Stocking Stuffers for Men

Yesterday it was all about me the ladies but today it's all about you guys. I'm talking to the guys that read this {uhhh if that's even a thing. Okay I know my friend Alex and Nick do so kudos to you gentleman!} Really though its for the women in your life that can't think of anything besides condoms and cigars to get you. Too much? 

Well as I stated yesterday Jerek and I don't get gifts for each other now that we have little humans and a lot of family to buy for. Jer is always complaining that I am so great {toot toot!} at finding things for his stocking so I figured I share the wealth for you girlfriends, moms or partners that may be a little stuck.

While I usually get Jerek his favorite cologne it is sadly discontinued, so while he figures out what who he wants to smell like picking up a body spray by Axe is very easy and affordable and the scent he already likes! If your man is in need of a new wallet but wants to skip the huge bulky scene this time around, Zara men does some great little card holders. Hair spray may seem silly but we go through a lot in our house and I'm rather sick of Jerek walking into my dressing room and asking 'where da snookie spray at!' Tresemme hair spray is our favorite drugstore hair spray hands down.

Jerek is a skinny tie lover and I always try and sneak a new one in when I can. This one from Forever 21 is simple and classic and will match his eyes! From button downs to scarfs I just love all things plaid and this scarf ties in so many different colors you can wear it with anything.

Coffee. There really isn't much more to say but we RUN on it! They converted someones office at work into a coffee shop {true story} so I figured some K-cups for his desk could be a nice gesture for that new Kurig they just got. Jereks ALL time favorite candy are these weirdo Ferrero things! The guy will sit in bed and watch ancient aliens and eat a whole container. This is the one thing he always knows will show up in his stocking from me! Shaving cream can irritate mens faces but this one from EOS is fragrance free and is loaded with moisture. Last but not least are scratch offs. My dad started these with me when I was little and I always like throwing them in stockings or birthday cards. There's nothing like winning a few bucks that can really change your mood!

If you missed yesterday's post on what to stuff in the your ladies stocking you can check it out here. Hope you all are getting your holiday shopping done and scoring some great deals! If you have any other ides on what to get the men in your life leave them below! I'm not done with Jerek's stocking yet and could use a few extra ideas!

Stocking Stuffers for the Ladies

13 days guys, 13 days!!!

The holidays are right around the corner and I have about negative 2 gifts bought. Yup. I'm one of those people. The one that waits till the week of and then gets all pissy because I'm at Target on the 23rd and so is everyone in southeast Michigan. RUDE!

If you are anything like me and love stuffing stockings, seriously I loveeeee stocking shopping, then keep reading. Jerek always complains around this time and it usually goes something like this:

J: 'ughhhh, it's not fair, you always do good stockings. 

I never know what to get you'

C: dude, you're nuts, I like EVERYTHING! 

Go to the dollar section at Target or Old Navy.

Find a cute piece of jewelry at Forever 21.

Or Victoria Secrets if you don't want me 

wearing granny panties errday.

J: you're so annoying, I'm not buying you underwear

C: but I NEED it. I also need chocolate, coffee 

and fireball, water my beach angel!

J: fine, I'll just get everything you said but it's not

going to be a surprise now. You're seriously so hard to buy for.

With that being said, we also try and keep it under $100 {or less!} and we don't buy each other any gifts. We buy things for ourselves through out the year and get gift cards for birthday's and Christmas that we really don't see it necessary to spend money on each other. Plus we like going shopping the day after Christmas and dropping some hard earned cash while scoring those major 40-60% off the store deals that everyone has! 

So if you are like Jerek and need ideas to fill up those stocking for the ladies in your life, here ya go friends! 

So everything you see are products that I already own or wouldn't mind owning and would love to open on Christmas morning {hint hint hintttttt} The bath and body works candles are my go to candles but ONLY and I repeat ONLY when they are 2 for $22 because $22 for ONE candle is nonsense to me! These gloves from Forever 21 have that faux leather on the palms with a tweed looking top, real dreamy grown up if you ask me! Tea oh tea how I love the! The sugar cookie sleigh ride tea is only available at the holidays and I'm already running  out! This tea is MEGA affordable so buy a box or three while you're at it guys!

I love a good black snood but this one from Forever 21 has a hood! Like what could be cuter, NOTHING that's what! I never buy a full bottle of perfume because A. that shit is expensive! and B. I am always changing it up. My girlfriend bathes in Angel and it's something I'm never sick of and have been dying to snag this up but a full size bad boy can cost you some extra mula! This travel size fella is perfect and fits right into our stocking budget {real subtle Chelsea}. Face masks are my quality pleasure and this one by Freeman is one I just ran out of. The charcoal & black sugar scrub gives off just the right amount of exfoliation without irritating my sensitive skin. 

For the makeup lovers like myself, the Naked 2 basic palette has been a lust item for me as I own the original Naked palette and use it every day. It's great for beginners to advance makeup users and everyone in between. You can't go wrong with EOS lip balm. It's a staple item that anyone can throw in a stocking and know the receiver will love it. With so many flavors to choose from you may want to pick up one for yourself {or you will, whoops.} Last but most definitely not least is candy and specifically these mini cadbury holiday eggs! I have only seen these during Easter and when I spotted these the other day at Target in someone else's cart I went on a hunt! Sadly I came out empty handed because the shelf was wiped clean! 

Welp Jerek, I hope you took a snapshot of this post or clicked on the links and shopped online. Now you have ZERO reason to have the above conversation with me next week! If you ladies want to get some ideas for the men in your life, stay tuned for tomorrow where I share what I may be getting Jerek in his stocking ;)

Now to get the toddler who "isn't good at sleeping" {so he says} to bed. TOODLES!

Up Up & Away!

This week has been so busy with work and family it was nice to spend a night out and enjoy the beautiful fall air that has slowly crept it's way through Michigan. A year ago us kids were trying to come up with ideas as to what to get Jerek's parents for Christmas. They are some hard people to buy for as they both have different hobbies and tell you "I want nothing" when you ask. sweet, NOT helpful guys! We decided that we would all go in on a big gift together instead of small, somewhat meaningless gifts.

Well last year I came up with the bucket list gift, and was pretty proud of it if I do say so myself! Jerek's dad was just recently forced to sell his share in a small airplane he owned with 4 other people. The other men were older and decided to sell the plane, meaning he was SOL and was selling his share as well. With that coming to an end and I knew I had a great idea up my sleeve; a hot air balloon ride!!! Yep, I nailed it, everyone thought it was a great idea! I did some research and found a place about 45 minutes away that my grandparents had used years ago.  I've been OCD mildly obsessed with reading reviews ever since I found out I was pregnant last winter and the reviews about this company were great! Here is the place we ended up going through if you live in the mitten or will be visiting any time in the near future!  The customer service was amazing, the balloon owners were so knowledgeable and mother nature was a perfect lady.

When it came time to giving the actual gift we didn't just want to hand them a gift card and say Merry Christmas, no we wanted something more than that! Jer's sister made this awesome scaled down version of a hot air balloon.  We had every intention of "flying" it over to his parents sitting on the couch but shit happens and that balloon ended up on the kitchen counter sitting nicely.

We all dipped out of work a tad early and met up in Oxford where we followed our balloon man/team and headed to the take off site. I was a little antsy because I was about to eat my arm off a little hungry, but Jer said we were staying in downtown Oxford to eat dinner so I put my big girl panties back on and womened up. The site was beautiful and the sun was just starting to go night night, as Tracen would say.

After the three balloons took off we got into our cars and followed the "chase car." It was like a movie and the balloon just flew over us and we stopped and waved and were acting all touristy and shit!

The ride was about 45 minutes long, which was the perfect amount of time for the riders and the follows if you ask me. Tracen wanted out of the car and I was still "hungry." We all thought that there was some calculated landing point but it was far from that. We landed in someones back yard..and the kids living there were on cloud nine. It was like a movie as they saw this balloon descending from the sky into their backyard as they ran out of the house barefoot, to take in all the excitement. This picture is taken by Jerek's sister's husband, in other words, my brother-in-law (if Jer and I were married that is) *wink wink* He hates on the iphone so bad and we all hate on his whateverthehellphonehehas but damn...the picture quality is on point!

We ended the night with some dinner at a place in downtown Oxford called Red Knapps. It had THE most amazing chili I've ever had I'm going to write a review on Yelp for it, and I never do that!

So if you need Christmas ideas, and I know we all do as it's October 12th and Christmas is only 74 days away, a hot air balloon ride might just make you the gift giver of the year, I'm just sayin!