for my GALentines.

Hey darlings,

most weeks I can say that not much is going on (besides work) in the delta, but last week was WILD with birthday celebrations and social events. it was pretty fun to have a full dance card...and see so many people who aren't teachers and don't need/want/have to have my advice but just want to chat about life, books, the news, and upcoming events.

we did take time out of our busy schedules to watch 30 rock and parks and rec thursday night, and they were totally worth the time. PLUS, leslie knope inspired me to re-think valentine's day as GAL-entines day. ;) great, right?

i'm THE world's WORST at mailing things on time, plus we live an 1.8 hours away from any decent shopping spot, but if i could overcome these obstacles, these are the things i'd want to give my best gals.
gifties found here:pillow so they know how much they mean,  cool umbrella pushpins, a pretty notebook to help us remember (we're getting old)   elise mahan "together in the sky" print , or maybe some fun stripey straws

because he keeps asking...

so, i mentioned last week that i'm not sure anymore that i want the shoes i've been saying i wanted for two years. apparently this foiled some christmas present plans to the max, so i thought i'd share a few ideas. ;) some are big, some are little, and honestly, i don't need anything but time with the ones i love.

 for serious original artwork...maybe not this piece from anthropologie, but something amazing and one of a kind for our "art gallery" (the incredibly long hallway in our house)

 

beautiful letterpress personal calling cards...because boone has some and i'm jealous. or even just some new, traditional correspondence cards because i am O-U-T.

 

an amazing wear everywhere dress from boden, since i've been salivating over it since i saw it and it looks like it was MADE for my body.

 

or a softer than soft chambray shirt...because i had one that i wore into pieces and it's time for a replacement. the downside: boone and i could match.

or a teeny tiny delta necklace, to show my pride or an awesome monogram necklace from moon and lola (and because jewelry is always fun to get)

or a way to satisfy my karaoke craving at any moment and even in the comfort of our own home. 

I've also been really wishing for a subscription to the HBR...nerdy? yes. still a super amazing read? oh yes.

gift guide: the woman who who taught me about champagne tastes (and how to manage them on a beer budget)

 I know it may seem a little early for gift guides, but honestly, my life is so crazy I've GOT to plan these important things really far in advance. if you're with me, say amen. :) anyway, here are my thoughts for what i'd like to get my beautiful, special, so important mama this year...

the perfect wallet in the perfect color... because she's warm, firey, and crazy organized. 

and a lifetime supply of her favorite lipstick color to match (even though I've been anti-orange flip a LONG time) :)

a heavenly feeling (and looking) cotton nightgown and cotton robe since they are SO hard to find. I mean, who wants fleece in a warm Mississippi winter? no one.

and maybe a snuggly and chic pair of slipper socks from jcrew to go with that nightgown

and a cotton license plate so she can show her Mississippi pride... (plus she keeps saying she wants one)

a subscription to a super useful, super delicious recipe magazine, because she and my dad love to cook together, but she's the comfort-food kind of mom.

or maybe some quirky but functional things to jazz up her workspace (since now she's a famous calligrapher)

or a surprise trip to her favorite restaurant (Galatoire's in New Orleans) for lunch...or dinner...or both. it makes her remember her dad, and is the penultimate spot for a celebration with sizzle.

gift guide.... the man who takes care of me, protects me,

a harmonica and some lessons with a pro...because we live in the land of the blues, and he regrets quitting piano...

 

 A pair of snazzy shades... because he can't wear his glasses ALL the time..

a new notebook for his ideas, since his moleskins all look the same and don't really fit into his back pocket very well..

 new sneakers from JCrew and New Balance...because his are FALLING APART and he started drooling when he saw these...

 

a moustache and beard comb...so his facial hair can look as spiffy as the rest of him..

 

a portable basketball hoop...because we may not stay here forever, but he needs some b-ball in his life. 

a canoe, so we can navigate the Mississippi together, and a fab, manly book about the great river's history (boone LOVES history)

gift guide: for the little boy cousin who could use a little low-tech in his life

so i have this adorable (but pretty wild) little cousin who was the ring bearer in our wedding...his parents have given him EVERY single toy in the world...swords, video games, legos, so i'm thinking a healthy dose of imagination might be just the trick!

here are my thoughts...

so if a child doesn't have a tree swing, they're missing out. seriously.  

a fun coloring book that actually encourages creativity and doodling!

 

a hat for warmth AND pretending!

because every little boy (and little girl) dreams of being a hardy boy or nancy drew...

because every little boy loves ninjas, which means he'll be excited to learn to bake with these...

a light that hangs on the wall and goes through the stages of the moon 

 

some astronaut ice cream so he can stare at his moonlamp and pretend he's in space...

and a paper airplane set so he can test out hypotheses about which plane body flies farther (yeah, scientific method!)

gift guide: for my golf-loving, iron chef pretending, education-reform seeking daddy.

oh my dad hates getting christmas presents...the last present he got super excited about was a new bill bryson book last year, and two years before that he got an automatic knife sharpener that changed his life. this year, i have some ideas because we went shopping TOGETHER...but still, i don't have a great handle on him. what are you going to get your dad?

the olive oil of the month club...because he LOVES cooking and experimenting and this is second to the nonexistent beef-of-the-month club

tickets to go see an awesome blues show at a fab local venue...because what's better than entertainment?

a dapper hat that actually fits his head for the gold course..otherwise he wears a trucker hat. eeek!

a new chef's jacket in soft, soft demin since his old one looks SO ratty that even the meat he carves recoils in horror.

a cool new pair of sandals for his trip to australia (yep, that's right...a trip to australia) because his usual summer footwear gives his geekery away.

a butterbean tie...well, because a tie is a classic dad-gift, PLUS he and i are butterbean fanatics. perfect.

and an i-o-u to see waiting for superman and do take some action together

my dad is quite the world golf-traveler...plus he's a realtor and LOVES maps, so maybe this fun scratch off where you've been map might be something he'd want for his man room..

of maybe i should make a donation to save the music since dad's great passion (besides golf and cooking) is playing his guitar.

or...just maybe a musical print or two from a friend's fab etsy shop (there's a 2-for-1 deal that ends today)