Charm City Mama's Holiday Gift Pick #5 (For the Papa's)

Are your dudes hard to shop for? Mine is. So much so, when I see something he may like, I write it down in the memo pad section of my Blackberry. So, basically I'm going to run down that list right now...

Here are a few things, I think he (and almost any guy) would appreciate this holiday season:

Charm City Daddy is a preppy New England boy at heart. He loves his Vineyard Vines.
He would LOVE these pants...

In case you can't see, those are little Santa whales...

His outbursts during Patriots games are so dispruptive and startling to the baby, I had to send him away this week to watch Monday Night Football somewhere else. He would love this VV tie.

Is there a man on this planet (with HBO) that doesn't have an obsession with Entourage?

Buys the first six seasons in a boxed set.

We've been talking about getting one of these for a long time.

Finally, I think all daddy's should have a camcorder or some sort. We have this one. And it does the job.

But we will need something a little more substantial for those extended cinematic moments that should be captured like gift opening on Christmas Day or maybe Olivia's little dance recitals.

Something like this would be nice...

And of course when all else fails Charm City Daddy has also always appreciated cufflinks, metal collar stays, new gym socks, or something from Brookstone. Typical dude.

Charm City Mama's Holiday Gift Pick #4

Anyone that has been to my home knows that I am a candle lover. In fact, I used to be a regular at Candles Off Main when I worked in Annapolis and would visit their downtown boutique on my lunch break. Yep, that bad. They have REALLY good stuff though and it's a great place to get educated on candles.

Anyway, one of my favorite brands of candles is Voluspa. If you have every smelled their distinct, sophisticated, and "powerful fragrance throws" you know why people are loyal to the brand.  I buy the Voluspa three wick tins all of the time, but last year around this time, I bought the Voluspa Basic Black Votive giftset with the intent to actually gift it, but then I couldn't part with it! Ah! I decided to keep them for myself and I travel with them, put them in our guest bedrooms for our guests to enjoy and take with them. These candles are so powerful I keep the box in my closet and it smells up the place better than a sache.

I suggest you get the gift set for a friend (and yourself). That way you can decide which scent(s) you will become addicted to from the assortment and can then commit yourself to purchasing them for the rest. of. your. life.

And while you are in scent shopping mood--have you seen these?

Lampe Berger (pronounced in your best French accent) is another creation Susan at Candles Off Main introduced me to a couple of years ago.  Apparently these lanterns were used in Parisian hospitals back in the day to kill airborne bacteria and neutralize odors. I love my basic clear glass one, but there are many ornate lamps to choose from to match your home decor. I suggest starting with the starter kit which basically includes everything in the picture above. Susan's web site explains how to use them beautifully with an instructional video as well.

Okay..technically that was two gift picks. I promise to pick a men's gift next!

Just Enjoying My Baby

Hi Friends! I haven't been posting much because I've just been enjoying some days off of work, relaxation and baby kissin'.

I could just eat her up!

She does have a little personality on her. :)

The latest and greatest: Olivia is mesmerized with the Christmas tree and all of its splendid lights. Just tonight she was chanting to it and seemingly telling it jokes and then laughing at her own jokes.

I'm working on getting a video of it. You must see it.