Gifts for the Little Bookworm - #4Gifts

*Note: This is not a sponsored post. My love for these books is entirely my own! I did, however, reach out to the publisher who agreed to give me a copy of their new treasury (which we already own and love!) to give away to one of my readers! You can find that giveaway here!

Today's 4 Gifts post is the one I have been waiting for! If you follow me anywhere, especially on instagram, you know that I am the mama to a little bookworm. We love books. Especially used books! And library books! There is one kind of book that we always buy new, though, and that is our Arch Books. These are our number one choice for Bible storybooks, and I can't say enough how much we treasure them. The originals have been around since the '60s, and Matt and I both remember reading many of them when we were children. Now, we get to share them with Aiden! And there are plenty that are new to all of us! He is a huge fan of his "Jesus books" and reads at least one almost every day now. 

I love these particular books for three primary reasons: 

1. They are scripture-based, and provide a guide for parents in every title! These books are about teaching children about God in a way that we are commanded to in Deuteronomy 6. They are written for children, but do not water down the Word.
2. While being solid in their lessons, they are also FUN! They include rhyming text and a wide variety of illustrations. The illustrators differ from book to book, so as you collect them you get to see things in many different visual styles! I love that! 
3. They are affordable! Any parent knows that books can be very expensive. These, however, are priced to get them into the hands of families! You can buy them individually for $2.49 or less (they have sales often) but they also offer a subscription service for families. We get a new shipment of Arch books quarterly, and they come at a great discount! They also sent us a free wooden shelf to hold our collection with the first shipment. You can find out about the Family Arch Book Club here. 

While I was browsing around the website, I noticed this compilation of Christmas arch books that is on sale right now. I think we will definitely need to pick this one up! While we have several Christmas books, it would be ideal to have a nice treasury of them like this! 

Click Here to look inside this book!

One more thing I should mention is that CPH has what I think is hands-down the best children's Bible around! We purchased this Bible for Aiden a couple of years ago, and it is the only one we use! We have been given a couple of others, but they don't really compare. I could write a whole post about this, but for the sake of this post I will keep this brief! This Bible is currently 33% off on the website, though, so now is the perfect time to check it out!

Don't forget to head over to my instagram to enter to win a copy of the Arch Books Treasury!

Charitable Giving - Lutheran Bible Translators

I love the idea of making donations to organizations that make a difference instead of buying gifts. If someone were to give to Lutheran Bible Translators on my behalf this year, I would be thrilled. It is so hard to imagine that there are people who do not have access to God's Word in their own language. We so often take it for granted that we can pick up a Bible and read for ourselves. I also rarely think about the fact that even when the Scriptures have been translated into a language, there is still the matter of education to see to, so that the people can actually read it for themselves. Here is some of what the LBT website has to say about this: 

Giving people access to God’s life-changing Word in their language involves translating the Bible in written form as well as equipping people with the skills to read and write in their language. Often it also involves creating audio versions of Scriptures, or helping people develop forms of worship that are meaningful within their culture.

Bible translation does not happen in isolation. Our field work often involves language development (recording history, creating dictionaries, documenting culture), health development (AIDS awareness, trauma healing training), and physical development (water systems, farming techniques). LBT will call upon specialist organizations to help with requests outside of our expertise.

There is definitely work to be done, and I thank God for those who are answering the call to do it! You can download a monthly prayer calendar from their website (December's can be found here) and you can also donate to this important work here.

Now for the #4Gifts GIVEAWAY!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

$130 Target Gift Card  ||  $25 World Market Gift Card  ||  Lace Arm Warmers - Forgotten Cotton  ||  Personalized Cutting Board (9x12") - Laserworkz  ||  Gypsy Dreamcatcher Necklace - Gypsies Box Jewelry  ||  $30 Credit for Keep Collective with Kassie  ||  Adult Coloring Book - This Girl's Doodles

Gifts for the Little Bookworm - #4Gifts

Thursday, December 3

4 Gifts: Wear {style guide for a 5-year-old boy + a giveaway!}

Okay so, honestly? This is the post of this series I was the least excited about. Because we are consignment store and hand-me-downs all the way. But, I decided that just in case a long-distance relative wanted to send a gift of clothing I would go ahead and share some ideas. When it comes to what Aiden will get from us for this category, though, it will most likely be socks. Because every pair he owns right now is too small. Little bigfoot! Ha! Anyhow... at the top of my wishlist for him would be sweaters. These are all from Kohls:

He doesn't need jeans, thanks to some awesome friends, but he could surely use some comfy pants and some winter shirts wouldn't hurt. The items below are all from Old Navy:

So when he came to lean on me while I worked on the computer (like he always does) he spotted the sweater below and said it was his favorite. This is why I still choose his clothes, haha! And of course hats are always big with Aiden! This Star Wars hat from Target would be perfect!

For the record, he is currently in a size 6 for both pants and shirts, but pants must be adjustable or elastic waist and slim is best. Shoes he wears a size 13.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

$130 Target Gift Card  ||  $25 World Market Gift Card  ||  Lace Arm Warmers - Forgotten Cotton  ||  Personalized Cutting Board (9x12") - Laserworkz  ||  Gypsy Dreamcatcher Necklace - Gypsies Box Jewelry  ||  $30 Credit for Keep Collective with Kassie  ||  Adult Coloring Book - This Girl's Doodles

4 Gifts: Wear {style guide for a 5-year-old boy + a giveaway!}

Wednesday, November 25

For the Essential Oil Lover in Your Life! {a 4 gifts holiday gift guide}

Just joining us for the 4 gifts series? See last week's gift guide for family games here. 

So I will say that this is the category in the 4 gifts method of gifting that throws me off a bit. I keep trying to think of what we really need that could be given for Christmas. So, maybe I am slightly off track here, but I decided that for this post I would focus on Essential Oils. While we can certainly live without them, I have grown pretty attached to them. They are as close to a need as I could come up with!

First, there are some EO accessories I am hoping for this Christmas! While the oils themselves are the most fun, there are other things that are needed to use them in a variety of way! My diffuser died recently, so I am excited about the one below that was suggested by a friend. I am definitely in need of new roller bottles, and want to share a word of caution to make sure the ones you order are suitable for light-sensitive oils and have a metal roller ball. I accidentally got some with plastic roller balls... worst thing ever! This coconut oil is my favorite carrier, and while I am still searching for the perfect storage solution I think putting these racks in the bathroom closet might be just the ticket!

Roller Bottles | Diffuser | Coconut Carrier Oil | Storage Racks

Then there are the new Holiday Synergies. I guess I should mention that I typically prefer Plant Therapy oils. They call their blends synergies. So, imagine my delight when I logged on to put some things in my wishlist and saw the holiday collection! I definitely need these!

Plant Therapy Holiday Blends

Finally, there are some oils that I have been wanting to order but haven't made it into my online shopping cart. I try to buy a new oil when I order the ones I need to restock, but it just hasn't been a priority in the budget lately. However, I will say that Plant Therapy oils are very affordable, and my collection has grown a lot more since discovering them!

Gifts People Really NEED...

Now, I love oils, and I admit that it is a lot of fun to think about the perfect gifts to give. However... do any of us really NEED these gifts? Probably not very often. There are organizations that urge us to consider a different kind of giving. We can give a gift that will truly change lives on behalf of our loved ones. One such organization is Heifer International. 

I have heard of them before, and each time I have thought "Oh! What a neat idea!" and then quickly forgotten about it (just keeping it real here...). This year, though, I plan to really do it. I can think of a couple people who would genuinely be touched to receive that card saying that a flock of chicks was purchased on their behalf. Or that they have a share in a goat for a family who needs it. In fact, I am so passionate about this that I considered wiping this oil post clean to focus only on this. I am going to go ahead and leave that oily goodness up there, because I know people still love to give traditional gifts, but I hope you will watch the video below and really think about what you can give to those around the world who need it this year.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

$130 Target Gift Card  ||  $25 World Market Gift Card  ||  Lace Arm Warmers - Forgotten Cotton  ||  Personalized Cutting Board (9x12") - Laserworkz  ||  Gypsy Dreamcatcher Necklace - Gypsies Box Jewelry  ||  $30 Credit for Keep Collective with Kassie  ||  Adult Coloring Book - This Girl's Doodles

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For the Essential Oil Lover in Your Life! {a 4 gifts holiday gift guide}

Thursday, November 19

The Family That Plays Together... {2015 Holiday Gift Guide}

This year, for the first time, I am participating in the 4 Gifts blogging series! Not sure what 4 Gifts is about? There are 4 categories and the idea is that you buy something from each category. The categories are: Want, Need, Wear and Read. Hopefully our lists will help to take some of the guess work out of Christmas shopping for you! And for something super fun, there's a GIVEAWAY too! The giveaway will go on for the next 4 weeks and each week you'll have more chances to enter. Be sure to scroll down & enter for your chance to win! This week, we are kicking things off with the WANT category, and for our family this means new games to play together!

Nothing brings families together like a good, old-fashioned Family Game Night.

In our family, playing games together is an important part of any gathering... and also just everyday life! We also love to have game nights with friends, and one particular couple always introduces us to the best games! So, each Christmas we try to add a new board game or family game to our collection. It is a great way to give a gift that will lead to lots of great memories and encourage family time! Here are some of our favorites from the past year that I would definitely suggest adding to your collection.

These unique card games are both fun to play and easy to pack for entertainment on-the-go while traveling!

Duck Duck Bruce | Sushi Go! | Deer in the Headlights

Duck Duck Bruce is without a doubt the best game we have for playing with Aiden when other adults want to join in. It is a super cute game that our extended family loves as well! It is currently out of print, but you can still find more reasonable priced copies used if you search. Sushi Go! is a game that is fun and different from any other game I have played for sure. And you cannot go wrong with happy, smiling sushi. Deer in the Headlights is our go-to game when we need something that doesn't require a lot of strategy. It is just plain fun!

Games that require both a little strategy or planning and a little luck tend to be popular in our family!

Machi Koro | Splendor | Qwirkle

Machi Koro is hands-down our favorite game right now. It isn't one that younger players will be able to join in on, but it is perfect for when the grown-ups want to play something engaging. Splendor is a game that was instantly a hit with it's interesting mix of cards and tokens. It is a very visually appealing game. Qwirkle is great a game that requires your brain to process a little differently as you use tiles to build a grid by both shape and color. 

Having a variety of games for different ages and audiences makes it easy to please a variety of guests!

Settlers of Catan | Swap! | Phase 10 Twist | Surprise Slides

Settlers of Catan is a well-loved game for me and my siblings. My mom, however, banned it from her house because it drives her crazy, ha! Catan nights are some of my favorite game nights! Swap! was the absolute hit last Christmas. It is a pretty easy game that moves fast and brings lots of laughs. I love Phase 10, but I have trouble finding people to play with me because it takes so long! Phase 10 Twist keeps the play moving along so there is the fun of the original without quite as much waiting. Surprise Slides is one kid game I really don't mind playing. Any parent knows that some games get to where you simply cannot play one more time. This one is a fun one that we really enjoy.

Don't forget to include charitable giving on your lists this Christmas season!

For the past few years we have kept the gift-giving part of this season to a minimum. We prefer to focus our resources, both time and finances, on creating memories and focusing on the Christ child and the gift of salvation that has already been freely given to us! While we don't cut out gifts completely, one of the things I really want to focus on this year is making sure that we are thinking outside our family and friends when it comes to giving this Christmas season. I love this 4 Gifts idea for my own family, but I wanted to find ways to tie in each gift category with a service project or charitable giving. For the WANT theme, we are packing a box for Operation Christmas Child. 

Our church is participating as a congregation, and it is heart-warming to see the display set up with all of the boxes outside the sanctuary. If you are not familiar with Operation Christmas Child you can read more here. I plan to share more about our experience with this fun and meaningful project in a later post! I did want to point out something awesome that I found today, though! They suggest that you can write a letter to include in your box, but if you are working with a preschool child to pack the box that can be challenging. This year they have fun coloring pages that you can print and have your child color and record a little bit about themselves. Check them out here! 

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

$130 Target Gift Card  ||  $25 World Market Gift Card  ||  Lace Arm Warmers - Forgotten Cotton  ||  Personalized Cutting Board (9x12") - Laserworkz  ||  Gypsy Dreamcatcher Necklace - Gypsies Box Jewelry  ||  $30 Credit for Keep Collective with Kassie  ||  Adult Coloring Book - This Girl's Doodles

The Family That Plays Together... {2015 Holiday Gift Guide}

Thursday, November 12