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favorites this week

July 2, 2016 Filed in favorites of the week,food,recipes,things i love

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doesn’t this sparkling sangria drink look so yummy?!!
it makes me want to throw a party!
it’s festive for this holiday weekend too!
you can find the recipe at GimmeSomeOven.com. (she’s got a million great posts over there)

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this is a candidate i can get behind – TACOS 2016!
ha ha ha…
tshirt from Headline Shirts
and i know what to make for dinner tonight too.   🙂

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my friend has been telling me about Noon Design Shop for awhile now.
she has raved about the women who run it, their awesome products and branding.
well she gave me some last week and I  AM HOOKED!
the tinted lip balm is the best!
it’s just right for sun kissed face with no make-up summer look.

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megrainbowstripeSKINNY

Home of Caroline Verschoor, Ekster Antiques & Uniques, Summer Party Home of Caroline Verschoor, Ekster Antiques & Uniques, Summer Party

this photo is perfection.
i mean really – the porch… the tree… the sun setting behind the house… the roof… the tire swing….
it’s totally DREAMY!
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i’m crushing on this painted chicken print from Makewells.
the giraffe and the puppy are in annie’s room already so i needed a chicken for me.
probably for laundry room… because of course i need a chicken painting in my laundry room!

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i have been making this blueberry buckle recipe every 4th of july for 15 years!
i make it other times during the year as well but ALWAYS on the 4th.
it is crazy good.
and it’s EVEN BETTER for breakfast.
i make homemade whipped cream to go on top – please tell me you know how to make this.
it’s so easy and soooooo much better than cool whip.
this is the year that YOU need to make it too.     🙂

*** you can make it in any pan but it just looks so pretty when you cook it in a springform pan ***

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megrainbowstripeSKINNY

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ok now… don’t laugh… but this is my new favorite beauty product!!
it’s an electric pedicure tool.
it will make your feet sooooooo smooth!
and what i love about it is i don’t have to do any work – it does it all for me.
i barely even have to move my arm!
i don’t enjoy getting pedicures at salons (not relaxing and there’s too much small talk)
but I DO enjoy having smooth, soft, pretty feet.
i linked it to amazon and i saw that there is even a $5 coupon with it!
i didn’t get that when i bought mine… it must be your lucky day.
trust me on this one – you are going to L O V E  it.

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megrainbowstripeSKINNY

add a comment

Seamingly Sarah - I LOVE homemade whipped cream. I totally failed my first time making it, but I’m a pro now. My birthday is my perfect time of the year (coming up next week!) to try out all the new dessert recipes I’ve been eyeing. My favorites so far have been a lemon blueberry cake, s’more cupcakes and cherry chocolate cupcakes.

Lee Johnson - Yes, I know how to make whip cream! My mother only made “whupped cream”! I refuse to use & eat cool whip so I am Whipped Cream Snob and proud of it! 🙂

Kim B - Megan’s artwork is so pretty, thanks for the introduction!
You has me at “I don’t have to do any work” with the Pedi Perfect! Its on my next Prime order!

Michele - I just the bought the foot thing because…well, flip flop feet and I don’t much like pedicures because of small talk either. =/
OH…and hey! I was born in Des Plaines! Small world!

Shanna - I have made your Blueberry Buckle a couple of times. No complaints other than it doesn’t last long enough. It is delicious!

LESLIE - Oh I loved the whip cream discussion. I live in the bay area of california where many moms I know do not make food from scratch. One time I had a friend over and was making popcorn -from kernels!- and my friend asked what yellow liquid I was pouring over the popcorn. When I said “melted butter” she was like “you mean the REAL thing?”. Yup. Fun times. I need to move to Kansas, apparently, where I’d fit in better. Real foods all the way…

Shay @ Whine Less, Breathe More - Oh my goodness! Not a huge fan of chickens in decor, but I LOVE the style of that painting. Thanks for posting! Off to see what of hers I can’t live without…

Lori - My mom bought me a Pedi Perfect for my birthday last year. She swore by it and I love it- especially in the summer. So easy to use!

Also, the blueberry buckle sounds fantastic. So festive!

Happy Independence Day!

Michelle - I think I’m going to try that blueberry buckle! Have you ever used frozen blueberries? Is that just crazy? 😜

CassM - Always love all your ‘Favorites’, Meg!

I had to laugh though … I mean … do most people NOT know how to make homemade whipped cream?? Oh dear. If that’s the state of the modern baker …

I jest … but really … no to Cool Whip! Real cream all the way!

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happenings…

June 20, 2016 Filed in family fun

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father’s day was a little different over here.
we only had two kids at home instead of five.
annie made breakfast for craig… with a little help from my blueberry buckle.
after church we picked up lauren and went out to lunch.

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and then we drove all over town testing out adirondack chairs everywhere we could.
i had ordered chairs from Ace Hardware and when they arrived they were FULL assembly.
as in – every single screw!
craig built one and we were not impressed with the wood quality and sturdiness and even the size seemed small.
we Duerksen’s are not a small people.
honestly we weren’t sure if they would hold up to our weight!
so… we decided to return the 6 unassembled chairs and keep searching.
we finally ended up at World Market for the win!

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remember way back on this post when i was visiting shannan and we found this painting at salvation army on my way to the ariport?
it finally made it’s way to kansas from a friend who was traveling to the craft house from Indiana.
she drove it here for me!
it’s as great as i remembered!
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heart eyes!   heart eyes!  heart eyes!

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the mornings have been so lovely out on the deck.
i’ve been going to a boot camp class at 5:15 M-W-F and so (amazingly) i am awake to watch the sunrise!
whaaaat?
i water all the plants and enjoy my coffee in complete silence other than the occasional mower over at the golf course.
it’s so lovely.

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annie’s playing softball again this summer.
little girls in softball gear is the cutest ever!

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we got a new dog!
scott’s friend wasn’t able to keep him and we decided to take him in.
Scott named him Kobe.  (aka: the black mamba)
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he fits right in with these nerds.

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the chicken coop is getting a tad bit over grown.
but they are all so pretty that i can’t bear to cut it back.
it’s going to be crazy beautiful when they all bloom.  i can’t wait!
and honestly that pic was last week… they are HUGE now!

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i’ve got lots of bunting cut and getting that going for my shop.
colors and patterns like this just make so happy!
(almost all of these fabrics were from Joanns)
i also have a bunch of BIG maps that i will list at the same time as the bunting… probably next week.

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donuts for the win!
one benefit of boot camp at 5:15 is going to the grocery at 6:10 and being the only customer in the whole big store.
literally.
and getting first choice at all the donuts to surprise your kids!

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talby is gone for another week yet of a two week missions trip to Honduras.
she’s with my mom, my niece and my mom’s church group.
and she is LOVING it!
we miss her but we know she is having a blast!

scott is life guarding & teaching swimming lessons this summer at our small town pool.

annie is preparing to go to camp tomorrow and sean returns home tonight from a basketball tournament weekend trip.
🙂
summer is my favorite.
everyone is having the best time just doing their thing.
it’s so good!

add a comment

Michele - We did the whole Ace Hardware assembly thing too…cute chairs but not comfortable. Took us three chairs and a whole lot of hours to figure it out though! =/ I love that painting so much!

jennibell - I love summertime!!! Thanks for sharing some of yours with us 🙂

marcie - Mollie and I just got back from a mission trip to Honduras!! It’s our 3rd trip to Honduras and it is amazing every time! Good for Talby!
The painting is awesome. And love the three dogs together!

Lorri - Oh my word – those three dogs stretched out asleep on the floor … adorable. Bless your heart for taking in Kobe. 🙂

Shannan Martin - Annie!!! It would have been funny if the tray just had OJ and a banana. 🙂

And the oil painting never gets old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Megan Jewett - Those are grocery store donuts?!?

Patti Mullican - Your blog just makes me happy! I love all the colors and your energy! Anyhoo, my friend and her family are moving at the end of the month to teach special education in Honduras for the next three years. I wondered where your daughter was on her trip – there is a girls’ home very close to their school.

Melanie Sidwell - I love love love your thrift store painting – I am so glad it found its way home to you! color me pb and jelly 🙂 We love summer best at our house too. My 12 yo daughter has been going to camps here and there and just left for her sleep away camp. I wish summer was an extra month long – it’s already going by so fast! I am so loving the big kid life, are you? 🙂 also – predawn workouts in the summer are the best. you avoid the heat and get to see beautiful sunrises and critters out and about! This morning a neighborhood tabby greeted me on my in and out of the gym – I hope I see him tomorrow! (and oh yea first dibs on donuts sounds nice, too)

Beth - World Market Adirondack chairs are the bomb. Our whole cul de sac has them. I think you’ll love them!

Jennifer - Seeing the sunrise is one of the perks to working out early. Just last week my running buddy and I came across a momma dear and her two babies right in front of us as we ran. Sunrise and deer family before 7:00, they day couldn’t get any better.

I think the chicken coop shot would make a great print for the shop.

Julie - Your kids are all growing up so fast. Love that picture you rescued, I think I would have had to buy it too. Enjoy the rest of your summer.

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fun finds this week

June 7, 2016 Filed in favorites of the week,random,things i love

summer is in full swing over here!
sleeping in late.
the price is right.
watering flowers.
coffee on the deck.
softball games.
driver’s ed.
life guarding.
church camp.
sunburns.
basketball camp.
camp fires.
movies outside.
basketball games.
frisbee.
swimming pool.
ice cream cones.
bike rides.

all the good stuff is going on.
it’s been a rad summer so far and it’s just the beginning!

here are some things i saw this week that i wanted to share with YOU!

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this project looks like SO MUCH FUN!
i saw it on instagram and i loved her post about it!
i totally want to make this.

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this story made me smile.
what a cool kid!!!
and what a huge challenge he took on!

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i had never seen Tulip’s website for tie-dye before!
each technique has a video to go with it as well!
brilliant!
it’s such a great summer activity.

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i want to eat this.
right now.
Strawberry Pizza???  ummmm yes please!
i promise you that i could eat that whole tray.
maybe not in one sitting… but maybe in a day!  HA HA HA
but it is strawberry so it’s healthy!

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i am almost finished with this book… everything you ever wanted.
i have really really liked it!
i loved listening to the author, Jillian Lauren on the Happy Hour & finally read one of her books.
and i just ordered her first book because i am super intrigued.

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rainbow
i hope by now you have seen the rainbow beauty at Target!
it’s incredible.
it makes me so happy!
It’s in the outdoor summer area in the store but of course mine was totally picked over.
you can order all of it online as well… but it’s not that easy to find (that i can find at least) on their site.
so i searched things like “summer rainbow tray” & “summer beverage dispenser” and found them all.
good luck to you!

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this.
i mean… how cool is that?
julie of Blazer Designs has a tutorial on her blog of how to make this.
it’s the cutest!!

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add a comment

colleen - You could make that sweet ribbon flag with longer strips of your scraps that you make bunting with….especially for the door porch at the craft house!

jennibell - How did you know that I just bought strawberries and was looking for a new way to eat them?? Awesome! I got up while I was reading the recipe and put the butter out to soften. . .then came back 🙂
Looks like you are having a fabulous summer – yea!

Jessica - Thank you so much for featuring my succulent letter Meg!! Appreciate it so much!! Have a wonderful summer! Jessica

Lori - P.S. LOVED hearing you on The Happy Hour this week. Was so fun to hear the voice of a blog I’ve been reading for so many years! ❤️💛💚💙💜

Lori - Super fun post. Especially love the planter and the video 🙂

Jennifer Greeley - They didn’t have much to choose from at our Target either. Michael’s was having a sale a couple of weeks ago on the tie dyed kits and t shirts, so I snatch a few. Agreed, that its a great summer project.

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so much water!

June 1, 2016 Filed in family fun,things i love,traditions

first things first – winner of the Amazon gift card!

Christy – According to my dad, the best give ever gave him was tickets for us all to see a St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds game. We had a great day together and he got to see his favorite team pull off a win!

i will email the address on the comment.  If you don’t hear from me – email me ok?!  Congrats Christy!

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our area of kansas has had tons of rain recently so we took the opportunity of the long weekend to hit one of our favorite spots!

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normally this isn’t a creek.
it’s usually dry or just a little swampy… but not now!
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she always finds a heart rock for me!

and then we went to the waterfall… whoa.
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some years this is just rocks with a trickle of water going into a stale pond.
some years there is a nice area to wade around in.
but this was SO COOL!
and so loud!

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this might appear dangerous looking at the pictures but we felt confident in our parenting decisions and supervising during our time.
🙂
at the bottom of the “falls” was still only knee deep water and no raging rapids that would drag them away forever.

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i thought i had dog drool on my shirt… HA!
it took me all afternoon to realize it was sunscreen.
oh yeah!  #duh

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talby
we recreated one of my favorite pictures from the past.
love! love! love!

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i always make them take a family photo in this spot.
we were down a few kiddos this time but that is life with a busy family.

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we ate lunch in front of the lake and it was pretty much the best spot in the world at that moment.

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it is always one of my favorite days of the year.

here are links to other years we’ve gone.
it’s fun to see how much they’ve all grown!
2014  –  2013  –  2012  –  2010  –  2008

add a comment

Kimberly Dial - How awesome is that?! Love it!

Lisa - The first time I ever visited your blog it was about this location years ago. Always love the pictures from this location. So beautiful!

shar - one time we went there and my brother brad was going under that yellow gate thingy and my cousin andrew was jumping over at the same time… and andrew had a fishing pole in his hand!! bradley had a fishhook in his eyebrow for the rest of the eve!!!! we lov that place

shar - love that place. we go there somx

Gevay - Looks like fun! I love how happy everyone is especially Stanley! The fact that you had to put a parenting disclaimer in the post is sad. That means you have gotten emails form someone questioning your choices for your family. Ugh! Thanks for continuing to share your beautiful world with us despite “those” people. Have a great summer, Meg!

Tina - What gorgeous pictures! Looks like y’all had a blast!

Best quote eva “Felt confident in our parenting decisions.” 🙂

Thanks for sharing your family’s excursions.

Natasha - Wow! I am so excited to show is this to my husband and plan a trip soon! Could be a day trip too I guess as we’re in Lenexa. Have you ever camped there?

beth larson - Meg!! I haven’t commented in a while, but I just loved this post. You look like one of the kids~ just adore your long hair in braids. : )

Hey question for you, did you take these photos with your phone or a camera? I have no luck putting cell pics on my blog because they won’t enlarge. It’s so inconvenient to always have to drag my real camera along…

Have a great weekend, Beth xo

Kerrin - Hey Meg,
Just heard your interview on The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey. It was really really great. Your wisdom about parenting was very encouraging. You also gave me a lot to think about regarding time away with my husband. We have only ever been away once since our daughter was born (10 years ago!). It never occurred to me that it would be worth all the work it would be to make it happen. So many thanks for all that you shared. May God continue to bless you, your family and the amazing work you are doing at the Craft House.

Heather S. - Ah, yes! We went out there once. but it was during one of those sad trickle times. I’d seen photos on the internet and was stoked to see such a great waterfall right here in Kansas. It was not to be, but looks like you got the full deal! Kansas really is a beautiful state. Proud to live here (and happy to drive all around the country to see the rest)!

Lee Ann - Beautiful! And I LOVE your comment about your parenting decision. Made me laugh. I’m sure you get lots of “advice” about your parenting decisions 😉 Kansas is gorgeous!

meg duerksen - CP, Kerri & Christie – this is the Chase Co. Fishing Lake. 🙂

Jennifer Thomas - Aww Megan, this was always a favorite spot to go. The first time Russ and I went with the kids it looked like this. We never again saw this much water….good to see that someone in Kansas is still enjoying this great spot. We have mapped out a loop in Ohio to travel and see different waterfalls.

CP - Where can I find this waterfall? We really have this in Kansas?

Heather - The link to 2014 is the same as 2008! We live about an hour from the beach, and I wish we had somewhere close like this! That looks nice and cool and secluded!

Kerri - Our beautiful state is absolutely gorgeous this spring! (BTW, where is this spot?)

Christie Smith - Can I ask where this is? It is beautiful.

Jennifer Greeley - That looks like so much fun!

Lori - Gorgeous! Looks like an awesome day 🙂

Tiffani - Fave. Blogger. Ever. Thanks for continuing to give us all the goodness.

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father’s day gift ideas

May 25, 2016 Filed in GIFT IDEAS,things i love

i’ve been thinking about all the gifts we have given or received over the years.
i thought it would be helpful for some of you to get new ideas for Father’s Day gifts this year!
these are all things my husband, father or friends would enjoy.

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this was by far the best gift i have ever given Mr. Duerksen!
i surprised him many years ago with the White Mountain Ice Cream Maker like the ones we had when we were kids!
he LOVES it!
i have never even made ice cream in it!
it’s all his job.
ice cream is his thing and i am totally ok with that.

these recipe books make homemade ice cream even more fun!

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Sweet Cream & Sugar Cones      The Ultimate Ice Cream Book      Ample Hills Creamery      Lomelino’s Ice Cream

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and if the White Mountain machine is not quite the investment you are ready to make…

this Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker looks so totally cool!!!
get a box of cones and you’ve got dessert!    🙂

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Bean Bag Toss is a favorite game over here.
it’s great for all ages…  great for parties… and it makes a great Father’s Day gift!   🙂
(or some people call it Cornhole? but not me)

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a grill basket is wonderful for cooking veggies on the grill!
it is so easy!

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any dad that grills needs a spatula!
this gift set makes it clear who runs the grill.

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Bear Paws for shredding meat are a great manly gift!
we have these and they get used any time that craig smokes meat but i also use them when i cook meat in the crock pot.

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this book Franklin Barbecue is great for dads who like smoke to meat!

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The Ultimate Book of BBQ is for all grill loving dads.

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81kqdrosWNL._SL1500_ dads and tools go together.
this tool set has all a dad needs to fix your stuff!
and at our house we are always looking for a screwdriver or the pliers… so extras are a good thing!  🙂

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if the dad in your life is into fitness… or wants to be – everybody LOVES the Fitbit!
it tracks your steps, distance, activity, calories, heart rate and even your sleep!
i know couples who have competitions between husband & wife to see who gets in more steps per day/week.
that’s pretty cute.
i am positive i would lose to craig every week… no doubt.

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don’t all dads need corny shirts?

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61V1QM1O23L._SL1053_ give dad a gift card to go see a movie together!
you can package it up with popcorn and candy to make it really cute.

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OR make a a gift basket to stay home and have Family Movie Night at home!
you can pick up a few of dad’s favorite dvds together with his favorite snacks and cuddle up on the couch!

 

618mpZ1zZoL._SL1000_ if your dad is outdoorsy… maybe a back pack for hiking would be a good gift?

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a new gym bag would be a hit at our house!
they get a lot of use here.
and they need replacing because… they eventually start to stink.

 

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the camera lens coffee mug is such a fun gift to give to photographers!

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any Star Wars loving dad would love to get one of these funny Star Wars aprons!

 

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these stadium seats have made ALL THE DIFFERENCE for all the sports we get to enjoy every week of the past decade.
if you have kids in any sports…. if your own dad comes to your kids’ games…
YOU NEED THESE SEATS!!
there are 32 different color options too.
these are probably our favorite “thing” we own.
your back and booty will thank you for finally getting these seats.

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books make GREAT gifts!
these are books that are good for dads, some of craig’s recent reads and some that are just plain good for everybody.

books1Love Does                                             Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters                                       The Heroic Path

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The Grace of God                                    Tattoos on the Heart                                Courageous Leadership

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Boys in the Boat                                               Elon Musk                                              Mere Christianity

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illumibowl_editorial what about this for dad!?
The IllumiBowl Toilet Night Light – it lights up your toilet at night to eliminate turning on the light!
it’s sensor activated and has 9 color settings.
brilliant…. and a good gift for dudes.

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this Bluetooth Speaker is a favorite at our house.
this speaker is wireless, weatherproof and rechargeable.
this is currently sitting right in front of me as i type.
but Mr. Duerksen takes it to the gym with the kids… golfing… out in the yard while he’s working.
we love this!

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squirrel
my own dad really enjoys feeding the birds in his backyard.
and while searching for something in that category… i found these!
Unicorn Squirrel Feeder or the Horse Head Squirrel Feeder
it’s so funny!!!

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81OsarIA1PL._SL1000_a Hammock is such a great gift!!
we had one at our last two houses but there are no trees here!
sad face.
i guess we could get the kind with a stand…. maybe?
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i know 5 different kids who would give this mug to mr. duerksen.

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a basketball net trash can for all those basketball shots in the office…   🙂

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of course you can always give an Amazon Gift Card and let him pick whatever he wants!

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AND i am giving away a $50 Amazon gift card too!!!
WHAT?!
Yes!  For reals!  So exciting!!
leave a comment below telling me the best father’s day gift you’ve ever given
(or received if you’re a dude)
to be entered to win.

winner chosen on Tuesday May 31st.

smilehearts

add a comment

Kristin S - Meg, my dad is SO hard to buy for but these ideas are golden. That Southern Living BBQ book and that mug are headed his way. Thank you!!!

Wendy C - I would want all of these – and I’m not a Dad! My love the ice cream maker – such great memories of the old crank style we had when we were kids. Simply screams summertime!

elizabeth - new muck boots for my hard working husband who is always working outside!

Amy - I stink at gift giving/receiving. Scored an absolute zero on The Five Love Languages for gifts – ha! But one year I put a picture of our kids (covered in mud after they had been “helping dad”) in a card for my husband and he loved it.

Jessica - We got my hubby a basketball hoop this year for Father’s Day – he loves it!

Stephanie Zielke - The best gift given? A $50 gift card to Amazon. Boom!

Lauren Travis - Tickets to a pro-baseball game with all the grand-kids!

Melissa Lam - I gave my hubby a new pair of biking shorts because he would never spend money on himself to buy a nice pair 🙂

Jenna - I made my dad a video with pictures of me growing up when I was about to move states away. I’ve never seen him cry so hard.

Sara - Love all these ideas…our hand-cranked ice-cream maker has seen better days (evidence of LOTS of use😋). May need to get Dad a new one to make more sweet memories!

rachel - Car cleaning supplies is always a loved gift around here 🙂

Jennifer D. - I’m not great on gift giving, but my dad acted pretty excited about the running shoes we’d always get him every year on Father’s Day. 😄

Rachel Armstrong - I enjoy your Instagram feed and am learning about your blog just tonight! Thank you for the opportunity to be entered in a drawing to win something for my hard working hubby that I love!

Nichole Merrell - I love the mug! I should give that to my dad 😝 My favorite gift I have ever given is when my siblings and I went in on a grill for my dad. His last one he had for 20 years so it was definitely time for an upgrade!

April - I love the proof that unicorns are real but can’t decide between unicorns and ice cream… Decisions Decisions Decisions.

Crystal paine - Most likely if I win, the $50 amazon gift card will be the best gift I’ve ever given!

Julia - Coffee… My dad loves unique coffee

MW - A bible:)

Trisha G - The Fitbit or the speaker for sure! These are so helping me not wait until the last minute!!

Leah G - This year, I arranged for our lawncare to be taken care of so that my hubby could have more time to focus on his new company and his favorite people;)

Rebecca Reynolds - I gave my husband a gas grill for his first Father’s Day 14 years ago. We still have it!

Alisa - Cornhole set!

Kristy - making him a father was probably the best gift I’ve given😉

Heidi Jo the Artist - Fishing gear!

Nicole - Definitely going for the bleacher seat! Used to think they were for old people…and now the old people is ME! 😂 My comfort is winning over vanity. #aging

GB Jost - Love the Star Wars Aprons!

Tiffany - Once I took pictures of my kids and took it to office max to blow it up to poster sized. My hubby hung it in our garage.

Amy L. Weber - I don’t think I’ve ever given “the best gift,” because he usually picks out what he wants himself. This year—I think I’ll nail it with that free-standing hammock and that mug!

Jalal - My best gift was the ice cream maker also!He loves it & it is totally “his” thing @ every get-together!

Tracy Drollinger - The best Father’s Day gift I gave my husband was a scrapbook of him and our kids.

Angie mathis - Fishing gear

Pam Moul - I love your taste! Your ideas are awesome.

Brenda - photo album best gift

Brenda DeStefano - Thanks for all the great ideas! Love the trash can. ( a great gift for a kid’s birthday)

Talia - The best gift I gave was a new charcoal grill. My husband loves to grill, so this sure made him happy!

Stephanie - My dad is a huge LA Lakers fan. In 1999, I was at a pizza place in LA and saw Shaquille O-Neal eating pizza at the table next to us. I asked him for an autograph (before we had selfies and iphones) on a crumbled stained take out menu. I framed it and gave it to my dad for Father’s day. He loved it!

Ashley - Sorry didn’t see the last part about mentioning the Father’s Day gift. My siblings and I went in on a new puppy for our dad after his dog of 13 years passed away.

marjie - Cornhole was a great gift!

Amy Johnson - A few years ago during the artisan bread craze, I gave my baker dad an artisan bread kit including the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes book, the Danish dough whisk, and a container for storing it in the fridge. He still makes great bread…yum!

rachel s. - I got to take my dad to Wrigley field to enjoy a baseball game! That was fun!

Deb meyers - Meg, love your gift lists. I’m not sure I’ve ever given a “best” Father’s Day gift. We do handmade cards with sentimental notes inside and BBQ. Save the big stuff for Christmas and birthday.

Comment for the win!

April Cremer - Photos and a card

Tracey N - Hi Meg! One year I gave my dad a photo book with pictures of my kids and he loved it! Thanks for the giveaway.

Lisa - Last year I gave my husband a hammock. It was s hit!

Shannon Kruger - I’d love to be considered for this! With both girls’ birthday and Father’s Day in June I need a lot of gift ideas. Funny thing is that I’ll likely get the girls the toilet light so they stop waking me up. Its a win for everyone!

MaryAZ - We gave my husband an ice cream maker two years ago…I think it was a bigger hit with my kids than my husband! Always looking for new ideas! Thanks!

Alisa Wagner - Cornhole!

Kelly - We love experience gifts around our parts! I think I may have my kids put together the family movie night basket for Dad and we love to do something like put together a yummy picnic and go for a hike kinds of gifts. Kelly

Renae - We gave my husband a photo book when my boys were little. It’s one of the most treasured things he has! I’m planning on purchasing him a Fitbit this year with the heart monitor.

Mitzi - My dad was a simple man who never asked for much, so no matter what his gift was he always got a funny card which he enjoyed!
My sons birthday (June 17) sometimes falls on fathers day and I think that has to be a pretty special gift for my husband!!!!!

Corey - So grateful to learn about the bear paws! Living in the south and not having had mastering the fine art of pulled pork is a shameful way to live 🙁 LOL these would be awesome in our endeavors to fit in!
Thanks for the opportunity!

Sarah M - I am notorious for missing the mark on gifts for my husband. However, one Father’s Day I got it right with a black leather lazy boy recliner for him. And I’ve missed the mark every Father’s Day since then. 😑

Andy - I am easily pleased – being woken up with a cup of tea and toast by my kids is a perfect father’s day morning 🙂

Rebekah - A baby 😁

cydney - that mug!! 😂

Stacy C - We need a new hammock! Thanks for the ideas! I love your blog!

Marilyn Horst - The best father’s day gift that I ever gave is a watercolor painting (by me) of his classic car.

Arlene Haymond - Surprising my dad with a trip to Holland.

Jen - I am think a hammock for the Hubby would be great! Thanks for the giveaway!!

Andrea Taddicken - I surprised my husband with a kayak!

Jessica - Made my hubby a photo book for his first Father’s Day with pictures of him and our son, he loved it!

Christine - The gift of time spent with my dad. That is all he ever wanted and I cherish those days more than anything.

Amanda Baird - The toilet bowl lights made me laugh. My husband would think I was so strange for getting those, but i kind of love them. We’ve given dad/granddad tickets to a comedy show together and they loved it.

Heidi Johnson - One year when the kids were tiny they decorated a t shirt and my husband wore for years – anywhere – with hand and foot prints all over it!

Renee - My dad is pretty sentimental so mixbook photo books have been a well-loved Father’s Day gift for him! I’ve made a few over the years- sometimes a short one from our most recent family vacation. I made a dad-themed one with pictures of our family from when us kids were born up to recent.

On my husbands second Father’s Day we had nooo money. We had just moved cross country and had our second baby and moved into a rental house that was basically empty bc, ya know, no money. But I knew he wanted to start grilling more regularly so I scraped together $100 and bought the cheapest gas grill at Home Depot… 3 years later it’s still going strong and he grills a few times a week all year round! Yum!

B Crelly - A few years ago for Father’s Day, I bought my husband a shirt that says, #1 Dad with a picture of Darth Vader. He still loves it and gets complements all the time.

Nina Marler - Its my husbands first Father’s Day this year (I’m prego!) and I bought him a dad tee and some bourbon. Just so special to celebrate him in this way for the first time!

Emmeline C McWilliams - The best thing I got my dad was a handpainted coffee mug from my daughter- we painted her hands and wrapped them around the sides like she was holding the mug. He still loves it!

Nichole Richardson - We gave my father in law permanently installed seat cushions for his college football season tickets. He loved it!

Larissa - My husband loves getting tools for grilling. He loves his grill basket.

Brooklyn - Hi Megan! I think the best Father’s Day gift I gave him was actually a picture of all 3 of my kids in our backyard with the letters that spell DAD. He loves those pictures we have several over the years. The second best gift was the fishing pole the kids and I got him! Thanks for the chance!

Lori Myers - Last year I gave my Dad and my husband a basket of their favorite things- snacks, movies, gift card for coffee. They loved it.

Meghan Carr - Monogrammed Yetis were a big hit!

Shelly - It’s funny, I can’t think of a single amazing gift that we’ve given my husband….we always seem to spend Father’s Day doing what he loves: boating, grilling playing ball in the park. I love the simplicity, but he’d look pretty hot in that Han Solo apron!!!

Melissa G - These are all great idea! I’m getting gifts together for my fiancé for Father’s Day this year, so this group of gifts is the best I’ve ever given- a nice golf shirt, two dad books for kids, and I’m going to pick up that Bluetooth speaker for him, thanks to your list!

Abigail - I think this year it’s going to be a new amp for his guitar… But that squirrel feeder is Suuuuper tempting. lol.

Mary - A surprise visit! I live a plane ride away from my Dad now, so visiting him is the best gift!

Natalie - These are so great! Best gift- a cassette of us singing my girl from when I was so little!

Brandi - St Louis Cardinals tickets!!

Steffanie Fowler - For my husband’s 1st Father’s Day, I made him a scrapbook and have added to it each year….

Megan Hillyer - I am really bad at giving gifts for Father’s Day, but I’d say the best was a picture collage of my husband and kids together.

Renee Wheeler - I’m not the best at Father’s Day gifts…that’s why I’m loving this post! I think the best I’ve ever done is a photo collage of the kids.

Kimber-Leigh - my husband loves getting homemade coupons from us–day of golf, dates with kids, etc. lots of fun and easy to customize!

Rebecca - I’ll take them all!!!! But if I had to choose, it would be the Star Wars apron, bear claw meat shredders and the squirrel feeder!!

Paige - The best gift I’ve given has been a photo book with all our favorite memories together over the years! I’m loving all these ideas!

Tammy - Best gift… Croquet set 😀

Lauren - Years agi, we bought a blank book for my husband. Each gift-giving occasion, our kids make a new entry in “Dad’s Book.” There are handprints from babies too little to draw, homemade comic book pages, short stories, and lots of drawings with hearts. We all love the “Dad Book!”

Emily Ramstetter - You are so creative! Love these ideas. And I can’t wait to hear you on The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey!!

jenn - We just saw my dad this weekend and we gave him a yeti cooler

Peg - Fathe’s Day and my birthday were often the same weekend and we both loved pie so often celebrated together over our fav pie.

Katie - I love these ideas! So original.

I usually end up getting my dad a special photo printed. This year, I found an old photograph of his father, my grandfather, who passed away when dad was a baby. It’s something special since they don’t have a lot of photos of him. I know Dad will love it!

Bre Browning - I think the best gift I’ve ever given my husband for Father’s Day is a bunch of stuff for the grill (new tongs set, veggie grilling basket, stuffed burger maker, etc.). I’m a terrible gift giver so I always love these posts!

Ericca - Old Spice cologne for my dad! 😊

Stephanie A - oh my !!! forgot to add …..best gift was a big relaxing hammock☺️

Stephanie A - oh those are some great ideas !!! except not sure about horse head 😂😂😂

Erin - These are awesome ideas! I need to get shopping!

Jennifer - Love the shirt!

Amy - I gave my husband a photo canvas of our family to hang in his office. He loved it! To this day it is one of our favorite pictures.

Angela - My husband got the bracelet he had been wanting for a long time from our kids. I love seeing him wear it daily (it never comes off) and he still comments years later that he loves it!

Denise D - The grill set is perfect!

Suzie Q - I’ve given the typical shirt and tie a few too many times. Your gift ideas are much better than mine!

Sarah - OK- that squirrel feeder? Priceless. I think my dad would love it!

Cheryl - I gave my dad the Father of the Bride dvd the Father’s Day a few weeks before my wedding ❤️

Karen - I usually stink at giving gifts in general but I’m working on stepping up my game. I’ve always given my husband gift cards for golf (something he won’t pay for on his own) but this year, I’m hoping to give him the gift of a clean and organized garage as I know that will bless him so much!

Colleen - I’m planning on calling my dad… I guess I need to keep thinking of ideas, haha!

Melissa Ann - Last year, my son (then age 3) gave his Daddy the DVD set of the old TV show The Lone Ranger. It was my husband’s favorite show as a kid and now it’s something they can watch together.

Emily T - I;m giving my 80 year old father a FitBit for father’s day this year!!

Whitney R - When my father was alive, we got him Royals tickets & dinner to his favorite BBQ
Restaurant. 🙂

Lisa - Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake

Rachel Newswanger - A blueberry bush. He loves blueberries!

Krista W. - The best gift I ever gave was a coffee mug with my picture on it! But I think it is required to give that gift along with the tie at some point in your life! ha! 🙂

Vicki - Last year I went the sentimental route with my dad. I used my grandma’s recipes and made Dad his favorite childhood foods. Then I called each of the grandkids and had them tell me their 5 favorite things about their Papa. I wrote them all down and gave Dad the list of stuff his grandkids love about him. He loved it and it was a fun gift to give!

jennibell - I think we hit the nail on the head this year — a good, quality rain jacket! All the kids have gotten one over the past year as gifts and so the kids talked me into investing in a good one for my husband too 🙂

Stephanie - The best Father’s Day gift I’ve ever given was our first daughter, born a few days before!

Kirsten J - I made the cutest little scrap book for my husband when our oldest was a baby. It’s still a treasure!

Amy - Best Father’s Day gift I’ve given…. We lived in NJ at the time and I flew to Wichita rented a car drove to 2.5 hours home just in time to surprise my father for Father’s Day! I rang the bell he answered and started crying when he saw us!

Annette - I gave my husband a gift certificate to sky dive!

Mel - Honestly I am not a good gift giver. I have an idea for my husband this year though. He’s been wanting a good weed eater for awhile now, so that’s my plan for this Father’s Day from our kids and me. I am saving some of these ideas though. You always have such great lists!

Cyndiloohooc - A homemade pie is always good!

Christy - According to my dad, the best give ever gave him was tickets for us all to see a St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds game. We had a great day together and he got to see his favorite team pull off a win!

Michelle - We put together a basket of all my husband’s favorite things and the kids put on fun labels on each thing.

Cara - A side of beef …he was in heaven.

Stephanie Sorenson - My dad loved a simple gift I had made for him. My daughter drew a picture of the two of them fishing, and I had the drawing shrunk and turned into a pad of paper for his work; he is always making notes and leaving them on his desk. He liked it much better than a store bought gift.

Amy c, - I always got my Dad a couole cases of snickers bars. They were his favorite thing. He’s been gone for 4 years but I buy myself a snickers every Father’s Day and eat it in his honor, thinking about all the good memories.

Lori - It’s fun now to see our (young) adult kids pick out things for their dad. A couple of years ago our then-19 year old spent WAY too much on hipster BBQ rub and accessories and a BBQ cookbook (smoked meats!) His extravagance is always his way of showing love. All their expressions of appreciation are precious to see.

Melanie Sietsma - definitely concert tickets to one of his favorite bands!

sharon / tpt - well i guess my hubs is pretty hooked-up, because he has quite a lot of your stellar ideas! speaking of the ‘bear claws,’ (which he does not have, and are awesome!), —i gave the man a table saw one year. it is a plastic’y table-serving-type knive in the shape of a hand saw. sweet, right?

Cassandra - While we aren’t big into father’s day/mother’s day gifts. I’m liking that mug…A LOT!!!

Heather S - I have a hard time shopping for my husband because he wants such expensive toys, but I made hime a shutterfly photo book a few years ago that he LOVED.

angie - Our son was born on a Monday but we went to the hospital to be induced on Sunday, which was Father’s Day! I’ll never top that gift. But we have enjoyed giving him homemade gifts along the way.

Laura Tiller - My dad loves peach pies, so I often make him a fresh peach pie for Father’s Day.

Kristi K - My dad loves a home cooked meal.

Tori - His daughter! She was born on Father’s Day!

Mary M - My boys have made hand-made books (things we do together along with pictures), but the best is riding with their Dad in a local bicycle race that is always held on Father’s Day.

Heike - The best father’s day gift I’ve given was a fun phone case for my dad! He uses it everyday!

Melanie - The very “bestest” Fathers Day gift I ever gave my husband was his kids.

Emily - My husband’s birthday is around the same time as Father’s Day, so we often do a bigger gift that works for both. One year we got him a GoPro camera and various attachments!

Sheila - Tickets to professional baseball games, enough so he can take his dad and our sons and son-in-law. They love it!

Katie - Well, this is my husband’s first Father’s Day (!!!), but the best gift(s) I ever gave my dad were homemade cards and books. Looking forward to dressing our daughter up in a onesie I made that says Happy First Father’s Day and surprising him that way. 🙂 Thanks for these ideas…they are great!

Lynda - time !! and brunch on Father’s day morning…..

Jolene - One year my daughter wrote an essay about my husband (her step-father) and it was published in a magazine! Awesome gift!

Amanda G. - I bought my husband an old fashioned metal cooler raised on legs for backyard cookouts. It’s been a family favorite for years 🙂

Lisa - a gallon of fuel for his remote control airplanes, and my blessing for spending the whole weekend at the flying field, which just happens to be at the lake

Kathie M. - My boys were in the NICU for my hubby’s first Father’s day. We gave him a batman t-shirt and took some super cute photos that day…it was the first father’s day we celebrated as a little family and that is what really made it special even if it was in the NICU.

Dena Koehn - That would probably be this personalizable platter from Current http://www.currentcatalog.com/product/barbecue-platter-501820.do

Tiffany - My kids and I gave my husband a new grill one year! A win-win for all. 🙂

Becky - My dad’s a pie lover, so pie!

I got him one of those sweet/cheesy shirts this year that says, Papa…the man, the myth, the legend. He totally is…all the grandkids adore him 🙂

Lisa S - The best gift I ever gave was a tiny hand print tshirt to my husband when my babies were small – its so great to see since they are all so grown up!

Stacy Tatkenhorst - The best gift I’ve given is bbq tools.

Amy - My dad’s nickname at work is Mr. Happy (because he is pretty grouchy, but lovable), so a few years ago my sister and I made him a T-shirt with a smiley face on it that said Mr. Happy below it. It started a tradition of us giving him “Mr. Happy” themed things (like the Little Miss and Mr. Men books by Roger Hargreaves–there is lots of related merchandise). It’s cheesy and corny, but cute, especially for a grouch-but-softy-at-heart dad!

Brady - I grew up without a dad, but the best thing I ever gave my husband for Father’s Day was a positive pregnancy test!! It was a great day 🙂

Vonda - Love all of your ideas & we have given a few of those things too!!!:) The hammock was a great one that the whole family has loved, but we did a fire pit one year for our patio and we use it so much-it,s probably our best and most used gift:)

Jenny B. - The best father’s day gift my husband ever received was having our oldest son pray to ask Jesus into his heart on Father’s Day. 🙂 The best Father’s Day gifts we’ve given him were a mug with pictures of our oldest son printed on it and a bookmark the same son made at church. He still uses both of them every day (even though we have 3 boys now). Maybe we should make him new ones and include pictures of the other two kids. 🙂

Sharla - My husband LOVES BBQ so I gave him gift cards to some great BBQ places in KC. There are SO many! 🙂 I love that toilet light!! We saw that on Shark Tank a couple years ago and I had forgotten about it. My boys share a bathroom between their bedrooms and totally need that!

Laura - I still feel guilty when I think of all the times I asked my Dad for money (to buy him a present), and then got him the lamest junk for Fathers Day! A stuffed panda with an “I love You” t-shirt… cringe!

Liana - Best gift ever — probably baseball tickets or a day to golf 🙂

Toni Dreist - I’m dating myself big time but I gave my hubby a handheld Gameboy Advance so he could do racing games. LOL. I got wife of the year that year! Hahaha

Janet C - When I was a teen, my dad was restoring a 1929 Ford stake truck. He wasn’t a person that swore, but say “ah, nuts!” a lot! I made him a big jar with the words “ah, nuts!” on it and filled it with his favorite cashews. I think that jar is still around somewhere! LOL

Elizabeth Herbert - I usually give gifts with the kids pictures on them like mugs. The kids love to see them get used!

Lori - A homemade plaque for my dad when I was about 7. The flowers are scotch-taped onto it (haha) and he still has it. (I’m 37.)

Amanda W - I bought my dad a shirt that said, “Who are these kids and why are they calling me Dad???”

He loved it so much and wore it on all of our family vacations and basically any time he spent with us.

Laura - Love all of these ideas! I just bought that T-shirt for my hubby! I don’t know if it’s the best gift we’ve ever given, but we did give him a “make your own butter” gift one year! He loves butter, so we thought it would be cute 😍

Amy - Ffor my husband’s first Father’s Day, I had our son draw (scribble) a picture then had the picture transferred to a t-shirt! He loved it.

Beth Ann - after reading everyone else’s comments (for ideas) I apparently suck at giving my husband father day gifts…. this year he is getting a babysitter for the kids so he and I can go on a 90 mile bike ride – maybe I had better get him some Chamois Butt’r (http://www.amazon.com/Chamois-Buttr-10PACK9MLCB-Original-10-pack/dp/B000RLDZG8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464276923&sr=8-2&keywords=chamois+butt%27r) 🙂

Also, I am getting the squirrel feeders for my entertainment!

MaggieG - I like to give gifts that are handmade or personalized.

Kate - My husband works hard and commutes a total of 3 hrs a day. He does so much for us. When he gets home from work he only has about 2 hours before the kids go to bed. So,on Father’s Day, we treated him like a king. The kids want to make breakfast in bed, then we spent the day doing activities he always wants to do with us but doesn’t always get time to. Then we saw a movie he loves and cooked his favorite foods for dinner. Then HE gets to pick what we did before the kids had to go to bed. For him it was the BEST.FATHER’S.DAY.GIFT.EVER! 🙂

Kris - The best Father’s Day gift I have given is the gift of time….we are all SO busy that I planned a whole day doing things my Dad loves to do…playing games, cards, baking pies,etc…and after that did hours of yardwork and a few house repairs for him. 🙂

kt - The best father’s day gift I have ever given (my self proclaimed non-technical Dad) was a “boombox” and set of my Dad’s favorite cd’s. I remember him working outside or in his office the entire summer listening to his favorite tunes, happy as can be!

Ry - The BEST gift I have been given is a handmade photo frame with my kids photo in it. The effort and time put into this plus the look of satisfaction and pride on my children’s faces is a memory I’ll have forever!!

Jenny d - The best gift my 3 brothers and I ever gave was a recreated 80s picture of us as kids. It was fun to go to goodwill to find 80s Easter outfit gear (think sailor-Esque onesie for my youngest brother, white hat and gloves for me, etc). We had a blast and the result is hysterical!!!

Heather Thornburg - Best I have ever given was a Cabela’s gift card lol

Kacy - I bought my husband a Traeger smoker for Fathers Day one year! I think he would agree with me when I say that’s the favorite. 🙂

Emily Gulka - My dad loves James Taylor so anything with a James theme is always a hit.
I made him a photo album with the lyrics to a song mixed with family pictures, a piece of art with lyrics. Oh, yeah, & I met James Taylor once & had him sign a CD for my dad (he came to an espresso cart that I worked at, gave me tickets to his concert & then came back the next day to sign the CD. Pretty classy guy, right?). James Taylor for everybody!

Katie Skiff - Awesome ideas – I think my dad would love the ice cream maker. Or would I? lol We gave my parents those stadium seats for Christmas and had Grandma and Grandpa put on the back with vinyl. Mostly because everyone here has blue seats. HA. Sadly I can’t think of anything overly amazing I’ve given to my dad or hubby. boo.

Erin Young - my husband loves getting books!

Maggie Vis - My husband has the same 2 requests every father’s day. A pie he doesn’t have to share with anyone else and time to go play golf.

Kathy - Hubby loves to drive in the car…kids not so much! Spent the day driving to all of his favorite places…and the kids planned all of the stops!!

Sara G. - When I got my first “real” job after graduating from college I was so excited to buy my dad a DeWalt drill set. It seemed so expensive, but I was so proud to be able to buy him a gift that I knew he could use and would love! =)

Ashlee Haley - I definitely got my dad a giant 2ft vinyl superman figure one year.. What Daddy doesn’t want to be called superman!?

Katie P NC - I gave my dad a (I think) cedar bird feeder one year. When he passed away that was one of the things I wanted to bring back to my house because he had loved it so much. Unbeknownst to me he had written the date and <3 Katie on the inside. So now I have his handwriting forever too. It was the gift that keeps giving!

Amber - Tickets to an Indians baseball game….that I had to sit at almost 9 mo prego. That’s love 😝

Tracy Rizzo - I restored , enlarged and framed an old Polaroid of my husband and his father. He lost his father at a young age so this was very special to him and he loved it.

Beth B. - I gave my husband an inexpensive watch from Walmart years and YEARS ago. It lasted so long that when he needed a new one, he went and bought himself the very same kind!

Penny - The best gift I have ever given to my Dad was probably the coffee mug that he used for over 25 years until he passed in December at age 95. Mom gave the mug to me now and I will always cherish it and the memories of my great Dad.

Suzanne - The best father’s day gift I gave my husband was our first child. Yes, he certainly helped and it was not one of those surprise gifts but to watch him as a dad, priceless. And we added 2 more to the pack so now there are 4 dudes, including him. He truly is an awesome dad!

Lindsay - Anything food related is always a good gift for my hubby. A few years ago we woke up extra early to make cinnamon rolls from scratch for his breakfast!

Kristen Kerwin - While funny Star Wars tshirts are a favorite to give, I think my husband’s favorite gifts to receive are the gifts of adventure and time (we usually plan a hike and picnic for his big day :-)). Oh, and COFFEE!

Julie Anderson - i gave my dad my son’s essay and a pic of them together from grandparents day at his school. He loved it!

Ellen Roland - The best Fathers Day gift I’ve ever given was my son. He was born on Fathers Day 10 years ago ❤️

Katie pfeiffer - Handmade Bbq platter for his grilled goodness!

Meaghan G - I’m so excited to give my husband an outdoor speaker like the one you mentioned in this post. Music will be playing all summer long and I know our whole family will love it! Handmade gifts from toddlers are always a hit, too.

Holly - The best Father’s Day gift I have ever given was a handmade mug. At least I thought it was the best. lol

Cheri - My daughter was born on June 16th, 1983. . .3 days before Father’s Day:)

katrina caceres - My hubby’s love language is time (especially with our family)….so every year I plan an activity of his choice for his gift.

Becky B - Card I made from the kids with 20 favorite memories with their dad each… by far his favorite gift!

Jamie - Photos… Of course “)
To a dad with cancer…. And he wanted them with his kids and bride…: hardest session ever

Amber H. - A coffee mug plastered with pictures of our son!

Jessica Marston - A watercolor painted oak tree picture.

Emily Landers - My dad is the pickiest! The best gift I’ve given is the gift of time! We went golfing one year and this year, he’ll be getting Alan Jackson tickets!

Jessica L Mooneyham - I gave my husband a sign for our Farmhouse with the toast he gave at our wedding which was the lyrics from one of his favorite songs “may your glass be filled.” He cried

Chrissi - I took my cute dad to NY with me. I had a business trip with first rate hotels and fab restaurants. We had so much fun and I learned so much about him.

Alexandra - I gave my dad a “this is what an awesome dad looks like” apron a few years ago. He loved it and wears it for “special” dinners. So cute! The Star Wars aprons you featured gave me a great idea for this year!

KRISTEN - Hand made cards with sweet messages from our kids beat out any gift, hands down.

Avery Raley - I gave my Dad a “Papa Chug” (his grandad name) shirt that he loves. I think he’s in love with the name he picked, haha. He wears it all the time and I love that he loves it!

Heather L. - We gave my hubby a portable fire pit, complete with the makings for s’mores – it was a family hit!

Kristin Joustra - A favorite craft my little girl and I gave to my husband for Father’s Day was a canvas we painted her hands on and turned them into Owls saying “owl always love you, daddy.”

TRINDIN Cavalier - I think the best gift I’ve given my hubby from the girls is a handmade photo frame with a pic of them all dressed up for the daddy daughter dance. The girls made the frame and we added the pic! Sits on his nightstand.

Kim K. - The best gift I have given will be an iWatch – given this year!!

Sarah - Corn hole and a scooter, so he can play with the kids.

Jaclyn | One Thousand Oaks - Best father’s day gift we bought my dad was a trampoline. Not sure why my mom got it for him from us lol. It was more a gift for us. He used it maybe 5 times and we spend every day all summer long on that thing.

Kim - We gave my husband a cafeteria tray to eat on. It was a joke. He doesn’t like his food touching each other and I kept telling him I was going to buy him one-so I did. He loved it!

Stacey Gatlin - I told my husband I was pregnant with our second baby on Father’s Day. I’m still surprised I was able to wait 5 days to tell him!

Diane shott - We made a tray for my husband with their hands to make a lions mane, colored and drew in a face, and wrote ” king of the grill” and got him the longmire series books. He loved it!

Sherri Nichols - Legacy Box! Dad had reel to reels from his time overseas, his dad and family singing and playing and tons of slides. It was perfect.

Mallory Oo. - After a three year infertility battle, we are due this July. My husband has done so much during the egg retrievals, transfer, to getting hyperemesis gravidarum — so he received early his riding lo send mower and closer to/also near his bday next month, he wants his windows tinted too.

Shelly Reil - I remember when I was in elementary school I insisted on buying my Dad banana yellow bikini underwear! OMG, who does that?!?! I die laughing whenever Mom brings out the picture. He was such a good sport!

sandy johnson - Ice cream maker, hands down! He loved it 🙂

Lisa - My daughter was born on Fathers Day so of course that was the best ever! But other than that, one year I made an apron for my husband for grilling and it says, “my daddy is smokin'” and then gave him some grill supplies. He thinks that’s pretty fun!

Candice - I think this year’s gift will be the best. My dad loves to fish and there is this company that does monthly fishing box subscriptions. There are new lures and stuff each month. It was my brothers idea and I think dad will love it.

Shelley - I’m a single mom. My oldest son gives me a small father’s day gift each year, since I always had to be both 😉

Teri Nesbitt - The best Father’s Day gift I’ve ever given was a salt dough footprint,from our 6 month old. He was born 2 weeks before our 10th anniversary. Father’s Day the previous year had been marred by a miscarriage of our first baby. Best. Gift. Ever.

Krystal - I gave my husband a guitar for Father’s Day once. He loves it!

Rebecca W - I made a coupon book for my dad…YEARS ago and he has kept it on his bedside table all these years.

lacey - I gave my husband a tiny baby hat letting him know he was going to be a dad! 💙💚💛

Sarah Hull - I think the best gift has been the one I helped my boys make for their daddy. It was a piece of paper that said, “Best dad, hands down!” And it had their ha prints on it. It was so cute!

Jen Smith - I’ve always done the barbecue and let’s spend the day with dad Father’s day so I’ve never given a great gift but I CAN tell you that if I presented him with that ice cream maker he would, from now on, say that was the best Father’s day gift he’d ever received.

Rebekah - I gave my dad a set of horseshoes for playing outside. We love doing that together.

MaggieS - My dad is a drummer (retired now, but professional), and one recent year kind of last minute I got him these jingle bells you wear on your foot for toe tapping 😂 he called up when he got them in the mail and was SO enthused! He actually had been eyeing the same ones but just hadn’t ordered them yet.

This is my husband’s first actual Father’s Day, but last year I got him a record album from a band we had seen in concert earlier in my pregnancy.

Jonelle - I forgot to add that my husbands favorite gift to receive on Father’s Day is a round of golf with a bbq at home after. I can do that!

Arlene - A grill. Best gift because our entire family enjoys the yummy food that comes off that grill. (Smiley face)

Jonelle - The best gift I’ve ever given was probably to my father in law after his heart surgery. My husband and I took him to a White Sox game, his favorite team, and spent the afternoon at the ball park In a stress free place. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to go again. It was a special day. 😊

Julie Schomacker - Last year, we counted down to Father’s Day.
Beginning on the Monday the week leading up to Father’s Day, my kids and I gave my husband gifts of 7, 6, 5 and so on.
He received 7 t-shirts (We got your back),
6 beers (Because sometimes we might drive you to drink),
5 pairs of underwear (We got your back and your backside) ,
4 packages of different kinds of nuts, some chocolate covered (Because our Daddy is the sweetest and we are “nuts” about him,
3 lottery tickets (We hit the jackpot with you),
2 coffee mugs (Since Mom loves washing your coffee mugs, here are two more), and then on Father’s Day he got all of his favorite meals for breakfast. dinner and supper.
It was a lot of fun picking out the gifts and the kids were super excited to give them to him each day. A lot of things were items he needed (t-shirts and underwear), some were treats (beer and chocolate covered nuts) and some were just fun (lottery tickets).

Lena Grill - Instead of buying cards for my boys to sign for their dad, we bought a masculine looking journal and the kids write in that every year. It keeps their thoughts to their dad in one place and its cool to see what they’ve written in years past.

Emily - Royals game tickets!

Allison - I am terrible when it comes to man gifts. Love these ideas!

Vicky Bright - The best gift I ever got was my Nikon D 3100

Carrie Haughey - Hubby’s favorite gift is a Calvin and Hobbes Star Wars mash up t-shirt with han solo and chewie flying the millennium falcon! I actually need to see if I can find it again to have a replacement when the current one dies, because he’s going to be so sad when that happens!

Alice H - one year I gave my dad some tickets to a concert and he really enjoyed it! Thanks for the giveaway! And thanks for the gift ideas!

Amy - The best gift I have given my dad was a n open tab for a week at his favorite after work spot while he was traveling.

Hilary B - I gave my husband a cornhole set last year — he loved it! SO fun.

Kelly Sites - We like to give a day of leisure to my hardworking husband. We give him breakfast in bed, and then a day to golf with his friends, and a nice steak dinner at the end. He loves it.

Amy - Personalized mouse pad when my kids were babies:)

Melissa Zach - Growing up, my siblings and I always gave my dad Werther’s Original caramels for father’s day, each year without fail.

Crystal Keller - I love when my kids (6 & 3) pick out gifts all on their own – love seeing what they think my husband would love. The most recent gift from my son to my husband was a pair of ninja turtle boxer shorts, lol. My son loves ninja turtles and thought my husband would just love them!

Megan CC - I admit, I stink at giving gifts. And now that I live across the country from my family, I almost always default to an Amazon e-gift card. Helpful for my big time procrastination!

Margaret - I gave my hubby the day off to play golf for as long as he wanted to!!

Taren Davis - One year I made my father-in-law a custom Monopoly game. I found an old one at a thrift shop and then decopauged our own properties (lots of inside jokes, places of meaning to our family) on top of the original spaces. I completed it with playing pieces that represented each member of the family. It was super fun to give and to play.

Elizabeth C - I gave my Dad tickets to a baseball game, fun for everyone!

Lynee Rigdon - A picture of my kids’ handprints in such a way that they look like deer with a saying “Dad’s hunting buddies.” We gave my dad a really nice pepper mill grinder

Debbie M - Hi! The hammock the kids and I got my husband years ago is the gift he has used more than any other! Of course, the homemade things the kids made for him when they were little are high on the list! One of my daughters painted a large rock to look like mu husband..haha! Its still out in his garage on display!

Amanda - Wow! Thanks for those great ideas! I actually bought my husband’s Father’s Day gift after one of your last few posts inspired me! I saw the wash basin you had your mom pick up for you to serve ice cream in and thought “that’s what is missing from our patio!”. While not as charming, it is more manly and has an attached bottle opener! I ordered this for my husband – hoping it is a hit. http://m.homedepot.com/p/Permasteel-80-Qt-Rolling-Patio-Cooler-White-Furniture-Style-PS-203F1-WHT/206675140?keyword=80+Qt.+Rolling+Patio+Cooler+White+Furniture+Style&searchtype=text

Just ordered those Bear Claws – love!

Sabrina - My dad always wants practical gifts for the farm they live on. My husband, only ever wants gift cards, but this year he wanted a fishing pole! That was fun to get him!

Meg - Last year my siblings and I gave my dad play lists, and we made it into a competition. We each did 20 songs and then we made him pick his fave. It was fun for all of us. And it turns out we don’t really know my dads favorite music as well as we thought we did…

Janna - Traeger grill HANDS DOWN!!!!

heidi maggard - Last year I took my husband and fathre in law to a Royals game. They loved it! Thanks for all the ideas!!!

Jen Higgins - I always make cards for Father’s Day, between my family and my husbands, we have a lot of fathers/grandfathers. I always take time to write something personal in the cards, thanking them for all of their love, help, and sacrifice over the years and every year it brings tears to both my dad’s and my grandpa’s eyes. My grandpa says that knowing that he has made such a difference and been such a blessing is the greatest gift anyone has given him.

Lee Ann Willis - Hand painted coffee mug

Brandi - Real talk, I always look at lists of suggested gifts and quickly scroll through thinking, “nope. nope. nope.” because no matter how great the list is, they just don’t fit my fellas. I found four things I bought from your list. FOUR. Easiest shopping, ever. Thank you very VERY much!

Jermaine D - Sadly I can’t remember a single Father’s Day gift I’ve given. I’m thinking the Family movie night kit for my husband this year though.

Liz R. - This year’s father’s day present is a kegerator. 🙂

Shelby Graber - The best Father’s Day gift I ever gave was as much an awesome gift for me as I hope it was for my dad. We took a day trip to Kansas City and spent time shopping at all the stores we never used to let him go to when we were younger. We ate at his favorite restaurant. It was great to be able to just spend time together.

Missy Erstad - 19 years ago on June 18th we became parents~hands down our first born was the BEST gift I gave my hubby❤️💜💙

Tobi Layton - My husband would say the best gift I ever gave him was a gun one Father’s Day.

Sarah N - I gave my husband a really nice scrapbook of pictures of our son and him for his first father’s day. It’s been downhill in the gift department ever since. :/ I am eyeing up that bluetooth speaker for him.

Vanessa - Golfing – anything golfing for my guy – he just loves to spend time in nature like that!

Jazz - This is my hubbies first Father’s Day! These suggestions are so great! The best gift we have given to my dad was buying him fence pickets so he could finish his fence!

abby - My dad is so hard to buy gifts for… I usually opt for an easy solution and get him a book- one year I found a signed edition of a favorite biography of his (can’t remember the title now… but I do remember him loving it!)

Tracey - My hubby & I aren’t great gift givers, but I did get him a card this year thanking him for not wearing skinny jeans. 😉

Brenna - Hammock!

Bre - Beer ingredients! My husband loves to home brew. =]

Shawnette - I believe the best gift I have given to someone was a hand made photo album. ❤️

Ashley K - I made my dad a cake with candy that looked like a sweater with a tie when I was little. it was my favorite thing to do for him. 🙂

Ellen Landreth - Last father’s day, I told my husband that we were expecting our first child. 🙂 He gets to enjoy this father’s day with her!

Meredith Feisel - My daughter’s first year we have him a 3×3 in canvas with her tiny (5 month old) hand. It hags on the wall by his desk.

Jenna Whipp - Last year my kids and I bought my husband a camping grill. He loves it and so do we when we go camping.

Wendy Van Der Meersche - Thank you for all the great ideas! Probably my hubby’s favorite gift was a family trip to the water slides. 🙂

Valerie - One of the gifts my husband has loved the most was a subscription to the Dollar Shave Club!:)

Sarah Casella - Best gift was a surprise trip to Saratoga racetrack with my dad! He was sick with cancer and we payed for a special VIP experience for our whole family. Dad felt like a king! The memory is even more special now as he passed away three months ago.

Sarah Rogers - I love to hand make gifts! A few years ago I made my dad a ladder golf set and outdoor tic tac toe – he loves it!

Sarah - These are great suggestions! My husband would probably say that his favorite Father’s Day gift has been his safety razor and shaving kit that I got him a couple of years ago.

Sarah - I don’t even know the best gift I’ve ever given for Father’s Day. Definitely not a tie though. 😉 Although, he could use some new ones.

Karen - New grill that is now old and needs to be replaced.

Becky P - I always had a hard time deciding what to get my dad. One year I got him puzzle books along with snacks that he could pack in his lunch bucket. Years later after he was retired, I stopped in for an impromptu visit and he pulled out a puzzle book and told me to start working on one. I didn’t get too far along when I needed his help and we spent the next hour working in the puzzle book. It was a great memory that I’ll always cherish.

Allison - Best gift I ever gave was a handmade book for my dad and my husband. I asked the kids – and myself – questions about Dad. Their answers were adorable. And I included pictures. They LOVED it. I am totally loving those squirrel feeders!!!

Carrie - I have young kids, and every year I ask them questions about daddy, and write them all down and give them to my husband for Father’s Day. I asked my almost 3 year old what daddy’s favorite game was and he said “Golf. He tells me to stand back and I do!” I asked my 5 year old what daddy’s job was and she said “He makes a newspaper!”. He actually sells insurance… 😂

Gina - What great suggestions! I would say a golf club!! 😀

Rachel R - Far and away my favorite Father’s day gift I’ve ever given…telling my husband, my father, and father-in-law that they were going to be a dad/grandpa. It’s not often you stumble upon the perfect gift like that. 😂

Nadine - The best gift that my kids and I gave my husband was a hammock for the front yard. He doesn’t get to slow down and relax much, but when he does, he really enjoys napping in the hammock!

Helen - I didn’t actually give this gift to my husband, but I think he would say it was the best, our son and daughter-in-law told him he was going to be a grandfather for the first time on Father’s day.

I think he will get the toilet light this year – that is awesome!

Dani M. - My dad is really cool and sends a lot of handwritten notes and letters, so new stationery is always a good gift for him.

Janel :) - We give the Dad at our house Fleet Farm Gift cards! He likes buying his own hunting gear and he loves it a lot!!

Trish - My siblings and I went together and got my dad tickets for a tennis tournament in Ohio a couple years ago and the rest of the surprise was it was a guys trip and all the boys (sons and son-in-law) were going with him. It was the first time we have successfully pulled off a surprise like that and we will probably never manage it again. He was as excited as I’ve ever seen him and I think they will all talk about that trip for years!

Annie Duerksen - Great ideas mom!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope I get that $50 dollar Amazon card!!!

Jennifer Nanninga - I gave him a child. Ha!
He loves activities, so I sent him to take his Datsun racing!

Hope - I best I’ve given are photo books of memories throughout the year!

Amy Coose - The best Father’s Day gift I ever gave was the gift of time. I sent him to play golf and have dinner with friends.

Lindsey probst - It’ll be this year, to my hubby from the kids:a recliner. My poor fella fought to have the couch face the tv in our weird shaped room but he lost that battle. As a result he has to sit in an old chair he hates in order to watch tv. NO LONGER! Daddy gets a recliner!

Shannon Chappell - The best Father’s Day gift I ever gave was 2 years ago when we got my husband KanJam! Such a fun backyard game. 😊

Kindall wilks - My dad loves cigars so that’s typically a hit for him! This year I’m giving my husband a brand new baby daughter due right around Father’s Day!

Anneliese Kliewer - I can be a really lame gift giver. but 2 years ago my husband was so touched by what I wrote about him in my caption with him & our boys. I guess I need to say more often that I hope they are just like him!

Kerry - the gift of birthing his children 🙂

erica - We have 2 of those stadium seats. The first year our son wrestled I came home from the first tournament and told my husband that a seat was the ONLY thing I wanted for Valentines Day. I returned the favor and bought his for Father’s Day that year. They are the best thing ever for sports parents!!!

FYI the lady at the local store here suggested we buy the xtra wide seats because it gives you a little elbow room in crowded bleachers.

Stacy Mc - Love all these ideas. My husband, Dad, and son enjoyed getting tickets to a New Orleans Pelicans game one year for Father’s Day.

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loving this week…

May 23, 2016 Filed in favorites of the week,random,things i love

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i came across a blog this week i had never seen called Beating50Percent.com.

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they are practically babies and i have been married for 21.5 years.
BUT i love the idea of their website!!  (and they might have a tv show? i haven’t figured that out yet)
it is a sweet blog about marriage – and not just newlyweds.
these 6 questions were great AND i liked the 50 date Ideas under $50.
and i am excited to explore their site a lot more!
because marriage is wonderful but it’s also work to keep it that way so all the resources we can get is GREAT!

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this shirt wins at everything!

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this is hysterical.

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i love the Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey.
this past week Jamie interviewed Elyse Fitzpatrick.
i loved it and i wished it was longer!
i wanted to hear more!
it’s definitely worth your time to listen to this one.

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shirts
this very light but bright shirt at Old Navy.
i wear it with the sleeves rolled up but it’s cute either way.
and it definitely needs a cami or tank underneath… very sheer.
but isn’t it so fun?!

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SERIOUSLY!!!!!
isn’t this A M A Z I N G!?!?
Samantha French’s paintings are making me so happy right now!
i can’t get over the details… this is so beautiful!
she’s so freaking talented! WOW!

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this is my summer project inspiration photo.
i want this scene in my backyard.
we’ve picked where we want to put it and i am obsessively shopping the interwebs for deals on adirondack chairs.
bring on the s’mores!

add a comment

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Wow. That painting. Wow.

Megan - Love the fire pit! If I had room in my yard, I’d put it there but I’m definitely going to show my parents. My dad would say “but who’s going to weed the rocks” and so I doubt it’ll happen. But they do own 80 acres and we just had to move the fire pit so this would be nice. Maybe I should start buying them chairs for their presents (seriously what else do you give them?!?!?!).

Lori - I love The Happy Hour too, and I just heard on today’s episode that you are on next week! Yay!

Lorie - I can’t wait to check out the blog! And LOVE the Golden Gorls shirt. Bought a similar one for my SIL!!

Mandy - Little People Big World!!! A show that I love and have watched since its beginning.. You should go check it out!

meg duerksen - Christ thank you the link! i betcha that is what we will go with – seems like a no brainer.

meg duerksen - GOOD ADVICE! 🙂 We actually have an actual firepit with a metal surround and stone to go around it that is made just for fire pits. But good to know! i had no idea!

kathi - I love the fire pit inspiration picture. Be careful what type of rock you select for the fire pit. Some rocks will explode when heated fast with a fire. http://www.ehow.com/list_7360348_rocks-explode-around-fire-pits.html

Alice - Love Jer and Auj! They are on Little People Big World, both of his parents are little people and his twin is also a little person.

Do you have an Ace Hardware in Kansas? My Ace in Oklahoma has those chairs often for $50 each. Do NOT buy them at Target, they had some listed for $200 the other day. Crazy!

marcie - We have a firepit in our backyard and we use it year round. It’s actualy a lot of fun when it’s cold, too. I found adirondack chair kits ( they came flat in boxes and we painted and bolted them together) at Harbor Freight, Lowe’s and Home Depot. Harbor Freight clearances them every so often and I got a couple of them for $20.00!!!They are under $40 at Lowe’s and under $50 at HD here in Atlanta Good luck and stock up on S’more’s stuff once you install it!!! All ages want to make S’mores 🙂

Stephanie - Oh! I am so encouraged that Jeremy and his wife are following the Lord! Reality TV is sometimes SO not reality, but on the rare occasion I watched the show, I would worry sometimes how the parents’ relationship would affect the kids. I love what these young people are doing!

Mindy - I will definitely check out the blog. Your summer fire pit idea looks like an ideal place to relax and talk and laugh and dream.

angela conklin - So, that’s Jeremy and Audrey from Little People Big World and I have a major crush on BOTH of them! Her hair is GORGEOUS and I LOVE that they ask each other six questions every Sunday!

Happy Hour is my happy place when I walk every morning and I cannot WAIT to hear YOU soon!!

I just had my DIL’s father build me two Adirondack Chairs and I am in love with them! Have you seen the circle of porch swings with a fire pit in the middle? Google it. It’s awesome.

Mel - They also have the unfinished, unassembled chairs at Home Depot. They are boxed and usually run about $35. We have some more expensive ones but the slats keep breaking on them!

Kelly Sites - I LOVE the Happy Hour Podcast, and have listened to every single one (except last weeks, which I will listen to today as I work out).

And I love the Roloff website, too. They are on Little People, Big World, on TLC channel. Love what they are doing.

Have a great day. Update on what you’re reading, I love books, and love those posts. Happy Summer.

Christi - Meg, you need to checkout acehardware.com for your chairs. They come unfinished & have to be assembled – but it’s a SUPER good price!

Lynette L. - The first couple are Jeremy and Audrey Roloff. He is the son of Matt and Amy Roloff and they are all on a show called “Little People Big World” on TLC (show airs on Tuesday nights). Matt and Amy are going through a divorce, and Jeremy and Audrey have been talking about how they want to have a strong marriage right from the start. I have been married for 23 years, and Jeremy and Audrey are teaching me some new ideas as well.

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scott’s big week

May 18, 2016 Filed in family fun,special,things i love

we have had a BIG week over here.
all scotty focused.
he had his 18th birthday.   🙂
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he signed to play basketball next fall at Tabor College.
we are super excited for him!
i think it’s going to be a GREAT fit for him.
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AND HE GRADUATED from high school!!!
it was such a fun day!
the ceremony was short and sweet… and then it was time to party.
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his grandparents were pretty proud of him.
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annie made a sign so everyone would know to go to the back yard.
and we hung his banner from the gym on the window.
ha ha ha!
we did lots and LOTS of yard work last week.
and i am so glad because now it’s ALL DONE and we get to enjoy it all summer!
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lots of the grad parties had cute photo displays and slide shows playing.
well… i forgot about all that stuff.
but i did put out his two photo albums and took two pictures off the wall.
i guess i will be more prepared for the next kid’s graduation party.
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but i DID get all my pots planted!    🙂
planting flowers is one of the best parts of spring.
i did forget to take pictures after we brought out the food.
bummer.
we served pulled pork, baked beans, cheesey potatoes, watermelon, veggies and my mom made a million deviled eggs!
i didn’t get any of it… but i heard it was yummy.
HA.
also… next grad party we now know to make even more food.

(think how amazing annie’s party will be after so much practice?!)
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i asked my mom to find me an antique wash basin or some kind of neat cooler to hold the ice cream at the party.
she totally rocked that mission!
and then… i didn’t get a picture of the ice cream in it!
you can kind of see it in this photo.
it was perfect!
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craig made three different kinds of homemade ice cream!
he loves his White Mountain Ice Cream Maker.
and so does everyone that gets to eat the ice cream!

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all the plant containers are vintage.
the polka dot cushions are/were from target.com last year.
the orange rug is from world market.
the yellow D is from Michaels.

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scott had lots of family come to celebrate with him.
lots of his friends stopped by and so many special adults in his life.
it was really cool to see so many people that care about Scott or our family all in one place?!
literally – hashtag blessed.IMG_6008IMG_6006IMG_6005FullSizeRender (2)
the weather was a little chilly but no rain and no wind!
woo-hoo!
we were able to leave the door to the house wide open so people could just go in and out… LOVED THAT.

we had the best time!
i love having parties.
i love having a deadline to get a whole bunch of stuff done before the party.
but i really loved watching my son welcome everyone to his party and tell them thank you for coming and talk with each one.
that made my heart so happy!

it’s crazy to think that i have another child that is through with high school.
how does time go so quickly?
HOW!?

add a comment

Brooke Whitis - Literally…hashtag blessed (made me laugh), but this is so fun! And how are all your kids graduating high school… it’s crazy! I feel like I was reading your blog and they were all so small (ish). Geez.

Megan - I just adore your photos of the flowers and containers. I have a few old containers like yours and definitely want more, especially after seeing them together. You have such a great eye for details!

Mindy - Congratulations to you son on his graduation and his college signing! You have many more bleacher sitting ahead of you : ) Your plantings are just the cutest as is that score your Mom found for the ice cream – homemade even – wow!

Kasey - Your patio and plants are lovely!

jennibell - Wow!!! I have 4 kids graduating in the next 5 years and am thinking that it is time to start getting ready! Thanks for the heads’ up on the slideshow. . .I can start that this summer and then just add his senior moments to that. Your yard is beautiful — stunning. Any chance you could walk us through it one day? I’d love to be able to container plant like that — yours always looks so fresh and lush and full. . .mine never do. And how do you take care of them all summer — I’ve seen in the past that they always look great.
Have a relaxing summer — congrats on the basketball. . .know your family will enjoy watching him play next year!

Chris - Your flowers are beautiful!!! Quick question about your pos! Do you plant directly in them or in pots in the bigger pots!!! Congratulations to Scott!!

jamie - i love everything about this post. drenched in beauty and happy. can you share craig’s favorite ice cream recipes soon? maybe we should invest in that ice cream maker. and is that scott’s entire graduating class in the photo? if it is WOW i love how small it is! we have huge graduating classes at our school {400+} so it’s fun to see a small group of kids!

Jessica - Congrats to your son! You must be incredibly proud!!
Totally random question… I see you have outdoor lights hanging and am dying to do the same but WHERE do you have them plugged in? :/

Kathi - Congrats to all of you! The graduating class is SO TINY! That must be wonderful. My youngest has one more year of college, I’m not sure how that happened so fast either! Love your blog, thank you for sharing. Your posts and IG always inspires me.

Jennifer Carlisle - Your planters are absolutely beautiful. The colors and designs made me happy!

barb c - Congrats on your grad! Your patio is MAGICAL!

Kimberlee Jost - Annie’s sign still makes me laugh.
Such a good time and such GREAT ice cream!

Linda - Thank you for being so honest. The party looked amazing and perfect as does everything you do. But it is sometimes nice to hear that there was more you wanted to do, that it didn’t get done and that its ok. I am really struggling with that now. Thanks for the inspiration as always.

Lynn - I always have the opposite problem-WAY too much food and then we eat leftovers for a week!

KWolff - Congratulations to you son! That is exciting about him getting to play post HS basketball. Your party looked great.
My oldest is going to be starting his senior year in the fall and I have already put my hubby on notice that our backyard needs to be ready. 🙂

Amy Woods - Wow! Y’all’s school ends early up in Kansas! My one and only graduates on June 4! EEEEP! I thought I’d be more sad…but I’m too busy being excited for him and his upcoming college career. It helps that he will be going to school only 45 mins away from home. And although he will be living on campus, I work at the same university he will be attending so I might even see him more than I do now! (hehehe…I need a giggling emoji!)
I told him I expect him to bring me lunch and to run and get me sonic drinks during happy hour. He says – you do know I’m going to be taking actual classes, right? Whatever.

Love your yard and flowers and the party looked lovely and fun!!

Tiffany - Congratulations to your family and your son!

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