My Birthday Wish List

November 30 is my birthday, so naturally I have been daydreaming about what I would love to have for my special day. I actually told everyone who knows me that I would like to have money since we are making big strides toward finally moving in 2014. But, of course, everyone loves a gift, so I have been keeping this mental list of things I would like to have. As I started to construct my list, I realized that they centered around three different activities:



A Birthday Spent Relaxing:

 

1. I am in love with everything over at Terrain, including this Fireside Throw. I don't believe in collecting anything that doesn't serve a purpose, so I tend to collect blankets because I know I can always use them. 

2. This time of year is perfect for a pair of warm slippers and these crochet slippers from Jay's Boutique remind me of a pair I used to own.

3. While I am being lazy, I might as well enjoy some tea from Necessiteas. I'll take the Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle, Cinnamon Bear, Cranberry Autumn, and EggNaughTea, if you don't mind!

4. And of course, what's a lazy day without a horror movie on the TV. The Conjuring is at the top of my list to own right now. 

A Birthday for the Blogger in Me:

5. Originally, I wanted an Erin Condren planner, but as I started looking around, I came across this fabulous Plum Paper Designs Family Planner that I love even more. With these family planners, I can use one planner for everything instead of having one for family, one for blogging, and so on.

6. Papermate Flair Pens are my absolute favorite but every time I buy them, someone steals them from me. I am down to 2 pens from my last pack, so it's definitely time for a new set. Especially if I am getting that planner. Who writes in a new planner with old pens? Am I right?

7. Blogstomp makes blogging so easy. I have been using it for a couple of days now as a trial, but would love to have the full version.

8. I have Natalie to thank for wanting this Eat, Blog, Love coffee mug from Crystal Faye so bad. I almost always have a cup of coffee with me when I blog, so this mug is perfect!

A Birthday on the Town:

9. I am totally in love with this 30 Latitude scarf and know it would go with so many different outfits. It can even be dressed up or down.

10. I have been needing a new purse and love that you can fully customize your entire bag at Better Life Bags. I think the Cindi with Bow is the perfect bag for me.

11. I have also been dying for a pair of Minnetonka mocs. I am all about comfort over anything else so these are the shoes for me. Not to mention, prices are FABULOUS!

12. And I figured, if I am gonna get all dressed up, I might as well head out to a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game with my main man! Hockey is my sport of choice every time.

So tell me, is your birthday coming up? If so, what is on your birthday wish list?

                    

february goals

if you were around last month you will remember that i wanted to start setting small obtainable goals for myself each month in an effort to make a few changes in my life in regards to the resolutions i made for the year.

here were my goals i made for january:

• read 2 books
• workout (at least) 10 times
• drink 32 oz. (or more) of water a day
• try one new thing...anything!
• get a pedicure 

so how did i do? well...

i did read two books. i read 1, 2, 3 magic and the happiness project. both were great books that i recommend. hopefully i will get a chance to do a mini review of each one in the near future.

i did NOT workout 10 times. in fact, i didn't workout one single time. i have been a little down in the dumps lately and just couldn't get myself motivated to do it. that's terrible, i know! i feel like the winter drains every bit of happiness out of me!

drinking any kind of liquid is hard for me, but i will admit that i have drank a lot more water than i have before. i stopped buying energy drinks and only drink a diet dr. pepper every now and then. for the most part, i drink water, black coffee, and unsweetened tea.

the one new thing i wanted to try was to play an xbox game but sadly i didn't do it. i don't mean an xbox kinect game, but an actual game. i did play halo with all the kids on new years but that was before i made this goal, so i don't count it.

and no, i did not go out and get a pedicure. i have such a hard time committing to something for myself so i am sure i subconsciously did it on purpose.

february goals:

• read 2 books
• workout 4 times
• try one new thing
• do something with each of my children, one on one
• get a pedicure and a hair cut

i was able to keep my goal of 2 books so i decided to keep that one up again this month. i love being able to check out books from my library through my kindle and ipad.

i lowered the number of workouts to 4, making that only one workout a week. hopefully, i can find some inspiration to get moving.

i may try to combine my one new thing with my hair cut and go for a cut i wouldn't normally choose for myself. i think that stepping out of my comfort zone may be just what i need right now in my life. maybe i will even get a funky polish color for my toes as well.

i will be honest and say that i don't do a whole lot of one on one time with my kids. most often it's because i feel guilty that i am giving to one and not another. but, i have been told by my children's doctors and therapists that it would be good for them.

check out giftbirdy this holiday season

i was recently introduced to giftbirdy, a new site for kids where they can make wish lists of the things they want. i was pretty excited about this site because we all know, kids don't have a filter and there's nothing like your kid opening a bad gift on christmas morning and hearing them cry out "this is not what i wanted" or even worse, "i don't like this"! been there, done that!

giftbirdy was developed with kids in mind, giving them an easy to navigate site that allows them to make wish lists of the things they want, share them with friends and family, and never get a bad gift again. with christmas right around the corner, it takes a lot of the work off of me when i already know exactly what my kids want. but, kid's can use giftbirdy for more than just christmas. they can make a wish list for just about anything, like a birthday. plus, not only can kids make wish lists, they can play games and collect virtual pets too.

don't think your child is old enough to use giftbirdy on their own? parents can certainly help their child with giftbirdy to create a wish list for grandparents, distant relatives, or whoever you want. 

IT'S FUN, EASY, & FREE!

i helped tyler create a christmas wish list and i was pleased at how easy it was for even tyler at 6 years old. she was able to choose what type of items she wanted and a big list of ideas were available for her to choose from. check out some of the items tyler added to her list below.

1. unicorn head wall hanging 2. hello kitty mug for hot chocolate 3. movies: disney's secret of the wings and brave 4. good luck charlie poster 5. pinkalicious "i can read" book 6. hello kitty glasses 7. ipod touch 8. cd: selena gomez

if you, family or friends, are looking for an easier way to come up with gift ideas for your kids this holiday season, be sure to check out giftbirdy! you can even check out the welcome video that will introduce you to giftbirdy and highlight all of it's wonderful features.

give your kids exactly what they want this year by letting them create their wish list with giftbirdy!

*giftbirdy is safe and secure: using giftbirdy is safe. we know that the safety and well-being of your child is paramount to you, and it is to us as well. we pledge to you that we have made every effort to make giftbirdy.com as safe and enjoyable as possible for you and your children. while we fully encourage you to stay active and involved in your child's online activities, we also hope that the safeguards we've enacted will provide a level of trust and assurance that allows you and your child to relax and truly enjoy your experience on giftbirdy.

This is a sponsored post from One2One Network and Gift Birdy. All opinions stated are my own.

   

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

my countdown to christmas | my christmas wish list

all i want for christmas is...

1. drop it modern back drop

i have been drooling over drop it modern backdrops for awhile now. for the most part, the pictures i take are outside because i don't have a studio and i don't have a good background for indoors.

the drop it modern blog teases me with all of their wonderful ideas and settings for using these backdrops and the frigid weather we have been having lately reminds me just why i need one ASAP.

check out the drop it modern blog to see some of the great ways they have used these backdrops to create beautiful photos.

2. toms

i have heard nothing but rave reviews about toms. they remind me of shoes i wore in middle school. i loved those shoes and i am so glad something similar has surfaced.  there are so many to choose from that i don't know which pair i would want first.



the best part about toms..."with every pair you purchase, toms will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. one for one."

3. bogs

don't all women love shoes?  i don't know of a single person who actually own bogs weather proof boots, but when i stumbled across then, i fell in love with all of the great pattern choices.  they look like regular rain boots but all bogs are 100% waterproof and warm down to sub-zero temperatures.

4. dansko penelope boots

yes, another pair of footwear.  i need a good pair of boots and dansko boots are a pair that i can dress up or down. not way down though.

i love the simple details on the dansko boots and the unique tie front. they come in three different colors. i'll take all three!

5. epiphanie camera bag

i considered purchasing an epiphanie camera bag earlier this year and then decided against it because i am just cheap like that. spending large amounts of money on one item frightens me. however, it is about time i stopped carrying a purse, a camera bag, a diaper bag and a gymnastics bag around with me when i venture out with my little maraschinos.

6.  inception

inception was the absolute best movie i saw this year and i have not stopped thinking about when i would be able to see it again.  i could run to target and buy it right now, but then that would be selfish of me to do right here at christmas.

i shared it with you once before, but watch this trailer again to see what you will be missing if you don't totally want this movie too.

so there you have it.

my christmas wish list.

a girl can dream right?

** i was not compensated in any way to mention these products. they are simply items i have discovered on my own and love. six cherries on top disclaimer/terms of use