I'm trying to help you out here

let's face it, men are impossible to shop for. as in, i begin thinking in january what i'lm going to get miles for his birthday in november. the reason for this being--for the most part men just buy themselves what they want, when they want it. asking a man to be patient is like speaking to them in russian, they can't comprehend what it is you are saying. so what do they do? they just go on their holly jolly way and get themselves what it is they are eyeballing whether it be december or july. this makes trying to gift my husband, dad, or any other men i know a maddening, treacherous feat. luca stands alone as being the only man in my life who makes me feel as though options are endless. i could give lu a tootsie roll and he'd jump out of his socks. i asked miles to write this post so you could hear from the man himself, but he lags, so i had to improv. that being said, here is my "attempt" at trying to act like i know what men want. i also stopped caring about caps-locking.

1. if your husband is like mine, you can't go wrong with a travel bag. miles idolizes andrew reynolds who recently came out with a line for nixon which includes this backpack. i already received it in the mail, and i'll say it is top notch quality. if you don't know who andrew reynolds is, he's a professional skateboarder with obsessive compulsive disorder so you know his line is on point. the bag has a pocket on the interior lined with fur to protect your cell phone from getting scratched and the bag comes equipped with tons of storage. this will be perfect for when we travel to ny. 

2. have you played "cards against humanity yet?" if so then you know just how ridiculously hilarious the game is. we played for the first time last christmas and my cousin suggested we mix the cards against humanity deck with the cards from "apples to apples." what resulted was everyone dying of laughter and us staying up until midnight as we kept extending the number of cards you needed to win because no one wanted the game to end. i should warn you that the game is wildly inappropriate so don't buy it thinking your going to stuff it into your kids stocking unless you want them reading about "incest getting better with age" during family game night. (and that's me being PG about it) 

3. did you know pendleton makes toiletry bags? well thanks for letting us know! because we didn't. we spotted one a month ago when we were shopping at an adorable store called "american rag" in costa mesa. miles is always traveling for work, and so we were willing to drop some extra dollars on a travel bag knowing it would pay itself off in no time.

4. national geographic has been around for what seems like forever & rightfully so. they are always relevant, always educational, and just when you think they can't top the picture they took of the snow leopard five feet away from the camera, they go and capture some meteor all up close and personal and act like it's no biggie. i'll admit, this one is partly for miles, partly for me. i just found out nat geo also has a kids subscription. i'm suckered in. check and check. 

5. & 6. if you haven't caught onto the moscow mule craze yet, you and i are in this one together. miles, on the other hand, received this copper mug for father's day and he uses it all the time to mix up his new favorite drink. his not so secret recipe goes something like this: he mixes equal parts melon infused vodka with ginger beer and tops it off with a spritz of lime. then, he shakes it up in a cocktail ramekin with some ice and pours his concoction into its special copper cup. it's tastes delicious, but it will also sneak up behind you and steal your wallet, so tread carefully & watch your back.

there you have it, a woman telling you about men and what it is they want. credible? eh. just as credible as the male ob I had while pregnant with luca (but we can talk about that another time). what are you planning to gift your man? please share your ideas with me! i hope this list helped you at least a little so i can, at the very least, break even with the time it took me to write this. i'll be back soon with my most favorite list, "gift guide for your littles." 

until then,

How to stuff the eff out of a lady's stocking

If you couldn't tell from my collage, I'll just come right on out and say it--I'm a plain jane these days. I don't even feel shameful. The whole "less is more" concept seems to become more of value to me as time goes on, and let me tell you, It feels so good. I don't need hundreds of textures and patterns on a day to day basis. I like comfort, subtleness and maybe, just maybe, if you're lucky you'll get a splash of color or touch of glitz out of me. My motto is "I want everything I wear to look nice, but feel like pajamas" and that's how I roll. Nowadays, champagne pink, lilac, white, and rose gold won't stop yapping in my ears, so I told them I would give them some face time, and they agreed they'd calm down if I told you how underrated they feel. Maybe now that I put it in writing the obsession will end? Doubt it, but I'm ok if it sticks around. 

1. This first item is swell. No, really, that's its name, S'well! And it's damn swell & handy that this trendy little bottle can keep my tea hot for 12 hours or iced for 24. I have a similar model--what is this, a car??? (water bottles these days...sheesh)--anyway, I have a similar model that is a coffee thermos and it seriously is no joke. I'll make my tea at 6 am and burn my tongue at noon. What more could a mother want? Really though, how many times do you reheat your drink in the morning? Problem solved.

2. I don't know a lot about headphones, but what I do know is this Frend's set is so pretty! Now you may just stop in your steps, but I'm being honest when I say I think the sound is good in the Apple brand headphones, so anything upgraded from those is just a cherry on top of the cake.

3. These adorable cream and sugar containers are whimsically designed to look like little milk cartons. Backstory: My husband and I are obsessed with coffee mugs, as in we have more mugs than money, so naturally we should have a cute cream and sugar set to compliment them? Who am I kidding? I cannot justify this addiction, but I also cannot denounce it. Let's be honest, you need these too.

4. This is such a great holiday polish color to compliment any cozy cable knit sweater & you have the option to put a touch of sparkle if you please. I ordered a few sets to stuff stockings when they were on clearance for black friday! I love a good sale!

5. Rain boots aren't exactly necessary in southern California especially while we're in the midst of a drought, but it rained today! It rained for maybe 5 minutes total, but it rained! And I hope it continues to rain. Regardless, the fam and I are off to the east coast later this week and I'm in desperate need for rain boots. Last time I was there a flash flood broke out in the middle of august and I was wearing ballet flats that ended up sopped. I had to buy an overpriced umbrella from a bum out of desperation and walk miles in total discomfort. I will not be caught off guard like a total tourist this time! And these are versatile enough that you could wear them sans rain. 

6. Ok, reference item #3. Mug madness is happening right now. I told you I have a serious problem, but if my mugs were my students, this would be the teacher's pet. A gold lipstick stain?!! Is this real life?! This is probably my favorite item on the list, and also most likely the least expensive. I told you I was simple, didn't I?

7. I've been shopping watches for a really long time now and this watch so suddenly walked into my life, and at that exact moment all my questions were answered. I like a product that prioritizes quality before quantity. This watch is a sturdy, moderately/fairly priced, and a diamond in the ruff. Look a little closer, yeah that is still a diamond. I like to stack it with bracelets, yet have no problem wearing it stripped down. Simple pleasures really do still exist! 

8. These are the two scents I wear, and both perfumes come in roller balls which is great for when you don't want to drop a large sum on something you aren't entirely sure will blend well with your natural scent. Philosykos is my favorite, however, and Carven places second. 

9. Lipstick holder - this is more of a conversation starter than it is a lipstick holder, and it is always really depressing when someone says, "wow, where did you get that?" and you have to reply "Anthro," rather than explaining to them how it was passed down to you from your great grandmother's grandmother and so forth, but nonetheless, it's charming and lovely and I think every girl deserves one. If you aren't a lipstick kinda gal, no worries, it fits mascara tubes, roller ball perfumes, and lip glosses, etc. To top things off, Anthropologie is offering free shipping on all orders for Cyber Monday today! 

10. Mini Wallet- Fossil makes all around good products and better yet, I linked you to a mini wallet that I found from them on sale! If you want to get to the one I posted in my collage (which is blush pink on the interior by the way!) you can go directly through Fossil's website. I like to have a mini wallet in my bag for the purpose of carrying just my license and main cards in it for when I need to quick run into the store and don't want to lug the whole diaper bag. Luca is at the age now where we can stand to be without the diaper bag emergency rations for a solid thirty minutes while making a quick run into Trader Joe's or Target. Is a quick run into these places even possible? I ask myself that question far too often. Am I alone here? Trader Joe's is my happy place & Target is the devil, but also my sanity, and I think most of us feel that way, or at least I tell myself so to make me feel like I do not have a problem ;) 

I veered way off topic there, but that's a wrap in regards to stocking stuffers: female edition. Stay tuned for what to get the men in your life (always feels impossible) and gift ideas for your little lady or gent (which seems to come way to naturally)! 

Oh and Happy first of December! It's official! Let the holiday festivities begin! And pass me a glass of eggnog while I dream about bundling up fireside listening to Christmas tunes. Don't let Monday beat you up too bad! Have a good one & don't forget! I'll be announcing the winner to the Freshly Picked Moccasins first thing tomorrow morning! We are almost to that 1,ooo followers mark which means an added surprise may be included! Keep it Classy!

xo

Stocking Stuffer Ideas

I'm sort of contradicting myself when I said a few posts ago that I like to take each holiday as they come, and this is true, but I also like to get my Christmas shopping done early so I can actually enjoy the holiday. There is nothing more chaotic than joining the rest of the world in the christmas shopping rat race where everyone is running around like headless chickens with peppermint lattes in one hand and overloaded visas in the other. And no one is really spreading holiday cheer, but rather grinching about trying to get that front row parking spot or pushing and shoving for the last furby on the shelf or what have you. Talk about a major anxiety attack.

 I'm planning on doing most of my shopping online this year. You can find amazing deals shopping online, not to mention have your order magically appear at your doorstep while you're watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by the fire. What could beat that? Nothing.

There is nothing specific I really want this year. Last year I got my engagement ring, and after you get a gift like that, you really can't try and top it. This year I thought it would be fun to do nick-nacks in the stockings, and save our money to invest into our new home. I'm talking about Miles and I of course, you know Santa's gonna spoil Luca silly. It's Luca's first Christmas. Just the sound of that makes me want to bake some sugar cookies and prop him under the tree for a photo! Anyhow, below are some stocking stuffer ideas for the men and babies in your life. And I'd love to know, what are some of your favorite stocking stuffers?

Oh, and here, you can find some great ideas for wrapping your gifts in brown paper. I love the rustic look of brown wrapping paper. 

photo from Apartment Therapy

1Basic Black Socks socks are on my husband's favorite things of all time list. He goes through socks like crazy and he particularly loves the Nordstrom's black crew socks. So these are a staple in any gift I ever give him.

2 Wall Mount Bottle Opener for the beer lover in your life. I like it because you never have to fiddle around looking for a bottle opener. 

3 Tiger Balm  this is like crack for your sore muscles. It burns so good! My hubby would bathe in this stuff if he could. 

4 Drip Pot Coffee Maker this is cool for when you wanna make a small batch of coffee and you don't own a keurig. Miles is anti-keurig for whatever reason so I don't see us getting one anytime soon. But isn't it beautiful? How great would this kraft look on the table?! Ok so maybe it's more for me than him...but hey we both win!

5 Pocket Knife these come in handy more often than not. And you'll definitely be happy your husband has one when a packages comes in the mail. Why do they wrap those things like Chinese finger traps?

6 Spoon Garden Markers I have a black thumb so I'm thankful my husband's is green. These are great for differentiating your herbs, and add a touch of decor to your garden. 

7 Life Factory Water Bottle both my husband and I have and love these bottles. They keep you drinking water, come in tons of colors, and are Eco-friendly. One tip, order the new straw cap. It's wayyy better than the standard screw cap.

1 Sophie the Giraffe Teether this seems to be every baby's favorite teether these days. Luca has the mini vanilla version with grip handles, and I love that it's non-toxic.

2 Raz-berry silicone teether what a cute idea. My cousin's daughter has this and she loved it when she was pre-teething which is the stage Luca is at now. The kid could fill a swimming pool with all that drool. 

3 Boon Squirt Spoon very soon we'll have a baby who doesn't just drink bottles, and I've heard rave reviews on these spoons.

4 3 Sprouts Bath Toy Organizer because Luca's bath appliqués are all over the place.

5 B. Fun Keys I love the B. Brand toys, and I'm sure these keys will be no exception. These are for Luca, but they are also partly for me. I need to sign up for baby toys anonymous ASAP. Hi, I'm Chelsie and I'm a baby toy addict.

6 Oval Xylophone just like the one we all had as kids. They make a janky looking plastic one now, but the wood one is so much more classic. And the pretty gentle sounds the xylophone makes make this a sound bearable instrument for all the parents out there with tone deaf babies.

7 Ba Baby Bottle Holder I stumbled upon this randomly and may even buy it for Luca before Christmas gets here. He's so close to holding his own bottle but it's just a tad heavy for him. But let me tell you, he has grip like a gorilla. My poor post-partum head of hair knows.

Well there you have it. This is how we stuff stockings in the Wood household. Hope you enjoyed and got some good ideas! Happy Holidays!