Category "Anniversary"

Birthday Cake Not Birthday Candles

Queen Darlene - April 18, 2018 - Anniversary, Birthday, Father's Day, Going Away, Housewarming, Mother's Day, Retirement

My girlfriends and I love to celebrate just about everything, and we especially make an effort to be together for our birthdays.

Elise brought a box of four individually packaged cakes made from the Original YaHoo Baking Co. Of course, you can make your own or purchase from a local bakery.

Janiece had fun trying to choose either the Bourbon Pecan, Chocolate Espresso, Rum Crunch or Chocolate Chip Amaretto Liquor Cakes.

They were delicious and the perfect size. Besides, who needs the calories of a regular size cake?

Prior to Elise lighting the four candles, she said:

“This is a birthday cake but not birthday candles.”

Then she said:

Multiple First Dates With Spouse

Princess Diana - April 11, 2018 - Anniversary, Experiences, Valentine's Day

I came across a genius idea in my Facebook feed that I had to share it with our readers!

Have you heard about the “Truth Bomb Mom?” Her videos always inspire me and make me laugh, but the video below has to be in my top 3!

Truth Bomb Mom (aka Kristina Kuzmic) shares her secret to a happy marriage and the best, most creative way to reconnect with her spouse–lots of FIRST DATES.

What exactly does she mean by “first dates?” It means going on date nights as if they just met and were going on their actual first date.

Recreating First Dates

It begins with her husband texting her “Hey, this is Phillip. It was great meeting you the other night. I would love to take you out to dinner.”

He is pretending they just met to recreate that newness and anticipation of a first date.

5 Senses Romantic Valentine’s Day Gift

Princess Diana - February 6, 2018 - Anniversary, Valentine's Day

Taste. Touch. Sight. Smell. Sound.

Show your love in every sense of the word with the “5 Senses” romantic Valentine’s Day gift.

When you give your sweetheart 5 gifts that satisfy the 5 senses, you add an entirely new dimension to your Valentine’s Day gift. Time to turn up the heat!

Rubber Band Powered Magic Flying Butterflies

Queen Darlene - January 17, 2018 - $20 or Less, Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Congratulations, Mother's Day, Teacher Gifts, Thank You

Looking for a gift idea that will delight and surprise? The rubber band powered magic flying butterflies will do just that!

It’s easy peasy to wind up the rubber band on the butterfly and gently place it in a greeting card or book. When it is opened, out flies a butterfly!

A Smile Will Magically Appear

It’s magical because a guaranteed smile will appear.

Couple’s Photo Shoot | One-Size-Fits-All Gift

Queen Darlene - December 21, 2017 - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day

Most of my friends and I have adult children. The question each year is “What do we give them for Christmas?”

It was so much easier to pick out Christmas gifts when they were small, but as adults it’s difficult to surprise them.

My friend shared her “stroke of genius” idea and came up with a Couple’s Photo Shoot for her grown adult children’s Christmas gift.

We have lots of pictures of our children but not professional grown-up photos of our kids and their spouses other than the wedding photos taken years before.

Even her adult granddaughter and boyfriend will receive a photo session. They will be so surprised!

Moto Photo packages for couples are reasonably priced starting at $55 for a one pose package.

The package consists of an 8×10, two 5×7 and 8 wallets. Gift certificates are also available to give any dollar amount you would like.

JCPenney Portraits and Portrait Innovations are also offering holiday specials.

Artisanal Ice Cream in Fun Flavors

Princess Diana - November 28, 2017 - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Family, Father's Day, Food & Drinks, Gifts for Him, Host, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Wedding

Really good ice cream in fun flavors. That’s what I want. Any time of year.

One of my favorite flavors is goat cheese ice cream. Hey. Don’t knock it until you try it. Trust me.

One time a friend bought me a pint of Jeni’s Goat Cheese with Red Cherries. Absolute heaven!

Have you heard of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams? It’s an artisan ice cream company, which means real people use real (vs. synthetic) ingredients to make the highest quality ice cream.

The company is known for always coming out with fun, inventive flavors!

iFLY Indoor Skydiving

Queen Darlene - November 17, 2017 - Anniversary, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Experiences, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day

I’ve always wanted to skydive but jumping out of an airplane just didn’t make a lot of sense the older I became.

My sister-in-law gave me a gift certificate to iFLY so I could fulfill my dream closer to the ground!

Indoor Skydiving

iFLY is indoor skydiving that simulates true free fall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel.

Their motto of “It’s where the dream of flight becomes a reality” really happened for me!

At age 65 I’m no spring chicken (a phrase my mother-in-law would say) but there have been lots of elderly people who have been brave enough to skydive.

I hoped the wind tunnel would help me decide if I was just satisfied doing a simulation or if I needed to do the real thing. Continue Reading

Oklahoma Shaped Grass Doormat

Queen Darlene - August 17, 2017 - Anniversary, Birthday, Business, Congratulations, Housewarming

Friends, Bryan and Janiece Vest, and my husband and I celebrate our anniversaries within a couple of weeks of each other in the month of July. This year is our 46th wedding anniversary!

Randy and I enjoy exploring the state of Oklahoma for “mom and pop” restaurants. The food reminds us of “grandma’s cookin!”

Bryan and Janiece gave us an Oklahoma Shaped Grass Doormat to commemorate our travel adventures.

Such a thoughtful gift! And… it’s made in Oklahoma! We love that! Continue Reading

Cozy Fleece Photo Blanket

Princess Diana - August 15, 2017 - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Family, Father's Day, Get Well, Going Away, Graduation, Housewarming, Kids, Mother's Day, Retirement, Teacher Gifts, Valentine's Day, Wedding

Years ago, my sister, Julia, and her family moved to the East coast away from her parents and siblings.

It’s tough living far apart from family, but especially hard when someone has young children. Finding child care is harder, and holidays can be a bit more lonely.

My sister though experienced tremendous luck! She found an older woman in her neighborhood who ran a small in-home day care. “Miss Pat” has cared for my sister’s three daughters for 14 years now, and they have a very special bond with her.

She loves those girls like her own granddaughters, and they love her like a grandmother.

“Miss Pat” and her husband “Mister Pete” have become family.

Custom Photo Blanket

For Miss Pat’s birthday this year, my sister gave her a custom fleece photo blanket with a beautiful collage of her three daughters and Miss Pat.

The photos printed really well and show how much the girls have grown up since Miss Pat has known them. So many cherished memories gathered all in one place!

Miss Pat can literally wrap the girls around her any time, day or night! Continue Reading

Thoughtful Second Marriage Wedding Gift

Queen Darlene - July 27, 2017 - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Uncategorized, Wedding

When my friend announced she would be saying “I do” for the second time, I wanted to give her a special wedding gift.

Traditional gifts such as dishes, towels and kitchen appliances are usually not needed in a second marriage.

I had the perfect opportunity to give a creative and thoughtful wedding gift!

Mike and Teresa were getting married on a beach in Florida and hosting a reception later for family and friends. This gave me time to do a little research…

Teresa posted on Facebook pictures of their beach wedding, and it sparked a gift idea.

I had seen custom couple silhouette portraits on Etsy.com, and thought I would create my own using one of Teresa’s wedding photos. I picked one of them in a unique pose.