I know there are tons of gift guides out there on the inter webs, so I don't write about Christmas gift ideas often. But a friend recently asked me what I wanted for Christmas because she wasn't sure what to ask for this year. Thinking of things I want isn't difficult for me, to be honest. I pretty much keep a wish list going all year long so when birthdays or Christmas come along, I am ready! Today, I will be sharing some ideas for the woman in your life -- split into two sections: things I want and things I already have and love. I hope it gives you some new ideas! Christmas Gift Ideas -- Continue Reading
Recentering My Christmas Priorities on Christ
It has been way too long since I've blogged. Life has gotten busy and this space has been put on the back burner. It's not that I haven't wanted to write, it's not that I don't have any content ideas, it's just hard to make the time to sit down and do it. And the longer I put it off, the easier it is to put it off more. Other things have become more important. I used to say this blog was my baby, but now that I have a human baby (who is actually now a full-on toddler!), this blog is much less of a priority than it used to be. But I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things soon. The Continue Reading
What New Mamas Really Want for Mother’s Day
I recently saw a post about things that moms want for Mother's Day. And it was a joke! I do not want a pair of designer sunglasses. Don't buy me a purse or a candle. Nope. As a new mama, I can tell you what moms really want for Mother's Day. Or at least these are the things I want! Mother's Day Gifts for New Mamas 1. Sleep. New mamas get no more than three consecutive hours of sleep at a time for at least a month. Isn't that considered torture to wake someone up constantly so they never get a good night's sleep? I feel like I saw that on an episode of Criminal Minds. Sleep deprivation is Continue Reading
My Favorite Gifts for Pregnancy
If I was to retake the love languages test, I wouldn't be surprised if gifts had moved up on my list. I get really excited for giving gifts that I know someone will like/love/need/want, and I definitely don't turn down a good gift either. With a baby on the way, I've gotten several gifts throughout the months. And these are my top four favorite things that I have received -- not things that are for baby necessarily, but feel like they are more for me. Perhaps you are wanting to get something sweet for someone you know who is expecting? Check out my favorite gifts for pregnancy in this post, Continue Reading
Where to Register for Baby
I remember when Travis and I registered for our wedding about four years ago. It was so exciting and so fun. Now, we've finished registering for our new baby. This time it was also exciting and fun, but it was also overwhelming. There are so many places to choose from that the first question is where to register for baby. Then comes deciding what to actually register for! Are you struggling on where to register for baby? Travis and I chose two places for registering for our daughter. Here are the things we considered when deciding: What's in our area so we can look at items in person Continue Reading
Christmas 2014 Recap Part 2
Did you see Part 1? In my first recap of our Christmas, I left off on Christmas Eve day. After lunch with my family, we headed to Grandma's for our annual Canasta Tournament. Grandma buys random gifts throughout the year to use as prizes for our game day. First we played charades, then canasta, then hand and foot. We break into different teams and whoever wins each game gets to pick a prize. Since you can steal prizes from each other, it can get a little crazy. Christmas Eve night it's tradition to have a birthday party for Jesus. We all sit around the living room with only the glow of the Continue Reading
Just a Little Something
My husband left about two weeks ago for NTC (the National Training Center) in California. He'll be gone for a month. I wanted to do something for him so he would feel my love even weeks into his training, especially when we couldn't have any contact. It's nothing special -- just a little something. So I bought a few treats for him to take and included little notes with each one. I bought him some of his favorite candy -- Sour Patch Kids, Sour Gummy Worms and Mamba Chews -- a package of Golden Oreos, his favorite Kind bars and some new Kind bars he hasn't had before. For each of Continue Reading
Our First Anniversary
Happy one year anniversary to us! Travis and I celebrated our first anniversary this past weekend. But about two weeks ago, I gave Travis his anniversary gift from me. I was too excited to wait and so was he! I got him a large framed map of the world. On the bottom it says, "The World Travels of the Stroud Family" with a key explaining what the different colored pins mean. It came with pins you can put on the map to show where you've been, where your dream spots are, what your favorite spot has been, and even what your next planned trip is. Travis loves maps, and we both love traveling and Continue Reading
Wedding Gift Ideas
Are the save-the-dates hanging on your refrigerator? Have the invitations been coming in the mail? Wedding season is just around the corner, which means it may be time for you to send in your RSVP and buy your wedding gift. I love getting couples a great wedding gift. It's so fun shopping for cute things to give them as they start this marriage journey. I think gifts are becoming a top love language for me! Or maybe I just love shopping, who knows! Here are some great wedding gift ideas for all those lovely bride and groom couples. Gift Ideas for the Bride & Groom 1. Continue Reading
Our Christmas Decorating
Once Christmas rolls around, Travis and I will have been married for six months. Half a year people! One of my prayers going into this military marriage was that we would be able to spend our first Christmas together. I prayed that Travis wouldn't get deployed within that first year. So far, my prayers are being answered and we will definitely be able to spend our first Christmas together. I'm very thankful and my heart goes out to those couples who won't get that privilege. Travis and I both love Christmas -- the decorations, the music, the baking, the church services, the festivities, Continue Reading
Bride & Groom Gifts (For Each Other)
Recently, it has become popular for the bride and groom to get each other gifts on their wedding day. Some like this idea and others don't bother. Travis and I wanted to get in on this tradition. (Or maybe it was just me! Is it so bad that I love presents?) Gifts from the Bride & Groom to Each Other I have been working on Travis' gift for a long time. For years. Since before I even knew Travis. And it cost me probably $10. Who said a romantic gift has to be expensive? So let me explain. When I was in high school, I bought a journal, and I began writing in that journal to my future Continue Reading
Wedding Party Gift Ideas
I'm loving sharing all my wedding details with ya'll! One of the steps in wedding planning is choosing gifts for the wedding party. It can be difficult for some. I wish I could have spent tons of money on our gifts to show everyone how much I love them and how special they are to me, but I think we did a pretty good job of showing that without breaking our bank. So here are some ideas for you bride and grooms who are still trying to decide. Make Your Wedding Party Smile Bridesmaids For my best girls, I got each of them a small personalized makeup bag and filled it with goodies. I Continue Reading