Ordering the 25th Wedding Anniversary Special at Sonic

- - Anniversary, Birthday, Experiences

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

- - $20 or Less, Baby Shower, Birthday, Christmas, Gifts for Me, Mother's Day

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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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How to Stuff Gift Objects Inside Balloons | Video Tutorial

- - Catch All

In our post called “Surprise Someone By Hiding Gifts Inside a Balloon,” we shared how balloons can be a very fun way to present someone with a gift.

Enough of our readers wanted to know exactly how we were able to stuff different objects inside balloons that we thought a how-to video would explain it best.

In this video, we show how to stuff cash, a gift card, an iPhone (electronics), a sleeve of golf balls, a stuffed animal, and a frying pan inside regular sized balloons.

If we’re able to stuff these gift items inside regular sized balloons, imagine what gifts would fit inside big balloons! Oh, the possibilities!

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Get on Your Mark, Get Set, Go… Into Retirement

- - Gifts for Him, Retirement

My friend and co-worker, Bruce, gave notice that he would soon be retiring. He was beloved by all of his co-workers, and we decided to throw him a retirement party.

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Bruce’s retirement card and his new pair of tennis shoes

We visited on a regular basis when he came to my office looking for the newspaper during the lunch hour. Bruce mentioned one time that the very next day after he retired, he and his wife were leaving for vacation to Branson, Missouri.

He said they love going to Branson not so much for the entertainment but for the beauty of the area.They have a favorite hiking trail where they bring food and stop along the way to eat and take in the breathtaking landscape and blue skies. Continue Reading

“I Love You” Jar Filled With Handwritten Notes

- - $20 or Less, Anniversary, Birthday, Family, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day

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During a family reunion this summer, my family wanted to let my Grandma Anna Marie (our amazing matriarch) know just how much we love her and to thank her for bringing the whole family together. I came up with the idea to surprise her with an “I Love You” Jar.

jar and notes written on leaf-shaped paper

Fill any container with handwritten notes to create a sweet and sentimental “I Love You” jar gift.

I bought a beautiful glass jar (this one happened to be made of mercury glass) and some die-cut paper in the shape of leaves. The leaves represent our family tree.

During the family reunion when my Grandma was out of earshot, I asked everyone – even the little kids – to write Grandma Anna Marie handwritten notes on the leaves that said something along the lines of:

  • I love you because…
  • I remember when…
  • Because of you…
  • Thank you for…

That was just to get them started because really they could write anything that conveyed “I Love You.”

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Like Father Like Son | Rain Gauge for Birthday Gift

- - $20 or Less, Birthday, Family, Father's Day, Gifts for Him

Why would anyone want a rain gauge? You can Google the rain fall in your area to find out. Do you want to know the answer? It’s because we become our parents.

My husband, Randy, is just like his dad. He talks, walks, thinks and laughs just like him. So it is no wonder he likes the same things as his dad. I just didn’t see it coming!

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Click to enlarge

When we first started dating, Randy’s great sense of humor attracted me! His mother is funny too so I thought he got his sense of humor from her but through the years I saw glimpses of my father-in-law’s humor. Looks like Randy got it from both of his parents!

Randy’s dad was a “thinker.” He would mull around on a problem for as long as it takes and when he figured it out in his mind, he would fix the problem. Once! That’s it – no do overs.

When we were younger, it would drive the entire family crazy because some of his projects took so long to complete but in the end it was done perfectly. These are the things I see in Randy. He’s a thinker too.

Randy’s dad became our family’s weatherman since he followed the weather and would tell us how much it had rained by using his E-Z Read Jumbo Rain-Gauge
. Continue Reading

Will You Be My Matron of Honor?

- - Wedding

When my best friend Leslie asked me to be her matron of honor at her wedding, she asked me in the cutest way! She handed me a folded piece of paper that said, “I might PEE ON You.”

letter asking someone to be a matron of honorI unfolded it and the entire message became:

I might make you hold my dress as I pee, make you go on silly errands, or totally annoy you.
But I hope you’ll accept.
Will you by my Matron of Honor?

It made me laugh so hard!”YES!”I shouted.

When I asked Leslie to by my maid of honor, I didn’t think to do anything so creative or memorable. This was awesome!

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Teacher Survival Kit | Back to School Gift

- - $20 or Less, Food & Drinks, Gift Baskets, Teacher Gifts

Summer = sleeping in, relaxing and hanging out. Back to School = alarms clocks, homework and regular routines.

Making the switch from summer vacation to back to school definitely takes some adjustment for all parties involved – students, parents and teachers. Don’t forget about the teachers!

back to school teacher survival kitMy son is starting Parent’s Day Out again this fall, and I wanted to give his teacher a present to make adjusting to spending all day with a room full of kids just a little bit easier.

I started making my Back to School Teacher Survival Kit by filling it with caffeine and chocolates. Two must-haves for enduring long hours and stress of any kind.

But being the healthy living person I strive to be, I wanted to add some healthier options for the teachers that would still provide them with a good pick-me-up.

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Fun Back to School Gift Ideas

- - Catch All, Kids

It’s Back to School time! Can you believe it that summer is coming to an end and some schools have already started? Me neither!

I have a few fun and must have gift ideas for starting the new school year.

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Write sweet message and place it into your child’s lunch box for them to find.

Whether your student is going to school for the first time or in their last year of elementary school, bringing lunch in a cool lunch box is often preferred. There are lunch boxes for every personality and style.

The best part of opening a cool lunch box is to see a Post-It note message from a parent that say things like: “You Rock!”, “Have a Happy Day!”, “You are my favorite 1st/2nd/ 3rd, grader!”,  “I’m proud of you!”, “You’re Awesome!”, “You make me smile!”, “You’re one smart cookie!” and “I Love You!”

The messages are endless. A simple note letting your child know how important they are and that you’re thinking of them will certainly make their day. Continue Reading