Tuesday, December 11, 2018

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Have you finished your Christmas shopping? I am almost finished, but now I am helping the kids with their gifting plans. Thankfully there are still plenty of Prime-available days left!

And of course, there's plenty of making still to finish up. More on that another time.

Today, just for fun, I thought I'd share FIVE FAVORITES from our home with the thought that someone might find them handy gift ideas! These are completely random and in no particular order. :) I am not a Gift Guide kind of gal, but if my trial-and-error can help you find something that would work well for your kids, great!


We love these simple and colorful bibs for mealtimes. Machine washable, fairly waterproof, big enough for a toddler but soft enough for an infant. I much prefer these to the plastic bibs with the little pocket. I would rather be able to throw things in the wash rather than handling it myself. ;) I bought a pack a few years ago and the snaps ripped out within a couple months. They redesigned their pattern to reinforce the snaps last year and these are wonderful. No issues so far! We have ten and they get daily use. I tucked a few more into my littles' St. Nick bags this year.


Magformers are a perennial favorite here; everyone from the toddler to the pre-teens use these, and for all kinds of things. They seem to be indestructible! We have a bunch of sets now and just keep adding more; we started with a basic set but have now branched out to the vehicles and house kits, and the extra shapes have increased the kids' creativity.


A couple years ago, I gave each of my school-aged children a compact nature kit for Christmas. They are still going strong! If you'd like to see the pouch and what it holds, I have all of the details here. We have ours color-coded with masking tape since we have seven of these sets in our bag each week. :)


I have been wearing these Chooka rain boots for the past couple years and now I just bought a pair for my oldest daughter because I lilke them so much. I love that they are low and light, which makes them so easy to walk in. They have held up well to lots of exploring and are very afforable! They're billed as "packable" boots but I just use them for everyday wear.


I bought a few of these messenger bags for my girls this past year -- they are durable and adorable. They would be perfect to hold a nature journal kit, or just for everyday use out and about! (My little girls use them indoors when they're pretending to be "moms." LOL) I like that they aren't too big for my 5yo but also aren't too small for my 12yo...or me. ;)

(Affiliate links above...if you choose to purchase through my link, I'll get a cut from Amazon. Thanks!)

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And a round-up of past gift ideas:

What We're Reading...and Crafting and Playing :: Christmas Edition
My Top Ten Christmas Books for Littles
Our Favorite Keeping Supplies
CM-Friendly Easter Basket Ideas (...that would be great for Christmas gifts too!)

I'm still looking for something simple for my little guys, ages 4, 2, and 1. We don't need any more toys for those ages, and I've requested clothes from family to fill out their winter wardrobes. Any great ideas? Of course they will be getting books, and each will get a Schleich animal to add to our collection, as usual. But I probably need one more thing...

13 comments:

  1. Thank you for the recommendations, I was just talking to my husband about those Magformers as a present, so it is interesting to see you recommend them.

    I had a question about the bibs, are toddlers able to rip them off easily themselves? It seems my toddlers always go through stages of ripping bibs off during meal times when no one is looking ��. It gets tedious, but perhaps that is the way with toddlers, repetition, lol.

    Have you ever discussed on your blog how you handle toys (storage, availability and rotation) to keep the mess at bay? Also, does your family have Legos?

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    1. Hi Leslie!

      That is part of the reason I like these bibs -- my toddlers can't pull them off. They will try a couple times and then give up once they get the idea that they won't budge. ;)

      And the Magformers really are great. They are fun and it's nice that the kids can make things that will stay together and that they can move around the room/house. With toddlers around, the other kids really appreciate that. ;)

      No, I don't think I have written much about toys and toy storage. I should, though, because it is definitely part of a healthy homeschool atmosphere -- and ALWAYS a struggle in a big family! :) We keep a basket in the family room, a few baskets in the living room, and a basket in the office. No toys upstairs in bedrooms. Everything else is in rotation: on bookshelves in the closet or in the garage. We do have Legos, as well as other toys that are for school-aged kids only. Those come out during naptimes only. They are stored in bins in the closet. That makes it all seem much simpler than it is, but that is my basic method for keeping things fairly contained! :)

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  2. Dear Celeste, Merry Christmas! Love your list! My youngest three will be sharing two of these, maybe too toyish? for what you are looking for, but just thought I'd mention! :) https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Mailbox-Activity-Educational/dp/B004TTGXCM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1544631552&sr=8-4&keywords=melissa+and+doug+mailbox

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    1. Hi Amy! That is so cute. We actually already have a little mailbox, but you have just reminded me that my little boys would enjoy using it! LOL

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  3. Never thought I'd see a gift guide from you! ;)

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    1. Ha, I know! I have to admit, it was kinda fun, though! :)

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  4. Best gift we ever bought was last year. Wiggle car. Great for all ages. Suit your 4 year old younger two not so much. Even take adult weight. Kids use every day. We're buying more this year for those who missed out last year

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  5. I got my 4-year-old son a bike horn and lights that clip onto his bike wheels this year (and books!), And for my 9-year-old, I got rock climbing wall mounts.

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    1. Horns and lights -- yes, that is definitely something my little boys would enjoy!! And the rock climbing wall mounts are going on my list for the future.

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  6. Celeste, thank you for sharing the boots. I have been looking for some without a heel for myself! My size is not in stock but I'm going to watch them... Do you think my 12 yo boy could wear them or are they too feminine looking? Have you found a no heel option for your oldest son? Thank you!

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    1. Hm... I don't know! They are very plain BUT they are shiny rather than matte. I wouldn't have a problem with my son wearing them, but my son is not super worried about fashion so I know he wouldn't mind. LOL My son has some regular Kamiks that he wears.

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    2. Yeah... I wasn't sure about the shiny either. Thanks!

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