Planning out your holiday gift list is a fun way to think of new ways to surprise and delight your family with things they need or would love to have. As much as a I love getting out to support local business owners, shopping online has it’s appeal when you have a lot of people to shop for and not a lot of time to do so.
When I put together my Gift List for 2019 I selected all items that you can easily order online to help put a few minutes back in your daily agenda.
2019 Women’s Gift List
In my family we have more women than men and when the holiday season is busy it’s easy to fall into the trap of buying everyone the same gift. I hope this list helps inspire you to think of unique gifts for everyone on your list this season!
Moodo Smart Home Fragrance Diffuser
For the woman who loves having a fresh smelling home the Moodo is a must have gift. This one a kind diffuser is loaded with up to four scents at a time, allowing your gift recipient to personalize their fragrance to suit their mood. Controlled both manually or through the Moodo App you can even set the scent to kick on while you head home from work, arriving to a fresh smelling home everyday.
I first learned about Moodo at CES last year and loved getting to test out their fragrance wall at the event! Each scent pack comes with 4 differ\ent capsules ensuring that you have months of fresh smells in-between reorders.
Find MooDo Online
Moodo Diffuser Kit | Reorder Scents
Figleaves
Who doesn’t love a new set of comfy PJ’s for Christmas? As fun as holiday themed pajamas are a nice classic and comfortable set is a great way to treat the women in your life to something they might not usually buy for themselves.
The Figleaves Camelia Hidden Support Cami & Short Set is an amazing gift for every woman on your list. Super soft fabric means you’ll sleep more soundly without heavy and warm materials against your skin. A support layer in the camisole provides just the right amount of lift to allow you to wear these PJ’s all morning in comfort. Comfortable ties at the waist ensures that your bottoms will fit comfortably even after a full holiday meal!
For ladies who sleep a bit cooler the Camelia Set is available in both long sleeve and long pant with the same lusciously soft material.
Find Figleaves Online
Camelia Hidden Support Cami & Short Set
DANI Naturals
For the hard to shop for ladies treat them to an all natural bath set from DANI Naturals. These eco-friendly products are made with a gentle vegetable oil base and all organic ingredients to provide a nourishing and healthy experience for your skin and body.
DANI Naturals shampoo and conditioner is completely free of sulfates and is pH balanced to ensure safety against sensitivity skin. With naturally wavy hair the sulfate free products help keep my locks moisturized without adding additional weight that pulls out the natural body. The Lemongrass Lavender scent is a the perfect balance of relaxation and awakening making this set a must use for busy mornings.
Finding the time to enjoy a long bath can be a challenge during the holiday season but after gifts are unwrapped there’s no better time to enjoy a soak in the tub. Taking a bath with the Sandalwood Vanilla Natural Bath Bomb and Scented Soy Candle is the perfect way to destress after the busy holiday season. Developed using organic jojoba coconut oil, witch hazel and baking soda the all-natural ingredients will provide the perfect blend of soothing and moisturizing while the natural benefits of essential oils help relax and elevate mood. After bathing lock in the moisture with the the Sandalwood Vanilla Hand and Body Lotion.
Find DANI Naturals Online
DANI Naturals Shampoo | DANI Naturals Conditioner | Sandalwood Vanilla Natural Bath Bomb | Sandalwood Vanilla Natural Scented Soy Candle | Sandalwood Vanilla Hand and Body Lotion
DVD Boxed Gift Sets from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Hopefully you’ll have some downtime after the holiday season to lounge around and do a whole lot of nothing. When you a lounging, there is nothing better then enjoying a good binge watch of your favorite shows.
A full series box set is the perfect gift for any fan and I am loving the new Big Bang Theory and Gotham sets. Streaming your favorite shows is ‘nice’ but owning the entire set ensures that you are never beholden to the streaming services or your internet provider.
After 12 seasons the Big Bang Theory cast and story changed a ton, and being able to enjoy the whole show start to finish is a great way to re-experience all your favorite moments in full Blu-Ray definition. The complete set includes not only all 279 episodes but an additional 12 hours of extras and a fun collectors popup book.
Superhero fans love comic reboots and Gotham: The Complete Series is a must have gift item for DC comic enthusiasts. Follow the characters from their origins to the final episodes in the full five series set starting Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, David Mazaous, and Sean Pertee.
Find Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Online
Big Bang Theory: The Complete Series | Gotham: The Complete Series
Cookbooks from Simon & Schuster
Once the holiday’s are through it’s time to start rethinking healthy eating. Cookbooks are one of my favorite holiday gifts and are perfect for inspiring fresh meals as you head into the new year.
For Dowton Abbey fans the Unofficial Downton Abby Cookbook is the perfect way to celebrate the release of the new movie and bring to life the upstairs / downstairs world lived by the characters. Full of recipes that will encourage getting together for a themed dinner party it’s fun to try out meals that you can imagine the Granthams enjoying on their dinner table.
For more daily use the Instant Pot Affordable Meals Recipe Book is a perfect way to get back on track with both your diet and your budget. I love instant pot cooking but refiguring recipes for use in the IP is a challenge. The Instant Pot Affordable Meals Recipe book takes all the hard work out of coming up with easy meals that can be on your table in minutes.
Find Simon & Schuster Cookbooks Online
Unofficial Downton Abby Cookbook | Instant Pot Affordable Meals Recipe Book
Georges Duboeuf Wines
A good bottle of wine is a great way to show the ladies in your life how much you appreciate the during the holiday season. Perfect for gifting to the holiday hostess or wrapping up under the tree for enjoying after the holiday din has passed, Georges Duboeuf Wines has you covered.
A family history of wine making has resulted in recipes that have been crafted to perfection. No matter if you enjoy red, white or rose you’ll find a style that suits your palette.
This years holiday blends are released in late November, just in time for the holidays. Beaujolais Nouveau pairs well with cheese and charcuterie, making it the ideal choice for the holiday season. For Rose Lovers Beaujolais Nouveau Rose has flavors that remind you of summer, but are perfect for sipping over the brisk winter nights.
Find Georges Duboeuf Online
Georges Duboeuf Wines on Wine.com
2019 Men’s Gift List
Maybe it’s because I’m used to shopping for gifts for women but I’ve always found shopping for guys to be so much more challenging. Looking for gift items that go beyond a new tie or a sports related item will share how much you pay attention to their favorite activities and hobbies. Similar to the women’s list, all of these Men’s gift list recommendations are easy to order online and will be at your door in just a few days!
Spy Optic
A nice new pair of sunglasses is a gift anyone can appreciate. In Colorado the sun is brutal and that alone is reason to make sure everyone has a high quality UV blocking pair of glasses. For guys on the go, Spy Optic Glasses are the perfect holiday gift.
Designed by a team of athletes, Spy Optic specializes in sunglasses, goggles and prescription frames that are both stylish and functional for even the most extreme athlete. Using their proprietary Happy Lens technology every pair protects eyes not just from the rays of the sun, but also short-wave blue light that can damage eyes and have a negative impact on mood.
For the 2019 gift list my favorite style is the Dirty Mo. Designed by Dale Jr. the Dirty Mo is perfect for motorcycle enthusiasts! Color contrasting lenses provide a stylish look while staying light enough for everyday wear. The pictured style is showcasing the Dirty Mo in Matte Black with Blue Spectra Lenses.
Find Spy Optic Online
Lenovo Smart Clock
For tech lovers the Lenovo Smart Clock is a must have. I first experienced the Lenovo Smart Clock last year during CES and I immediately fell in love with it’s innovative bedroom friendly design. With lighting that dims at night and a full traditional clock face there is no better tech gift this holiday season.
The Lenovo Smart Clock is fully programmed with Google Home, connecting directly with the internet to answer questions about the weather, your schedule and even adding items to your shopping list with simple voice commands. Configure it to connect with your calendar to showcase upcoming events and keep you on track while listening to your favorite tunes as you prepare for the day ahead.
A full color screen enables you to connect to a digital photo album sharing your favorite pictures in a bedside display or even connecting with the smart camera’s in your home without ever needing to get out of bed.
The ability to turn off the Google Home microphone while continuing to use the clock face is the perfect solution for folks considered about home security.
Find the Lenovo Smart Clock Online
Egan’s Fortitude
You can never go wrong with a good whiskey and Egan’s Fortitude is the perfect gift for any man on your list. Fortitude is a single malt whisky that was matured exclusively in Pedro Ximenes Casks. This full flavored traditional Irish whiskey is smooth and perfect for sipping during the chilly winter months.
The Egan family has been crafting Irish Whiskeys since the 1800’s. Surviving through the Irish Independence the company has a long history that is embodied in the high quality spirits they make today.
Find Egan’s Fortitude Online
Egan’s Fortitude at the Celtic Whiskey Shop
Civilized Coffee
Coffee lovers can attest that a good cup of joe is more than a gift, it’s a necessity. A coffee bean gift set is the perfect way to show that you both understand their need for a well brewed cup of coffee, and recognize the importance of quality.
Working directly with coffee bean farmers Civilized Coffee works to support small-scale farms and ensure that coffee is sustainably grown and harvested. This dedication to the coffee community, enables access to high quality beans that translate into rich flavorful coffee brews in the states.
For holiday shopping we love the convenience of Civilized Coffee’s Amazon Gift Boxes. From sets that include grinders to pairings of the most popular brews, you can’t go wrong with one of their hand selected gift sets.
Find Civilized Coffee Online
Magnolia Scents by Design
Fun bath sets aren’t just for the ladies. Guys can enjoy and appreciate a nice bath set in their holiday stocking as well. The Magnolia Scents Fearless collection is entirely designed for men with masculine scents they will love.
For your favorite beard wearing gentleman the Stampede Shave Soap and Beard Balm is a perfect gift. The Stampede Shave Soap is designed to be used with a shaving brush. Just add a small amount of water and the soap lathers up perfect for the closest morning shave. After his daily shave is complete, the Stampede Beard Balm conditions and softens his remaining facial hair. A subtle but persistent scent will follow him throughout the rest of the day, providing a fresh feeling he’ll enjoy for hours after showering.
Soy candles in masculine scents make the perfect finishing touch to your favorite dude’s bedroom or bathroom. The Leather and Lace blend creates a perfect fragrance that will be appreciated by both men and women. Magnolia Scent’s large 10 oz candles burn for weeks and will provide months of enjoyment. During the holiday’s it’s nice to freshen up the air with a holiday scent and 2.5 oz candles have a 15 hour burn time allow you to sample Christmas favorites throughout the season. With a combination of apples, pine, cinnamon and clove, Yuletide Splendor is the ideal holiday candle experience.
Stampede Shave Soap | Stampede Beard Balm | Leather and Lace Soy Candle | Yuletide Splendor
Electronic Tools from Limitless Innovations
After all the holiday electronics are unwrapped you need a way to keep them powered up. Limitless Innovations has you covered no matter where your journey takes you. They have the ideal gifts for making sure you have plenty of juice in all your favorite electronics.
Tech fiends know how hard it is to get everything plugged in at the same time, especially with the boxy and big power cables most items come with now. A PowerStation 360 makes the perfect gift for ensuring there is plenty of space to charge all their favorite devices. With 6 AC units and 4 USB ports in a convenient circular design there will be plenty of space to charge everything they received this year for Christmas.
For a stocking stuffer the ChargeHub Vehicle Emergency Multitool is perfect. Designed with 2 USB ports it helps keep phones and other mobile tech fully powered while providing additional piece of mind in the car. The razor sharp seat belt cutter and tungsten steel tip will help keep you guy in case of an accident!
Find ChargeHub Online
Powerstation 360 | Vehicle Emergency Multitool
Disclaimer: I received product samples to help inspire this article. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Amazon links are affiliate and purchases through Amazon will support the production of this publication.
Thank you for checking out 2019’s Holiday Gift List Men and Women! Interested in other holiday shopping recommendations? Check out our favorite gifts for Police Wives!
With a cost of nearly $300 it’s not surprising to me that a lot of women want to know how effective the Ava Fertility Bracelet is before they decide to make the purchase. I’ve seen a lot of women looking for feedback and since I’ve been using Ava for a while now, I wanted to put together a quick Ava Fertility Bracelet Review.
I decided to get an Ava after we had been trying for about a year and while I’ve shared where we are in our fertility journey, overall I’ve been very happy with the Ava as a fertility tracking tool.
How does the Ava Fertility Bracelet Work?
The Ava Fertility Bracelet is worn at night and tracks the 5 physiological signals of fertility. Specifically it tracks skin temperature, resting pulse rate, breathing rate, heart rate and a few other items that are indicators of your health. There are definitely other, more cost effective, ways to track those things but Ava specifically uses those to feed information into their app to provide more comprehensive information about your overall fertility.
Using the data compiled while you sleep Ava provides a six day estimate of your fertile window.
What are the alternatives to monitoring fertility?
The Lutenizing hormone (LH) increases 24-48 hours prior to ovulation. This surge is what triggers the release of an egg from your ovaries. For just a few dollars per test strip you can easily measure LH throughout the month.
There are a few tricky elements to monitoring LH that I didn’t enjoy through the strip method. Similar to a pregnancy test, the strips go in urine and the low cost options are ones that require starting out by peeing in a cup. As fun as that is to do every day for a two weeks the other complicating factor is knowing how to read the tests.
There are two lines that appear on the test and as you get closer to ovulation the second line will become darker and thicker. A positive test is when both lines are ‘close’ the same color. This is literally the biggest pain to read and if you interpret it wrong you have to start all over again next month.
Once you get a positive test you have 24 hours approximately before ovulation. So 1 day notice that its ‘time’ to start trying.
The more expensive electronic tests do the interpretation for you and provide a ‘fool proof’ smiley face when you get a positive. These tests cost around $40 per month to use. If you consider that the average woman takes up to 6 months to get pregnant you’ve already spent $240 just on test strips.
Another method for monitoring fertility is using basal body temperature (BBT). Basal Body Temp is your temperature when the body is fully at rest. Ovulation will cause a small (1/2 degree – 1 degree) change in BBT.
To do BBT monitoring you need a special thermometer that shows to the hundred degree and you need to measure everyday at exactly the same time, without moving or getting up. After you have the temp you need to chart it (there are apps) and when you see a positive change it means ovulation has ALREADY HAPPENED. At that point you’ve completely missed the window and have to start again for next month.
How the Ava Fertility Bracelet is different
I tried both LH strips and BBT monitoring before getting an Ava Fertility bracelet and honestly I hated the experience. I am not a morning person so BBT was impossible for me to get a consistent reading. LH strips were simply too difficult to interpret and buying the electronic ones is just as expensive as using the Ava fertility tracker, especially when you consider that we’ve been trying to conceive for over three years now.
I love the simplicity of the Ava Fertility tracker. All I have to do is wear it every night and I get a full download of detailed information about how I slept and where I am in my cycle. It updates based on the data provided each day and alerts me when I’m entering my fertile window.
That said, I am one of the people who did not get pregnant after a year of use. That’s not because of the Ava, that’s because I have unexplained infertility. It’s an entirely different reason and Ava works exactly as it is supposed to. I’ve even verified the data my fertility bracelet provides me using LH test strips.
If you’ve already been trying for a while and want to purchase an Ava Fertility Tracker it’s definitely worth it to pay for the 1 year guarantee. Infertility isn’t something a smart monitoring device can control.
My favorite thing about using Ava is being empowered to know whats going on with my body, without having to jump through a ton of hoops and guessing games. With all the pressure related to infertility, testing is the last thing I need to be stressed out. Now that I’m all the way down the infertility testing rabbit hole, I still use the Ava app for monitoring and tracking.
If you are interested in checking out the Ava, head over to their website using my affiliate link. Ava did not sponsor me to write this review, but I will receive a small commission if you choose to buy one using my link.
This post contains affiliate links. Purchasing items through the affiliate link will support this blog.
In the world of internet shopping there is nothing better then getting to experience toys and games firsthand. Luckily in Colorado our neighborhood toy store Beyond the Blackboard is helping make shopping in person a fun and interactive experience.
National Toy Store Day is December 9th and in honor of the celebration Beyond the Blackboard is giving 20% off your entire purchase at either of their Colorado Locations.
I attended a holiday kickoff just last weekend and I had so much fun browsing through all the new toys and playing with this years picks for holiday gifts. It’s more important than ever to support local businesses and when you are looking for gifts for kiddos, there is truly no better shop to explore. Owned by former teachers, Beyond the Blackboard specializes in educational toys that will hold up to daily play.
Disclaimer: I was invited to an event at Beyond the Blackboard but was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.
Well it doesn’t feel much like fall in Colorado but when I started this post it was a lot nicer! Luckily we’ll be back up to warm weather next week and then I can finish cleaning up the rest of my garden.
The shorter days of autumn and cooler temperatures serve as a constant reminder that summer gardening season is slipping away. This doesn’t mean that there is nothing left to do before you put your garden to bed for winter. There are many things that will need to be done, and you can still enjoy the things you will have to do. As you prepare your garden for a winter sleep, clean things up and put your garden tools away, you can also enjoy the fruits of your fall harvests.
Here are some fall gardening tips to help you get your yard or garden in shape for winter.
7 Fall Gardening Tips to Prepare for Winter and Spring
Plant spring bulbs
Fall is the time to plant spring bulbs. You need to do this early in the fall so that the bulbs have a chance to establish roots before the first frost. Those roots will nourish the plant so that it can provide you with blooms the following spring.
Divide perennials
There are many perennials that will need to be divided. The reason for doing this in fall as opposed to spring is because by doing it in fall, you give your plants time to adjust to being transplanted at a time when the soil is still sufficiently warm. You also want to do this when there is no new growth, and because many perennials will be entering dormancy, this is the ideal time.
Dig up non-hardy bulbs
If you live in a zone for which certain flowering plants that grow from bulbs aren’t hardy, you will need to dig them up. Cannas and other tropical bulbs are examples of things that will have to be dug up if you live in a zone that is colder than zone 7. After digging the bulbs up, you will want to hose them off to remove all of the dirt and debris. Allow the bulbs to dry out completely before packing them away.
You can pack them in peat moss, shredded newspaper, shredded wood or anything that is soft and that will still allow them to breathe. You can then store them in a box or other container that will get adequate air. Place them in a cool and dark place such as a basement.
Remove dead growth from annuals
You may also want to dig up the dead growth from your annuals. They serve no purpose by being left in the ground. If you are certain that there are no seeds or seed pods in the dead growth, and are sure that there is no danger of disease, you can toss these into your compost heap.
Remove dead vegetable plants
You will want to dig up any dead vegetable plants, making sure that you get every last bit of harvest there is. Although you can toss the dead growth (provided you are absolutely certain there is no danger of disease,) into your compost heap, you may want to toss these things into a second compost heap that you can use anywhere other than your vegetable garden. Even if you don’t have diseased plants, there is always the potential that plants that are disease carriers can transmit that disease to the compost, and then pass it on to whatever happens to be growing in the soil where the compost was used.
Rake your leaves and mow the lawn
You don’t want to leave leaves on the ground because they can get matted down and when wet, will easily get moldy. That can cause the spread of fungal disease to your grass and throughout the soil. Cut the grass as short as you can, making sure you use up all of the gas in your mower. If the gas is allowed to remain in your mower over the winter and the mower isn’t used, it can cause the carburetor to gum up. This will prevent the grass from getting matted down and there won’t be any chance for roaming creatures to dig holes in your yard.
Plant cool weather vegetables
If you are in an area that actually enjoys a long fall, it’s the ideal time to plant your fall cool weather vegetables. That would include lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, radishes, peas, and arugula. As for your other vegetables, as long as the plants are still in good condition and providing you with a harvest, you can leave them in the ground.
Other things you will want to do are clean and oil your gardening tools and bring them into your garage, shed or other protected place. You may also want to put mulch on some of your garden beds, making sure you don’t do it on garden beds where there are plants that can easily succumb to root rot. Shred your leaves and use those for a mulch because they decompose quickly and will add nutrients to your soil.
I hope you enjoyed these fall gardening tips and are able to get your yards organized before the snow flies. Here in Denver we’ve had a gun-ho start to the winter so I don’t think I’ll be doing much of a fall garden this year! Getting rolling now means that I’ll be prepared to start the spring strong and my yard will be looking in top shape when warmer weather hits next spring.
Interested in other home projects? Check out my review of Comfortex SlumberShades.
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