'Tis the Season-- Last Chance!

Today is the last day to participate in the 'Tis the Season carnival by linking up a gift ideas post to one of the categories from this week. I will choose the winners of the giveaways tomorrow morning (my time-- I'm seven hours ahead of EST) and email them!

Here are the categories you can post about and link up to:

1. Gift Ideas FOR HER

2. Gift Ideas FOR HIM

3. Gift Ideas FOR THE KIDS

4. Gift Ideas FOR THE BOOK LOVER

5. Gift Ideas FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

So, link up any time today and good luck in the giveaways!
Don't remember what the giveaways are?!

Lisa Leonard Aqua Stone Earrings

AllforAbby Frame-A-Name

Gift Ideas FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Today's gift ideas are all about creativity-- a gift that is a little different.

1. Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog: My parents give each of their kids a gift from the Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog each Christmas. Basically it is a gift in honor of. They are gifts like milk for children, blankets for families, toy lambs that play Jesus Loves Me, a bicycle for a pastor around the world-- you pick out whichever gift you'd like to give, and you can give it in honor of another person. They have really beautiful "in honor of" cards you can get to tell the person what you gave in their honor. It's a super gift idea for anyone, especially people who have a heart for the world. Here's an example of a gift:

Gift 21 - Feed a Hungry Baby for a Week

The anguished cries of hungry infants is an all-too-familiar sound in famine-stricken villages and impoverished communities. Even if they survive, malnourished children are at risk of serious physical and mental problems. In Ethiopia and other crisis areas, Samaritan’s Purse is responding to the cries of hunger through a variety of child-feeding projects that provide a tangible witness to the gracious Lord who “fills the hungry with good things” (Psalm 107:9, NIV). Just $9 can feed a baby or a nursing mother for a week.

Suggested Gift: $9

2. A personalized T-shirt Quilt: I got a T-shirt quilt made this summer with T-shirts symbolizing my relationship with Hubby. A shirt from the college we went to, the college ministry we were apart of, a trip we took to NYC, a shirt I got on our honeymoon, the shirt I was wearing when Hubs proposed-- it is such a special way to preserve memories! My friend, Courtney, has started a little business making quilts, and she did a fabulous job. I actually just got a tacked blanket, so there's no quilt stuffing, but it's a perfect couch snuggling blankie! Here's a picture Courtney posted to her business blog after she finished my blanket. Isn't it fabulous? I love it! Having a special blanket or quilt done like this would be a great gift idea! (I even thought about having a blankie done with snippets of all my favorites of the baby clothes the Bugs wore... wouldn't that be sweet?)

3. Homemade goodies: This is always a hit. My mom has always been a Christmas baker, whipping up all sorts of deliciousness during the month of December and presenting pretty plates of the goodies to teachers, pastors, and friends during the holidays. I have continued the tradition since getting married. It's special to get in the kitchen as a family (or by yourself) and make some delicious treats to gift! (It's also quite a bit cheaper than buying gifts for everyone in your life.) Plus, you get to sample the goods yourself, so this is a win-win situation!

OK, there are some of my favorite gift ideas for something different-- who's next? Tell all your great ideas for gifts FOR THE SOMETHING DIFFERENT on your blog, then come back to Momfessions, and click below where it says "MckLinky". Enter your name and the link to your gift idea post. Don't forget, each time you link up a gift ideas post this week, you're entered to win one of the awesome giveaways!

(Check here for carnival guidelines.)

You Capture- Photographer's Choice

I captured a rainy day from inside. Can You Capture it?

Gift Ideas FOR THE BOOK LOVER

Books are a popular gift around our house. Hubs and I were both teachers in our previous lives in the states, so we love childrens' books, and gift them to our kids. I grew up as a avid reader, devouring fiction, and though that passion has waned some, I still enjoy a good book in all my spare time-- HA! And Hubby is a newbie reader, but adores theology books and spy novels. So I have lots of ideas today for gifts for any book lovers on your list!

Fiction:
* Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers: Oh. my. word. This is my all-time favorite book. I've read it every year since my junior year of college. Love it!
* Mark of the Lion Triology by Francine Rivers: A great story-- these books would make a terrific gift to any book-loving woman who loves historical fiction.
* The Bourne Trilogy by Robert Ludlum: These are Hubby recommended. He warns that they are nothing like the movies, so read them as such!

Non-fiction:
* Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg: My absolute favorite baby how-to book. This woman speaks to my kind of parenting-- I'm somewhere in between Attachment Parenting and Babywise. I love this book because before I read it I didn't know you could be in-between AP and BW. Great gift for new or expecting mothers!
* Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose: One of Hubby's picks. I've never read it!

Childrens' Lit:
* My Very Own Name personalized storybook: Both of my kids have one of these and they are such a perfect gift! How neat that a real book is all about animals bringing the letters to spell your own name?! Click here to see a virtual book tour on the website. So cool, and helpful when your child is learning to spell their name!
* The Jesus Storybook Bible: I cannot say enough good things about this childrens' Bible. It is a "storybook" Bible, so it's not word-for-word, but each story is told with a emphasis on the coming Messiah (Old Testament) and the sent Messiah (New Testament). The words are stunningly beautiful, and I want to cry when Ladybug curls up in her Daddy's lap and asks him to read her the Bible.
* Olivia by Ian Falconer
* Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
* If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Other:
* ESV Study Bible: I gave this to Hubs last year and he loves it. It had just come out last Christmas, so it's only about a year old. I've heard great things about it though, and I love the English Standard Version anyway.
* Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper: Great and totally convicting book!
* Daily Light: A sweet daily devotional that is purely Scripture. I got this book as a gift recently, and it's perfect encouragement from the Word of God. Each day has a theme and all the Scripture listed relate to the theme. It's a great gift!
* Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman: My favorite parenting resource. This is how Hubby and I seek to train our children in righteousness. Perfect for Christian parents with toddlers or preschoolers.
* Wise Words for Moms by Ginger Plowman: Companion and reference guide to Don't Make Me Count to Three. Very handy and very helpful!

OK, there are some of my favorite gift ideas for book lovers-- who's next? Tell all your great ideas for gifts FOR THE BOOK LOVER on your blog, then come back to Momfessions, and click below where it says "MckLinky". Enter your name and the link to your gift idea post. Don't forget, each time you link up a gift ideas post this week, you're entered to win one of the awesome giveaways!

(Check here for carnival guidelines.)

Gift Ideas FOR THE KIDS

I love shopping for my kids! It is a very rare occasion when I am out shopping and don't see something for one of my kids! Here are some of my favorite ideas!

1. AllforAbby Frame-A-Name: I ADORE this woman's stuff! I introduced you to Melissa while back during Fantastic Finds. It's been a few months, and a lot has happened-- Melissa and her husband brought their little girl, Abigail, home from China! How precious! Abby is having surgery this week, so please say a prayer for Melissa and Abby! I love, love, love my kids' name frames! Aren't they too cute? Decor for a kid's room is a great gift idea-- less plastic, junky toys for us, please!
*Melissa has agreed to do a giveaway during the 'Tis the Season carnival! For each post you link up, you will be entered to win a Frame-A-Name or Frame-A-Family!

2. Melissa and Doug toys: Speaking of plastic, junky toys, I have to tell you how much I love Melissa and Doug's stuff for kids! We got the kids the standard until blocks last Christmas, they are perfect for building and imagining all sorts of things! These blocks will grow with our children! We also have a lot of wooden Melissa and Doug puzzles, the kids are big fans!

3. Praise Baby DVDs: We got these DVDs as a gift right about the time Bumblebee was born. Ladybug loved them! Each DVD is 30 minutes of praier music with clips of babies, children, animals, numbers, and letters. Think Baby Einstein, but not as creepy! I could listen to praise music all day, so they don't wear on me like the annoying voices on some of Ladybug's other DVDs. Bumblebee has just started watching them and he's enraptured with watching the other children! They are perfect to put in when I need some time to read my Bible and pray-- and I don't mind praise music in the background!

4. Doll Sling: This is what Ladybug has asked for this Christmas, and it thrills me to the core! I love that she watches me wear Bumblebee and wants to do the same with her babies! She asked for an Ergo specifically, but their doll carriers are $25! I found this one: on etsy from SnuggyBaby for $10! If she really seems into it, maybe we can get Ladybug an Ergo for her babies later.

OK, there are some of my favorite gift ideas for kids-- who's next? Tell all your great ideas for gifts FOR THE KIDS on your blog, then come back to Momfessions, and click below where it says "MckLinky". Enter your name and the link to your gift idea post. Don't forget, each time you link up a gift ideas post this week, you're entered to win one of the awesome giveaways!

(Check here for carnival guidelines.)