A Busy Mom's Gift Guide for: Toddlers

I'm so excited to be posting my first gift guide. Now, these gift guides are going to be absolutely no-nonsense: easy, affordable options that you can order online with minimal hassle. Nothing fancy, but with options you'll feel good about gifting others.

If you're the mother of a toddler, or someone who loves a toddler (shout out to the aunts & uncles, cousins, and friends of moms out there), these are great options: simple, easy, and with a focus on nurturing how smart and curious toddlers are. 

Here are my top picks for Christmas gifts for toddlers, age 18 months to 4 years! 

1. Kid Kraft Chalkboard Table, $99.99

Confession: this is actually what I'm getting Forrest for Christmas this year. We've been looking for a table for him: somewhere he could sit to have a snack, draw, or play with blocks. I originally found this at Costco (as a side note: it is available for $59.99 at Costco, so if you're local, definitely look for it there) and knew I wanted to get it for him. It comes with a handy pouch for storing art supples (where my dog cannot get to those delicious crayons), two stools, and a roll of paper underneath for easy access. 

2. Mega Bloks Build 'N Learn Math Building Set, $24.99

We are big fans of math, science, and reading themed toys in our house; for his birthday, Forrest got a set of baby science books that he absolutely loves. This block set combines the fun of building with math; you can put stickers on blocks to indicate numbers, add them, subtract them, and learn basic math! For older toddlers, this would be really fun for those first math lessons and for experimenting with counting. 

3. Seedling Littles Galaxy Rocket Adventure Cape Costume Kit, $25.99

I had never heard of this Seedling Littles brand before, but this rocket adventure kit has absolutely made me a fan. It's basically a little cape that toddlers can put together, decorate as they like, and then dress up with to pretend they are going to space, exploring the world, or just zooming. It is so much fun! They also have other great ones like this farmer's market playtime kit, this dress up headband kit, and this under the sea playtime kit. If you're into interactive and imaginative play with your kids (which, I hope you are!), these are absolutely perfect toys! 

5 Free iPhone Wallpapers for Christmas

December is my favorite time of year. I often get made fun of by my friends and family because I put up my Christmas tree as early as possible: November 1, usually, but sometimes I wait a week into November. You know, wait. I really enjoy the Christmas season. 

So it goes without saying that I usually Christmas-ify everything in my life: my bedroom, my kitchen, my planner, my phone. Thanks to Pinterest, it's easier than ever to find cute, seasonal wallpapers. For your enjoyment, I've gathered up 5 of my favorite wallpapers that I've been cycling through! Check them out below. 

[One] [Two] [Three] [Four] [Five]

3 Genius, Last Minute Kids Halloween Costumes

Originally, for Halloween, Forrest was going to be going as one thing... but then, my mom found my vintage, circa-1989, pumpkin costume. And considering Forrest is absolutely bonkers for pumpkins, it was meant to be. However, we have his other costume as a back up for pre-Halloween parties and activities; it's much easier to wear than a pumpkin costume! 

This got me thinking though: sometimes, it's just not practical to dress a toddler or young child in their "official" Halloween costume, either because it is too bulky or not appropriate for school. (An example is one of my friend's is dressing her child as the Little Mermaid; it has a flesh colored netting that isn't allowed at a school function, so she can only wear it trick-or-treating.) 

So here are 3 easy, last minute kids costumes: things you can make with just a few hours notice or that you already have. 

1. The ABCs

This was Forrest's original costume! I bought a black long sleeve and a pair of black sweatpants from Target, plus foam sticker letters and fabric glue. Wash the clothes, then unstick the letters and fabric glue them. (Make sure to put a piece of cardboard inside the shirt to prevent it from gluing it together!) Once they're dry, voila! You're the ABCs. Quick, easy, education, and affordable; the entire thing cost about $14. 

2. Cat (or dog) fan 

This costume sometimes gets called "Crazy Cat Lady," but I hate that term. (It's ableist and sexist.) Even more fun, you could make this cat or dog Instagram star! Basically, dress in normal clothes, carry around a dog or cat toy, and either a toy phone, an old phone that you're not using anymore, or make one out of cardboard. Perfect! 

3. Bat

Almost every kid has a slightly raggedy, almost-outgrown sweatshirt somewhere. It's so easy to turn into a bat costume! Just cut fabric into two triangles, with a triangle-scallop on one edge. Then fabric glue one straight edge to the torso of a sweatshirt, and the other straight edge to the arm; repeat on the other side. Voila! You've got a quick-and-easy bat costume. You can add a black hat with ears (you can fabric glue these on too or find one with ears at Target or TJ Maxx). With a few changes, this would also be a cute vampire costume: just add teeth, a little bit of make up (pale face, dark under the eyes), and all black clothes. 

3 Beauty Products for Halloween

Can I just say something about Blogtober? I am exhausted. I brought this on myself though. I’ve massively neglected my Instagram in favor of writing so many blog posts. The page in my bullet journal dedicated to my writing goal is dominated by writing blog posts in advance every single day… and I haven’t even started thinking about NaNoWriMo. (Gosh, am I going to take on NaNoWriMo after this!?) 

But I’ve also been loving Blogtober—having the chance to write all these posts that I’ve always wanted to write… like putting together my favorite outfits, finding new beauty products, sharing the best tutorials I’ve pinned on Pinterest… it’s been a lot of fun! 

I decided to take it easy on myself with this post. I love Halloween make up; it’s my favorite time of the year because, duh, Autumn, but also, Halloween and spooky-themed everything is so much fun. Here’s a round up of some of the cutest, most fun, and most spooky beauty products. 

1. Pumpkin Bath-o-Lantern Bath Bomb

Before every busy Halloween, we all need a little self-care. This pumpkin-shaped bath bomb is scented with “exotic pimento, sweet vanilla and cozy, warming cinnamon,” and promises to turn your bath water a pretty, pumpkin orange. What could be better? 

 

 

 

 

 

2. imPRESS Matte Halloween Nails with Glitter Accents

Press on nails are not something I ever thought I would recommend… or wear. But I really love imPRESS nails—I went through a phase of wearing them every week a few years ago (post-baby it’s much more difficult to rock a long nail) and they always last 7+ days. Seriously. 7+ days! These ones feature a gray-and-white matte color scheme with a spooky church yard and several glitter accent nails. Perfect for a subdued Halloween look. 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Make Up Revolution Vampire Night Lip Kid

This is such a fun lip kit! It features 1 matte liquid lipstick and a matching liner so you can contour your lips (or just prevent feathering—hello aging!) in the color Vampire Night, a rich, bloody burgundy color. Perfect for a vampire costume or just for fun. 

My Top 5 Must-Watch Scary Movies

When it comes to October, and Halloween, I’m a bit of a scary movie fanatic. My husband and I own almost every scary movie ever made—and every year, we get a bit optimistic and try to make a list of all of them with the plan to watch one every day until Halloween. This never happens because the idea of me staying awake through an entire movie every night is incredibly low, but we can dream. 

This year, we’re going to keep it simple with just our favorites—which got me thinking, what are my favorite scary movies? What are my must-watches every year? These are them—I highly recommend these movies to everyone who loves being scared. 

1. Trick or Treat 

This is, hands down, my favorite movie to watch right before Halloween or on Halloween. It’s so good! I love the vignette style; I love the stories; I love how they are all intertwined by the end. It’s just a good ol’ fashioned, spooky Halloween movie: a little gory at times (I look away; I can handle scary, but not gory), but overall really, really fun. 

2. Coraline

My husband gave me such side eye for including Coraline, but here’s my logic: This movie is terrifying. Forrest keeps bringing me the case and asking to watch it, but I won’t let him. The concept of having your eyes replaced by buttons? That’s scary. There are some scary scenes in this movie! I love watching it throughout October, because it’s the right amount of Autumnal, spooky, and whimsical. Just like Autumn itself. 

3. Cabin in the Woods

Another movie that doesn’t get the credit it deserves, I absolutely love this movie. I love that it is scary, while also spoofing horror films, while also being very, very funny at times. I also love that the end is so totally an end: the world ends! Nothing good happens! It’s such a fun, goofy movie to watch close to Halloween and my husband and I always end up having long conversations about the same things (such as the recurring mermaid joke). 

4. Halloween

This is such a classic movie. Jamie Lee Curtis plays the perfect, slightly nerdy babysitter with frankly awful friends; the kids are bumblingly awful; and the killer is immortal. It’s perfect! Even after watching it a hundred times at least (it’s perfect for watching on Halloween), there are still parts that scare me, like when the killer is standing in the bedroom wearing the sheet and glasses. 

5. Scream

An absolute 90s classic and one of my favorites. I own all 5 of the Scream series; you read that right, I own all 5 of them. This movie had such an impact on me as a kid and I still find myself idolizing Sidney. (And also, this was the movie that introduced me to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, one of my absolute favorite bands of all time.) Scary, goofy, and nostalgic all at once. Plus, this movie gave us a revitalized Drew Barrymore career; I mean, what a gift. 

5 Easy Non-Food Items for Easter Baskets

Easter is one of those holidays that is just very easy to love, but loving it can feel a bit... odd. Especially if you, like me, are not Catholic. I just really enjoy Easter baskets: my mom always went all out for our Easter baskets. I distinctly remember a few Pokemon themed baskets one year! 

I wanted to share a few ideas for easy, non-food items for your Easter Baskets--whether it's for your kids, your husband, your friends, whoever. I try to avoid giving candy as a gift because, to me, it's just a temptation! Here are a few ideas. 

1. Books

One of my favorite gifts to get Forrest is books! We picked out the book Thumper's Furry Friends together, and he has another surprise book for Easter morning. To me, there is nothing like a new book. One year, Danny got me A Wrinkle In Time for Easter. It was one of the best gifts I've ever received! This book is on my list for Easter this year.

2. Lip balm

Right now, I'm loving Vaseline Lip Therapy with Aloe. They have a limited edition Easter tin available at Target through Easter and it is so cute! However, the best part is that with the purchase of any Vaseline product, they provide skincare products to those in need. That's a win-win! 

3. Wet'n'Wild Liquid Catsuit

If you haven't tried this liquid lipstick yet, drop everything and get to a drug store! If you have a friend, a daughter, or a mom who loves to rock a strong, matte lip, Liquid Catsuit is puuuurrfect. (I'm sorry, that was a terrible pun.) It comes in a ton of colors. I personally own Rebel Rose and Berry Recognize. Both last all day without a single reapplication. Yes, even through eating and drinking, talking, touching my mouth, working out... For $4.99 a piece, they're the best gift. (Oh and Wal-Greens is having a buy one, get one deal, so you can snag one for yourself too!) 

4. Gift cards

Ok, I swear I put this on every list I make, but gift cards are the best gifts. Period, end of story. Whether they're for the grocery store or your favorite restaurant, they are endlessly adaptable to the person. My favorites are Starbucks gift cards (I can send them straight from my phone!) and Amazon gift cards (because Kindle books). 

5. A make up themed basket

I've been lusting after so many blush, highlight, eyeshadow, and contour palettes lately! There are so many cool affordable ones right now. If you have a friend who loves make up, it's really the way to go. I love this palette from Makeup Revolution and for only $18 (and available at Ulta), it's amazing. Throw in a few brushes, some face masks from Target, a pack of fancy make up wipes, and some lip balm and it's a make up lovers dream! 

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Disclaimer: I received samples of the Vaseline Lip Therapy with Aloe in exchange for a post featuring them. However, all praise of said product is my own--it's a great lip balm! For information about my disclosure policy, click here. 

4 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Home

Danny and I are not what I would call date people. If we can stay home, we will choose staying home every time. (It really doesn’t help that our toddler has a strict 5:30pm bedtime!) 

We have consistently celebrated Valentine’s Day at home—if at all. I wanted to share a few ways you can celebrate at home, either with your partner or on your own. 

1. Make dinner together (or make your favorite dinner) 

Listen, cooking can be fun. Really! Choose something fun to make that you’ve never done before or make your absolute favorite. Light some candles; play your favorite music or podcast; drink wine; and most importantly, have fun. 

2. Play a game

Danny and I love to play video games together. I have only a middling interest in most video games, but every once and I while, we will play where we trade off every 10 minutes or so. It’s so much fun! If you aren’t a fan of traditional Valentine’s Day activities, playing a video game together (or even a good ol’ fashioned board game) is a way to bond and have fun. 

3. Have some alone time. 

Ok, it’s Valentine’s Day. But also, it’s just any other day. If you’re flying solo this year, do some self-care: take a bubble bath, deep clean your kitchen until it is sparkling, or read your favorite book. Even if you’re not on your own this year, take some time for yourself: let your partner do what makes him or her happy and treat yourself to something fun. Personally, I’ll most likely take a bubble bath and read by myself in bed on Valentine’s Day. Because that’s what I wanna do. 

4. Watch your favorite movie. 

This is such an obvious one. But here’s something fun: buy your absolute favorite snacks (mega butter popcorn and M&Ms!?), rent your favorite movie (or, uh, grab it off a shelf), and settle onto the couch. Don’t move until the snacks are gone and the movie is over. Don’t touch your phone for that 2 hours. How relaxing is that!? 

A Sensible Gift Guide for: The Last Minute

It happens innocently enough: you pull into the parking lot at work, or you get a text from a friend about a holiday party. And you realize, suddenly, with only 3 days until Christmas... that you didn't get your boss, your mom, your aunt, your whoever, a gift. 

And while it wouldn't be a faux pas to not get that person a gift, it would also be kinda sorta super rude. What's a sensible gift buyer to do? 

Here are some ideas, available at your local mall, Target, or preferred shopping arena. 

Last Minute Gift Guide by wiredphosphenes featuring set of 4 mugs

1. A pretty (and cheap) palette. 

Have a girly friend that you totally forget to shop for? This palette (not the one pictured, because Sephora likes to change their links on me) is on sale for only $12.00 and features some amazing, neutral tones perfect for any skin tone. 

2. A preferred beverage & drinking receptacle. 

Coffee? Tea? Wine? Whatever? Pick a favorite (maybe a fancy Starbucks coffee blend or TAZO tea) and a cute mug. Package in a cute little Christmas bag with some tissue paper. Boom. Done.

4. A gift set. 

Burt's Bees gift sets are ubiquitous at my local haunts (Target, WalGreens, Wal-Mart) and are crazy affordable. This one is available at Target for $4.99. The best part about Target is that you can have one set aside via their website and that way, you don't even have to go into the store to look. 

I also like this one from Tarte. This Soap & Glory Set is only $20 at Ulta. There are tons to chose from and they make instantly perfect gifts. And, just a piece of advice: take the pieces out of the packaging and arrange them yourself. You can find a cheap basket or bin at Target, use tissue paper to make it pretty, and top it with a bow. Instantly personalized and less like you grabbed the first thing you saw. 

5. Fancy lip balm. 

Everyone loves lip balm, whether it's EOS or Tinte. The Tinte Vintage Slider lip balms come in some amazing flavors and you can find them at Ulta. A nice set of lip balms would make an excellent piece to add to another gift on this list. 

6. Socks.

I get ridiculously excited about sock purchases. And this time of year, you can find comfortable, warm socks just about everywhere. I love boot socks from American Eagle and these are on sale right now for only $3.50. You can get a few pairs and another gift for that special (erm) someone.