When I found out that Charlie had gotten a guitar for Christmas, I immediately knew that I wanted to get him a guitar wall mount for his birthday next month. With all of the cats and dogs he has running around his house, I’m pretty sure that he is going to want to store the guitar up off of the floor to keep it protected from the dangers of a run-in with any of the four-legged critters.
I like to skate
by Mary AnneI am not big into exercise, but I have always enjoyed skating. Whether it is roller skating, ice skating, or roller blading, that is something that I’ve always enjoyed.
A few years ago I actually took a few lessons in figure ice skating, and I thought I did pretty good! I only took a few lessons because money was short at the time (actually it still is!)
I’d like to take lessons again in the future, I had a lot of fun learning how to figure skate!
A sense of humor
by Mary AnneI’ve always enjoyed giving my kids funny tee shirts as gifts. Some of my favorites are souvenirs from places we’ve gone on vacation, such as the “Cool as a Moose” store up in Bar Harbor, and some are from Orlando Florida. Still others are from catalogs that I get in the mail. I like the fact that they enjoy them as much as I do. There are times, however, that I wish that they would wear a polo shirt when we go out to eat dinner. I’m glad that they have a great sense of humor, but sometimes I want us to act a little bit more “grown-up.”
Home made gifts
by Mary AnneI like to make home made gifts for people on my gift list. I enjoy working with my hands, crafting or cooking things, so making the gifts is therapeutic for me. And the entire time that I’m making the gift I am thinking about the person I’m making it for, so I like to think that the gift is being infused with loving thoughts. I like to think that the recipient will appreciate the time, effort, and loving thoughts put into the gifts that I make. I take into consideration what the person’s interests are, and try to make a gift that they will love and use.
The vast majority of my home made gifts have been well received, and I often get special requests from the people who are on my gift list. I have been surprised, and sometimes dismayed, when I discover that my gift ends up being turned into a cat toy (by a child too young to appreciate the money, time, and effort put into making the gift) or tucked away in a closet because it is appreciated so much that the recipient thinks it is “too good to use” and is afraid to use it! Or even more dismayed when the recipient turns up their nose at the gift because they think that the homemade gift represents the thought that I was “too cheap” to “buy” them something from the store. Those people don’t realize that the raw materials used to make the gift often will cost more than buying a gift from the store.
So, giving home made gifts can be tricky sometimes. I need to research the individual and make sure that they will actually appreciate the home made gift before I go through the time and effort to make it. Sometimes the best gift to give someone can simply be a gift card, to let them buy what they REALLY want.
My niece loves cheerleading
by Mary AnneMy youngest niece has been involved in cheerleading since she was six years old. She loves the competition cheerleading that she has been doing for the past three years. I’ve gone to see her at one big competition being held at the state capital last year, and she was really good! Her mother was lucky and resourceful enough to find some sponsors for her daughter to pay for her costs of taking lessons and going to the classes. I think that’s awesome!