61 Shopping Days............

I know, gives you the willies doesn't it? Well, in this house (or the house we were in 59 days ago) we would try our best to focus on the Birthday instead. I think we did/do a pretty good job in that respect. Jesus has always trumped Santa. However, it is the season of giving and with three kids I'm the first to admit that I get carried away some times.

Some blogging friends are linking up to share some unique and fun gift giving ideas; so I thought I'd join in and share a few of mine. To read about some great ideas from other moms look over to the left and click on Stefanie's blog NiHaoY'all. I check in on her often because she's simply an amazing Christian mom who dabbles in making some fabulous faith inspired T's (click on the Wild Olive link to the left to see those babies) BTW, she didn't ask for that plug, I just think they're definitely worth taking a look at!

So my first idea is to check out http://www.insectlore.com/ This is where we got our first butterfly habitat. It was amazingly simple, yet watching those caterpillars morph into butterflies right before our very eyes was humbling to witness. In fact, once we set them free they actually did come back to hang around the porch for a few days just as the directions said they might do. Of course my kids are for anything nature so it was rated as one of their top favorites and we've had a few more butterflies since then. I believe they have other "habitats" including frogs, ants and a few other crawlies.

My other favorite sight is http://www.oompa.com/ This sight has many of our favorite brands such as Haba, Bajo and Jellycat. My kids have played with their stuff for years and even though my boys are 9 and 10 they still love their games; even the ones that come with the little brightly painted carved animal shapes that are supposedly only good for entertaining up to age 5. So that should tell you something. Anyhow, our favorites are the puzzles, and the games "Chaos in the Kids Room", "Rainbow Timber", "Sleepy Princess and the Pea", and "Animal Upon Animal". I've just spied a new one called "Wild Vikings" I may have to purchase. Bajo makes those awesome hand held expertly carved wooden cars and trucks and Jellycat has the softest most adorable animals with the wildest names I've ever heard. My daughter loves them. I'd love to link you directly to those items but I haven't yet figured out how to do that yet like some of you. I'd be happy for anyone to walk me through that process:)

So there you go. I have to say, just writing about this stuff gets me going. I think I can hear Bing crooning in my ear as I type.