There’s almost nothing I loathe more than realizing a kid has a birthday party to attend that afternoon and being stressed to run around to a shop while trying to manage a busy day. Years ago, I decided to purchase … Read More
Another year, another reminder to please try to be thoughtful in your purchases and not just buy because things are on sale! Like many of you, we try to focus on experiences over things, but there are certain items that … Read More
I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Paris with kids, without, and in every season. Every visit to Paris is magic AND there was something extra special about having a spring girls’ trip to Paris. If you’re looking for a more … Read More
I remember the first few trips traveling with kids and wondering how anyone possibly manages all the kids and all the needs and all the STUFF. There’s a lot, lol. But everyone’s right that it really does get easier with … Read More
We have a family tradition of birthday trips at certain ages. You can read more about this tradition here. Recently I took K to Athens for her 12th birthday. And this year, I got to take T to Japan! Japan … Read More
These are our favorite, tried-and-true travel gear and home life items that have stood the test of time. With 8 people in our home or when we travel, we try to only purchase items that are really worth their cost … Read More
Olive pants are one of my favorite staples for all seasons! (Here’s some fall travel outfit inspiration with them.) I love that the color feels earthy but more interesting than jeans, and they’re WAY more travel friendly because they’re not … Read More
The Isle of Skye is absolutely stunning and has a great mix of outdoor adventures and peaceful escapes that make for the perfect family vacation for all ages. Kids can explore tide pools, run through open landscapes, and look for … Read More
Dan and I have had a trip to the Azores high on our bucket list for ages, so I was surprised and delighted when Dan gifted me a trip for the two of us (thanks to some lovely friends babysitting, … Read More
We absolutely love Paris! We’ve traveled with and without kids, for short trips and longer, and every time it’s magical. We have had a wonderful experience every time we’ve gone, despite it not typically being known as a family travel … Read More
I love putting together kids Easter baskets, but try to only fill them with things we’d be purchasing anyway and that are addressing upcoming summer needs. It’s always a great chance to find a few useful items I know will … Read More
We traveled to 28 countries in 2024 and when each of us wrote down our top 5, two countries made every single family member’s list: Egypt and Switzerland. We all completely fell in love with Switzerland – Dan and I … Read More
There’s almost nothing I loathe more than realizing a kid has a birthday party to attend that afternoon and being stressed to run around to a shop while trying to manage a busy day. Years ago, I decided to purchase a few items in advance so I’d always have a cabinet stocked with a few friend birthday gifts. It not only made my life so much easier, but it also helped us save a fair bit of money since I could restock friend birthday gift options when I found them on sale. Win-win!
I could go on for ages and ages with ideas in each of these categories, but I find those lists overwhelming. So I’ve limited each age range to some of our very favorite items that are perfect for friend birthday gifts. Here are my general criteria:
Here are a few of our favorites!
I find this range has a bit of overlap with the previous one depending on the child. Some of these might work for the younger age group, but since it tends to be more difficult for me to find ideas for those older age ranges, these are some things that work well for them.
