That’s right…MINE! LOL!

Everyone is familiar with the famous and classic M&M’s (you know, the candy that “melts in your mouth, not in your hands”) and I’d like to say right here and now that they are highly underrated!

So the holidays are quickly approaching and a week or so before they arrive you may suddenly find yourself in a couple possible scenarios.

Scenario one: Your kids have been home on Christmas break for three whole days and you’re trying to finish up your Christmas preparations, but they are bored … and telling you so every 5 seconds.

Scenario two: You are in desperate need of some creative gift ideas for the children on your list and don’t want to even think about looking at another toy.

What if I were to tell you that I have a great idea?? I know you’d just love me to death right?

I have officially begun my shopping!

As Christmas quickly approaches I know that many of us are still rushing around trying to find all those last minute (well not quite) gifts!  If you are like me and do much of your shopping online it is actually getting down to a “last minute” type scenario for getting gifts shipped in time. 

I wanted to let you know about another great contest going on over at 5 Minutes for Mom!  Just post a blog entry (like this one) and leave a comment to be entered to win an Insignia Shelf System!   Want it now? Well, you’re in luck, this system is available to purchase through Best Buy (I love this store!) and you still have time to get it by Christmas!

Happy Shopping!

I have two ideas for you today. Once again on a search for toy alternatives and creative children’s gifts! I will go into more detail below, but I found the Tessy and Tab Reading Club and KraftyKid.com both super fun ideas. What I love about these is that they are a gift that keeps on giving and they are perfect for any gift giver . . . even one that lives thousand of miles away!

I hope you enjoy these ideas and there are plenty more to come, not all for children either!

At KraftyKid.com you can find all sorts of fun and entertaining crafts, even Fun Craft of the Month Clubs. Clubs start as low as $2.99 per month, and there are trial kits for you to try out to be sure you love them!

They offer a craft club for Kids, one for Preschoolers and even one for Adults! And how about a Build Your Own Craft Club, Bible Craft Subscription, Surprise Craft Club and Sticker Scene of the Month Craft Club. Obviously you pick the perfect gift for your child or grandchild and away you go!

I love the fun and creative kits they offer as well as the flexibility to pay monthly until you choose to cancel – sometimes a yearly subscription is not what I am looking for. So be sure to hop on over there to see for yourself all the fun your child can begin having at KraftyKid.com

Once again I am searching for fun and creative gift giving and maybe even a toy alternative or two and today I have found the PERFECT GIFT FOR PRESCHOOLERS – the gift of reading!

At TessyandTab.com you can join the reading club and develop early literacy skills with a fun magazine. Issues arrive twice a month and are just $2/issue! A full year of reading for $48. At their website you can view a sample magazine, get more information about all the perks included in the subscription . . . things like their Grown Up Guide emails for parents (and gift giver) emails, Parent’s Guide and more.

The Tessy and Tab Reading Club is specifically for children ages 2 . . . 3 . . . 4 . . . 5+! Let grandma know about this fabulous idea.

The recent announcements of mass toy issues has made me a little wary during my gift shopping this year! Especially when it comes to toys. I think this year I am going for simpler and more creative gifts. Because of the ages of the children I’m shopping for there will be toy purchases involved and I’m happy to share a few simple store ideas with you that I think you will like!

I love the simplicity of many traditional wooden toys and I absolutely adore the idea of offering children gifts that will inspire creativity and imagination! So I was very happy when I discovered a family of websites that offer the very products that I can feel great about giving!!!

For the kiddos on your list there’s Magic Cabin and HearthSong! Each of these shops is dedicated to inspiring children and their love of simple and fun things! And for the adults on your list who enjoy gardening and homelife I recommend Plow & Hearth products for Hearth, Yard & Garden truly the green thumb’s (or wannabe’s) favorite stop!

HearthSong – Toys You’ll Feel Good About Giving. Offering a gift center, an entire section dedicated to the Parent’s Choice Award Winning products they carry as well as products for outdoor play, classic toys, dollhouses, crafts and much more!

Magic Cabin – Childhood’s Purest Treasures Here you can shop by department, collection or even by age. They offer categories of products such as . . . toys and games, doll play, arts and crafts, books and household items as well as an entire section dedicated to sale items.

Plow & Hearth products for Home, Hearth, Yard & Garden offers just that! I personally love their yard and garden area as well as their great gift ideas!

Well, that’s about it for today’s suggestion! Hop on over to those sites and enjoy your look around, you won’t be disappointed . . . quite the opposite, I’m sure you’ll be inspired!

As the Holiday season quickly approaches I want to offer all of you some great ideas for Christmas shopping! We are always on a pretty tight budget with 6 guys to shop for, but either way I think you’ll find these great shops inviting!

I will be sharing ideas, shops and specials with you often throughout the next few weeks, so look for the button to the left that let’s you know the post is part of our Christmas Shopping List!

If you are a blogger who plans to share some fun things you have found for Christmas shopping this year I would like to invite you to be a Shopping List participant! Email me letting me know when you plan to post or with a link to your post and once a week I will publish a post sending people to your great ideas! You are also welcome to use the button on your blog and in your post if you’d like!

Have a great idea but don’t want to blog about it? Great, feel free to email us we could always use more ideas! We would be thrilled if you’d like to send others my way to see all our ideas, feel free to link up using the code in the box below!