Last week I talked about the gifts we were getting/considering for Edward, who is turning 8 next month. This week it’s Elizabeth’s turn: not “girl gifts,” but gifts for a child who is, as it happens, a girl.

Owl apron (photo from Amazon.com). The one I bought her was from Home Goods and has an all-over pattern of owls, but I can’t find it online and this one is cute too.

Personalized street sign (photo from Amazon.com). She’d expressed enthusiastic interest in it a number of months ago as a gift idea for a friend’s birthday party, saying she’d want one for herself, too. But then we realized with the shipping time it wouldn’t arrive before the friend’s party, so we gave up on the idea. When Paul and I discussed still using the idea for Elizabeth’s birthday, we got hung up on not knowing what the quality of the sign would be like, and not even knowing if she’d still want it now—especially if her friend didn’t have a coordinating one. Plus, I know this is a gift for HER and SHE likes the pink, but if _I_ were getting a personalized street sign I’d want it to be GREEN. And I’m not sure that shade of pink would go well with her magenta walls. So anyway, we’re not getting it for this birthday. But maybe I’ll mention it to her again and see if she still wants it at Christmas.
Read the rest of this entry

I have TWO 8-year-olds to buy for, so I’m going to split it up into two posts. Today will be the things we’re getting for Edward. I dislike saying “Gift ideas for an 8-year-old BOY,” even though he is in fact a boy and there’s nothing wrong with that, because a ton of stuff the twins are interested in is neither “boy” nor “girl.” I’d hate to imply that just because I’m buying a gift for a boy, that gift would only be right for boys. So let’s call it “Gift ideas for an 8-year-old who is like Edward.” That’ll get the search results.

Scholastic 2013 Book of World Records (photo from Amazon.com). He saw this in the Scholastic catalog from school, and I made a mental note and then ordered it secretly.
Read the rest of this entry

Caitlin and Tessie and I were talking on Twitter awhile back about iPhone cases, and Tessie said that the choice of iPhone case tells you everything you need to know about a person. Which made me want to send her photos of iPhone cases I like and have her read them like a palm.

Modern Green Pearl Lace (photo from Amazon.com). I feel I SHOULD want this one, and I do. But I want it as one of a large wardrobe of them, so don’t form a conclusion too quickly.

Speck Products Love Birds (photo from Amazon.com). I like this one, too. But I don’t like how from a distance the birds look like holes in the pattern instead of like birds.
Read the rest of this entry

We did end-of-year teacher gifts our first few years of having schoolkids, but now I don’t typically do them. I’m more likely to put all the teacher-gift eggs into the December-gift basket.

But I do sometimes do something for end-of-year, especially if there’s something significant about the particular year/class. For example, last year one of my children’s teachers was retiring, and she’d taught another of my children as well. I had copies of “first day of school” pictures printed from both kids’ first days in her class, and enclosed them with a thank-you letter and a Target gift card and a card wishing her a happy retirement. (Forty years teaching first graders. Can you imagine? No, don’t try.)

Mid-year, I think classroom items can be a nice thing to donate—but at the end of the year, I suspect teachers just want to PACK IT UP. No more pencils, no more books, no more children’s dirty looks! I aim instead for things I think they might be able to enjoy over the summer. A gift card to Panera, for a time of year they might be able to go to lunch. A gift card to a book store, for a little recreational reading. A gift card to the over-priced-but-delicious ice cream store. A gift card to a place that sells iced coffees (photo from Starbucks.com), for keeping them cool in August when they’re reassembling their non-air-conditioned classrooms.
Read the rest of this entry

Spring is such sweet, sweet relief. No more slushy boots, no more icy roads.

I’ve put away my nice warm boots and I’m back in Converse (photo from Amazon.com). So is the teenaged assistant at the kids’ karate class, which worries me: do Converse bridge the generations, or is one of us off our mark?

I like the Burt’s Bees tinted lip balms: I keep one in my pocket and use it like regular chapstick, but I like the little bit of color. When I bought the Sweet Violet (photo from Amazon.com), I’d expected a purpley color for fall—but it’s more of a lilac-pink, perfect for spring.
Read the rest of this entry

My youngest baby is turning 6 next month. Let’s not talk about how strange that feels; let’s just talk about what I’m considering getting him for his birthday. Perhaps you have a similar child turning 6 (or 5 or 7), or perhaps you have a birthday party to go to.

Penguin bank (photo from Target.com). We give our kids a bank and their first allowance at their 6-year-old birthday party. For my first two kids, I chose a bank for them; but with the younger three, it’s worked better to let them choose one. I discuss it with them casually while at the store display a few months before the birthday, and then go back later and buy the one they liked. Henry chose this penguin. (I would have rooted for this owl if they had it in the stores.)

Webkinz lion (photo from Amazon.com). After last week’s post, it will not surprise you to hear that he is getting a Webkinz. Every other family member (well, except Paul) has or has had one, and now Henry wants one. He said “lion” immediately when I asked what animal, but then later on he said, “Wait. Do they have sharks?” (They do.) So there may need to be more deliberation.
Read the rest of this entry

A couple of weeks ago I bought myself a Webkinz fox (photo from Amazon.com), after seeing the kids play Webkinz and feeling envious. I felt a little silly, but I shouldn’t have: for less than $10, I have had evening after evening of games. NO THEY ARE NOT BABY GAMES, SHUT UP.

And it could have been even less than less-than-$10, if I hadn’t been so picky about getting the fox. But I WAS picky about getting the fox, so it was $9.90. (I also considered the hedgehog.) (Photo from Amazon.com.)
Read the rest of this entry

Perhaps you were already aware of the vast variety of available Pez dispenser sets. I was NOT aware. I knew that I could choose from various holiday-themed dispensers (Santa or snowman, bunny or lamb), and I’d seen a variety of character ones at the check-outs, but I didn’t realize there were AWESOME SETS.

…Or actually I guess I MUST have realized it at some point, because I see an Orange County Choppers set that I remember linking to on a guy gift list long ago. But I must not have REALIZED-realized.

Lord of the Rings Pez dispenser set (photo from Amazon.com). These sets are NOT CHEAP, I notice. Regular Pez dispensers are a dollar or two; these end up costing more like $4 or so each. Well, that doesn’t sound like as much when I type it out like that. I suppose most of the impression of Great Expense is from coming in a set instead of being sold individually.

Hello Kitty Pez dispenser set (photo from Amazon.com). I saw this set or a very similar one at Target awhile back and had to work fairly hard to keep myself from buying it. I don’t even LIKE Pez. But I do like Hello Kitty, and sets of things, and collections.
Read the rest of this entry

You know how owl stuff is everywhere? Just EVERYWHERE? I’m so happy.

Kikkerland Owl contact lens case (photo from Amazon.com). This makes me wish I wore contact lenses.

Owl flatware (photo from Amazon.com). Ohhhhh, I wish I had seen this for the silverware post! (One more wish and I’m out of wishes.)
Read the rest of this entry

One of my favorite of Elizabeth’s phases was her Dresses Phase. She liked to wear dresses almost every single day, and I loved to buy dresses almost every single day, so it was a happy partnership. Now she is in her Skirts Phase, which is nice too.

The best times of year to buy inexpensive dresses were: (1) Easter clearance, (2) summer clearance, and (3) Christmas clearance. The Easter/Christmas dresses were fanciest; I sometimes thought I should send a note in to Elizabeth’s teacher saying, “Don’t worry, it looks like $40 and dry-clean-only and parents-will-pitch-fit-if-paint-gets-on-it, but it was $8 and at home we’re letting her wear it in the mud.”

Tutu dress (photo from ChildrensPlace.com). Sleeveless dresses seem impractical, but they’re easy to wear over tights and a long-sleeved shirt.

Tiered gingham dress (photo from OldNavy.com). This could be a sundress, or a cute school outfit with white tights and shirt.
Read the rest of this entry