25+ Stocking Stuffers for the Whole Family

When I was growing up, one of my favorite things about Christmas was my stocking. I loved hanging it up on the mantle right after Thanksgiving, but not before sticking my hand into its depths and seeing if I'd accidentally overlooked anything the Christmas before. It was thrilling to run downstairs on Christmas morning and see all of the stockings bulging with unknown treasures (our stockings had little bells on them, and sometimes we were sure we could hear them jingling on Christmas Eve as Santa filled them up). And then there was the excitement of taking out each item one at a time to the curious oohs and aahs of the rest of the family who were being made to watch (there was no unceremonious dumping in my family). Most of the time, the stocking was filled with the same items as the years before: a toothbrush and toothpaste, a candy bar, a couple of candy canes, etc. But sometimes, there was something so unexpected and delightful, it etched itself into my memory.

As a mom, the stockings have continued to be one of my very favorite parts of the season. I'm always on the lookout for little, unusual things that won't turn into junk within the first five seconds. I thought I'd share some of my more successful ideas in case you're still looking. (Don't forget, I have five boys, so you're not going to find anything too pink or frilly on this list, but many of these items are totally gender neutral.)

1. Socks
You're probably thinking, She said she was going to share fun and unusual ideas, and she starts out with socks?! But I'm not talking about filling up the stocking with an 8-pack of standard white Hanes. For my boys last year, they each got a new pair of soccer socks in a fun color. I received this pair of library card socks (that I may or may not have purchased for myself when it went on sale). There are so many different options for non-boring socks (or tights).

2. Rubiks Cube
Aaron received this one last Christmas, and it has been solved over and over again. (He has also taken it completely apart, which is just what he does, but it speaks to the quality of this particular one that he could easily put it back together and resume playing with it, just as before.) I love giving my kids classic toys--something that Henry Huggins might just as easily have received in his stocking in 1965.

3. IQ games
We own this one and this one, and both have been played with hundreds of times (in fact, they saved us on our long road trip this summer). Each one comes with a book of puzzles. You set up the board in a certain configuration, and then you have to manipulate and move around the rest of the pieces until they all fit. It is not unlike the game Rush Hour, which I mentioned in my gift guide last year, and which would also be an excellent stocking stuffer (depending on the size of your stocking). The IQ Puzzler Pro is especially fun because in addition to the puzzles that are worked flat on the board, it also has a bunch that have to be constructed into a pyramid shape.

4. Musical Instruments
One of my favorite Christmas memories from my childhood was the year we all received a harmonica in our stockings. It wasn't a cheap plastic one. It was metal and came in a case (similar to this one) with a folded paper of instructions for how to play it. I still have it. Last year, Clark received a few egg shakers in his stocking. I also think these wrist bells would be fun. Or you could get a variety set and divide it up amongst the stockings (although some of the pieces wouldn't fit), and at the end of Christmas morning, you'd have your very own musical band (which you might regret).

5. Music or audiobooks
We are still old school and have two CD players that are in use every day--they are just so user friendly for little hands. So I love giving my kids music or audiobooks on CD for Christmas. Plus, they're just the right size to tuck into a stocking. (But if you've managed to phase out of CDs, a piece of paper with a digital code is even more space efficient.) This year, Clark is getting the Frances audio collection in his stocking. Santa might also slip in one or two of Emily Arrow's albums (she's our new favorite--she takes children's books and turns them into songs!). I could do an entire series of posts on great audio collections, but I'll just mention a few more here: Mercy Watson, Henry Huggins, Scripture Scouts, any Laurie Berkner album, and Here Come the ABC's.

6. Pocketknife 
What is it with boys and pocketknives? They think they're the most useful tools in all the world (maybe they are). Aaron asked for one last year (he was eight then), and I was hesitant to give him one because I was worried about him hurting himself or one of his brothers. But we ended up getting him this miniature Swiss Army one that has a really small blade, and it's been fine (for the most part--it's only been taken away from him a couple of times). It was the last item to be pulled from his stocking and was a happy surprise at the end.

7. Watch
Bradley, Maxwell, and Aaron all wear a version of this watch. I love that it's waterproof, so they don't have to take it off to shower or go swimming. They use it for keeping track of their reading minutes, timing each other, and being aware of the time so they can be responsible.

8. Flashlight, headlamp, or reading light
We've done all three, although I don't think we've put the reading light in the stocking before. Aaron has a big metal one that wouldn't fit, but Maxwell and Bradley both just have this little one from Ikea that would slip in without difficulty. It has held up remarkably well for being so inexpensive (and we were pleasantly surprised because we had already tried a couple other little ones that hadn't survived more than a few months). My kids also love flashlights and headlamps for games in the dark and for helping them find things. (If I'm being honest though, I kind of hate them because my kids always seem to want to take them apart, and then I find little flashlight pieces and batteries strewn all around the house.)

9. Sudoku or crossword puzzle books
Last year the three older boys each received one of these crossword puzzle books in their stockings. They brought them along on our family vacation in January, and they were a great little road trip activity. They've also been getting into Sudoku puzzles this year, but I've just been printing off a few pages here and there. This year, I think I'm going to get them an actual book of puzzles so they can just work their way through them. This one looks promising.

10. A piece of fruit
If you were a child in 1873, getting an orange in your stocking was all the rage. Now you might think it would be a bit of a letdown. But would it surprise you to hear that Aaron is actually asking for avocados this year? He loves slicing them in half, sprinkling with salt, and then scooping them out with a spoon. And although we often have avocados, I usually already have plans for them. So he wants his own that he can eat whenever he wants without having to ask permission. I can also see my kids getting excited about a pomegranate or maybe something unusual like an artichoke or cactus fruit that I wouldn't normally buy.

11. Altoids or Icebreakers or Tic Tacs
I think my kids love these for the case they come in as much as the candy itself. It's just so fun to snap it open, take or shake one out, and snap it closed again. Plus, they find all sorts of uses for the case after its empty.

12. Necktie
This one is a tradition for us. Mike and all the boys each get a new tie for Christmas. Because they each wear a tie every Sunday, they're usually in need of a new one by the end of the year. Aaron moved up to real ties a couple of years ago (last year, he received this one, which he adores), and I'm hoping Maxwell can do the same this year because the real ties tend to last much longer than the ones with a clip or zipper.

13. Card Games
Not a day goes by without my boys pulling out a game to play with each other. They love games. So nothing could make them happier than finding a new game tucked into their stocking. I think if they had to choose one favorite card game from this past year, it would be Skull King. I'm not exaggerating when I say they've played that game hundreds of times (it's a variation on the trick-bidding card games). Other favorites include Five Crowns, Monopoly Deal, Cover Your Assets, Coup, and Sleeping Queens. And although not card games, we also love the small games, Tenzies and Pass the Pigs.

14. Pens or Pencils
Christmas is a perfect time to restock our writing utensils, and I like to do it with pens or pencils that are unique or maybe a little more of a splurge (although, for me, I'm always perfectly happy with a big pack of blue Bic pens). One year we did these Lego pens. I've also divided up a pack of Fineliners. And my kids never say no to a multi- color pen. For journal writing, I love the Pilot Precise V5 pen. And of course if you get pencils that need to be sharpened, you might want to also get the best little pencil sharpener in all the world.

15. Craft or art supplies
Clark has loved using markers lately, but he is terrible about putting the lids back on (we're working on it), so I know he's going to be getting some new markers in his stocking. He might also get a new set of watercolors. This is our favorite watercolor set, although it could be a tight squeeze in a stocking. My kids love getting new Perler bead boards (you could divide up a pack and put in one per stocking), or split up a stamp set among everyone.

16. 3-D Crystal Puzzles
We have both the skull and the shark, and they're pretty fun to put together and really cool to look at once they're finished. There's a large selection, and my kids love dreaming about which one they want next.

17. Thinking Putty
I mentioned this in my gift guide last year, but it's still a favorite of my kids. They get it out a lot when I'm reading aloud (although I think we might be due for a couple of replacements).

18. Lego Minifigures
I'd be remiss if I didn't include this on the list since my boys have probably all received one in their stockings for the last five years. (Yes, we have a LOT of Lego guys at our house.)

19. Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning
Have you guys tried this stuff yet? I put it on everything (eggs, pasta, roasted vegetables, etc.), and I can't get enough of it. I don't know that my kids would be thrilled to find it in their stockings, but I would.

20. Two-sided measuring spoons
We've had these measuring spoons for several years now (I think they were a stocking stuffer for Mike), and I love that I can measure both wet and dry ingredients without having to use a different spoon.

21. Tovolo Mixing Spoon
I heard Mel (from Mel's Kitchen Cafe) rave about a certain mixing spoon, and so I went to Harmons and bought one for Mike last year (notice Mike receives all the cooking and baking items). It turns out, it wasn't the same one she loved, but we have absolutely loved it nonetheless. A happy accident.  It has a silicone head, which makes it easy to use on any surface, but a metal handle, which gives it just the right amount of weight in your hand.

To round out this list, I'm going to share a few of the things that haven't been in our stockings before but which will be making an appearance for the first time this year.

22. Thank you cards
I feel like writing and sending thank you notes is becoming something of a lost art, especially for kids, and I don't want it to be. I think there is something really powerful in sitting down and writing out the words THANK YOU. As you do it, you actually become more grateful. I always have my kids write thank yous after the holidays, but they usually just use the cards I already have. This year, I'm going to put a few in each stocking so they'll be ready to go. Here are a few sets I think they would like: Animal Pun; Retro Chalkboard; Vintage Rustic Typeface.

23. Gift Cards for a Treat
This year I'm going to tuck a $5 gift card into each stocking. It will be to a frozen yogurt or ice cream place, and my plan is to then take them on one-on-one dates to redeem their gift cards. I try to have Mike or me or both of us spend quality one-on-one time with each of our kids, but sometimes the idea works better in theory than in practice. I'm hoping this will give us at least one date that is already planned (and already paid for), so it will make it easier for it to happen.

24. Sheet music
Aaron, Maxwell, and Bradley all play the piano, and they love learning fun solos. I'm going to get each of them a new song to learn and roll it up so that it will fit into his stocking.

25. Knitting notions
Ha! This one is for me, obviously. But I think anyone who crafts might appreciate a small notion like one of these. I have my eye on this gauge ruler, this pair of scissors, this notions pouch, or this cute tape measure. I think if I want any of these, it will probably be up to me to put them in my stocking myself. ;-)

What have been your most successful stocking stuffers? Please share!

For more gift ideas (not limited to stockings), visit last year's gift guide (which I still stand behind 100%).

The "I Would Buy That Again" Gift Guide

In the four-and-a-half years of my blog's existence, I have never published an official "gift guide." I've shared favorite things here and there in random posts, but never compiled a conscientious list.

But over the last few months, I've had a number of friends ask if certain toys that we own are "worth it," and I've also had the thought cross my mind on more than one occasion and about more than one toy, That was one of the best things we ever invested money on.

I also realized how much I love recommendations from trusted friends and sources (Mel's gift guides are among my very, very favorite), and so I thought I could maybe do the same for you.

We are not huge consumers, and so this list is going to be relatively short, as well as random. I'm including outdoor toys, building toys, games, crafts, books, etc. These are gifts that have gotten heavy, sometimes daily, use at our house (some of them for years) and are still going strong. These are all things that I would really and truly buy again if I were given the choice and that I've never experienced even the slightest twinge of buyers' remorse over.

(Disclaimer: Many of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase anything through that link, I earn a small commission without changing the cost for you. But please, feel free to shop around for a better deal!)

1. Wiggle Car
When Aaron was eighteen months old, we bought him a blue and red wiggle car with some Christmas money Mike's grandma had given us. At the time, these were still relatively new toys, and so we actually went to a swing set store to buy it because they were a distributor of them. I can still remember the sales guy sitting down on one and riding it around the show room to demonstrate its weight capacity. In the years since, we've acquired two more (one yellow, one green), and, except for extremely cold winter days, all three of them are driven around every single day. My kids race around the driveway and ride them up and down the street over and over and over. I keep expecting a wheel to break or a handle to fall off, but even the blue one (which is now seven years old) is still going strong. There are so many riding toys that get quickly outgrown (we keep having to buy new bikes because my kids just keep getting taller), but wiggle cars work for toddlers all the way up through teenagers (and yes, we have some older neighbor kids who love to ride them around). There are two brands (wiggle and plasma) and they look almost identical, but I believe that all three of ours are wiggle cars.

2. Legos
Ah, Legos. We entered the world of Legos the Christmas when Aaron was four-and-a-half, and I think they've been a part of our Christmases ever since. Prior to that Christmas, Mike scoured the classifieds and finally found a decent collection of bricks for a good price. That was definitely a nice way to start because it gave them a good foundation of basic pieces, but since then, my kids have loved saving up for and asking for actual sets (their favorites, and the ones they dream about the most, are from the Star Wars collection and the Creator collection). People have asked me before what we do with those built sets (do they display them? play with them? take them apart and build the same set over again? take them apart and build something completely new?), and the answer is: all of the above. This year I'm giving Aaron this book of Lego designs to inspire him to try new projects, but honestly, he seems to be plenty creative on his own.  In fact, it is not unusual for him to go directly from the car to the Lego bin in the basement when he gets home from school. They're beastly to step on in the middle of the night and I find that I always seem to have a random collection of them in my pocket because I find them all over the house, but oh, my kids love them.

3. Magformers
There are dozens of building toys out there, but this is where we've chosen to spend our money (along with Legos--see above). Why? Oh, for so many reasons. First of all, they're durable and well-made. We've had them for three years, and during that time, I think we've had two pieces break (and I blame my kids entirely for both breakages--they're hard on toys). Second, they appeal to a wide age range: Clark and his friends play with them as do our teenage nephews. Even adults find them impossible to resist. Because they're magnetic, they go together easily, almost without trying, and there is no end to the creative possibilities. And third, they are a breeze to clean up. This is where they trump Legos; instead of little random pieces scattered all over, they just all sort of clump together, making it super easy to gather them up and throw them in the bin. These are by far one of the more expensive toys we've invested in, and at the time, I really wondered if it would be worth it. But it has been. Again and again and again it's been worth it. Originally we bought the largest set we could find (and we've never felt like we had "too many" Magformers) and then later added one of the construction sets because it came with a couple of shapes we didn't have as well as a few specialty pieces. When I've been tempted to buy other building toys, I always ask myself, Will we like them more than Magformers? And the answer is almost always, Mostly likely not.

4. Q-Bitz
I probably could make an entire gift guide entirely out of games because my kids love games and play them all the time, but I'll restrain myself, mostly because most of the games we own I haven't actually played with them (guilty confession, but that's why they have each other, right?). But this one, I have. And what's more, I actually enjoy playing it with them. Each person gets a board with sixteen little cubes. The cubes each have six different sides. A card is turned over in the middle of the table with a design on it, and players have to race against each other to be the first one to duplicate the design. I have had just as much fun playing this game with adults as with kids, and the great thing is, if you're not really a competitive person, you can just play by yourself--it's just fun to turn the cubes and create the designs.

5. Rush Hour Jr.
This is a fun single-player game that challenges logical thinking and reasoning. The player picks a card from the deck and sets up the grid board according to the picture. The goal is to get the ice cream truck out of a traffic jam by sliding the other vehicles in and out of their places until you've created a clear path. Check out this video if you want a more visual idea for how it works. The puzzles get gradually harder as you work your way through the deck. So far we've only tried the junior version, although Aaron could definitely move up to the regular version. (This is the perfect game for afternoon quiet time or just when your kids need some time away from each other . . . or is that just my kids?) (Oh also, if your kids really like these kinds of logic puzzles, another favorite of ours is Castle Logix.)

6. Round metal pencil sharpener
I know, you're probably thinking, One of these things is not like the other. How did a pencil sharpener end up on this list? But stay with me. Anne Bogel calls this "the holy grail of pencil sharpeners," and with good reason. For years, we have dealt with the most inadequate pencil sharpeners (probably because we bought them for less than a dollar at Wal-Mart). They never gripped the pencils, and when they did, they sharpened them up one side but not the other. My kids are constantly drawing and coloring and doing projects, and the lack of a good pencil sharpener was so frustrating. I considered getting an electric sharpener, but as a last resort, decided to try this one first. Lo and behold, it only took three turns of the pencil, and it had a beautifully sharp point. I was sold (and so were my kids). I'm considering getting one for each of them for their stockings because I'm so worried about losing the only one we have.

7. Ramona Quimby collection
You knew books had to show up somewhere on this list, right? And although it pains me to have to pick favorites, I will say that these books (along with the Henry Huggins series) are probably the most read and re-read series in our house. Alternatively, they also love listening to the audio versions, and if you're an audible member, you're not going to find a better deal for your monthly credit than these collections. Eight books in the Ramona series or six books in the Henry series for one credit (which ends up being about $15, depending on your subscription)?! That's incredible.

8. Thinking Putty
A friend recommended this high-end silly putty earlier this year and said that it's one of her kids' favorite ways to occupy their hands when she's reading aloud to them. I bought a small tin for each of my kids for Easter, and it has been played with countless times since then (and yes, usually when I'm reading to them). At five times the price of old-school silly putty, you're probably wondering if it's worth it. And since I'm including it here, you can probably guess that my opinion is yes, I'd take this over silly putty any day (and pay for it, too). It comes in the most amazing assortment of colors and the texture is less rubbery, more smooth, than silly putty. However, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that the other day I asked Mike if he would buy it again and he said no. And it's true that even though we have pretty strict rules about when they can play with it and where it goes when they're done, they've still managed to smash it into the carpet. But a little vinegar has taken it right up without any problem. So buy it at your own risk. (Also, there's quite a range in price. This four-pack is one of the best prices I've seen, even with paying for the shipping.) A perfect stocking stuffer. 

9. Perler beads
I saw that--a few of you cringed when you saw this on the list, didn't you? And I totally get that. Perler beads are either a dream come true (your kids will sit for hours and painstakingly fill up a pegboard with little beads) or your worst nightmare (you spend most of your time sweeping up all those little beads while your kids wail because they accidentally bumped the pegboard when they were almost done). We happen to fall into the first camp, which is why they made it on the list, but I totally have some things that are like the second (rainbow loom! kinetic sand! ugh!). I've tried to figure out why perler beads have worked so well for us, and I think the main reason is just that we happened on a really good system right from the start: all of the supplies (beads, boards, even their finished creations) go in one big tub that gets put on a high shelf in their closet. They're only allowed to do them at the kitchen table (never in their room) and usually only during quiet time (so that Clark can't work his destruction magic). It just works for us. So there's that, but also, my kids just really love putting them together and somehow become miraculously focused and concentrated when they're working on them.

10. Ravensburger puzzles
We are a family of puzzle addicts. Mike claims that he doesn't love doing puzzles, but it sure seems like anytime we have one out, he somehow ends up being sucked into it, so the evidence would speak otherwise. At this point, Clark's interest is probably more of an adversarial one, if you know what I mean (nothing like having the power to make an older brother scream and chase you), but he loves doing wooden ones, so I think he'll come around. Our favorite brand is Ravensburger because the pieces are sturdy and fit together securely, the pictures are colorful and kid-friendly (even as you move up to more pieces), and they've got a wide range of sizes (even breaking it down into the 200- and 300-piece sizes, which are sometimes difficult to find). We have even ordered one of their custom puzzles, and it was the same great quality we've come to expect from their other puzzles but with a picture of our family on it. We still haven't braved anything beyond 500-pieces, but I think this might be the year for it.

11. Shrinky Dinks
These simple craft sheets literally kept my kids busy the entire Christmas break last year. Have you seen them? You simply draw a picture on one of the clear plastic sheets, cut it out, and put it in the oven where it miraculously shrinks down and turns into a hard thick plastic in the process--perfect for Christmas ornaments or key chains or necklace pendants. There are lots of specialized packs out there, but I just bought my kids one of the regular packs with ten sheets in it (and no extra gadgets). Then I printed out coloring pages for them, which they traced over with a sharpie and colored in with sharpies or colored pencils, and then they kept an eye on them through the oven window until they reached the perfect size. So many hours of fun.

12. Magazine subscription
Last but not least, how about a gift that keeps on giving? My parents gave Maxwell a Ranger Rick subscription for his birthday, and it has been one of his favorite things this year. Of course he loves it for all the animal facts and the jokes, but mostly he thinks it is wildly exciting to get something in the mail every month that's just for him (he does end up sharing it with his brothers but only after he's read it cover to cover). There are so many fun magazines to choose from. Ranger Rick is a good fit for Max because he's such an animal enthusiast, but search around because there's bound to be the perfect magazine for whatever your child enjoys.

Are any of these your favorites, too? Tell me about the toys YOU would buy again. Also, I'm happy to try to answer any questions you might have about anything I've mentioned. 

The Sweetness of Boys

When we were pregnant for the first time and found out that the baby would be a boy, I'll confess, I was a little disappointed. I had always pictured a girl first--one who would be sweet and thoughtful and nurturing (and probably a little bossy, too). But a boy. I just couldn't imagine a boy being any of those things.

I, of course, have changed my perspective in the intervening years. Boys are not the same as girls to be sure, but I've seen their kind, compassionate sides, and I love them for it. But even with this love and adoration for my boys, I had no idea that they were capable of orchestrating the best mother's day I've ever had.

It started weeks ago when Max put a box in his closet and began filling it with little presents he made in his spare time. I was under strict orders not to look in the box when I came in to get the laundry.

Around that same time, Bradley started crossing off the days on the calendar, giving me the most current countdown: "Only twelve more days until Mother's Day!" As the day approached, he grew increasingly excited, "Don't forget what's going to happen on Sunday, Mom."

I have to admit, I kind of wondered if they were confused about the purpose of Mother's Day. They did realize, right, that it wasn't a day for kids but for moms?

On Saturday night, Max set his alarm for midnight. His plan was to get up and clean the whole house so that it would be all ready for me when I woke up. Mike and I were the only ones who ended up hearing his alarm when it started beeping incessantly in the dead of night, but when he woke up at a normal time the next morning, he didn't let the lost hours stop him from getting right to work straightening up Clark's bedroom and the living room.

They let me sleep in and then showered me with gifts the moment I woke up: cards and bookmarks and pictures and crafts. There were so many little items in Max's box that we had to take a break so we could eat breakfast.

Here's some of what I found:

• a board game called "Get the Kisses"
• many origami hearts
• a little paper bag filled with six paper books
• hand-stamped notes
• a little scotch-taped paper container to keep my earrings in
• paper clip chains that spelled out the word "red" (my favorite color)
• coupons for basement and room cleaning
• homemade cards with fancy pop-ups

Sometimes I get a little stressed when my kids make me things because, as someone who doesn't love clutter, I just don't know how to handle all of it. But yesterday, I just basked in it. I thought of all of the hours and hours of work that went into it and realized, My kids are celebrating me because they want to. I am not just some afterthought. They didn't realize the morning of, "Oh I guess I better make Mom a card" and slap something together. They've been prepping for this day for weeks because they wanted to make me feel special.

Even Mike was surprised. There have been years when he has put forth a lot of time and effort to involve the boys in planning something sweet, but the week got away from him (and Mother's Day fell early this year). He still got me a gift (a kindle, which deserves its own post since it's taken me a long time to decide my life could benefit from having an e-reader in it), but he didn't take the boys out shopping or help them make anything for me. But his worry was unneeded. His boys paid attention to the date themselves and got ready for it on their own.

We spent the morning at church where the Primary children sang a couple of songs in sacrament meeting and filled out those fun questionnaires (for the question, "My mother loves to . . ." Max wrote, "read, take a nap, read to herself"). Bradley wore the sweater he doesn't like because he knows I like it. Clark handed me a paper flower with his picture in the middle and said, "Here, Mommy." In the afternoon, I read aloud to them (we just started Voyage of the Dawn Treader), and then I took a nap (so it appears Max knows me pretty well). No one fought or argued (or at least, not much).

In the evening, my brother and his family came over, and Mike made the most amazing salmon and shrimp (and he doesn't even like shrimp).

And through it all, I just kept telling myself, Pay attention. Remember that. You will never get another Mother's Day like this one. 

Maybe that's kind of cynical of me to say. But I realize I'm in the golden period of motherhood right now. My kids are old enough to carry on an interesting conversation and help out around the house but not so old that their parents don't know anything anymore. I would love it if they always looked forward to Mother's Day this much, but there will probably come a time when it will feel less like a privilege and more like an obligation. Life gets busy, and holidays become a burden because they come around so quickly, and a homemade card no longer seems to cut it.

I know a lot of moms who don't like Mother's Day because it brings up a lot of guilt. I certainly feel some of that, especially when my kids are so sweet to me and I remember all of the times I've been a real monster to them (although it definitely goes both ways, if you know what I mean). But mostly I just feel gratitude on Mother's Day: for my own mother, of course, but also for the opportunity to be a mother.

I don't know what my kids will be like in twenty years. I don't know if they'll be the types of sons who will call me on the phone or give me hugs or think to pamper me on special days. I like to think that they'll be like that, but I don't know.

What I do know is that right now, in 2016, these boys of mine are the sweetest, most thoughtful, most affectionate little boys I know. And oh, I'm going to treasure it.

The Christmas That Keeps On Giving

It's been more than a month since Christmas. The presents are all broken, lost, or forgotten about, right?

Not at our house.

For the first time in my life, I scored with my kids' presents. I've had many failures in the past (let's not even talk about the marble track from 2012 . . . ), and certainly not every present from this year reached "favorite status."

But two of the presents have just kept on giving and giving and giving: Perler Beads and Magformers

Perler beads have been around for a long, long time. I never actually owned any pegboards or beads as a child, but many of my friends did.

Aaron made his first Perler creation at his cousin's house a few months ago, and it was the one gift he consistently asked for through the month of December (aside from the infamous "bullet gun.") He is my kid who would happily do crafts all day long if I let him, so I was sold on the Perler bead idea from the beginning.

I had to laugh when, a few weeks before Christmas, I was at a toy exchange and one of the moms (without knowing about my Christmas gift-giving plans) said: "Whatever you do, do NOT give your child Perler beads. Those things are awful! You'll be sweeping them up for the rest of your life, and every time someone bumps the table before he's done, his creation will get scattered all over, and he'll be crying his eyes out."

I'm so glad I didn't follow her advice because I don't know if Aaron has ever received a better present (maybe his bike, but it's been hibernating in the garage for the last three months). I'm not lying when I say he has made at least one thing from Perler beads almost every day since Christmas. This proves it:

He received a few kits for Christmas, but we've also printed off a bunch of patterns from the Perler bead website. He has also come up with his own ideas, like this toothbrush and pencil:

Maxwell has also joined in, although not with quite the same obsessive fervor as Aaron. At this point, the only thing I can see stopping them is if they run out of beads. And then I will happily buy more.

And then Magformers.

Do you know about these things? They come in a variety of shapes (squares, triangles, pentagons, hexagons, etc.) and are magnetized on all sides. I first saw them at the Children's Museum a couple of years ago and wanted to buy a set right then and there at the over-priced gift store. I didn't, but I've wanted to invest in a set ever since.

Sadly, they're really expensive (like almost $1/piece), and so every time I thought of getting a set, I realized I could only afford the smallest ones, and it just seemed like it wouldn't be that much fun with only 15 pieces to work with.

Anyway, this year I felt like the time had finally come to splurge and buy a big set. But it was kind of a leap of faith because, in spite of my hints and prodding, none of the boys actually asked for them (but then, Maxwell didn't really ask for anything).

It was totally worth the investment! The Magformers have been played with daily. They are durable and versatile. Even two-year-old Bradley can make fun things. Plus, I didn't realize it when we originally decided to get them, but these things clean up easier than any other toy we own. They basically clean themselves up because they all bind together, so then you just pick up a gigantic clump of them and throw them in the bin. As much as I love Legos, these things take the cake when it comes to picking them up.

Seriously, I thought they were expensive at the time, but now the price seems well worth it in comparison with the product I got. I have been so amazed with all the 3-D shapes the boys have made. And it has definitely been the popular toy when we've had people over (both children and adults).

So yes, I'm patting myself on the back a little bit. At this rate, we won't even have to think about Christmas presents for next year.

And the infamous "bullet gun"? It can't even begin to compete in popularity.

P.S. And just to be perfectly clear, this is not a sponsored post. I don't think Perler beads or Magformers need my help endorsing them, but I'll do it just the same.

Art That's Worth Wearing

Lately, one of the boys' favorite activities is to draw . . . and draw . . . and draw. I don't even want to tell you how much paper they've gone through for fear you'll turn me into the environmental police. Let's just say they've used up more than their fair share of trees in the last couple of months...

I'm actually quite thrilled with this current obsession. I mean, all I have to do now is pack a spiral notebook when we got to church, and Aaron is set for the full 70 minutes. He just tucks himself into a corner of the pew (far away from Bradley's kicking feet) and draws to his heart's content. (Unfortunately, I see more of monsters and vampires in his art than prophets and scriptures, but hopefully he's not totally deaf to the things that are being said.)

Anyway, with all the drawing that's been going on, I knew that some sort of art project was definitely in order for Father's Day--not only to capture in a more permanent way some of their signature illustrations (the ones I see on almost every piece of paper) but also to capture this stage in their lives (because even though they love to draw now, I'm not convinced that art will play a major role in their futures--but who knows?).

Then I saw a post by The Artful Parent on No Time For Flashcards about how to transfer drawings onto t-shirts, and I knew that would be the perfect way to document this stage (and what kind of a father doesn't want to wear his kids' art?!).

Below, I'll share the projects we made, but if you're interested in doing your own t-shirts, I recommend checking out the full tutorial on No Time For Flashcards.

First, I had both Aaron and Max draw several different pictures on plain white copy paper. Then, out of those selections, I had them each choose their best work. A couple of Max's sketches were giant blobs he claimed were California and Utah, but he eventually settled on one of our whole family. 

That's me with the bright pink hair. I'll bet you're jealous...

Then I used our (very old) printer to make a color copy onto the fabric transfer paper. (I think you can pick up fabric transfer paper just about anywhere: craft, office supply, superstore, etc. I bought it at Wal-Mart in the office/school section: 6 sheets/$8. Kind of pricey, but since I only used two sheets, and I got the t-shirts for $4 each, it was only about $5.50 per shirt.)

There are two different types of fabric transfer paper: one is used for light fabrics and the other for dark fabrics. I went ahead and purchased the one for light fabrics because it was cheaper and looked easier to use.

After the drawings were copied onto the fabric transfer paper, I cut each one out, leaving only a very small margin (per the instructions).

Then I put the paper, drawing side down, onto the shirt, which was laying flat on the desk (the instructions said not to use an ironing board). My iron was set to a high cotton setting with no steam.

I pressed firmly on part of the picture for 20 seconds, then moved to the next section for another 20 seconds. I made a couple passes over the entire thing to make sure I hadn't missed a spot and had also given it enough heat and time to transfer.

I let the shirt cool completely. Then came, what the boys and I dubbed as, "the magic part." I peeled off the paper, and it literally looked like Aaron and Max had taken a marker and drawn the picture onto the shirt itself. The boys were absolutely amazed and pleased as punch. I was pretty happy, too. 

These are Aaron's signature monsters. He has filled up almost an entire notebook with pictures that look very similar to the ones above. He has already started moving onto other drawings (vampires and rocket ships), so I'm glad to have something with which to memorialize the monster phase.

(It's probably obvious, but I should also mention that the image gets flipped when you iron it on, so Aaron had to write his name backwards so it would come out looking right.)

The boys were more than a little excited for Mike to open his presents on Father's Day.

And Mike gave the proper "Wow, boys! These shirts are awesome!" reaction.

Maxwell's shirt ended up looking a little more girly than we'd intended (all that pink hair, you know), so Mike has to look super tough (haha) when wearing it (or just wear it when he's going to bed). He's definitely a good sport about it.

I just have to share a funny story about these photos: After we put the boys to bed one evening, we went into the backyard so I could quickly snap a couple of photos of Mike wearing the shirts. As he was posing, he suddenly got an embarrassed smile on his face and said, "Oh, hi." There was our neighbor standing at our gate. She asked, "Would you like one of both of you?" "Oh, no," we assured her. "Don't all parents take random portraits of themselves for fun when their kids are in bed?"

(Note: If you decide to make a t-shirt, please read the fabric transfer instructions carefully. There are several brands of fabric transfer paper, and the instructions will probably be a little different for each one. What worked well for me may or may not work well for you.)

I shared this post at Raising Memories.