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Family, Housewarming

Picture frames are wonderful gifts for all occasions. They keep memories close to our hearts by celebrating weddings, birthdays, friendships, vacations, children, couples, and families.

There are five of us girls who have been BFFs for close to 40 years. We still enjoy celebrating each other’s birthdays when we are together.

This year we decided to give three yellow (her favorite color) picture frames to Linda. We brainstormed what pictures to place in the frames.

1) Charlie, her faithful companion.

2) A picture of a swimming dolphin from one of her vacations.

3) Of course, a picture of us five girls together. Continue Reading

Creative & Inexpensive Homemade Birthday Cards

Princess Diana - May 27, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday

I once received the neatest homemade birthday card from my co-worker Bruce. I found it sitting on my desk when I came to work, and it immediately brought a big smile to my face!

A birthday candle and “Happy Birthday” confetti decorated the front of the card. I loved how the candle gave the card a 3-D effect!

I also loved his “thoughtful twist” of propping up the birthday card on my desk for me to find instead of giving it to me in a traditional envelope.

I borrowed Bruce’s idea and made my own homemade birthday card.

HOW TO MAKE A HOMEMADE BIRTHDAY CARD

Why I Gave My Son a Baby Doll

Princess Diana - May 26, 2015 - $20 or Less, Baby Shower, Kids

I’m raising a little human. He happens to be a boy.

Playing is learning!

In our culture, many unsaid rules exist about how little humans called “boys” should act. Even more so for “girls.”

At the age of two, I bought my son a little doll, a newborn baby dressed head to toe in pink pajamas. I wanted to give him access to a wide variety of toys, not just those considered “gender appropriate.”

My son will grow up to become a father one day, and every parent needs to know how to nurture and nourish.

We give boys race cars and doctor kits all the time although only a very small percentage of them will actually grow up to become race car drivers and doctors. Compare that to how many boys will one day become fathers.

As soon as I showed my son the pink box containing the doll, he grew excited. He yelled, “Baby!”

Manly Memento Box | Birthday Gift for Boy

Queen Darlene - May 21, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Gifts for Him, Kids

My nephew is turning 11 years old, and I wanted to give him a memento box to keep his priceless treasures. I know kids really like anything electronic these days, but hear me out on this one.

memento-box-boy-birthday-thoughtful-gift-idea

click to enlarge

Guys have tool boxes, tackle boxes for fishing gear, and even leather boxes for their watches and jewelry. Guys have boxes for their stuff! Women, on the other hand, have purses, jewelry boxes, and hope chests for their stuff.

Never thought about it that way have you?

I started giving “manly” boxes to birthday boys in their preteens for their keepsake items. I tell them it’s a treasure chest to keep their cool stuff inside. Continue Reading

Experience Being a Stunt Pilot or Fighter Pilot for a Day

Princess Diana - May 19, 2015 - Experiences, Gifts for Him

I traveled to Las Vegas and didn’t gamble one single dollar. Instead, I gambled with my life.

stunt-fighter-pilot-experience-thoughtful-gift

Stunt Pilot for a Day

A Hummer pulls up in front of my hotel and drives me to an airplane hanger on the outskirts of the city. Once I check in, I step into my flight suit and zip it up all the way from my crotch up to my neck. Then I flip up the collar because that’s how I roll.

Every stunt pilot has to have a nickname so guess what mine is? PSYCHO.

My flight instructor picks it out, and he gives me me a cool patch that attaches to my flight suit. I guess he thinks that a woman foaming at the mouth to go up in the world’s most advanced aerobatic plane – the Extra 330LC – to do the same stunt moves they do in airshows must be psycho.

So be it because I love my nickname! I’m glad he didn’t nickname me Tinkerbell or Goose. Remember, Goose died in “Top Gun.”

I receive a brief training on what to expect up in the air and an explanation of the types of wild maneuvers and stunt moves I will be doing. The maneuvers have crazy awesome names like hammerhead, barrel roll, and tailslide.

Top 5 Gift Ideas Blowing Up on Pinterest

Princess Diana - May 17, 2015 - Catch All

The Pinterest votes are in! Drum roll please…

We’re so excited to share our Top 5 most repinned thoughtful gift ideas on Pinterest! Any of these popular gifts will make someone in your life feel very special. Happy gifting!

1) Easy Peasy Birthday Money Box

2) 18 Things I Wish I Had Known at 18

3) Lottery Ticket Bouquet

4) Jesus Candy Cane Poem

5) Random Acts of Kindness for Your Own or Someone Else’s Birthday

pay it forward popcorn taped to Redbox machine

Pay It Forward Idea – Tape a package of microwaveable popcorn to a Redbox machine along with a note!

[ninja-inline id=6430]

Thoughtful Teacher Gifts

Queen Darlene - May 14, 2015 - $20 or Less, Teacher Gifts

When my kids were in grade school, we baked cookies or made fudge for their teachers as Christmas or end-of-the-year gifts. My boys enjoyed showing off their cooking skills by presenting their goodies as teacher’s gifts.

As they got older, they wanted to buy their teachers specific gifts. One year my youngest son wanted to buy his teacher a motorcycle. He was not happy when I had to convinced him to purchase a “lame” gift like a book from the best seller’s list.

Over the years, we would buy decorative picture frames, pretty writing pens, stationery note cards with their teacher’s initials and fresh flowers.

I will admit it was a little more challenging to buy for the male teachers. Coffee mugs, gift cards to Starbucks or key chains with initials seemed to work well.

Over the years, I’ve been asked by friends and family to help with thoughtful teacher gifts. Here’s what I’ve suggested:

Give A Book That Has Changed Your Life

Princess Diana - May 12, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Graduation

As an adult, one my biggest accomplishments is changing how I view money (realizing that acquiring more money just to buy more things does not lead to happiness) and how I manage my money (actively saving for retirement and future goals while remaining debt free).

Now I feel in control of my finances instead of ignoring my finances or feeling my finances are controlling me.

Two people have helped me get to this point in my life. My husband, Kevin Jaeger, and Trent Hamm, the brains behind the blog TheSimpleDollar.com.

If I’m ever in a conversation related to money or finances, I always bring up TheSimpleDollar.com so more people can benefit from the website’s advice. A lot of his stuff is not just great financial advice, it’s great advice for living life in general.

Queen for the Day | Photo Shoot

Queen Darlene - May 7, 2015 - Birthday, Experiences, Mother's Day

My mother loved taking pictures of her three kids, her family and friends. She also loved being in the pictures too. She would have loved Selfies!

When Mom’s health began to show signs of dementia, I wanted to get her out of the house to do something fun. I decided to make her Queen for the Day!

I brought over one of my sequin gowns, long black gloves, jewelry and a tiara. I explained we were going to make her Queen for the Day and her grandson was going to take pictures – in essence a photo shoot while we visited Bricktown in Downtown Oklahoma City.

Mom loved seeing all of the new changes in Downtown OKC – the canal, the larger than life bronze statues, beautiful waterfalls and botanical gardens. She enjoyed using these as backdrops for her photos. Continue Reading

Infuser Water Bottle Gift Basket | Healthy Teacher Appreciation Gift

Princess Diana - May 6, 2015 - $20 or Less, Food & Drinks, Gift Baskets, Teacher Gifts

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! Are you looking for a teacher appreciation gift idea that doesn’t include chocolate, candy, soda and dessert items? Do you want to say “thank you” without loading them up with unwanted calories?

infuser water bottle gift basket for teacher

Thanks for quenching my thirst for knowledge!
Teacher Appreciation Gift

If you’re looking for a healthy version of a teacher appreciation gift, I have just the one!

Infuser Water Bottles will make it easy for your favorite teacher to create their own naturally flavored water from fruits and herbs. The result – a healthy, refreshing beverage they can sip from throughout the school day.

Here are some foods that work well with infuser water bottles. Just cut or slice them so they fit inside the infuser capsule.

Cucumbers
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Strawberries