Category "Experiences"

Photoshoot for the “Young at Heart”

A person can be young at heart no matter their age. It’s a feeling, an attitude, and a mindset, and it’s golden when it’s caught on camera!

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The sparkle in their eyes and their fun and youthful personality should be celebrated and remembered.

You can do both by giving a photoshoot to someone in their golden years that really lets them shine! It’s an experience they won’t forget because they’ll have print and digital photos to remind them.

Once you’ve gifted them the photoshoot, help the person brainstorm ideas for the theme, location, outfits to wear (or have fun with costumes!), and props to use. Planning it can be as fun as the photoshoot itself!

Just IMAGINE photos of great-grandpa, great-grandma, grandpa or grandma, etc. getting their photos taken and…

Professional Family Photo of Three Generations

I’m on summer vacation and reposting a favorite by our readers. Speaking of summer, it’s a great time for family photos!

It’s not an easy task to get three generations of one family scheduled on the same date and time for professional photos. Life just seems to get in the way.

That’s even more reason to pause and take the time to pose for those precious photos.professional-family-photo-three-generations-thoughtful-gift-idea

Professional Family Photos

Most people have nice cameras and even smartphones take excellent pictures, but professional photos should not be overlooked.

For my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday gift, the family decided we would have a professional photo of three generations of our family made.

A photo of three or even two generations of family is a keepsake many family members will cherish.

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Multiple First Dates With Spouse

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

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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.

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iFLY Indoor Skydiving

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

Ifly-indoor-skydiving-thoughtful-gift-ideaMy 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

MoviePass | Watch One Movie in Theaters Every Day

Some people love being able to watch movies on their home entertainment system, but others love the original movie watching experience–in an actual movie theater!

moviepass-subscription-theater-theaters-thoughtful-giftThey want a cinematic experience that involves sitting in a dark theater watching a film on a three-story screen while listening to the audio come out of a massive speaker system. For them, it’s just not the same watching movies at home.

There is another reason some people love going to the movies.

They want to see a movie as soon as it comes out. They don’t want to wait months for it to become available on Redbox, on Netflix or on DVD.

Psst. I personally love the social aspect of watching horror movies inside a crowded theater–to feel dozens of strangers suck in their breath together in anticipation or to hear a blood curdling screen come from someone sitting in the row behind you.

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Summer Break Quality Time With Each Child

- - Experiences, Kids

My friend, Carol, told me about a wonderful summer tradition she started in her family that I want to share with you.

summer-break-quality-time-child-experienceEach summer, she spends 5 days with each of her children, just the two of them.

She explained her children act differently when she is alone with them. For this reason, she loves to give them quality one-on-one time during their summer break from school.

She has done this for years with each of her children, and they always look forward to creating new memories together.

For each of the 5 days, she follows the same order of events every year.

Quality Time Over 5 Days

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All-in-One Membership to Multiple Fitness Gyms & Studios

Do you know someone who likes or wants variety in their fitness routines or workouts?

I have the perfect gift! Get them a ClassPass or StudioHop all-in-one membership.

With this type of membership, someone can attend a variety of fitness classes at different gyms and studios in their area.

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Never Get Bored With Your Fitness Routine

They could pick Yoga on Monday, Cycling on Tuesday, Barre on Wednesday, Boot Camp on Thursday, Pilates on Friday, Rock Climbing on Saturday, and Rowing  on Sunday.

Choices and more choices! Many people find it easier to stick to their fitness goals when they have variety in their workouts.

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Annual Birthday Adventure

My husband asked,”Are we doing anything for my sister this year?” I replied, “You mean the 2nd Annual Birthday Adventure?”

He smiled. I only had three weeks to come up with an idea.

nnual-birthday-adventure-convertible-mustang-thoughtful-gift-ideaLast year, I planned a Birthday Adventure with Adult Siblings for Randy and his brother to celebrate their sister’s birthday. It was so much fun Randy wanted to do it again.

Randy and I enjoy taking scenic Route 66 road trips to have breakfast or lunch and then browse through antique and boutique shops in small town America.

Light bulb moment!

Unforgettable Annual Birthday Experience

Plan a Route 66 Birthday Adventure by driving on the Mother Road in a convertible car.

Better yet make it a Mustang convertible! A red one!

My plans were to rent a convertible but in telling friends of the adventure, I was given an opportunity to borrow one!    Continue Reading

Canoe Camping Wilderness Adventure

There are places in the United States known as canoe country. It’s where water and wilderness combine for a canoe trip of a lifetime.

Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), or Boundary Waters for short, is one of those places. The area is a million acres of pristine wilderness containing more than 1,000 lakes that borders Canada, hence the name Boundary Waters.

I recently returned from a Girl Scouts travel camp where 11 of us drove north from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Ely, Minnesota for everyone’s first camping canoe experience. There were seven girls ages 12-17, and four adult volunteers.

Into the Wilderness

Separated into two groups with two guides each, we unplugged from civilization and headed out with only our canoes, paddles, camping gear, food, and a thirst for adventure.

For five days, we experienced breath-taking views of a wilderness paradise as we paddled across crystal-clear waters. I can’t believe I spotted more than 10 bald eagles on my trip!

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State Parks Gift Certificates for Outdoor Enthusiasts

I named this website Sunburst Gifts because I believe the perfect gift makes someone light up like the sun and burst with happiness.

Last month, I resigned from my job to pursue several entrepreneurship opportunities. When I opened my farewell gift from my work family of 12 years, I had the exact reaction I described above. They gave me the perfect gift!

They gave me gift certificates I could use at Oklahoma State Parks along with a copy of this year’s Oklahoma State Parks & Outdoor Recreation Guide.

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My co-workers know my love of the outdoors, and they listened when I talked about my family’s camping trips. (My one-year old son has already been on two camping trips!)

Good for Camping, Lodging, Food & More

The gift certificates can be used for camping, lodging, food, golf and other recreational activities at any facility operated by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department.

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