2 December 2021
I appreciate this post, because sharing it with you lights a fire under me to make decisions – instead of waffling for weeks! If you’re looking for real ideas for what to give your kids for Christmas this year, I hope this year’s post will be as helpful for you as it was for me :) As always, John and I tried hard to follow the fewer, better ethos when choosing gifts. None of us need more stuff, but we hope the things we’ve chosen will delight our kids, light up their imaginations, and help them feel seen and loved. Here’s what each of our kiddos will be finding under the tree this year! Photo from Annie’s newborn session by Graham – coming soon! June (who is almost six) will be receiving:— An American Girl doll and an overnight trip with mama to pick her out at the AG store in Charlotte. To be honest, I’ve had so much angst over this! As a child of the 90’s, my American Girl doll was extremely beloved. The brand has changed a lot since then, and so it’s hard to know what parameters, if any, to set up around which doll June can pick (i.e. should I have her choose a historical doll? But the worlds aren’t as built-out as they were in my day…) And what if in the end she doesn’t play with her? It’s an expensive gift, but more importantly, would that wreck me emotionally?! So many swirly thoughts. But we’re going for it, and if nothing else, I know we will have the best time on our little trip together.— This diner set and a calculator machine, because she’s always writing orders on post-its and sticking them on the side of our counter like a short-order cook.—
27 November 2017
Want to know something I love about buying kid gifts? You can give them something that’s $5 and look like you hung the moon :) (Case in point: this ribbon twirler we gave my niece last Christmas.) And of course, I also love giving heirloom-quality gifts that they might one day pass down to their own kids! Today’s gift guide has picks from each column, including some things that are on June’s wish list this year. My friend Sam helped me with some of the boy picks, since she has firsthand experience! Buckle up – it was hard to narrow down my picks, so today we have not one but TWO boards of ideas! Pajamas | Bonus points if you can match amongst multiple kiddos or cousins! I also love these ones and these ones. Squirrel popper | Just make sure they don’t shoot their eye out :) A certain nephew of mine will be getting one of these this Christmas! Pennants | Choose from “capable & courageous” or “strong & smart” – either way, you can’t go wrong! Wooden cutting fruit set | I clearly remember being gifted something similar from my grandma one Christmas and loving it. On June’s wish list this year! Cozy sweatshirt | Sam and I both love everything from Winter Water Factory, and this print is a favorite we share! Mini scooter | If our neighborhood is any indication, scooters are very big right now. This mini one is on June’s wish list, and though I think it will take her a few months to grow into it, I expect she’ll be scooting around like a pro this summer! Quilt | The sweetest print from a cool Indian company. Floor puzzle | The colors and illustrations take this classic puzzle up a notch. Bruder
21 November 2016
After doing them for five years in a row, last year I took a break from sharing gift guides. It takes a good amount of time to prep and post them, and if I wasn’t all-in, I wasn’t interested in throwing up a few J. Crew links and calling it a day. (Though let’s be real, most people I know would love a gift from J. Crew! :)) That means I have an overflow of ideas stored up, and I’m excited to share a few this week! One of my favorite parts of gifting is getting to support independent brands, and to share them with my loved ones. Today, I’ve rounded up 14 gift ideas from Etsy shops and small businesses, all perfect for the sweet, stylish kiddos and parents in my (and your!) life. Several of them we already own, several of them I’m planning to gift this year, and several June and I would love to receive! All the details are below… Tiny Dancer tee | Soft, snuggly, and perfect for the baby of this former-ballerina. Poppy bow set | These are our favorite mini bow headbands! My June has the two solid pinks shown here. Teepee | NOT CHEAP. However, the detailing is incredible (pom poms! swiss dot!), and I think this is a plaything the whole family could love for a long time. Great Day plate | I love gifts that are experiences, and these plates by my friend Emily Ley are a perfect compromise – they offer something fun to wrap, as well as the promise of lots of sweet “great day” memories for years to come! Pearl the Mermaid | With the sale of each Cuddle + Kind doll, 10 meals are provided to kiddos around the world. Plus, they’re adorable! Soft bib set
23 November 2015
We are in a really good place with clothes for our girl. In addition to generous piles of loaners from three sisters and a friend, we have a tub of hand-me-downs from a cousin and lots of goodies from showers. But, the clothing source that I’m most excited about and with the best long-term potential is… kids consignment sales! I’ve found some amazing pieces over the last few years but know they can be intimidating, so I thought I’d share a few tips for shopping them today! 1. Opt for church consignment sales. I may be biased, because I’ve actually only shopped at sales run by churches, but I’ve found them to be uniformly well-organized, well-run, friendly, and with high quality clothing. It’s easy to find them by Googling your town + “kids consignment sale.” If you’re in the Triangle, I love my church’s sale (which runs twice a year) as well as the Hayes-Barton sale (also twice a year). If you find a sale you like, watch out for a flyer for their next dates when you check out! 2. Go on the first day, and go early. Many consignment sales run for several days, and some mark everything down by 50% on the second day. However, I’d much rather have first pick at the goods than spend a little less money, especially because everything is already so inexpensive! Also, I’d recommend showing up at least a half hour before the sale begins — the ones I frequent always have a line waiting to get in, and again, your goal is to get first crack at things. 3. If it’s an option, volunteer. Related to point number two, if you REALLY want to get a jump on things, your best chance is by volunteering! At least at my church,