Christmas presents

With Christmas just a few days away, I thought it would be fun to share what Hannah Grace will be getting this year. 

If you've been reading long enough (or know us well enough), you'll remember that last year, just three weeks before Christmas, John found out his position with AT&T would be no more by the end of the year. It was a (long) two weeks before we found out we would be leaving Knoxville and moving across the state for a new position. During those two weeks, we decided we wouldn't buy presents for each other or anyone else, except for a couple of things for Hannah Grace (we literally spent $40 on her gifts). We didn't know if John would have a job at the end of the year, so presents were the absolute last thing on our mind. 

This year is different: John's job is really good, we've paid off some debt, and that has allowed us to have a bit more fun with gifts. John got a guitar and gave me Lightroom 3 last month, and I began brainstorming about what to give Hannah Grace this year. John and I are fairly adamant about not having many electronic toys. The key word there is many. We're not completely against them, but we'd rather she have things that really allow her to use her imagination. I think we did a good job with what we picked out: 

Mega Bloks. These are like giant Legos, so they'll be easy to Hannah Grace to both grip and build. This particular bag is normally $21 at Target, but thanks to Black Friday and a $3 off coupon, I snagged it for $7. I also found a deal through Wal-Mart's website that had a tub of 100 Mega Bloks in the primary colors for $10, so I got those, too. John wasn't wild about buying a second set because he's afraid he'll trip over them, but I assured him they wouldn't scatter. Much. 

Elmo house shoes! A cute $5 stocking stuffer than Hannah Grace will love!

Veggies Tales DVDs. I think I paid $4 for It's a Meaningful Life, $2 for King George and the Ducky, and $5 for Princess and the Pop Star. We've actually been watching It's a Meaningful Life, but the other two will be opened at Christmas. I don't mind Hannah Grace watching TV in moderation, but I really hate all the commercials kids are exposed to, so I'm starting to build a (small) DVD collection for her. 

Leap Frog Shapes and Sharing Picnic Basket. I really had no rhyme or reason to buying this; I just thought it was really cute and Hannah Grace liked it when I let her play with it in the store. My sister in law gave her a cooking pot with veggies that was the same idea as this picnic basket for HG's birthday in May, and she loves it, so I knew she would enjoy this. I got it off Amazon for $15 on Black Friday, which is $5 cheaper than it sells for in stores, so it was a pretty good deal. 

Farm activity cube. This is an all wooden activity cube that a friend of mine bought for his son a couple of months ago at Costco. John and I had seen these before and liked them but felt Hannah Grace wasn't old enough for one until now. So, I messaged my friend and asked if he would pick one up for Hannah Grace (we don't have a Costco where we live), drop it off at my in-laws, and then have me send him a check for the cost. He obliged, and now Hannah Grace is going to open it on Christmas! This was $50, which is isn't bad considering how sturdy it is (and that Amazon was selling this same one for a little over $70!). I love it because it is straight up wood and will last a long time. The pictures on the different puzzles and figurines are eye catching, especially for a toddler, and I know Hannah Grace will love it. 

I don't know what my mom is getting Hannah Grace, but John's parents bought her a mini trampoline, and it arrived several days ago. She loves sitting and "jumping" on it (her feet never actually leave the surface of the trampoline); I know it's only a matter of time before she's REALLY jumping, and then I'll be putting it outside, ha.