Category: gift

Ulta Package

One of my Valentine’s Day gifts was a gift card for Ulta. Have I mentioned that I love make-up, skin care products, face masks, nail polish, all of that girly stuff? The gift card didn’t last very long, and I happily sorted through my online wish list and placed my order.

I wasn’t expecting my Ulta package until Friday, but I got a notification this morning that it’s out for delivery today. Yay!

After being sick for the past week (sniffling, sneezing, coughing), I am looking forward to testing out new products and colors to feel a bit more alive and a bit less like a sleep-deprived, stuffy zombie. I happened to order when they had a gift with purchase, so bonus, I get to try out a few new items for free, too. If I really adore something, I will review it here and share the love. ♥

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day has always mostly been an eye-rolling holiday to me, a contrived, money-grubbing day promoted by flower, card, and candy companies. Forced, obligatory romance is silly to me, and my husband and I have always made fun of Valentine’s Day.

Each year, we say we aren’t going to get each other gifts, because it’s such a lame holiday…then, each year, we both give each other presents anyway! Some years it’s just candy that we know the other one really likes, and some years it’s a bit more, like the gorgeous roses I got last year. 

This year, I want my husband to feel extra special on Valentine’s Day. Not because it’s a well-marketed retail holiday, but because he means so much to me, and even though I tell him I love him all the time, I’m not sure I can possibly relay to him how he is my world, my best friend, my home, the best part of my heart and my life.

Instead of caramel candies or something small this year, I picked out something a bit more flashy, something I am excited to give to him because he’s not expecting it. He is quick to get something for me or for the kids, but talks himself out of buying things for himself, so I am looking forward to treating him with something he typically would refuse to spend the money on for himself. 

Once, when I was looking at a purse in a department store, I said, “We don’t need to spend the money on this,” and he immediately said, “But you’re worth it.” Well, I want him to know that he is, too. More than worth it. More than I could ever give him. 

My life is so much more happy, fun, loving, and adventurous with him at my side. I hope he already knows how I feel, but just in case…I want to help him feel as happy and adored as he makes me feel each day.

Pictures

I take a lot of pictures anyway, so this isn’t much of a resolution, to be honest. But I like the idea of this, to think about why I am taking the picture and what I love about it.

This morning, heading back to work after a nice, long break, I took this picture:

My husband knows I loves purses and bags (almost as much as I love shoes), and so even though I told him I didn’t need or want anything fancy for Christmas, he got me this tote bag for carrying my work things, and the matching purse. I adore leopard print, so I couldn’t bring myself to fuss at him for spending the money when I love them so much! If I absolutely had to come back to work today, at least carrying my new bags made it a wee bit easier. 

I am actually not terribly interested in designer names or brands, but I know it made my husband happy and proud to be able to treat me to this bag and purse. He smiled and was so proud that they match each other, and he even pointed that out to me, which was sweet. Add in the jewelry he also got me for me, and I felt very spoiled and indulged and beyond lucky.

The Christmas tree is now down, all the lights and sparkle and red-and-green have been packed away, and the alarm clock was back in business this morning. My husband texted me around lunch time and told me that I better not risk overdoing it today, and I should come home immediately. I like the way he thinks!

The Football Game

My husband and I took a 3-day weekend to head out of town, even though we knew it was going to make the rest of this week very hectic. With work, holiday travel, planning, and just daily life, it wasn’t logically a great decision to go away, but it was an early Christmas present for my husband, so I wanted to make it happen.

I was shopping online for a football jersey from his favorite college team when it crossed my mind: why give him a shirt, when I can give him the experience of a game?

So that’s what we did. We packed up our fan gear and hit the road. We got to the stadium early to check out the tailgating vendors, the music, the excitement. We got to see the coach and the team arrive on the bus. (Well, he did, since he’s tall. Me? I stared at people’s backs but clapped anyway).

We went to our seats and right away hit it off with a couple with a young boy seated in front of us. A small crew formed around us, strangers laughing and joking and cheering together through the game. It was pretty damn cool.

The trip was a gift for my husband, but I had a blast, too. We had a nearly 6 hour drive home, and we talked about the game and how we want to do it again next season and anything else that popped into our heads. My husband got quiet for a moment, then reached over, patted my leg, and said, “Thank you.”

It made me happy to see him so happy. I think that is what is missing in so many relationships these days. People are so focused on what the other person should do for them, that they forget a relationship is a two-way street if it’s going to work, be healthy, and grow. It’s give and take. Love isn’t just a fancy, frilly word to toss around casually. Love is compassion, respect, honor, loyalty, honesty, and treasuring each other. Anything less simply isn’t love.

Going to the game meant having one weekend day to get everything done, from cleaning, to wrapping presents for relatives I will see this week, to laundry, to grocery shopping, to sipping chocolate wine (it’s not going to drink itself, now is it?) It made for a hectic Sunday, but it was absolutely worth it. At heart, we are homebodies, but sometimes it’s fun to have a little adventure together, too.

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