Internet shopping for Christmas gifts

This year, I’ve decided to do a lot of my shopping online. I found a really great shotgun break down case for my “little” brother. He is an avid hunter and fisherman and this will be totally perfect for him. Each year, I like to get him things that I know he will enjoy and actually use. He is the youngest in the family, and when my mom worked, basically since I’m quite a bit older than he is, I used to keep an eye on him while she was at work. He’s pretty much my favorite of my siblings, even though it’s said one shouldn’t have favorites. It’s hard not to, since he is indeed the youngest.

My niece’s ten speed bike got stolen over Thanksgiving holidays, which to me is a darn shame, since she really is into biking and being a collage student rode her bike everywhere, to save on gas. Also she is into going on long bike rides for the fitness and also just for the pleasure of it, so now she is riding my old one. I hinted to her not to get another bicycle because, “Santa was coming soon”. I said it with a wink, so I’m sure she knows I’ll be buying her one.

One of my older nephews is seriously into collecting rocks, and hinted to me that he really needed a new rock collection display case. This will be a pleasure for me to get one for him, since I am into collecting rocks also, and always have been. So, three items are going to be crossed off my list soon!

 

A gift for my very large man friend

My friend Steven will turn fifty soon and I wanted to get him a gift that I know he will be pleased with. The problem is, that I was having a problem finding a store that sells big and tall mens clothing. There is a shopping mall in a large town close to me, and one would think out of all the higher priced clothing stores, or the more pricey department stores there, I could find a shirt or pair of pants that would look great on Steven and would actually fit him. I couldn’t find anything near his size.

My dear friend used to be a wrestler in what was called the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) back years ago when I first met him. He is retired now, and still by no means is he overweight in anyway, as he works out every day and is very health conscious. He is just very tall and very big. But he also has problems finding big and tall mens clothing for himself. He is a great looking guy who deserves nice looking clothes that actually fit him.

Another friend of mine knew of my problem and told me to get online to find what I was looking for. To be honest I never even thought of it, since most clothing stores always carried what I was looking for.  So I went to my computer for my mission to find big and tall mens clothing. I found some awesome clothes! I like them so much I got into my extra gift money and bought him a polo shirt, two flannel shirts I know he’ll love, and a pair of great looking cargo pants that he favors.  I can’t wait until his birthday to give them to him. I know now he indeed will be pleased!!

T-shirts for a cause

My niece is into donating blood for people who need it,  and she called me and asked if I would please help to find her, or at least look into finding some custom t-shirts for not only donating blood, but also for various cancers and other causes she is involved with. I have to say, that where I live there is no place that I am able to grant her request, so I had to do some online searching.

Custom t-shirts for her causes are important to me. My niece is so dedicated that I really admire her and when she does her walks and supports what she believes in, I indeed want to help her. While looking online, I also found that I could have shirts made up that I would like to distribute and also tell people where they could get them, considering the fact that the nearest big city from where we live is an hour and a half away, that has any shops that we could get these shirts from.

Of course because I wanted to help my niece, I went online. The custom t-shirts I found, not only could be made to pertain to her causes that she is interested in helping, but also the wording can be basically anything that a person would wish to put on a shirt. I like this idea, since I can also buy shirts that can be worn with my niece’s and nephew’s sports and activities to show support to them, or for the fact that I am proud of what they are involved in. I can also have the shirts made up as special gifts, at a great price.

Dislike of shopping

I used to enjoy to go shopping. I never really liked clothes shopping because of having to of course, try everything on, but it was never bad if I had someone with me, since they could go out and get clothes they knew I liked, and bring them in for me to try on. Now, trying to shop for something to wear for the up coming wedding, and also shoes, then trying to figure out what to get the couple for a gift, is sort of loosing it’s allure. Not to mention going to store after store to find what I’m looking for…that is getting old fast. Kicker is, I have another wedding and a baby shower to go to in the next two months also. The thought of shopping online is more appealing to me now that it ever was. And just giving money to the couple makes a whole lot of sense to me!

Larger sizes

My sister in law was having a terrible time as she is a big boned woman and gained some weight that she really is having a hard time getting toned back up.  I feel for her, as after her last child was born, she has not been able to drop the weight she had gained. She had a hard pregnancy with the last baby and had to be on total bed rest, which also made her put the weight on. She wears  plus size dresses, but she is having a hard time finding a nice style, and she was always fashion conscious in the past and dressed really nicely.

We have a family wedding coming up and my sister in law is working out and watching her diet, and though she is loosing the weight it is slow going for her but she has really toned it and we are trying to find her a plus size dress to wear to this function. Bless her heart…she works so hard, and I see how difficult it is for her to drop the “baby” weight, but the whole family encourages her and she and I have gotten online to find that perfect dress to wear to the wedding. I’m sure she will be just beautiful, as I think she is and always will be both inside and out.

I know how hard it has been for her to tone up and also shop with the kids very young still,  so I’m going to surprise her with one of the dresses she has her eye on. Its a lovely plus size dress, and it also has a slimming effect to it. It also can be worn places other than weddings!

Vacation homes

My blogging friend who I’ve grown to be very good friends with, mentioned now having what is called a bucket list. She has always been afraid of flying, and then on her 50th birthday, decided it was time to get over her intense phobia, because of all the wonderful places and experiences she had missed up until that point and I must say, her list of places she wants to go to is quite impressive. In fact, it’s lengthy to say the least.

One of the vacation spots she wants to go to is Hawaii. I guess her brother went there and came back with photos and interesting adventure tales to tell, and she then and there decided it was first on the list, besides of course, her love…Scotland. I’ve been seriously thinking about what to give her for her birthday this coming year, and it also would be a reunion of sorts for us. She had told me that she had gone online and did lots and lots of research about Hawaii. I’ve had some money saved up for my own vacation next year, yet I wanted to get a vacation home to stay in, instead of a hotel. It would feel more like living there for a time, then just a vacation.

I looked into American Dream Reality Hawaii, thinking that my friend’s list is indeed a dream and yet maybe it could be a reality and she wants to go to Hawaii. When I was there last, I had a wonderful time, and it would be great for my buddy to experience some or the things that I did. We’ll see what happens. In the mean time, I keep encouraging her to keep writing her list!

Sundresses

For the last week I have been living in my bathing suits and shorts. Today I had to put on a T~shirt and go into town for supplies at the lake place. Even at 7:00 am, it was beginning to swelter and my the shirt was pretty much soaked, (ICKY) after about a half hour.  Mom always says, “Women glisten, they don’t sweat.”  Bull!  I was sweating my butt off even at that early time. I even made a mental note to call Mom and have this debate with her, once I got back to the cabin. Anyway, I had to pick up a prescription at Kmart, and saw loads of clothes on clearance. Normally I don’t buy clothes from there, but I couldn’t refuse the really nice looking sundresses that were only about 6.00 each. They are really light weight and I love to wear dresses like these. It was a good deal so I ended up with five of them. I figure if need be, I can even throw one on over my bathing suit. I’m glad dresses are making a come back of sorts. These would even make great gifts.

A unique gift!

My youngest sister bought a new home after living in her previous home for about four years. I wanted to get her a gift, but not something that she already had or one of those run of the mill gifts that everyone seems to give for lack of imagination. I visited her new house and saw that she had a lot of stainless steel items that were really shiny, clean looking and modern, in the house. I personally think the things would be rather hard to keep finger proofed, but she assured me that it wasn’t hard at all and even showed me this cleaning that she had, so it set my mind to working. Once home I got on the internet and let my fingers start shopping, or at least “look shopping”, and I came across some great items, including a very shiny stainless steel letter box, but nixed that idea, as I had noticed that she had a mail box in the shape of a little barn that I new she loved.

The home does have a really awesome fireplace, so I checked out the Blomus four piece stainless steel fireplace accessories. Now these, I thought were really cool looking, as I could imagine when a fire was going in the fireplace, they would sparkle and shine and well…look pretty awesome. I of course bookmarked that page to go back to later, in case I didn’t find anything else I wanted to get her. It totally amazed me how many really awesome items came in stainless steel and it was hard for me to decide exactly what I wanted to get her, that I knew she wouldn’t have or get from others.

Finally I settled on the stainless steel garden torch bowl. No one ever said I bought ordinary gifts, and I would absolutely love one of these for myself. They are a bit pricey, but my sister is worth it, and from what I have read, they are durable and also very pretty. My sister loves outdoor torches and table lights, so I am hoping that she will love this as much as I do. Maybe with my next pay check, I might splurge and get a couple for myself. I could call it a early birthday present!! 🙂