Unique Kid Gift Ideas + Giveaway

This post has been sponsored by Nakturnal. I was given a $50 store credit to the shop. No other compensation was exchanged.


I don't know about any of you, but I like to shop for Christmas early. That way I'm not overwhelmed in December. I can relax. Somewhat. Sometimes I have no idea what to get someone. I always like to check out people's shops, because you can generally find unique items there. And you're helping a small business, which is a plus for me.

Picket Fences has a great collection of gifts for kids and adults!


Books are the best, so I absolutely loved this sweater:

This Magic Mirror Dress is gorgeous:

This suit is precious! Perfect for formal holiday get togethers:

And for teenagers and adults? Well. I loved these, personally.

With the holidays coming, I need a planner. This Garden Party Planner goes from August 2018-August 2019, so it's perfect.

This planner is so colorful and vibrant:

And check out the Canvas Book Tote by Kate Spade. I mean, duh. I love to read. It's one of my favorite things to do. I'd rather read than go out.

It's nice and sturdy, which is great, because I love big books (and I cannot lie!)

So remember, with the holidays coming, check out Picket Fence!

Plus, you can win a $50 Store Credit!


Giveaway Rules:

--US Addresses Only


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Now, I don't know about you, but I am ready for the holidays so I can fill out my planner.

To learn more about Picket Fence, you can check them out at the following:

their website

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

Hey, It's Okay....



....to be glad both kids had a good first day of school. Natalie said she didn't get too lost. I'll write more about it in a future post. Do you remember starting Middle School?



....to have ordered pizza to celebrate the first day of school. Some parents make a fancy meal. I order pizza. I'm all about the easy.



....to not have seen To All The Boys I've Loved Before on Netflix yet. Natalie has, and LOVED it. I eventually will! I keep hearing about it.



....to have enjoyed the silent house when the kids went back to school. Oh sure, I missed them, but I'm one of those people who need quiet.



....to feel like my hand is about to fall off from filling out all the school paperwork. Thank goodness I only have two kids in school! The people who have more, have my respect. I asked my husband to help but gave up when he kept saying, "Wait, who is their doctor?" or, "Do we give permission for them to share photos?" with what seemed like every few seconds. It's just easier if I do it.

Age Appropriate Back To School Outfits For Tween Girls

My daughter is back in school! Yes! And you guys know how it could be difficult going back to school shopping with her.

But we managed.

And she was able to pick out some cute and affordable items.

We found these shirts at Kohls (on sale with a 30% off coupon on top of that!)

(Most outfits will be paired with her Adidas shoes. She's weirdly been obsessed with Adidas stuff.)


Natalie has been wearing Gymboree since she was a baby, and many pieces go up to size 14 now! She picked out this shirt that says "No Bad Days." She went extra "stripey" with these skinny jeans.

She loves overalls, so she picked these out!

She LOVES accessories, so she picked out these glasses at Claire's.

Justice is one of Natalie's favorite stores, so she found several options there, all on sale! (Many at least 50% off, or from a sale online.)

Please pardon the blue swimsuit she had on underneath. After the photo shoot, we headed for the pool since it's incredibly hot in Texas.

Now, Natalie LOVES this next outfit, but the dress code at her school is bizarre: no leggings if they don't have pockets. However, I think she could still wear the above outfits, because the leggings are paired with oversized shirts. I think.

These dress codes are getting out of control and it stinks that girls seem to be dealing with the brunt of it all because apparently boys can't handle seeing leggings without pockets. Or something.

I don't know about you, but I would think this would be appropriate for school. But because the pants don't have pockets. she can't wear them. Bizarre. Still. She'll wear it when she's home and can wear the shirt to school at least.

Obviously I get that she can't wear the hat to school. She can wear it on Hat Day!

The next outfit will be perfect when it cools down.

It's an oversized cropped sweatshirt, so she'll be wearing a tank top underneath.

Are your kids back in school?

How To Survive Back To School Shopping With A Tween Girl

"You're doing it again," my daughter Natalie said.

"What?" I asked.

"Staring. It's creepy. I'm getting older. Not dying," Natalie reminded me.

Oh. Oops. Yeah.

I can't help it though. She's going into MIDDLE SCHOOL. She's my last baby. But, I mean, let's be honest, I sort of freaked out when my son went to Middle School too.

We were going back to school clothes shopping. Back when she was tiny, I could go out and buy whatever I wanted and she'd wear it. Now? Now.

"Seriously, Mom? No," Natalie said, wrinkling her nose.

It can be tricky shopping with an opinionated tween girl. But there are ways to cope.

1. Don't be offended if they don't like what you pick. They are getting older. They have their own styles. What they liked last year isn't necessarily what they'll like this year.

2. Bring emergency chocolate if things get super tense.

"Oh cool, I like this shirt," Natalie said at one point.

I checked the price. "Yeah. No."

Then I got the stink eye. But sorry. If it's over $30, it's not happening. I don't even pay over $30 for my clothes.



3. Enjoy yourself. I mean, yeah, tween girls can be moody. But they can be fun too. Usually when they're in the changing room and you don't have to hear them. Ha. I'm kidding. But no. I usually enjoy my time with my daughter until Linda Blair's demon randomly flies into her.

4. Don't let her walk all over you. Seriously. If something is too expensive, say something. If you hate the style, don't buy it. Yes, they might have their own style, but fish net anything is disturbing. Check their attitude.

5. Savor the sweet moments. When I did buy items for my daughter, she thanked me. "I love you. Thank you for buying me the clothes." I got many hugs.

It's tough to know that my daughter is growing up. But I savor and look forward to the moments we do have together. She might be getting older, but she'll always be my little girl.