Teen Gift Ideas

Favorite Toys here.

Favorite Games here.
Book Gift Ideas here.

Ok, ready?  Boys and girls mixed in, junior high into college, here's a list of ideas from Abbey and some of her good friends. (I begged only a few suggestions out of my boys.)  Also at the bottom, is a cute post my daughter wrote when a few years ago with more ideas.

Kindle Paperwhite

I wasn't sure this was a good idea, but I LOVE my Kindle and for kids who read so much and so fast you can't keep up its been a good choice and favorite gift for us.

Destinations of A Lifetime

For the traveler, or wanna-be traveler, this book is gorgeous.

Himalayan Salt Lamp

I only don't understand the trend of these ugly lamps but I've heard they are all the rage and a certain college girl around here asked for one this year.

101 Secrets For Your Twenties

Adulting 101

I couldn't resist these books, they look so good and received so many good reviews-wish I would have had these when I was just graduating!

Nike Men's Performance Cotton Cushioned Crew Socks

Nike socks-girls and boys wear them. I have bought so many pairs of these! Where do they all go?

ALEX AND ANI Charm Bracelets ($24+)

Very popular right now, lots of different choices.

Makeup Brush Set Cosmetics Foundation Blending Blush Eyeliner Face Powder Brush Makeup Brush Kit (10pcs, Golden Black)  ($8.99)

Makeup brushes. I am told they don't have to expensive to be quality.

Urban Decay Naked Palette Eyeshadow ($19) 

Sanuk Women's Yoga Sandal

Sanuk flip-flops.

Soft PJ's.  The Aerie brand is popular.

These pajamas are SUPER comfy and come in a cute bag. 

Scunci Effortless Beauty Basic Jaw Clips,9 Cm, 3-Count

Crocodile clips.  Can be found at any drug store

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray, 8 Ounce

Not Your Mother's Beach Spray and Dry Shampoo

These Lush bath bombs are a perfect gift and have a five star rating and are very popular.

Personalized Coffee Mug

This cute one is from Anthro for $8, but you can find these everywhere.

Yoga mat

Camel Back water bottle

Lotion socks

Electric Blanket-Abbey LOVES her electric blanket (and boy did it come in handy early this year when Janey and I had a terrible bout of pneumonia.)  I bought her one at Kohl's on sale.

Fuzzy Blankets
We have this one and this one-these are found everywhere, the softer the better.

IPhone Cases
My niece uses the Otter Box  Commuter Series and really likes it-they are affordable too.
Abbey uses a LifeProof (after having to replace the screen because of a breakage she decided it was in her best interest to spend a little more.

neff gloves-boys or girls!


neff beanies-again, boys or girls, lots of cute colors.

Duffel bags-especially for college kids-Lands End has great ones, I love their sales, and you can get them monogrammed.

Quad copters. This is the brand we chose and you can read about this fun toy here.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Illustrated Edition
A gorgeous book for HP fans.

Here is a list from a couple years ago, written by my daughter:
Shopping for teenagers is definitely harder than other ages (I would know, I am one) and one of the biggest problems is not knowing exactly what they want.  If you're stuck on this and need a few ideas, these are some of my favorite things that I have gotten, and some things I am asking for this year!

Headphones. Definitely a broad topic. My favorite are the brand Skullcandy .  Lots of styles, affordable, and great quality! Pink and purple are my go-to colors.

Something that I am in desperate need (okay, want, sorry Mom) of this year, this iPod adapter thingy for an older car like the one Isaac and I share.  Because radio music can get old too fast when they play the same songs over and over...

The Wet Brush Detangle Brush . Last time I went to the salon, the lady who trimmed my hair suggested this because my hair is so long and gets tangled so easy. It works wonders.

OPI Mini All Stars 2015 Nail Lacquer Set of 10 Minis

OPI and Essie nail polish. great quality and true to color. New favorite colors: Gargantuan Green Grape by OPI (minty green) and Mango Bango by Essie. You can find Essie at Target and OPI at salons and makeup stores like Sephora and Ulta.

Mauve is the "color" this year!

A subscription to InStyle magazine.  Full of great ideas, new trends, fashion advice, cool pictures, and classy clothes!  Once I am finished reading a magazine, I look through it and cut out pictures that inspire me and my style and collage them onto my doors.

Every girl needs something Vera Bradley! Such cute patterns and very durable. I use my bag for everything, school, shopping, etc. (Sometimes I see these at TJ Maxx for a great price.)

And when I don't feel the need to lug around my big purse, I love a wristlet. This one comes in tons of different patterns.

Also I put my cards in a pouch on the back of my phone.

One of my absolute favorite Christmas presents last year from my grandma was this Color Daze Blockbuster from Sephora.  (NOTE: This is crazy expensive now, this is a similar kit at a price close to what was paid for the above kit.)  For girls that love experimenting with makeup and trying new techniques, this set comes with it all: Mascara, blush, eyeliners, lip gloss, eyeshadow, luminizer, and brushes. It could also be a good starter kit.

Jewelry Organizer 

A jewelry organizer is a must-have for a cluttery closet! This one hangs anywhere and is two-sided.

Hope this helps!

Just Something Little To Say

Today while I was running around doing my morning chores as quickly as I could, I stopped for a second and enjoyed that bright sun shining in one of the favorite rooms of my home (well I have many favorites for all different reasons).  But the BOYS room-the room where my boys have always shared, the "musical bed" room where boys have come and gone and come back and the room my little Janey, with a nice new pink room, insists on sleeping in so she is not alone.  It is decorated almost exactly like it was when we moved in 13 years ago and I want to leave it like this always.

I was filled with this overwhelming sense of gratitude-gratitude for what IS right now.  I know almost every mom with little ones, or who is pregnant, and feels overwhelmed, and "not enough" and is waiting for the next stage to come so life gets easier, needs to hear this message because I did too.

Love with all your heart what your life looks like right now.  Yes maybe it could get easier, but there will probably always be something that makes life a little more complicated than what we want it to be.  When you feel that baby kicking inside of you and can't sleep, just sit and love the feeling of it and be so appreciative that you get to experience that miracle.

When you trip over toys and step on Legos and the beds are unmade and the sink is crusted with toothpaste, just take a breath and think of the days when your house will look like no one lives there and you'll want it filled with children playing and the comfort of knowing all your children are in their beds safe.  Do you really want to put away those toys forever?  I bet not.

When you haul in those groceries and plan those meals, sit back at that table and look around and be so so grateful to share a meal with all these people who love you, and that you have the money to fill your children's tummies with food, even if it is loud and fast and a lot of work.

Who cares if you don't have time to do all that you are supposed to be doing.  Cancel the plans and stay home and cuddle or eat popcorn and watch Rudolph for the 100th time.  Do what you want to do with your children and love every minute of it, even if it never turns out the way it is planned.  Or badly.  Live and learn and laugh about it and try again, but love the process of learning how to be a present, content parent.  Life will teach you if you stop long enough to let it.

Try not to care about the mess, and the discomfort and noise and the demands-yes a day, or a week or maybe even a month you think would be nice.  

But life changes, and kids grow up and they grow up FAST.  Yes, I know you've heard it in the grocery store from an old lady so many times.  Because IT'S TRUE.  Put down your list and listen to those old ladies! Babies are sweet and warm and cuddly and toddlers are hilarious and so fun to watch, and kids just love us, and teenagers test our love so we love them harder, and then they LEAVE.  And it's all over.  

So treasure it all - the kicked ribs and sore back, the messy room, the quick meals, the tripped over shoes, the sweet little squeaky voices even if they are whiny, the work that seems endless. 

It's not endless, that's the thing.  Pay attention, be filled with gratitude for it all, and simplify your life enough so that you can take the time to deeply love it all.

Our Favorite Games

Favorite Toys here.

Favorite Books here.

Teen Gift Ideas here.
Ideas by age/interest level here.

After reading my favorite toys post a week ago, Jeff informed me that I "forgot" to include all of the games the kids love.  I put "forgot" in quotations because I think I might have done that accidentally on purpose subconsciously.  I am not a game person-I can play a few: Scrabble, Candy Land,  Zingo.  Pretty much that's it.  I just don't have the patience, or the attention span, or maybe it's the lack of competitive spirit.  I am terrible at logic and deduction and all that fancy stuff.

So here's a guest post written (and updated every year) by my husband, game nerd extraordinaire, who never ever takes a pass. Most of these games are for the five, six, or seven year old and up crowd, and quite a few are one-player for when Jeff's not around.

Here's Jeff:

Our favorite game 2017:

Blink-even Janey can play this (a little slower) but the boys have had so much fun this year with this game.  You have to pay attention and quickly match the shape, count or color of your cards to get rid of them as fast as you can...it's great for concentration!

Katamino

Like a Tetrus puzzle, there are different challenges to fit the wood pieces into the grid.  Six and up-the games adjusts to make it easier for younger kids.  All the kids in the family enjoy it.

Ticket to Ride

2,837 Five Star reviews!!!

An awesome fun game that the whole family enjoys.  For two to five players, the object of the game is to travel to as many cities as you can in just seven days.

Syclone

Like an old-fashioned top, that needs to navigated through the maze by tilting it.

Perplexus Epic

We have four of these and they are ADDICTING!  So much fun.  You guide a marble through the maze by tilting the ball in your hands.  Ages six to adult.  These are great to set around the house-they are irresistible. 

ThinkFun Izzi

This if for ages 8 and above and it IS difficult. The edges of each tile must match black to black and white to white.

All Think Fun Games get great reviews-they cater to all different ages from toddler to adult also.

Rubik's Race

Shake the cube and then match the pattern as fast as possible to win-a two-player game.

 Nowhere To Go

This is a great two player game where you try and trap your opponent before they trap you.  What is nice about this game is my 9 year old gives me a strong challenge every time we play.  It is very easy to learn, but once you play a few times you start to understand different strategies to win.  This is great when you are tired of chess or checkers.  Each game takes only about 5 minutes to complete.

Rubik's Cube- Our kids have viewed tutorials on YouTube to help solve the cube.  Isaac can solve it in under a minute and Andrew under three minutes.  I tried to solve it 25 years ago without any technological assistance, but never did, until YouTube!

Boggle-Our kids got onto a big scrabble kick this past year.  Andrew liked Boggle better.  You make up as many words as you can in three minutes.  We play together at night before bed and help each other try to set a new record for words found.  We sometimes re-shake it if the letter that come up are too tough.  

LONPOS Rectangular and Pyramid Puzzle-This is really two puzzle/pattern games in one.  Each puzzle is gradually more difficult.  The pyramids are fun to build.  

Rush Hour-We have Rush Hour and Rush Hour Two.  You just have to drive the red car out of the game by moving the other cars out of its way.  I think I have played this game more than the kids.

Solitaire Chess This is also a puzzle game where you use chess pieces and moves to capture and remove all the pieces until there is just one piece left.  You do not have to know how to play chess to play it, but you do have to know how the different chess pieces move.  Like Rush Hour, the easy cards help you learn how to play and get you hooked. 

Monopoly Deal-A fast way to play a game of Monopoly using playing cards.  I think this was the "in" game sweeping the country last year-our kids learned it from friends out in Colorado, and as soon as we left their house, they all begged us to stop and get a deck.  It has been worth every penny.

Qwirkle Cubes- This is a great game where both adults and kids can have fun together.  We have both Qwirkle and Qwirkle Cubes, unless Qwirkle found its way into one of Sarah's 40 black bags.  

Speed Stacks Competitor Sport Stacking Set, Red

Our kids still play this game four years later.  It is hard to not get addicted to attempting to beat your time again and again.

Guess Who Mix and Mash-Andrew is Mr. Game.  He is Jeff Junior.  This is one of his favorites.

Chess, Checker and Backgammon Set - It folds up and latches, and all the pieces fit inside which is why Sarah bought it. 

2 in 1 Travel Magnetic Chess and Checkers Set - 14''

Royal Crest Analog Chess Clock/Timer by Wood Expressions

This year we bought a new chess set, as the chess playing moved to the low table on the porch that was constantly getting bumped by younger siblings.  For Father's Day we bought this magnetized version and a timer (to prevent the constant arguments over who was taking to long.

Champion Sports Anywhere Table Tennis To Go Set

This clip on ping pong net is another new addition and fun-fits on any table.