Father's Day Gift Ideas for Different Kinds of Dads

Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pop, Papi, Poppa, Father, Faja....whatever you call him, he's the man that you first loved, the man who holds your heart, your hero.  Father's Day is coming up on June 16 and it's time to celebrate him alone.  

Men are so hard to buy for.  Let's face it, women are pretty explicit about what they want.  I drop hints all year long hoping that my husband (or anyone else) is listening.  I also create Amazon wish lists and Pinterest boards based on what my heart desires for any special occasion.  The men in my life are not quite the same.  

Today I decided to tie down "The Exhausted Dad" and ask him what he would like for Father's Day.  Even though he made me swear not to buy him anything, at least I have ideas for other occasions.  SCORE! 


My husband is so many different kinds of man all wrapped into one...so here are some ideas for different kinds of men for Father's Day.



The Fisherman:

Columbia shirts  These light and airy shirts are perfect on or off the water.  They are made of quick drying fabric in case they get wet on the water.
 
Shimano rod & reel combo  Yeah, I'm not even going to pretend I know anything about that.





The Athlete:


Asics running shoes  Asics are light and comfortable and have a lot of room in the toe area.  They also have great shock absorption.

Tickets to a baseball game  It's baseball season, so why not take your man or dad to watch their favorite team live.  I mean, who doesn't love an ice cold beer and a dog? 

Taylor Made R1 Driver  Wow.  You can actually tune this club in three different keys to customize to your swing.  Cool.  




 
The Techy:

LG Sound Bar Audio System & Subwoofer  This awesome gadget has bluetooth and a sound that can't be beat.  It's like being in a club. 



The Grill Master:

The Big Green Egg  This is a grill and smoker all rolled in one.  The ceramic shells provides even cooking.  They come in all sizes. 

Cuisinart Electric Knife  The hubs wants this to cut all those yummy meats that he grills up...you know, ribs, roast beef, chicken.  



The Outdoorsman:
 
Coleman NXT 300 Portable Grill  This little grill is perfect for camping trips and tailgating.  It also folds up for easy storage.



Mr. Fix-It:

Dewalt Drill Set  These drills are lightweight and cordless for all your "fixing" needs.







Obviously, he did not stick to any sort of budget, but it is his "wish" list.  Hope this helps you find the perfect gift for the type of guy you are buying for. 


 

Alexis

My Favorite Valentine Memory

Ah Valentine's Day....a day for all sappy romantic hearts, flowers, and candies to come out.  

To be honest, I'm not a huge Valentine's Day fan.  I could really live with or without it.  I find it more romantic for my husband to send me flowers on June 1 rather than the expected February 14.  But, I don't want to be left out of getting "lovey" items.... I know, I'm a pain!!

I have a lot of Valentine's Day memories.  Starting way back from elementary school.  But my favorite was 10 years ago.

That was the day my husband asked me to marry him.  Picture it, Miami, 2003.....

My husband and I had been dating for 10 months.  It was our first Valentine's Day together.  Instead of going out and waiting in lines to eat, we decided that we would have dinner at my apartment.  I was making lobsters and shrimp cocktail.  Instead of a bought gift, I made him a PowerPoint presentation (I know I'm a nerd) with pictures of us set to music.  I lifted the words from the children's book Sleepytime Rhyme by Remy Charlip.  It uses words like "I love you to the east, I love you to the south..."  You get it.

I was so excited, but the bugger was late.  I called his cell phone and he didn't answer.  Mad.  I called his house and his brother said he left 20 minutes ago (he lived less than 3 miles from me).  Madder.  The lobsters were becoming overcooked.  Even madder.  

When he arrived, he was out of breath and hurried in.  He was carrying a red carnation wrapped in a Publix bag with a latex balloon tied to it.  In his other hand, he had a box of Turtles chocolates.  Now, if you know anything about me, I hate all of those things.  I'm not a snob by any means (ok, maybe a little), but a carnation?  Really?  My 4th grade boyfriend gave me that.  And a latex balloon?  He couldn't spring the extra dollar for the mylar?  And don't even get me started on the Turtles....

So I thanked him for the effort and put everything on the counter.  I whisked him into my room to show him the presentation (you can stop laughing now).  He kept telling me to eat a Turtle.  I didn't want one (yuck) and we needed to eat.  

I was putting the lobsters on the table and he kept bugging me about the damn Turtles.  FINE!  I'll eat one....

When I picked up the box, it was a little heavy.  I thought he put a copy of My Big Fat Greek Wedding in it (it's what I wanted).  Instead, was a little yellow box.  

When I popped open the little box, I caught a glimpse of the bottom of my ring.  I quickly turned around to find him on his knee.  I immediately started crying.  I'll be honest, I have NO IDEA what he said to me...everything went quiet.  I just remember crying and hugging him.  

Then as I called my whole family, I was too nervous to eat....so he ate my lobster!

Here we are 10 years later, two kids, and many more Valentine's Days to come.  I'll keep him!


What is your favorite Valentine memory? 



Alexis

Our Favorite Holiday Books

It's a ritual...after dinner, the kids take a shower and then snuggle in their beds ready to read.  Now that they are older, reading is a requirement for school, but we still love doing it.  I love to read (even though I don't have time) and I want to instill the same love in my boys.

Now that the holidays are here, I wanted to share some of our favorite children's books for this time of year.



The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

This book is just a given.  If you've never heard of it, it's a wonderful story about a boy who is invited aboard a train headed for the North Pole.  Even after the MANY times that I have read this book, I still get goosebumps and teary eyed.  It's a MUST READ!



Olive the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh

What a clever play on words for the title alone.  Olive, a dog from the North Pole, wants to be a part of Santa's fleet of reindeer.  When she's given the chance, her own special qualities shine through.

 





Light the Lights by Margaret Moorman

Although we do not celebrate Hanukkah, my kids love reading about the festival of lights.  This story is about a little girl who celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas and how her family keeps tradition.


 

How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

This hilarious tale is about how Santa first got his job and all of the other jobs that he had in between.











What children's books are your favorites during this time of year?


Alexis

Holiday Traditions ~ A "Hand" Painted Tree Skirt

The countdown to Christmas keeps getting shorter and shorter....I'm trying not to freak out about how much I still have to do...

This tradition is one of the top ones on my holiday list each year.  Our tree skirt.  I know many people just have a regular beautiful tree skirt around their tree, but mine means a little more.  Our skirt has the boys' handprints from each Christmas.  

I started the tradition in 2005 when "Little Ricky" was only 10 months old.  He was so little...  And in 2006, "The Nag" was only 3 months old...it was really hard to keep his hand still.  

Now they are so big and getting bigger by the minute.  **sniff, sniff**

I add the handprint to the skirt each year and write their names and the date. 

I can't take complete credit for this...I stole this idea from some room moms that I had 11 years ago and combined it with an idea from my husband's cousin.   I absolutely love it and love to see how much the kids have grown.

Maybe when the boys are older with a family of their own, I will cut the skirt apart and give each of them their own hands.  But for now, it's our family memories and a tradition that we look forward to each year.


Alexis

Holiday Traditions ~ Family Ornaments & Giveaway

The holiday season is a time for traditions.  No matter the holiday that you celebrate at this time of year, everyone has traditions.  In this wonderful time of the year, I want to share some of the traditions that we have as a family....some that we have had since we were little, and some that we have created since we have been married.

Ornaments for our Christmas tree have been a family tradition since before I can remember.  Anywhere that someone travels to, instead of bringing back a t-shirt, we bring back ornaments.  I have long loved this tradition and look forward to opening the box of ornaments each year.  Decorating the Christmas tree takes longer in my house because I sit and reminisce about each one.  

I have taken this tradition and put a little of my own spin on it.  Since I have known my husband, I have purchased a personalized ornament for us.  Now that we are a family of 4, we have our family ornament tradition.  I've even begun buying them for other family members.  

Our yearly family ornaments

While at a craft fair in 2004, I found these adorable handmade, personalized, mini clay ornaments made by Cynde's Minis.  Since then, I look to Cynde to buy my family ornaments each year.  (Maybe I feel connected to her since she is a former elementary teacher!)  Each year Cynde adds a new ornament to her collection.  They are all so cute, it's hard to choose!

Cynde's Minis also has clay minis for other holidays as well.  And wait until you see the wedding cake toppers...if only I knew about them 9 years ago....

This year's newest addition to our tree! LOVE!

Do you want a personalized ornament from Cynde's Minis?  You can win one here!



a Rafflecopter giveaway


What holiday traditions does your family have?  I'd love to add new ones into my celebrations!

 
Alexis

Make Your Holiday Last With Forever Red

To me, the color red is such an amazing color.  It's the color of love, of heat, and of confidence.  Why not choose a fragrance that is also red?

Bath & Body Works, makers of America's #1 fragrance, body lotion, home fragrance, and anti-bacterial, recently launched their newest fragrance...Forever Red.  This newest fragrance is a blend of luxurious, rare, and carefully created notes in order to ensure that every aspect of this new scent is chic and confident.


Camille McDonald, President of Brand Developement and Merchandising, explained "When we thought about the modern sensuality this woman embodies, we came to define her as confident, intensely feminine, and always true to herself."  

And while you're at Bath & Body Works, check out their other well known goodies.  The holiday soaps and lotions are big sellers!!
 

  
And what about a little bling?  LOVE all things sparkly!

And this is perfect for the exhausted someone in your life!

The holiday season is here, do you know what you are getting those special women in your life? 


**Although I did receive compensation for this post, all opinions are my own.**

 
Alexis

52 Holiday Light Delights & Win an iPad Mini

One of my favorite parts about this time of year is the amazing displays of lights all over.  They just make me so happy!  No matter the amount of lights or how organized they are, they are still amazing.  

Do you know where to go in your community to find the best light displays?  Traveling Mom does!  They have mapped out the 52 Holiday Light Delights across the country.  Saves you a lot of headache when trying to take your family to see some impressive displays.  My favorite are the ones set to music....amazing!

Not check this out....


Want to win an iPad Mini in time for the holidays--and find out where to see the best holiday light displays in the country?

Join the TravelingMom Twitter party Monday night to talk about holiday lights and holiday travel, sponsored by FlightCenter.com, DiscountCruises.com and HotCaribbeanDeals.com. There are lots of ways to enter so read on!

WHEN: December 10, 9-10 pm ET (8-9 pm CT; 7-8 pm MT; 6-7 pm PT)

WHO: Panelists @TravelingMoms @KimOrlando @DebMomOf3 @familytravel4um @TakingTheKids @CindyRichards

WHAT: Twitter party – Holiday Lights and Travel

HOW TO JOIN: Follow the hashtags #TMOM #52Lights

SPONSORS: @FlightCenterUSA, @DiscCruisesUSA, @HotCaribDeals

PRIZES: iPad Mini (16GB)

To be eligible, visit Traveling Mom.



Alexis

Fear of Losing the Magic

Christmas is upon us!  It really is the most wonderful time of the year!  It's a time of wonder, a time of faith, a time of love, and a time of magic.

I am lucky enough to witness the wonder and magic of this time of year through the eyes of my little guys.  It is so amazing to watch their faces light up when we decorate the house and send letters to Santa.  I love how they tip toe through the house in the early morning each day looking for Pebbles the Elf's new hiding place.  Don't get me started on how my heart warms when Christmas morning finally comes and they come bounding into my room screaming that Santa came and there are presents under the tree...

But the magic for them is quickly coming to an end.  I am continually slapped in the face with the fact that my little guys aren't so little anymore and before I know it, the magic won't hold true for them any longer. 

I'm holding on to the small window of time that I still have with kids who believe in the magic.  

If you have kids who have lost the magic, how did you deal with the loss?  Or did you keep it alive somehow? 


Alexis

Santa Threw Up

I LOVE this time of year.  The magic, the miracles, the love, the lights.  I adore the twinkling lights and festive decorations.  It just puts a smile on my face as I drive down the streets and witness the spirit.

                 






And then Santa threw up.....

I'm not sure the rhyme or reason behind just throwing all of these lights on your house?  Are they trying to imitate "Christmas Vacation?"  I get it if you are raising money for a worthy cause and want people to come and see your house.  But really? 

Imagine the light bill!!!

I promise I'm not being "Bah Humbug."  I really do love the lights, but I think the bit of OCD that I may have requires that things "go together" and make sense. These just don't. 

Oh well, I'm sure the owners are happy.

Happy Holidays!

Alexis