Making Memories and Taking Time Off

 My 6 hanging out by a big tree

Did you notice that I lost steam and ended my gift guide early?  Well, it isn’t so much that I lost steam but that blogging is a lot of work and when you add 6 kids into the mix it can get a bit crazy (especially this time of year).  I would far rather enjoy this season than stress about posts not going up.  So I decided to end it a bit early.  We’ll see how long it is before I commit to 30 days of anything again without having the posts done well in advance (Although I do have a series up my sleeve for the new year that I am currently working on…).

I decided to take the whole month of December off of blogging to make time for the truly important things in life.  I will be busy cuddling little ones (and hopefully big kids too), reading,  tickle parties, cookie baking and memory making.  I will be sharing some posts from the archives while I am away.

I pray you have a lovely Christmastime full of love, joy and peace.  I will be back in time to wish you a Happy New Year.  In the meantime, you can connect with me on Twitter, Facebook or send me an email. I would love to hear from you!

You can see all of the Mommy Kudos Gift Guide items here.  If you need some inspiration there are some really great gift ideas for moms, babies and kids each day.  Also be on the lookout for my Ultimate Stocking Stuffer List (updated from the archives).

Blessings to you and yours!!

Mommy Kudos Gift Guide Day 21


Day 21
Moms

A Couple months ago I purchased a Personalized Family Name print from hope ink.   I just love it!  It has our last name and all of our first names under it along with the scripture “above all, love each other deeply.”  It is just beautiful and my kids love it too.  It has always been important to me to emphasize our family identity and love for each other and this print helps make that statement for us.  
hope ink. has several other beautiful and modern prints that are encouraging reminders to be placed throughout your home.  I would encourage you to visit the hope ink. Etsy shop and see all of the wonderful designs.

Babies

Skip Hop has new designs for their Zoo line of bibs, backpacks, lunchboxes, and eating sets.  They are seriously cute and would be great gifts for babies and toddlers!Ladybug


Kids

I have been seeing these P’kolino Book Buggees around the internet lately and they didn’t really grab my attention until I saw them in person.  They come in several different styles such as a firetruck, school bus, princess crown and more.  But these cute little Buggees have wheels and a cord you can pull to bring it with you.  They are perfect for kids that are book lovers.  Tuck in a few books and a cuddly stuffed animal and your book worm will be thrilled.  You may need to see these Buggees in person like I did, but once you do I am pretty sure you’ll agree they are very cute and book loving kids will be quite happy with them.

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Mommy Kudos Gift Guide Day 19

I took they day off yesterday but I’m back with more ideas.  There are still some giveaways to enter for Yo Gabba Gabba! CD & DVD prizepack,  a Keeki Pure & Simple Nail polish set and Mama Mio Omega Body Buff or Skin Tight.

Day 19

Moms

 Moms and kids alike will enjoy this Zoku Quick Pop MakerCreate your own customized frozen pops, including cream-filled varieties, in as little as 7 minutes.

I really like that you can use your own healthy ingredients to make creative popsicles.  The Character Tool Kit that allows you to create cute characters and funny faces makes this Pop Maker even more fun!

Babies

Need a gift for the baby that has everything?  I think these themed outfits by Baby Aspen are incredibly cute!  You can find a Baby Pilot,Ballerina,Baby M.D.,Golfer, Camo,Baby Chef, Baseball player and more!


Kids

The Teach Me Time! Talking Alarm Clock and Nightlight
 is a creative and well thought out alarm clock that teaches your children time and it’s color-changing nightlight teaches kids to stay in bed until it’s Ok to wake; parents program “Ok to wake” time, when glow changes from yellow to green.  In my opinion that is brilliant!  Clock is white with interchangeable blue, pink, and yellow bezels; face display options, volume, and brightness are adjustable

I list this as a gift idea because my kids ask for alarm clocks and the idea that it is a new gift and you use it in a different way than a traditional alarm clock helps make it exciting and helps them want to follow the color changing Ok to wake idea.

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Mommy Kudos Gift Guide Day 18

 
 
 

If you are new to the Mommy Kudos Gift Guide you can find more of them here. Be sure to enter the Keeki Pure & Natural Nail Polish Gift Set Giveaway.

Day 18

Moms
 
Not every mom would like cleaners as a gift but if you know a mom who is passionate about healthy living then this would be a great gift.  I love these cleaners!! 
 

It’s hard to avoid all of the advertising claims lately about green cleaning products.  The problem is that many green cleaning products are not actually safer for you and your kids.  They may be trying to be a bit more “earth friendly” but they often still have all kinds of chemicals, carcinogens (can cause cancer), and ingredients that are harmful, especially to children. 

I have been passionate about cleaning safely for a few years now, ever since I realized that it was just about as important as eating clean foods.  The cleaners we all use come into contact with our hands, little bottoms (in the bath tub), the air we breath and even our food when we wash dishes in the sink and food touches our counter tops.

I have finally found cleaners that I absolutely love and feel very safe about using around, and even with, my children.  They are from NewLeaf Clean.  All of the ingredients are all natural and you can actually pronounce them! Each ingredient is something you will recognize like vinegar, organic coconut oil, organic aloe vera, peppermint essential oil blend and others.

These cleaners work amazingly well and smell really good.  No chemical smells here.  They sell an All-Purpose Cleaner, Glass Cleaner, Granite Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner, and Dish & Hand Soap.  My favorites are the All-Purpose that I use all over and the Granite Cleaner that cleans and shines granite amazingly well. 

Because I really believe in training my children to be able to clean on their own one day, I allow them to use these cleaners while doing their chores.  I feel perfectly safe with them using them.  I do supervise the younger ones with cleaning but will let them spray these cleaners.  Aside from some homemade cleaners, NewLeaf Cleaners are the only ones I feel good about them using. 


Babies
Babies love mobiles and mobiles add so much to nursery decor. Get an adorable mobile from Love Felt Creations Etsy shop. There are several different themes to choose from. My favorites are the pink bird mobile & the owl mobile.  There are lots more styles and colors so check them out.



Kids
 

My kids love having their own chairs, especially when that chair is a comfy, easily movable seat to read in, play in, or watch a movie.  This year I am going to invest in a couple Pottery Barn Kids Anywhere chairs for Christmas.  I love that there are so many different prints available, from pretty flowers to boyish plaid, so I can get one for each kid to fit their personalities. 

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Mommy Kudos Gift Guide Day 17

 

If you are new to the Mommy Kudos Gift Guide you can find more of them here. Be sure to enter the Keeki Pure & Natural Nail Polish Gift Set Giveaway.

Day 16

Moms
Have you heard about Bluum?  It’s the latest and greatest for mom + baby! Bluum sends out a box of deluxe size samples for mom and baby each month. This would be a perfect gift for a new mom!
Bluum boxes contain samples and products that are high end, organic, and some of the Bluum moms favorite finds.   Sometimes you don’t want to invest in a whole big bottle of something but just want to try it out.  Or perhaps you are missing out on the greatest new product because you haven’t discovered it yet. These are all reasons that a Bluum membership sounds amazing to me!  Besides, who doesn’t love a box full of goodies in the mail every month?!
Bluum boxes start at $9 a month. You’ll be able to find full size versions of the samples you receive in the Bluum Shop if you want to purchase them.  To sweeten the deal they offer reward points when you shop, refer friends or do product reviews.
To start getting Bluum boxes in your mailbox every month sign up here.


Babies

We love these tails books by Jellycat.  They are fabric books that have different tails sticking out.  The Kitty tails book talks about fluffy tails and curly tails and shiny tails and more. These books are great for baby to see, touch, hear, and chew on.


Kids

Tickle Monster
Tickle Monster is a BIG hit in our home.  This book is super cute!  It is basically a guided tickle fest with your kids. My younger kids absolutely love it!  This is their most requested book right now and reading it through once in a sitting is not usually enough.  This book is so creatively written. It is sure to be a big hit for you too.
P.S. I reccommend get the mitts that go with it.  They are cute and add to the experience.

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