Posts by:

Personalized M&M’s |Valentine’s Day

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

M&M's-Valentine's-Day-Messages-thoughtful-gift-ideaRandy 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

Archer City, Texas | Road Trip to Yesterday

- - Birthday, Experiences

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

road-trip-thoughtful-gift-idea

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
road-trip-archer-city-water-tower-thoughtful-gift-idea

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

A Single Rose | One Year Old Birthday Gift Tradition

- - $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 single-pink-rose-for-girl-first-birthday-thoughtful-gift-ideaopen (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!

Continue Reading

Gift of Warmth | Towel Warmer

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.

owel-warmer-sunburst-gifts-thoughtful-gift-idea

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

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

- - 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!

new-years-resolutions-my-gifts-to-me-thoughtful-gift-ideasI 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

Automatic Snack & Treat Dispenser

httpvh://youtu.be/ovOZhEJTW0s

I love magic! Who doesn’t? With a wave of the hand – out pops a snack!

When I saw the SnackMan Motion-Activated Dispenser that makes healthy munching easy-peasy, I knew it would be the right gift for my husband’s sister and hersnackman-dispenser-sunburst-gifts-thoughtful-gift-idea spouse for Christmas.

They always try to eat healthy and this fun gadget creates a smart way to have portion control. The SnackMan Motion-Activated Dispenser features three settings: Small Handful, Large Handful or Bowlful. Once set, the same perfect portion is dispensed every time.

It looks like magic because with a simple wave of the hand, out pours your tasty snack treat. Continue Reading

Deck the Walls with Christmas Cards

- - Christmas

Everyone sing with me!

Christmas-card-tree-thoughtful-sunburst-gift-idea

click to enlarge

Deck the walls with Christmas cards,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

‘Tis the season to branch out,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Place the cards in the shape of a Christmas tree

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Use painter’s tape or removable adhesive squares

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

I didn’t say it would rhyme. You probably had to sing it a couple of times to get all the words in but I think you got the message!

I love displaying our Christmas cards from friends and family to enjoy during the holiday season. This year, I used my cards as decorations to make a Christmas tree on my wall.

Continue Reading

Drive a Lamborghini | Experience Gift

Dennis, our boss, always enjoys experience gifts so for a Christmas present, his staff gave him a gift certificate to drive a Lamborghini. Varoom! Varoom!

drive-a-lamborghini-christmas-gift-thoughtful-gift-idea

Dennis drove three laps in a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder worth $214,000

We got the idea from Gotham Dream Cars which had a Groupon to drive premier exotic cars such as a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. They were going to be in Oklahoma City during the early part of December. This would work perfectly as it would not interfere with his holiday travel plans.

For that “thoughtful twist” we gave him a gift box to open which contained a remote control race car replica of a Lamborghini. It was charged up, ready to go, and as soon as he took it out of the box and set it on the floor, he quickly learned to “drive” it.

We told him he did such a marvelous job driving the toy race car that we thought he would like to drive a real Lamborghini.

Continue Reading

Super Bungee Chair | Unique Gift for Kids

- - Birthday, Christmas, Kids

Looking for that unusual gift that would be perceived as cool, fun and something no one else would have? I found it. A Super Bungee Chair by Bunjo!

My nephew is 10 years old-not a baby-not a preteen-but definitely growing up. I wanted to give him something totally different and something he would enjoy year round.super-bungee-chair-thoughtful-gift-idea

I remember how my brothers loved their bean bag chairs as kids. Their unconventional chairs looked cool, and they used them to watch TV. So when I saw the bungee chair, I knew my nephew would feel the same way.

The Super Bungee Chair is designed like a soft, flexible hammock just right for gaming, watching TV, reading or just hanging out. It also has side pockets for gaming devices, TV remotes or snacks. It looks like no other chair!

Continue Reading

Fun Themes for Christmas Gift Exchanges

- - Christmas, Family

Have you ever thought of having a theme for your family’s Christmas gift exchange? It takes some of the guessing out of what to get Aunt Bev, Uncle Bob and Cousin Larry.

My friend, Elise, and her family plan a fun theme idea every year for their Dirty Santa gift exchange. They have a very large family – with many aunts, uncles, first, university-of-oklahoma-ball-cap-thoughtful-gift-ideassecond and third cousins along with grandparents and grandchildren. One year they had an All Things University of Oklahoma theme for Christmas. It was a hit because they are huge OU fans. Elise says it’s one of the few things they all agree on! Continue Reading