Author: Big Mama

I’m going to go ahead and make a declaration right up front. I can’t guarantee that I am going to be a faithful blog writer over the next three weeks because I have every intention of fully immersing myself in all the Christmas festivities and can’t promise that on any given night I won’t be in the throes of some type of sugar cookie/egg nog/mint M&M stupor. I need to give myself permission to enjoy it to the fullest before the New Year arrives along with all my striving to be a better person who eats vegetables and works out.

All that being said, I need to discuss a pressing issue.

I’m having some hair issues. Specifically, I have these little baby hairs that are growing in at a rapid rate along my temple. I regret to inform you that to add insult to injury, the majority of them are gray. And they don’t really grow long. They just fill in and stick up all along my hair line. Which means I wake up every morning looking like a cockatiel.

Actually, I don’t look that good.

This is very reminiscent of the baby bangs I had during pregnancy so I’m assuming this is something along those same lines, except much more glamorous because these are apparently perimenopausal bangs. With any luck they come with a discounted subscription to AARP and a side of Metamucil.

The good news is I’m getting my hair cut and colored this week. I needed to have it done about a month ago but my fabulous hair person has been out on maternity leave and I totally mis-timed my hair situation leading to an abundance of gray and split ends right now. She won’t be able to do anything about my cockatiel situation because she’s only human, but at least I’ll look like a brown cockatiel instead of a gray one after Thursday.

Also, speaking of glamour, something just really made our living room stink and P asked, “Is that you or one of the dogs?” What I’m saying is don’t hate just because romance and mystery are alive and well at my house.

In other news that may confirm this is becoming a blog for the elderly, I went to the dermatologist today. I initially made the appointment because I have a touch of the rosacea and some discoloration, but I’ve also reached the age where people need to have things cut off that look suspicious. Fortunately, she didn’t see anything that looked too suspicious today because I wasn’t really up for being sliced up before Christmas. Or ever.

And so that’s what’s been going on around here.

P was at the ranch this past weekend and Caroline and I did a whole lot of not much. Last week felt like it lasted for a sweet forever and so it was nice to have no schedule or pressing commitments and just spend a lot of time in our pajamas watching movies. I have to say we excelled at it. Which made Monday morning that much harder.

But now we’re on the downhill slide to Christmas break. Caroline has three and a half days left of school and then we are officially on vacation and free to make cinnamon rolls and toffee and stay up way too late.

My gray bangs and I can’t wait.

Today’s edition of Fashion Friday comes with a disclaimer.

I met my sister and my nephew, Luke, for lunch on Wednesday and Luke and I were dressed the same.

And the worst part is we were dressed like Waldo from “Where’s Waldo?” fame.

The only solace I have is that he had on red Adidas tennis shoes and I didn’t. So at least I wasn’t totally dressed the same as a five-year-old boy.

Here are some cute things I found this week:

1. know every dangle

I really like this. Great pop of color for any outfit.

2. complement your charm top

I think this is so pretty and perfect to dress up or down depending on the occasion.

3. sam edelman foster boots

These boots are so gorgeous and also come in black if you prefer. They are on sale right now for $181.90 which I realize isn’t cheap but a great pair of boots will last you for years.

4. cable knit cowl neck poncho

Yes. It’s a poncho. But it’s cream-colored, would look great with jeans or black pants and is on sale right now for $29.90.

5. barefoot dreams drape front cardigan

So my friend Sheaffer at Pinterest Told Me To has been talking about this cardigan for a long time and I’d always resisted the urge to buy one because I just didn’t feel like I needed it.

But I finally gave in and bought one about a month ago. It may be my favorite thing ever. It’s like wrapping yourself in a cloud if clouds were as soft as angel wings. I’ve worn mine around the house every day since I bought it.

6. shawled wool sweatercoat

This first caught my eye when someone mentioned that Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper had it and she is my unofficial style icon right now. Then I saw that it’s on sale for $97.46. Which makes it even better.

7. bajwa maxi dress

When Gulley and I were shopping last weekend I saw this in Anthropologie and thought it was gorgeous. I have no need for it, but I thought maybe someone out there could buy it and I could live vicariously through you. It’s on sale for $139.95 which is a pretty good deal for a great dress.

8. embroidered tulle tunic

I love this top. Another great piece that could be dressed up or down.

9. fair isle knit leggings

Yes. I realize I’ve shown these a lot but that’s how much I love them. And Gap has restocked them in more colors and sizes. Plus you can get 30% off with code SHOP. These are a great gift idea for someone on your list.

10. reversible vegan leather tote bag

I saw this in person in Urban Outfitters last week and it’s even better in person than it looks in pictures. It comes in several different color combinations and looks much nicer in person than I even imagined.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.

Thank you so much for the sweet comments and prayers for Jen and her family. She got to go home yesterday and rumor has it she came home to a completely decorated Christmas tree with presents under it. Makes me so happy to know she has such a great community around her on a daily basis.

Now since several of you asked, I talked to P and got him to help me with a gift guide for the men in your life. You will notice that some of the items are similar to the gift guide he wrote way back in 2009 which you can find here. Apparently some things, like knives and flashlights, are timeless.

Here are his suggestions. We tried to include a range of prices and items that will work for more than just an outdoorsman.

1. under armour flats guide II fishing shirt

This is P’s favorite fishing shirt, hands down. And he’s tried them all. He prefers the long-sleeve version in a shade of blue or light green so as not to scare the fish. However, there is a short-sleeve version if you think that might be better.

2. surefire flashlights

This is P’s favorite brand of flashlight. There are a ton to choose from but the important thing is that you get one that’s LED.

3. outdoor edge swing blade outdoor edge knife

I bet P owns 456 knives, many of which he’s had since childhood. He likes this knife but mentioned a couple of others depending on your price range and cutlery needs.

He also likes this knivesofAlaska trekker whitetail/GH combo that he received as a gift a few years ago. He said it will flat cut some stuff up.

And also recommended this columbia river knife and tool which is what he carries everyday. Because, you know, everyone needs an everyday knife.

4. leupold vx-3 scope

A good scope is pricey and so this falls on the high-end of the spectrum. I would never even attempt to buy P a scope for an occasion unless he wrote all the specifics down for me. But maybe you’re braver than me.

He says any of the Leupold VX series are good scopes.

5. camelbak hydration backpack

This would be a great gift for any sportsman in your life. They come in various sizes and styles depending on your hydration needs.

6. LED headlamp

Tuesday morning the power went out in our house about 6:00 a.m. I immediately woke up because our ceiling fan and my sound machine cut off and it was dead still. And then P came walking in our bedroom wearing his headlamp because he is like a Boy Scout, ALWAYS PREPARED.

This is one of his favorite headlamps and he has several even though he only has one head. You just want to make sure it’s an LED version and that you can make some references to Coalminer’s Daughter while he wears it.

7. warthog knife sharpener

Okay, I have to say this is the best knife sharpener ever. We’ve had ours for years and we use it to sharpen all our knives. P even brought it with him to Bops and Mimi’s house for Thanksgiving and Mimi had him sharpen all her knives while he was there. It works like a charm.

8. smartwool socks

We love our Smartwool socks around here. They aren’t cheap but they keep your feet warm and dry. Perfect for everyday use or hiking or hunting or whatever.

9. north face quarter zip fleece

I bought one of these for my dad last Christmas and he’s a fan. This is a great gift because it’s super soft, totally comfortable and not bulky. It’s perfect to wear indoors and out.

10. GoPro camera

P doesn’t have one of these. And I don’t know if he wants one. But Gulley’s husband has one and uses it all the time to record hunting trips, sporting events, fishing trips, etc. I always think it’s really cool.

11. bose soundlink mini-bluetooth speaker

We don’t have this either but people rave about it. We do have an old Bose radio that we’ve had for years and the sound is so good. This would be great for someone to keep in a home office or a work office or in the kitchen or wherever you want. I’m not the boss of you.

12. kodiak portable power bank

P doesn’t have a smart phone because he still prefers his flip phone. I know. I can’t talk about it. But no matter what, this portable power bank could come in handy whether you’re in a deer blind, hiking in the middle of nowhere or, worse, stuck in an airport with limited electrical outlets.

13. klean kanteen insulated beverage bottle

I nearly called this a water bottle, but P corrected me and it’s a BEVERAGE bottle. And I have to say that it is the best beverage bottle ever. It truly keeps hot things hot and cold things cold for a long time. I used to send Caroline to school with one last year and by the end of the day it still had ice cubes that hadn’t melted.

14. leica rangemaster

P says he loves a rangefinder. This is his favorite but there are several brands and kinds, including one called a pin master for golfers. That’s some hard core golfing.

15. bushnell trophy cam with night vision

I can’t believe I almost forgot to include this. P has several game cameras set up at the ranch and he loves them. You can check your cameras to see what animals are coming in to what location and figure out a hunting strategy.

Or maybe you could use it in your driveway to see if it’s a cat or possum that keeps climbing on your car every night.

So there you have it. Hopefully there might be a something here that will help you with your Christmas shopping. If all else fails, you can always get some pajama pants at Old Navy or a gift card to Cabela’s.

So I never really wrote about my shopping weekend with Gulley and you’ll understand why as you read this post.

I’ll start with the fact that I look forward to our shopping weekend all year long. It’s one of my favorite weekends of the whole year. Gulley took the day off work on Friday and we headed out at the crack of 9:30 on Friday morning. Our first stop was Shepler’s, which is admittedly an odd choice but I had a pair of cowboy boots that we’d bought for Caroline that needed to be returned and Gulley was looking for a pair of boots for Jackson since that’s one of his Christmas wishes. However, we quickly found ourselves overwhelmed in Shepler’s, mainly because Jackson wears a size twelve shoe these days and we were just buying him a Little People farm at Toys ‘R Us yesterday.

We left Shepler’s and headed for the more familiar terrain of Nordstrom where we found a couple of gifts for various people on our lists and also ate in the Nordstrom cafe’ because FRIES and AIOLI SAUCE. After that we made our way through the rest of La Cantera with mixed results. It is significantly harder to shop for pre-teens than it was for toddlers, but we did our best.

By the time Friday evening came we had the back of my car loaded down with bags and boxes and made a quick stop by my house to unload everything before we went to eat some Italian food. All that shopping left us with a need for some carbs and we more than fulfilled it, although we did order a side of Brussels sprouts which I believe count as a healthy choice even though they involved a lot of bacon.

Saturday morning we slept in because I believe I’ve mentioned that Gulley has two new puppies at her house and we are back to a stage in life where puppies are our version of having a newborn. This is an officially destination on the cycle of life. Get married, get a puppy, complain about sleepless nights and how it’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done, have a newborn and realize you were a big sap for telling people how hard it is to have a puppy, raise a child until they’re about ten, get a new puppy and complain about sleepless nights and declare that it’s just like having a newborn.

Eventually we made our way out of the house and hit a few more stores that were on our list. And we were beyond pleased with our progress, we were breaking all manner of Christmas shopping weekend records. We even made it to The Container Store to pick up wrapping paper while it was still light outside. This turned out to be fortunate because it allowed Gulley to fully appreciate a man parked next to us who was wearing a red t-shirt with a white Santa beard down the front while drinking a beer with a straw. He rolled down his window and said to Gulley, “I’m gonna tell you like I told that woman in there, you ever seen me and Santa in a room together?”

Well. No.

No we haven’t.

We pondered our thoughts on this man as we made our way to our neighborhood Target. It was, by the way, our third Target to visit throughout the weekend but served to confirm that our Target is the best of the area Targets. And it was while we were there that we both heard our phones ding with an incoming text and looked at our phones to discover our friend Jamie was texting us to let us know that she had been at the hospital all day with Jen and that the doctors had let them know that Jen’s cancer is back.

Which is how Gulley and I found ourselves crying in the gift wrap aisle at Target at 5:38 p.m. on Saturnday evening. I was waiting to write about it until I knew Jen had gotten the word out to all her people, but she posted a new post on her blog this evening and the word is out. She tells her story better than I ever could and, honestly, I keep telling her that she’s the one who needs to write a book. You can find her blog here if you’d like to read it and keep up with her.

Needless to say, it hasn’t been my favorite couple of days. I realize people get sick every day, I know that so many of you have people you love who are fighting cancer, but this hits close to home for me and has left me feeling a little broken right now. I know Jen would so appreciate your prayers as she walks this road again.

My friend Paige posted this on her blog yesterday and I’ve been listening to it ever since. Here’s what I know for sure, God is good always.

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

It has been a busy day around here.

Here’s what I accomplished.

-Made a grocery list
-Planned actual meals that I have every intention of cooking this week
-Went to the store and bought things on aforementioned list
-Bought Christmas lights at Lowes because I remembered we threw ours out last year
-Returned some things to Target
-Exchanged some things at Old Navy
-Found some red cyclamen at Home Depot to replace dead mums on my porch
-Planted the cyclamen and threw dead mums in shrubs with dead pumpkins
-Did 184 loads of laundry
-Answered 431 emails
-Took Caroline to the dentist after I almost forgot she had an appointment
-Started hanging Christmas lights and didn’t fall off the ladder
-Cooked pork chops for dinner
-Sold white couch on local Facebook trading site

Please note that of all the things on that list, I am most proud of selling the couch. I was totally honest about its current condition but there are still good couch times to be had for someone who wants to recover it or get new slipcovers made. I’m just not that person. And Piper and Mabel are not those dogs.

And after all that, I realized that I have been meaning to post a little gift guide for those of you who may have a pre-teen in your life who’s in want of a Christmas gift. This list weighs heavily on the female side because it’s what I know, but there are a few things that would work for boys too. Or you can just follow Gulley’s advice and buy them Under Armour. The more neon, the better.

1. kindle fire

Caroline got one of these a few years ago and she has loved it. It became a game-changer in terms of how much reading she does. I’m still a fan of the paper book, but my child loves her Kindle.

2. memorex home karaoke system

I’m a sucker for a karaoke system and you can plug your own device into this to sing along to your favorite songs.

3. remote control helicopter

Caroline has two of these now and she still gets them out from time to time. I honestly don’t think these have an age limit because even P likes to fly them.

4. spirograph deluxe design set

I’d forgotten all about the spirograph, but I was a big fan back in 1979.

5. write dudes neon gel pens

These are on Caroline’s wish list. She wrote “pens that everyone has” and this is what she told me when I asked for clarification.

6. hunter rainboots

A great pair of rain boots makes a perfect gift and they’ll last forever.

7. clarisonic cleansing system

I have loved my Clarisonic ever since I bought it and it’s a great gift idea for a girl who’s just beginning to understand the importance of good skincare.

8. tabletop air hockey

Gulley’s son, Will, wished for this and I think it’s a brilliant idea. They also have tabletop foosball and ping pong.

9. ulta glam and glow blockbuster kit

When I was in seventh grade I won a drawing in my Home Ec class and received a huge palette of Mary Kay eyeshadows. Otherwise known as the greatest day of my life. And the catalyst for me to learn that you don’t need to always match your eyeshadow to your outfit.

This reminds me of that Mary Kay set. Perfect for girls who like to play with makeup.

10. electronic catchphrase

Gulley and I saw this while we were out shopping and agreed it looked like fun. Great game for the family when you’re sitting around drinking hot chocolate on Christmas morning.

Feel free to leave more suggestions in the comments. I have a feeling a lot of us are trying to come up with some good ideas.

Um.

So I’m exhausted.

Because Gulley and I shopped like it was our job this past weekend and made this happen.

I’ll be back tomorrow to tell you all about it.

And before you’re too impressed, I need you to know I still have dead mums on my front porch.

I have, however, kicked the decaying pumpkins into the flower beds and declared them to be compost.