The Ultimate List of Unique Holiday Gifts for Kids (with discount codes)!

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com.

I can't be the only one scrambling to find Christmas gifts for those I love... I mean, I have the best of intentions and I always start out on the right path.

I firmly believe as Christmas season rolls around each year that I have plenty of time to get presents under the tree, but as Christmas Eve quickly approaches I inevitably realize I forgot someone super important or as it happened this year, I spent all month searching high and low for the perfect gifts.

If you're in the same boat as me and you just didn't know what to get the loved ones on your list, then I've got news for you. I have, right here, the ultimate list of Holiday Gifts for Kids. We all know Sally your sister's daughter is sweet as pie but she has everything - but does she have a Circuit Scribe Drone Builder Kit? I mean, seriously,  does it get any more epic than building your own drone?

With this STEM-based toy your little worker bee won't even notice that they are learning while creating! Plus, you both can have hours of fun flying the drone up and down with the CSDrone Network app on your phone. While D and I won't be participating in the building of this, I can't wait to share this one of my lovely nieces!

This all-inclusive kit teaches you how to draw the "wires" to the motors with conductive ink & then make cardboard from nothing into something truly extraordinary, a handmade drone! This truly is one of the coolest toys I've seen for bigger kids and well, I think D will be watching over her cousins shoulders as they play with this!

Something that NEVER gets overdone in our house is books - I mean, we had over 100 books in D's library before she was even born, so the fact that we are bookworms is likely not a surprise to most of you. What is a surprise is The Little Red Chicken is back in this sequel to The Interrupting Chicken!

We absolutely love this sweet little read aloud book, The Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise is easily a new favorite in our house. If you haven't read it, now is the time! From David Ezra Stein, this book is sure to make everyone in your house giggle as you read it. Want to snag this good read and others? Check out Candlewick.com & use code CANDLEWICK for 25% off (only valid in the US).

I think the gift D and I both loved the most were the sweet treats she now so sweetly cause "Grinch candies". PEZ candy dispensers were totally one of my favorite stocking stuffers as a child and now thanks to Babbleboxx, it may be a new favorite for D. I think adding PEZ Holiday gifts in her stocking will be a new tradition in our house, actually.

While D obviously loved the candy she's pretty keen on that green fella so she loved the fact the Grinch PEZ gift tin is shaped like the Grinch himself.

Then when she flipped it around and saw Cindy Lou Who I'm fairly certain her heart grew even more love for this fun little gift set. With Fred & Max in the box too, she was overjoyed and we both are so excited to see the new Grinch in theaters - I'm thinking maybe it'll be her first "real" movie in a theater!

Speaking of some firsts, these epic craft kits are just what mama was looking for while hunting for gifts for my crafty toddler. The Clothespin Zoo, in particular, is right up her alley!

Helping us create TEN different animals, learning about each one while playing with materials that are familiar and building fine motor skill, these preschool aged kits are a dream come true! I'm so excited for her to open this up on Christmas and really get crafty!

Speaking of excitement, D literally couldn't wait to get into the Klutz Sewing kit. Interestingly, I think she inherited that excitement for thread & needle, my grandmother actually used to sew and even wrote instructional books on needlepoint. Beyond being a crafty author, she also sent the COOLEST gifts every Christmas that were always educational and sometimes would include some of her work (now my Aunt has carried on this tradition).

Between her and my Aunt, I've been blessed with some of the most unique gifts and I must brag for a moment and say both are so gifted at sewing. While my Grandmother is no longer with us and I'm no expert at sewing, I'm so excited to encourage this hobby in my little sweetie. It's a family tradition to learn to sew, so this skill-building kit is just perfect for her. Helping her create while encouraging fine-motor skills is something my paternal grandmother would be so proud of and since it's a plastic needle and it comes with a little "training card" I'm certain D will get the hang of this quickly - imagine that, my two year old will be sewing soon!

Last but certainly not least in our Babbleboxx was this fun little Dumbledore Pop Figurine from Funko's 5 star line and The Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and The prisoner of Azkaban! D has recently started watching Harry Potter flicks at nap time and she's pretty much obsessed. We both loved that the little figurine brought one of her favorites to life, putting the "magic" in her hands. She can create her own moments  in the Harry Potter universe now and she was delighted that Fawkes the Phoenix was included in the box too, she even called him her friend!

This little figurine was the perfect compliment to the Harry Potter illustrated book! The book is by far one of the coolest things we'll be putting under the tree for D this year, with vibrant illustrations and a cool ribbon bookmark - she's going to love it that one of her movies is actually available to her in book form now too! Want to snag some Funko Collectibles? Check out these deals and use the code "Babbleboxx" to save!

I'm not going to lie, this Babbleboxx was AMAZING! I'm not a kid anymore, but I'm totally excited about everything in this box - so I know the lucky kiddos that receive these gifts under the tree will be delighted as well! So tell me, what is your #1 pick for your kids this year? I can't wait to hear!

Show Mom Your Appreciation: 4 Mother's Day Gift Ideas from Kay Jewelers That Show You Care

Thanks to Kay Jewelers for sponsoring today's post, regardless all opinions expressed below are completely my own.

Believe it or not, Mother's Day is just around the corner...

The day when we celebrate all the wonderful things our mamas do for us. From holding us on their hips, to cleaning faces with their freshly licked thumbs, to creating an epic last minute diorama for a school project the night before it's due, mamas are the perfect mixture of nurturing and helpful. Basically, we are all super heroes - but we run on little-to-no sleep, just try to do our best, and love our kids fiercely. That's why all mamas deserve to be celebrated... Can I get an amen?!

I'm pretty excited to be celebrating my first Mother's Day with Delainey... and I'm ecstatic because I get to spend the day with my mother as well! While I'm still learning the ropes and adjusting to my new "super hero" life as a mother, I'm lucky enough to have my best friend to coach me through it all.

It's funny, our relationship has gone through so much - from her being my entertainment committee when I was a kiddo, to my favorite person to share clothing with during my teen years, and now, well now, she's a friend - my best friend. The bond a mother and daughter share is unlike any other and  I feel that way with Delainey and I'm certain my mama feels that way about me (and my sister).

While I plan on spoiling my mama, I was still on the fence about what to get her. Are you in the same boat? If so, here are 4 different items from Kay Jewelers that I bet your mama has on her wish list:

1. From accessories to outfits, we all know your mama always has the most beautiful items, but one thing she needs (and every other mama in the world needs) is Diamond Solitaire Earrings from Kay Jewelers. These timeless beauties are the perfect addition for every mama's accessories collection and every mama I know would go absolutely gaga if she was given a pair of these earrings on Mother's Day.

2. If anyone loves rings, it's my mama... but I know she's not the only one! Is your mama a ring lover as well? Then I'm certain she would love to have this Open Hearts Ring. It's not only beautiful, the design represents giving and receiving love and having an open heart, the perfect representation of motherhood.

3. When you see a piece of jewelry and it takes your breath away, I think it's meant to be your Mother's Day present... right? This Diamonds in Rhythm bracelet is gorgeous and so perfect for any mama, but this is what I have on the top of my Mother's Day wish list. The whole Diamond in Rhythm collection is really on my list--actually, the diamonds are made to be captivating from any angle... which means myself and other new mamas can be chasing after our toddlers and catch a glimpse of these as we are grabbing their precious little hands and be reminded that we are loved and appreciated.

4. Last but not least, we all know the way to a mama's heart is her kids - that's why this key necklace is the perfect gift for your mom on Mother's Day. If you're a dad or son trying to find the perfect present, you've unlocked the answer with this Diamonds in Rhythm Heart Key Pendant Necklace.


Showing appreciation on Mother's Day is what the day really is all about and these are just a few beautiful options offered at Kay Jewelers that will make your mama smile. Do you want to get your mom something beautiful and meaningful for Mother's Day? Check out the Kay Jewelers and find the perfect present for your mom.

Summertime Starbucks: DIY Thank You Card Upcycled K Cup Project + Coffee, Chai Tea, or Iced Tea?

Thanks to Starbucks for sending over these awesome K-cups and other beautiful items to include in my post today and a big thanks for offering a great affiliate program that I've linked below, regardless all opinions expressed below are my own.

Summer & Starbucks go together hand-in-hand, in my mind... Well Starbucks goes with every season and that's why I'm such a big fan. With so many amazing flavors and such a versatile line up of coffees and teas, I'm a bit of a Starbucks junkie... so I'm having to limit my intake while carrying Delainey and I can't wait to get back into my multi-cup routine soon.

While I'm not drinking more than a cup a day currently, I was more than overjoyed to dish out some coffee, chai tea, and iced tea goodness at my latest little get-together with our buddies so we could sample all of the delicious flavors Starbucks sent me to try out this summer.

I sipped on a glass of the Tazo Chai Vanilla Caramel Latte while I made a cup of Creme Brulee flavored coffee for my hubs, my friends each wanted to try something new so I served up a glass of the Tazo Iced Peachy Black tea and another Tazo Chai Vanilla Caramel Latte for each of them... paired with some delicious vegan, oatmeal cookies! We were all so impressed with the "homemade" beverages, I think I've officially earned the title of "Barista" at this point... Lucky for me, making delicious Starbucks coffee and tea at home is as easy as pressing a button.

While making the coffee is super easy and enjoyable, the same could be said about having great friends. Our buddies blessed us with so much adorable stuff for Delainey recently, I had to make something for them in return. I couldn't think of a thing they needed so I decided making them a little thank you card with a personal touch was the best way to thank them, with a little gift card attached to the back - I'm sure they will be more than happy with their little surprise.

Do you want to tell some one "Thanks a latte" for something amazing they've done for you recently? It's as easy as making a k-cup to make this adorable little card!

For this project you'll need:

a Starbucks Keurig Coffee or Tea box
a used K-cup (rinsed and cleaned)
a hot glue gun with glue
3-4 cotton balls

scissors
a black marker or pen

First things first, to get this project started go ahead and plug in your glue gun and warm it up.

Now go ahead and cut out the Starbucks logo from the Keurig box, being sure to leave the outer side without perforation untouched.

Your next step is to hot glue the Starbucks logo to the side of the K-cup.

Following that, quickly use the top of the K-cup to measure and cut out a circle piece of cardboard from one of the side pieces of "scrap" of the Keurig box, be sure to cut it large enough to cover the entire top of the K-cup. Glue this piece to the top once it's trimmed to fit.

Next you'll want to let the glue on these pieces dry and write a cute thank you message on the untouched, un-perforated side of the box. I wrote "Thanks a latte" but you could go with something like "Words cannot espresso my thanks" or whatever punny coffee line you want!

Once your message is written, go ahead and unravel the cotton balls. The brand I bought comes apart fairly easily so they became long strands within seconds. You'll want to have enough to "swirl" on the top of your cup to mimic whipped cream. My suggestion is to start forming it before gluing to insure you get the look you want with minimal effort. Now use your glue gun and glue the cotton balls/whipped cream to the top of the cardboard covered K-cup opening.

Take a quick second and add a few dots of glue to the back of the K-cup/Starbucks mini-cup, pressing it onto the piece of cardboard that has the thank you message written.

Now hand one of these bad boys out to every Starbucks loving friend you need to thank and they may just be thanking you for the adorable card showing your gratitude!

Plus, don't miss your chance to save some money... Click here & save Up to 30% on New Summer Markdowns at Starbucks.com! 

20 Must-Read Children's Books: You'll Want to Add All of These to Your Baby's Bookshelf!

As I mentioned recently, I'm super excited to share my love of books with our little miss. I'm sure I'm not the only parent that's eager to read to their child and watch their wonder of books blossom, so today I want to share a great little list of books for any baby to enjoy with their parents!

Whether you want to read a book about little creatures who love cookies or a book about how much you love your little one, there's a little bit of everything included in this list! With beautiful illustrations and creative tales, you and your little one are going to love this collection of good, clean books and since most of them can be bought as "board books", they are tough enough that your little one can handle them without a worry!

Go ahead and buy one, two, or maybe even a few of these awesome books... I've linked all of them below so you can easily find them and stock up your babe's library!

1. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff

2. The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin

3. How Do I love you? by Marion Dane Bauer

4. A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

5. The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson

6. I'll See you in the Morning by Mike Jolley

7. Numbers by Orla Kiley

8. A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni

9. Gaston (and Friends) by Kelly DiPucchio

10. The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

11. Ten Tiny Tickles by Karen Katz

12. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

13. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

14. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr

15. Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

16. I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa Mccourt

17. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

18. The Hiccupotamus by Aaron Zenz

19. Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton

 20. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

That's TWENTY different books you can add to your kiddo's library and I guarantee you'll love each book every time you read it. If you are already a parent, I'd love to hear what your favorite children's book is and why it's your favorite in the comments below!

Interested in finding more awesome items for babies and new mamas?
Click here to check out my Baby Shower Gift Guide!