Gift-Giving Traditions - for children and adults

So far, I've started two "traditions" for the boys...
- I get them books for that holiday. For example, I just picked them up Halloween books at the store the other day.
- The other tradition was one that my mom did for us when we were little...we got an ornament every year for Christmas...it usually came in our stocking, and the ornament usually gave in indication of what we enjoyed that year. The boys each received a "1st Christmas" ornament last year, and I've been on the hunt for their ornament for this year. I'm pretty sure that their ornament for 2009 will have penguins on it, since they have been obsessed with this dvd all year! The current song they are obsessed with on the dvd is the butterfly song, but not very boy-ish, so I think I'll go with the penguins instead. :)

St. Nick's/Christmas
Socks
Christmas pajamas
Ornament
CD



For children:


My sister-in-law Jamie started giving my niece the Precious Moments Birthday Train Set when Rachel was born. Each year for her birthday, Rachel gets another piece of the ceramic train set...it looks like there is a piece up to age 16. My sister Katie said that was one of Rachel's favorite gifts, and that each year she looks forward to seeing 'which animal will add to the train'. Too cute!

When my boys were getting ready for their first birthday, Jamie asked me about this train set for Connor and Logan. After much debate, we determined the Precious Moments set wasn't very boy-ish, so we decided on a real, battery-powered train set. The boys each received a train car for their 1st birthday, as well as some pieces of track, etc., and will continue to get a piece of the train each year. This way, wheen they are older, they will have a train set to put around their Christmas tree, play with, etc. Putting the train on the floor around the Christmas tree was always a tradition when I was a kid...and it was "Scott's train". So it seems even more fitting that the boys are receiving their train sets from Uncle Scott and Aunt Jamie.

I'm a super-slacker on this one, but I started a tradition for my nieces Sammie, Rachel, and Taylor. This tradition was getting them a charm (for a charm bracelet) each year...for example, for their baptism, they got a small cross. Sammie was obsessed with purses one year, so I that year I got her a purse, etc. Like I said - I'm pretty far behind on this one, but I do have the intentions of catching up one day...my plan is to give them a "complete" bracelet on their 13th (or 16th, or whatever) birthday to exemplify their lives.

For adults:

One of the gifts my mom gave her children and step-children was a collection of cookie cutters. She would pick out 2-3 for each month, and then we received cookie cutters for that season/holiday as well as a recipe for that kind of cookie...and a few of the cookies. This was nice for us because now we each have a small collection that we can continue the tradition of baking shaped cookies with our kids.

Best of Chums Crochet Booties

So this is my first copy-from-a-magazine posting...one of the reasons this blog began. :)


These were featured in the October 2009 edition of American Baby magazine:
Best of Chums crochet booties - $22 from Amazon.com
There are other designs as well - animals, taxicabs, snowmen
So freakin' cute, but size 0-12 months - bummer for my boys!

No aspirin for babies...

This bit of information came from my school's nurse:

Please review the label of all medications that you administer to your children when they have a fever. Consult your doctor before giving them anything. Do not give them aspirin or other products that contain salicylates. Another name for aspirin is “salicylate”. There is the possibility of Reye’s Syndrome in children with influenza or viral illness, that receive salicylates.

Remember to tell grandparents about not giving aspirin for a fever! Some of us grew up on baby aspirin, and our parents may think it’s OK to give it for a fever.

I checked my bottles of Tylenol and Motrin - those are safe and do not contain salicylates. The linked website confirms that.

Also, this page gives lists of medications (over-the-counter and prescription) as well as topical products that contact salicylates.

A follow-up to Babies R Us Rewards - Pampers Diapers

I have only seen this opportunity ONE time, so I didn't post it in my original post - found here. However, I received an email from Babies R Us today, so I thought I would share.

Disclaimer: I am not guaranteeing this will work - it might depend on your salesperson. There is the fine print on the coupon that it's not valid with any other offers for that same item...but I have done this once - and kicked myself for not buying more at that time - because I think February was the last time I saw it.

Okay, first - this is the email I received:
http://www.pampers.com/en_US/emails/Tru_Bru_Oct/web_tru_bru.html
Basically, it's one of those deals where you buy 2 boxes, you get a $15 gift card for your next purchase. The valid dates are Saturday, 10/10 through Monday, 10/12.

BUT, the current Babies R Us/Toys R Us ad, valid through this Saturday 10/10, has a coupon for $5/off each box.
Go here for the weekly ad: http://toysrus.shoplocal.com/toysrus/default.aspx?action=entryflash&
(For me, it's pages 8-9 that has the coupon)

So, if you went Saturday, you could attempt to use the $5/coupon per box. You could also use manufacturer coupons for Pampers that you have. And finally, the register should automatically do the gift card when your 2nd box is scanned.

This makes a box of diapers go from $40.99 to $28.49 (if you consider the amount you are getting for a future purchase)...and then add on your manu. coupons. And don't forget to have your Rewards card scanned.

Unique Baby Gift Ideas...

1. Lovems - I've mentioned these blankets that the boys have in this post

2. Baby's 1st Alphabet Block - Suzanne likes to give this gift for new babies, so when Luke was born, I got it for him. :) Ironically, I found this one today when looking for my link for #6.

3. When I was little, my godmother gave me a personalized Sesame Street book - myself, my cousin, and my dog were all characters in the book. I still have it! I found this site, which offers the same sort of thing, but not just with Sesame Street.

4. I see me books - the same sort of idea as #3, but other options

5. Birthday Keepsakes - Suzanne has ordered from this site, and I saw these when ordering supplies for the boys' 1st birthday party.

6. Personalized Frame - I've given frames with this to my nieces Rachel and Taylor. I found a silver one at an outlet mall that I had engraved for Rachel and ordered this one for Taylor.

Unique Bridal Shower & Wedding Gift Ideas...

As I stated at the beginning, I started this blog to organize myself - my computer, my house, and my head. So in an effort to do that, this is another post. :)


1. Alphatography - of course my own side-business has to be #1

2. A personalized drink tub
- Several years ago, this one from Lillian Vernon was my wedding/shower gift of choice
- Suzanne's sister Trisha started making some as well; these are on her Etsy site; Trisha also makes a personalized tray that can coordinate with the bucket

3. A Wine Theme - corkscrew, a wine bottle coaster, wine glass charms, coasters for glasses (some even have initals on them - get their last name initial!), a bottle of wine, wine glasses. You could also add cheese and crackers and combine this with a picnic basket idea...

4. A Beer Theme - Sometimes the couple registers for beer glasses...you could have them etched with their monogram, last initial, etc. Include a six-pack (or more) of their favorite beer!

5. A picnic basket with various items - can be made by you or pre-purchased. Some things to include - include a service at least for two!: melamine plates, napkins, melamine wine glasses, a tablecloth, silverware, a corkscrew, a cutting board

6. BBQ tools - might also include bbq seasonings and a cookbook for bbqing

7. A recipe book - or a photo album with some of your favorite recipes included, printed on
index cards. You could also put this in a gift bag with some of the utensils the couple registered for - slotted spoon, serving, spoon, tongs, spatula, etc.

8. The last wedding I went to, the bride had registered for this container of cookie cutters from Crate and Barrel. Long story short, I put together my own set of cookie cutters, for way cheaper from a little store in IL that specializes in baking. Then I added some of mine, my grandma's, and her grandma's favorite cookie recipes. (Our grandmas knew each other years and years ago and are both deceased, so this was really special to her...plus it was my best friend's sister...so it was special to me.)

9. Gardening tools - even if the couple doesn't garden, weeds still need to be pulled. You could include gloves, a pot, a garden hose, and some tools.

10. A friend of mine got this for a shower gift - holiday decorations for every holiday. The gift-giver had been collecting them throughout the whole year on clearance! St. Pat's wreath, Halloween fingertip towels, Christmas cloth napkins, etc. It was QUITE cute, but took a lot of planning ahead of time.

11. Suzanne and I got married 2 weeks apart...after the weddings, we both mentioned how we didn't get many personalized gifts. Strange, we thought - but we ordered these photo frames for ourselves. We have the black one, and on the frame you can put the couples names (first and last) as well as the wedding date. Too cute!

Babies R Us Rewards Program - Pampers Diapers

When the boys were first born, I did a lot of checking into who had the best price for Pampers Diapers. I literally would stand in the store with my phone-calculator and divide it out to the price of the diaper...I mean, I had twins - who also required formula - I needed to find the best deal!!! For a long time, Target had the best price...until I found out about the Rewards Program at Babies R Us.

I already had the Rewards Card - basically, you get a reward card and you can accumulate money towards gift-certificates...I was already participating in that. What I didn't know was that they also had a program targeted at diapers. What it is: Buy 9 Pampers Diapers Value Boxes, Get the 10th FREE. The Value Boxes are the 64 count - 252 count, depending on the size of the diaper. A box of those diapers retails at Babies R Us for $40.99; Sam's has them for the same price (or maybe $1 cheaper/box), but then doesn't have the 10th box free.

PLUS - Babies R Us frequently offers coupons off those boxes of diapers: $5 off/box or $15 gift card for the next purchase with the purchase of 2 (or sometimes 3) boxes

I try and minimumly do the $5 off/box - this makes the box $35.99.

DOUBLE PLUS - Did you know that Babies R Us also accepts manufacturer coupons? So I can get an additional $1, $1.50, and sometimes $2 off each box with a man. coupon.

By using both sets of coupons, I could get a box of diapers for as low as $33.99.

WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE - I guess I never read the fine-print...or they changed it on me and I didn't know it. You can only accumulate a free box every 9 months...I purchased a 9th box in April 2009, so I couldn't get another free box until January 2010! What!?! I'm writing this in October, and I've already purchased 13 boxes since April...so I'm already due for a free box, plus I'm headed towards a 3rd free box. I found this out on Friday...needless to say, I was pretty pissed. (For most of you, this probably wouldn't happen, but remember, I go through double the diapers...)

But, I found a loop-hole. I picked up another rewards card - I'm going to put this one in my mother-in-law's name...and start accumulating diapers on that card as well. Connor and Logan are her only grand-kids, so it's not like I'm competing with anyone else in the family...