Monthly Archives: September 2014

Baby Bump Congratulations Cards for Mothers-to-Be

- - $20 or Less, Baby Shower

Do you know someone who is pregnant? I’m sure you told the person, “Congratulations!”

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Baby bump congratulations card by Hallmark

When I was pregnant with my first baby, my co-worker, Jody, congratulated me and gave me this amazing card. At the time, I didn’t even know congratulations cards specifically for pregnant women and mothers-to-be existed!

The card showing a woman with a cute baby bump touched me emotionally. It expressed how happy Jody was for me to experience both the miracle of growing a baby inside me and the many joys of motherhood.

I proudly displayed the card on the shelf behind my desk. It was the only card like it I received during my pregnancy.

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Play on Words Add Special Touch to Gifts

For my mother-in-law’s birthday, I bought her a gift card to a local shop that specializes in flavor infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars.

card using play on words paired with gift cardI knew she’d love it because my boss loved her Premium Olive Oil and Vinegar With State-Shaped Cutting Board gift that I gave her for Christmas from the same store.

I gave her a gift card so she could pick out her own flavors of olive oil and balsamic vinegar but a gift card just isn’t much fun to open. So what did I do?

I added a “thoughtful twist” to the gift card by creating a cute card on the easy peasy photo editing website PicMonkey. I combined a photo of my son, a chalkboard overlay, some doodle heart overlays, and text that said:

Oil always love my Mimi! Continue Reading

Passing on Important Life Lessons & Values

- - $20 or Less, Catch All, Family, Kids

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Return with Honor – The Purpose of Life – To Make a Difference!

A powerful quote to live by and an important life lesson to teach children and grandchildren.

The Lillard boys – Joe, Sam and Luke are amazing kids! They are five, seven and 11 years old. Their grandfather, Dick, is the Chairman of where I work. Not only is he my boss, he and his family have become my precious friends.

Return-with-Honor-Plaque-gift-idea-sunburst-giftsThis year was the first time all three boys traveled on a business trip together with grandparents and parents to Washington, D.C. to meet with Oklahoma’s congressional delegation.

We scheduled all day meetings and the boys were troopers going from building to building, meeting to meeting and sometimes waiting long periods of time. They were respectful when they met with congressional staff and the congressmen were extremely impressed! They looked so handsome in their suits!

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Teddy Bears for Kids Involved in Domestic Violence

- - $20 or Less, Catch All, Kids

My BFF, Linda, decided to donate a big box of her never-been-used teddy bears she used to have displayed in her office. Yes, she was a collector. She did not start out that way but through the years friends and family started giving her bears for birthdays, Christmases and celebrations.

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These teddy bears will be used by law enforcement to comfort children involved in domestic violence so they’ll have a best friend to hug and to hold.

Linda enjoyed her stuffed animals but thought of a much better use for them.  Children who could use their own BFF –  best friend forever.

That’s where my husband, Randy, comes into this story. He volunteers as a deputy for the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. He gives his time to assist fellow officers patrol the 750 square miles here in Logan County, and he loves it! Continue Reading

Forever Stamps for a Forever Love | Wedding Gift

- - Wedding

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So what do you get the couple who didn’t create wedding registries because they don’t need anything? It’s a tricky gift giving dilemma for sure.

forever stamps with wedding cardHere’s the thing though – I knew other people would be giving the couple wedding presents anyway. That meant they would be writing thank you cards to those individuals.

Honoring their wish not to receiving “things,” I decided to give them a gift that wouldn’t take up any space and that they would definitely need in the near future.

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Wedding Coffee Table Photo Books

When I planned my dream wedding, I tried my hardest not to overspend. It’s sooo easy to do. So I found creative ways to cut costs (like doing my own flower arrangements) or just eliminated things (like renting a limo).  But one area where I was willing to pay top dollar for top quality was my wedding photography.

Wedding Coffee Table Photo BookI knew that I would have only have my memories and the photographs by which to remember all of the special moments that happened that day.

The moment when he first saw me in my wedding dress.
The moment when we shared our personalized wedding vows.
The moment when my best friend made me cry with her funny and heartwarming toast.
The moment when I “dropped it like it’s hot” on the dance floor – still in my wedding dress – with my champagne glass held high above my head.

Memories fade over time but my wedding photographs never will – thanks to digital copies!

My talented wedding photographer Kristen Edwards did an amazing job capturing all of  the details, the people, and the emotions that made up my wedding day. Kristen ended up providing me with a CD filled with nearly 800 beautiful photos – and she was able to make me look damn good in almost every one. God bless her and Photoshop!

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Ordering the 25th Wedding Anniversary Special at Sonic

My husband and his best friend, Curtis have been friends since they were 16 years old. They played on their high school tennis team and were known to be pretty salty players. They even won a state championship in doubles their senior year. When Curtis started dating Susan, the four of us became best friends.

kiss me frog cookie jarCurtis and Susan’s daughters were planning a 25th wedding anniversary for their parents and asked if Randy and I would “distract” them while guests were arriving to their parents’ home.

Through the years, the four of us have celebrated birthdays and anniversaries together by going out to eat. So Randy and I made plans to take them out for a 25th wedding celebration dinner. That way it wouldn’t look suspicious.

Susan wanted to know what to wear and I told her the place we were going was a surprise but to wear their Sunday best. Afterwards, we would return to their home to change into more comfortable clothes for the second event of the evening.

That gave us a reason to go back to the house! Continue Reading

Birthday Card Blitz | 80 Cards for 80 Years

- - Anniversary, Birthday

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My mother was turning 80 years old. After 80 birthdays, how could we make this a unique birthday for her?

80-cards-for-80th-birthday-gift-idea-sunburst-giftsI came up with the idea of family and friends sending her birthday cards. That’s nothing new, but for that thoughtful twist the goal was for her to receive 80 cards by her 80th birthday! My brother and I called family and friends to put the birthday card blitz in action.

If you have been following my blog, you know my mother was deaf and I’m all about giving her gifts that are visual experiences. Like the year I popped out of a box.

On another birthday, I treated her and several of her deaf friends to a local diner that cooked fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans just like her mother, my Grandma, used to cook. Afterwards, I took them all to the Science Museum Oklahoma for fun hands-on-experiences. Mom and her friends loved her birthday party!

Mom knew my boss and several of my co-workers so I purchased birthday cards ready with stamps so all they had to do was to address the envelope, sign the card, and mail it. I asked my co-workers, who my mother didn’t know, to wish Mom a Happy 80th Birthday anyway. So that there was a connection, I requested they write in the card they worked with me and something nice about me – anything that would thrill a mother to read about her daughter.

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Instant Photobooks Delivered Monthly | Groovebook

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Click. Click. Click. With the camera on our smartphones, we can quickly capture any moment with ease. Many of of us have hundreds of photos stored in our phones.

instant-photobooks-groovebook2-sunburst-giftsBesides the ones you’ve shared on social media, most of the photos you’ve taken on your phone have probably never been seen by another human being. That’s too bad!

You also probably don’t get many of them printed either. Heck no! That would be waaaay too expensive!

Or is it?

What if I told you that you could print 100 photos from your phone each month and have it shipped to you in a keepsake photobook for just $2.99? That’s the total price. No tax. No shipping and handling.

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