Hello my friends and happy November! It is a rainy day here in middle Tennessee and all this grey has me looking for ways to cheer up my home and blog, so even though it is a little early for me, I'm going to share Avon's holiday gift guide now because it is full of happy colors and savings! I hope you enjoy looking at all the pretty and useful products Avon offers.

In an effort to not rush headlong into everything Christmas, I waited until I knew most people had started holiday shopping, or at the very least, asking for their loved ones' gift lists. This year has found me enjoying offline hobbies and events, which led me to compile 10 no tech holiday gift ideas sure to please most adults on your list. This is a switch from my previous holiday gift idea lists because I’m not covering kids' gifts. As an almost empty nester, it’s going to be a few years before I need to shop for little ones again.

No Tech Gifts Sure To Please!

Winter has us in its grip this week and has covered a large portion of the US in snow and ice, so to combat the bad weather, I’m focusing on the fun of Valentine’s day gift giving! My shopping style has changed now that my daughters are older. It’s not all hearts and candies (although, I still love giving and receiving those). Now, I look for gifts beyond the candy aisle!  I’ve found four cute and clever Valentine's Day  gift ideas for the whole family to share with you today.

 4 Cute and Clever Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas!

 It’s the most wonderful time of the year my friends. The holidays are finally here, and for some of us, that means gift crunch time! I’ll admit to being one of those people that actually enjoys being out in the crowd, bustling from store to store, gift list in hand. There is one store that I must shop at year after year - Macy’s! And the time to shop Macy’s for all your gifting needs is upon us. Folks, this Friday, December 11, is the Macy’s One Day sale where you can save up to 60 percent on gifts galore! Read on for some of my giftable ideas on my shopping list this year.

Ready, Set, Shop!

• Home décor shopping - (Hello, Pottery Barn!)
• Decorating - (Do you move her pillows when you visit? She needs this one, too!)
• Being crafty - (The attention to detail will have them admiring this pillow.)

As a busy work at home Mom, I love products that help keep me organized and make my life easier at home  and on the go. Somedays, my office is at a local event or venue where I need easy access to my phone, wallet, tablet, or laptop. I don’t want to arrive with a huge bag, so having streamlined products is ideal. Recently, I was asked if I’d like to work with Ekster again for the holidays and I happily said yes. I love being able to continue a working relationship with brands I’ve worked with in the past and truly like their products. Today, I’m sharing two clever gift ideas for busy Moms I think you will really like.

Clever Gifts!

Win Your Valentine's Day Wish List Giveaway

How It Works

Now, On To The Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunrise Photo:

Valentine's Day is a happy day for most of us;  because we get to share our love and appreciation  for the special people in our lives. That's why I've  teamed up with a great group of bloggers to bring you the Love is in the Air giveaway event full of fabulous Valentine's Day gifts for the whole family, sponsored by some of our favorite companies!


Shopular: Founded in 2012, Shopular is well on it's way to becoming the world’s leading mobile shopping community. To put it simply, Shopular delivers the best deals from your favorite retailers right to your phone, saving you time and money. This innovative app is able to intelligently combine cell tower, Wi-Fi and GPS signals to tell when you're at your favorite retailers. Then, you'll automatically get an alert with the latest deals and coupons available. That means NO work for you. You simply go shopping at your favorite mall or shop and the best coupon and deal will pop up on your phone. Over 2 million people are already using Shopular, so make your Valentine's Day shopping a breeze and download their free app today! It's available for Apple and Android users. Shopular wants to make sure you're able to get that special someone a new ring, necklace, or watch this Valentine's Day, so they have generously sponsored a $500 Zales gift card for this giveaway!




V/NO Alcohol Removed Wine: Calling all people who love wine, but need to limit their alcohol consumption - we're excited to introduce you to a new wine made especially for you! V/NO is a delicious beverage for moms, dads, families and friends to enjoy with an alcohol content less than .5%, half the calories and sugar of traditional wine, no added sugars or chemicals, and it comes in an appropriate serving size for health conscious consumers. V/NO Red, White, and Rosé are premium dealcoholized wines made in Napa Valley, California. Using traditional wine methods, the fruit is crushed, fermented and aged in stainless steel, and just prior to bottling, the alcohol is gently removed by cold filtration, leaving less than 0.5% alcohol. V/NO captures the health benefits of wine and is packaged in a unique and convenient 187ml bottle that doubles as a serving glass. V/NO is a more fun and tasty choice as an everyday beverage to pair with your food for lunch or dinner, with virtually no alcohol. No more need for another boring water, soda, tea or juice - opt for V/NO instead! You can purchase V/NO exclusively through their website. Use code LoveVINOwine to save $5 off each case (case = 12 flutes) through March 31st, 2015. Be sure to connect with V/NO on Facebook and Twitter.


I See Me!: Are you looking for the highest quality, most personalized children's books available? Look no further than I See Me! Since opening in 2000, the mission of I See Me! books is to increase self esteem in children through personalized books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child. The goal of their books is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skills. I See Me! books have become popular among celebrities including Courteney Cox, Brooke Shields and Jessica Alba. This Valentine's Day, show your little one just how much he or she is loved with the Who Loves You, Baby personalized board from bestselling author and illustrator Nina Laden and I See Me!. Your child’s name and photo are featured on the cover and inside this high quality board book and the thick, durable pages will stand up to repeated readings and are just right for little hands to hold. As an added personal touch, this book also includes the child's birth date and a printed dedication from the sender. It's available for $29.99 on the I See Me! website.


Step2: The Step2 Company, headquartered in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world's largest rotational molder of plastics. They strive to be the leading innovator of children's products that build imaginations and enrich the family's celebration of childhood. Step2 products are made to last and will hold up despite the beating that children tend to give everything they come in contact with. Their toys are colorful, fun, and encourage imaginative play. Your smallest Sweetheart(s) will have a blast in the Sweetheart Playhouse, now in a white & pink color palette! The Sweetheart Playhouse resembles a charming gingerbread-style cottage. Children will enjoy its colorful design and large interior. Several toddlers can fit inside this durable playhouse for backyard fun. An outside grill allows children to flex their creativity and imagination flipping burgers. Toy electronic phone and working doorbell will enable kids to play house and have a fun clubhouse experience.


Personalization Mall: PersonalizationMall.com was founded in 1998 with a goal of making personalized gift buying quick and easy. Their revolutionary preview technology takes the guess work out of personalization, by allowing you to see what your gift will look like, personalized with your details, before you buy it! Nothing Says, "You're special" like personalized gifts! It shows you went out of your way to find a unique gift and to personalize it to make it theirs alone! The personalized gift is the one that gets passed around at the party, for everyone to see! It makes you feel good to give, and it's even more special to receive! At PersonalizationMall.com, the gifts are as unique as the person receiving it! The majority of the designs have been created by their team of talented artists, and are available exclusively on the Personalization Mall website. Personalization Mall is giving one lucky couple his and her bathrobes, in your choice of size and color (black, ivory, or pink) with personalization included!



Win it!





Disclosure: This giveaway is hosted by Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro, and generously sponsored by the participating brands. Thrifty Nifty Mommy, Viva Veltoro, and the participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Please contact thriftyniftymommy(at)yahoo.com with questions about this giveaway. One winner will be randomly selected using the Giveaway Tools random selector and notified via email. Once notified, the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Google. Void where prohibited.

Happy New Year dear readers! Since it’s the seventh day of the month, I’m sure you are getting tired of hearing that, but I would be remiss in my blogging duties if I didn’t extend well wishes here- the hub of all I do online. Now I can dive into today’s topic, my top six blog posts of 2024.

You Love Variety!

• 1) 17.5 ounce peanut butter cookie mix
• 1) 8 ounce bag English toffee bits (found in baking aisle of most grocery stores)
• 3) Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2) Tablespoons water
• 1) Large egg

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl mix oil, water and egg in peanut butter cookie batter until no longer grainy.
• Gently fold in toffee bits.
• Shape dough into 36 small balls or make drop cookies like I did by gently sliding off tablespoon-size dough balls onto parchment paper.
• Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes for regular size cookies, or 9-11 minutes for large cookies.
• Allow to cool.

I am always on the lookout for new gift ideas for my daughters and this one is a keeper. 

Courtesy:NoizyBandz.com

Noizy Bandz Children's wristbands are musical, educational and a whole lot of fun! Watch your children light up as they hear the music and fun sounds coming from their wristbands that they control. 

Courtesy: NoizyBandz.com

Thank you Copperhead the movie for offering this opportunity through Partnershub and for offering the gifts listed below to facilitate this giveaway. My WAHM Plan was not compensated in any way to share Copperhead information or host a giveaway, nor are we responsible for shipping of prizes.



Commemorate the 150 year anniversary & keep your kids learning during the summer by catching Copperhead, a Civil War movie the whole family can watch together and talk about! 

Courtesy:Copperheadmovie.com

About Copperhead:







Have some fun with this interactive movie app and Test Your Civil War Knowledge TRIVIA!







The Prizes:

Official Copperhead Movie Pack: 
- Official Copperhead Movie Poster hand signed by Director/Producer Ron Maxwell (Gettysburg, Gods and Generals) (27 X 40)
- The Copperhead Official Companion Book [Author: Harold Frederic]
- Movie Theater Cash [Valid for 1 Movie Admission]


Enter to win by using the Rafflecopter entry form below. Hurry! This giveaway ends on 6-11-13! Open to U.S. 18 or older .

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you Copperhead the movie for offering this opportunity through Partnershub and for offering the gifts listed below to facilitate this giveaway. My WAHM Plan was not compensated in any way to share Copperhead information or host a giveaway, nor are we responsible for shipping of prizes.

Now that May has arrived, we’ve entered a season of busyness to rival the holidays. There’s a lot of celebratory ground to cover this month, starting with Cinco De Mayo and Mother’s Day, which is the topic of today’s post. Below you’ll find my Mother's Day Gift Guide featuring 4 unique brands sure to please the Moms on your gift list.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide:

New holiday scents from Mrs. Meyers at Grove Collaborative:

 

Around this time each year, my husband and daughters start asking for gift ideas for Mother’s Day. Each year I might give them hints, but I don’t come right out and tell them to buy me something, because I want to be surprised! This weekend when I was asked again what I want for Mother’s Day, I decided to create a lovely Mother’s Day gift ideas I’d love to give and receive post in case you need a little inspiration as well or have family members asking what you’d like to  receive.