Gift Cards = My Favorite Gift

When I give someone a gift I want it to be something that the recipient will love. There is nothing worse than being the giver (and in some cases the receiver) of a gift and seeing a fake sort of happiness spread across someone's face.

It is one thing to know someone so well that you will know exactly what said person would love to receive. But it is another to have an office gift exchange, a house warming party, sibling gift exchange, or a birthday party where you may know the recipient, but you don't know them so well that you feel comfortable giving them a gift.

This is why I adore giving gift cards as gifts. Gift cards are an easy way to ensure that the person on the receiving end will get just what they wanted--or they could use it towards an even larger purchase that was out of the price range for asking someone to give them.

Another thing that I love about gift cards? You can do so much more than just mailing them in an envelope. Here are my top five ways to give (and hey, even receive for myself!) a gift card.

• Buy something small that you can tuck the gift card into. You could get a cute change purse, a cozy pair of socks, or a cute coffee mug and then give the remaining balance of gift money in a gift card. So if your gift amount is $20 and said coffee mug is $5, buy them a $15 gift card. It's a cute and fun way to give a gift card.

• Stick them in a stocking as a fun way to stuff your stocking during the holidays.

• Hang them from your tree. This is especially fun if you're doing a Secret Santa type gift exchange and you are the host. Ask your guests if they plan on participating to bring "x" amount on a gift card and then wrap the gift. When they arrive you can punch a hole in the paper, tie a string and have them hang it up on the gift tree. Then draw numbers to see who gets to pick the first card on the tree and so on. Doing a White Elephant exchange? This would be a fun way to try and get the much coveted gift card on the tree.

• A lot of gift cards can be purchased electronically. This can be a little tricky to email to the recipient. You could always buy the amount, e-mail it to yourself and then once the big day arrives e-mail it to your recipient.

• If you are giving a baby gift, you could roll up a diaper cake and then attach a gift card to the cake. If the parents-to-be only have one item left to buy for their new little one, try to plan with the other guests and family members to donate a gift card to the same store and attach them all to the diaper cake. Now they can have a starter on that crib or nice carseat that they have had their eyes on.

With almost all stores offering some sort of gift card program these days you can really be creative on how to give the gift of a gift card. Have fun and remember when in doubt, buy a gift card!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Gift Cards Rock blogging program, for 6,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Because Everyone Shops with Poop on Their Shirt...Right?

Friday was supposed to be a fun day. Key word there is "supposed".

We woke up and decided that we would finish up some last minute shopping, give in to Isabella's pleading for a visit with Santa, mail some packages, and finish up with dinner at our favorite restaurant.

Once we arrived for our shopping Leo decided that it would be the best thing to just carry Brynlie rather than lug around our double stroller. I happily agreed to this and off we went.

As we arrive at our destination Leo informed me that he smelled something--and that it wasn't a good smell. He did the butt sniff test on Brynlie and the look on his face said it all.

We had a pooper.

He was walking ahead and yelled back at the girls and me that he would just take her into the family bathroom. I stayed with Isabella and Madelyn so we did some walking around. Isabella begged for a guitar. Madelyn was running around. Isabella licked some shop windows. Madelyn did some screaming.

It was great.

I was wondering where the hell Leo and Brynlie were and what the hell happened to the two of them when out walked Leo.

He was drenched with sweat. Brynlie is wrapped in a blanket. He looks, well, unhappy.

I looked at him wondering what in the...?!


He must have read my mind. He then told me that Brynlie had the most massive poop that he had ever seen.

Said massive poop was all over her back. Her shirt. Her pants.

There were no spare clothes in my massive bag. Not even a onesie.

When he reached into my bag to get out the wipes? We had two measly wipes.

Two.

There was no air circulation in the family bathroom. He said it reeked of shit from the diaper and that he couldn't breathe.

As he's pouring sweat off of his body he looks down to see what he had feared.

Shit all over his shirt.

We learned a few valuable lessons during this. One, we always double check the wipes container. Two, keep an extra outfit in said bag at all times--and make sure someone *ahem, me* has not removed outfits to wash them.

Final lesson? Make sure that Leo wears an undershirt that isn't so see through that his nipples are showing.

Book of the Week: Recession Proof

I love being introduced to a new author whose novels make me fall in love with the entire book. From the characters, the story, the obstacles that the characters may face; if the book is impossible for me to set down, I know that I have a winner.

The latest book to suck up every spare minute of my time to include being sleepy and sneaking in reading time at every possible chance is Recession Proof by Kimberly S. Lin.

Recession Proof is about a woman named Helen who is successful yet not fulfilled with her life and career in the finance department. She has been with Mark, her boyfriend, for six years and their relationship is at a standstill. As she is pondering if the finance world is ultimately for her and if Mark is actually "The One", the recession hits. She is suddenly left unemployed and begins to wonder what would truly make her happy in life?

Helen was so likable--as was her best friend, Sophie. I could relate to her in the way that she felt as if there was something out there that she was meant to be doing and she wanted to follow her dreams to reach her goal. I found myself rooting for Helen for her dream job and in the love department.

All in all, I loved this book. It was a great read and I honestly could not read it quick enough. It was so easy to love Helen and all of her little mishaps and to cheer her on while she decided that she could follow her heart and her dreams.

My only critique of the book would be the typos and lack of commas. I noticed that for the majority of times a character would be spoken to that there wouldn't be commas before/after their name. There were other typos and for me it took away from how great of a book Recession Proof is.






Introducing "Recession Proof" from Kimberly Lin on Vimeo.

About the author: Kimberly S. Lin is a California native, graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in economics. After college she moved to Los Angeles and worked as a financial writer and hedge fund analyst, but always dreamed of becoming a women's literature writer. Utilizing her experiences she writes stories that are witty, heartwarming and relatable to the modern woman. 

A huge thank you to Chick Lit Plus and Kimberly S. Lin for this book review opportunity. No other compensation was given.

Shoppers in a Panic--JCPenney to the Rescue!

By a raise of hands who still has at least one gift left to buy? Maybe it is for that impossible to buy for person, the one who has everything, the one who is too picky or the one that you honestly have no clue what to buy him or her.

This is where one of my favorite stores, JCPenney, comes to our rescue! They have an amazing gift guide out there for all of us shoppers who need help and are finding ourselves in a panic with only days to go until the holidays officially arrive.

Here are a few of my favorite gifts that you can find from jcpenney--no need to panic when you have such amazing finds right at your fingertips:

Do you know a coffee lover? This Keurig coffee maker is sure to be a hit!

This Makeup Studio Blockbuster by Sephora is the mecca of makeup for beauty lovers. So fun!

The Liz Claiborne Clear and Rose Gold Resin Watch is perfect to tuck away in the woman of your life's stocking. Loving the rose gold trend!

These Stafford flannel pants are so cozy and warm--perfect for the cold winter nights ahead.

If you need more gift ideas check out the JCPenney gift guide--there is something for everyone on it! There is no need to panic this year when you can find a special gift for everyone at JCPenney. Make sure that you order by December 20th for standard delivery to arrive by Christmas Eve!

JCPenney Don't Panic Last Minute Shopping Guide



I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of jcpenney and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.