A Heartfelt Thank You Letter to My 5th Grade Mentor

- - $20 or Less, Catch All, Teacher Gifts

Completely by chance, I found out a friend from high school worked with my 5th grade mentor, Mr. Brownlee.

heartfelt-thank-you-letter-mentor-thoughtful-giftI haven’t seen or talked to Mr. Brownlee in more than 20 years, but I’ve thought about him many times since then. Through him, I learned an important life lesson that always stuck with me.

Let me first explain how I got to know Mr. Brownlee. A few students from each of the 5th grade classes at my elementary were selected to be a part of a leadership group that everyone simply called “Mr. Brownlee’s Group.”

Each month, we met Mr. Brownlee in our school library to talk about a wide variety of different topics. He always brought a special guest so we could learn from people from all walks of life.

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Shopping for a Friend in Crisis

- - Catch All, Get Well

What do you do when a friend or relative is experiencing a life changing event? How do you help when you are hundreds of miles away?

shopping-for-a-friend-thoughtful-gift-ideaPhone calls are helpful to let them know you are thinking of them, praying for them, or to ask the question “What can I do for you?” The answer is usually “Thank you, but there’s nothing you can do.”

Many of us can’t accept that answer. But what can we do?

My friend’s husband has been in the hospital for several months since having surgery that left him paralyzed. His focus is to walk again.

Sharon visits Dale at the hospital every day after work, and things have taken a toll on her physically. She lost weight to the point that her clothes don’t fit anymore, but she has zero time to shop. All of her free time is spent helping Dale get better.

That’s when it occurred to me how I could help Sharon. I could shop for her!

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Baby Bump Maternity Photo Shoot

- - Baby Shower, Birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day

Did you know there’s a whole industry in baby bump/pregnancy/maternity photography? Google it and you will see hundreds of amazing pregnancy photos.

pregnancy-photos-thoughtful-gift-ideaIt’s a wonderful way to celebrate the upcoming birth of a baby by showing off the “bump!”

My maternity outfits were much like my mother’s and grandmother – big flowing tops that hid our pregnant bellies.

In my grandmother’s day you couldn’t even say “pregnant.” The correct term was “in the family way.” Thank goodness that taboo is no longer the norm.

My mother told me when she was pregnant, you said the word “pregnant” in a hushed tone.  Oh, how glad I am times have changed! It’s exciting to be pregnant and maternity photos are a great way to share the joy with loved ones.

My friend’s daughter, Kelsey, is a professional dancer and her pregnancy photos feature her as a ballerina.

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In Case of Emergency Break Glass Money Gift

- - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Graduation, Money, Wedding

Do you need a memorable way to give money? I thought so!

in-case-of-emergency-break-glass-debit-card-thoughtful-gift-ideaSometimes money is the only gift to give to teenagers, graduates from high school or college, or newlyweds who need help paying for a honeymoon.

For some reason, writing a check even when it’s what is wanted, doesn’t seem much of a thoughtful gift. This gift idea combines money (or a Visa gift card) with something they’ll have fun unwrapping.

It’s called the In Case of Emergency Break Glass gift idea, and it works well for birthdays, Christmas, graduations, weddings or anniversaries. Continue Reading

Beef Jerky Gift Baskets & Samplers | Gift for Him

- - Birthday, Business, Christmas, Father's Day, Food & Drinks, Gift Baskets, Gifts for Him, Teacher Gifts, Valentine's Day

This gift idea men will literally eat right up.

beef-jerky-thoughtful-gift-for-him

Give him his favorite flavors or some new flavors sure to awaken his taste buds!

When it’s hard to pick out a gift for him, you can’t go wrong with edible gifts. Beef jerky and meat sticks make awesome presents because they’re such a tasty “manly man” food snack.

You can get him a jerky gift basket or jerky sampler that fits every budget, taste preference and meat preference. In addition to beef jerky, there’s venison (deer) jerky, chicken jerky, turkey jerky, pork jerky, bacon jerky and even pineapple jerky for the vegetarian.

You can also buy gourmet jerky and exotic jerky made from elk, wild boar, alligator, alpaca, kangaroo, ostrich and even fish! Now that would make a memorable gift!

When it comes to flavors, it seems like they’ve come up with 101 varieties. You can buy jerky in flavors like teriyaki, barbecue, jalapeno, Cajun, bacon, maple bacon, lemon pepper, sweet and spicy, chili pepper, pepperoni, and so much more.

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“Wood Ya” Like a Father’s Day Gift Idea? | Wooden Watch

- - Anniversary, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him

Finding a unique Father’s Day gift is sometimes a little difficult to do. The old stand by like ties, wallets, and shirts are so oh hum boring to give and receive. Let’s not go there!

wood-watch-father's-day-thoughtful-gift-ideaHere’s what’s trending now! Watches and sunglasses made out of wood. Now that’s what I’m talking about. Definitely on the unique side of gifts!

My husband enjoys wearing different styles of watches. He has dress watches, sport watches, chronograph watches, and LED watches.

Come to think of it, he really is a collector of watches. I suggested to our sons to get him a watch for Father’s Day but not just any watch.

Their dad doesn’t own a watch made out of wood, and I don’t believe he has ever even seen one! He likes to wear unusual watches and this particular watch “wood” definitely meet that criteria. Continue Reading

Relax & De-stress With Coloring Books for Adults

- - $20 or Less, Birthday, Get Well, Gifts for Me, Teacher Gifts

This is one of those ideas you say to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Coloring Books for Adults! The idea is to help adults de-stress and slow down our crazy-busy-every-minute-of the-day-life.

coloring-books-for-adults-thoughtful-gift-idea

Adult Coloring Books

I first heard of the Coloring Books for Adults on NPR. The guest explained how life has become more stressful in this fast-paced world because we are always connected by smart phones and computers. Her advice – disconnect from your electronic devices and color.

Disconnect? How many times have I wanted and needed to do that?

Have you ever seen a child that is coloring stressed out? Nope, me neither!

Coloring books for adults are perfect for friends, family members or co-workers who are extremely busy and who could use a little help to unwind and relax. Coloring will bring back their carefree days of childhood with no grown-up worries. Heck, you should try it for yourself!

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Whiskey & Coke Tower | Gift for Him

- - Birthday, Business, Father's Day, Food & Drinks, Gifts for Him, Housewarming

Whiskey and Coke – one of the world’s most popular cocktails.

whiskey-coke-tower-gift-for-himWhether he likes his drink made with Jack Daniels (Tennessee whiskey), Maker’s Mark (bourbon) or Jameson (Irish whiskey) or some other brand, you can make a Whiskey & Coke Tower using his favorite brand of liquor.

(If I were to make one of these for myself, it would be a Rum & Coke Tower using a bottle of Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum!)

The Whiskey & Coke Tower pairs together his favorite bottle of whiskey with cans of Coke for a stunning presentation. It makes a great centerpiece for a bachelor party or birthday party, and it’s not hard to make.

ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:

  • his favorite bottle of whiskey or bourbon
  • 12 oz. Coke cans
  • 7.5 oz. Coke cans
  • other cans as needed for the center
  • packing tape
  • ribbons for decorating
  • aluminum foil

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Picture Frames | The Keeper of Memories

- - $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.

picture-frame-drawing-of-dog-thoughtful-gift-ideaThere 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.picture-frame-drawing-dolphin-thoughtful-gift-idea

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