If you want to see all the great ideas I find from around the web, you can 

JJ Cole Warehouse Sale

JJ Cole, most famous for their Bundle Me's and diaper bags, is having a warehouse online starting tomorrow! This the first time they're doing the sale online, in the past they've held the sale at their warehouse--and the line is always really long! This will be a great sale to stock up on boutique baby items! And if you aren't looking for baby stuff, be sure to check out their picnic blankets.

 

I didn't receive a special code to use, so I'm not sure what you have to do to get VIP access, but if you want me to forward the email on to you go ahead and leave your email in the comments.

JoAnn' Special

Even though she is 5 years younger than me, my sister, Deidra and I have found ourselves at the same stage of life. Married to grad students. Both of our husband's are working towards PhD's. She moved to Middle America this past summer and I'm thousands of miles away in Utah. We've started a blog together as a way to survive the late nights and low budgets. JoAnn's Special (you can read more about our name) is where we share a little bit of everything.

We'd love if you'd join us over there as we share how we make the dollar stretch and still have things we love. You're guaranteed a design tip or two, the best place to find quality swim suits for less, some craftiness, recipes, and printables!

Workout Music

Looking for some new music to workout to?

Download the latest The Biggest Loser and Subway Workout Mix-Wake Up and Workout for free.

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Cookie & Milk Tasting Party

We threw together a last minute Christmas party over the weekend--and I think it is a keeper--our newest tradition if you will. The idea came from here and I used the cookie exchange tags for the invitation and cookie identification.

The invite was emailed out:

Because it was last minute I had low expectations, but knew there would be competition and the winner would expect a prize. So I used my Silhouette and a plate I picked up on clearance at TJ Maxx to make this trophy:

I used a tag from the cookie exchange and changed the words to make it a Santa's cookie plate. I love how it turned out!

We had milk, chocolate milk and egg nog to drink and five different types of cookies to choose from.

Cookie 1: Easy Shortbread cookies
Cookie 2: Triple Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal cookies
Cookie 3: I don't know the official name, but it was a chocolate cookie with a Rolo inside
Cookie 4: Grandma Mackay's Christmas cookie
Cookie 5: Soft Molasses cookies

Everyone took the job of tasting very seriously, and it was fun to hear the different opinions of the cookies.

My brother-in-law's cookie--his grandma's special Christmas cookie-- won by a point! And chocolate milk came out the clear winner in the milk department.

Do you host a yearly Christmas Party?

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Men

Last year my brother-in-law and husband took time out of their busy lives and, at the pleas of their wives, brained stormed up a somewhat generic, but sure to be a hit stocking stuffer list for men!

1. Movie theater-sized box of candy
2. Gift cards in smaller denominations to their favorite fast food restaurants {guiltless bachelor eating when you're out of town or when they "forget" to pack a lunch}
3. Program their phone to remind them of important days a few days before the event {they want to be your prince, so help them succeed}
4. Shoe shine kit. All out fancy, or just a Kiwi Express Shine {keep their kicks looking classy}
5. Air freshener that doesn't make their car smell like a girl {Scentsy has some that the girl in their life can still live with}
6. Snazzy socks {they recommend some hearty argyle--making desk jobs more fun}
7. Movie tickets {for a date with you, or a shoot 'em up with the boys}
8. New set of pliers {needle nose got voted "most likely to have disappeared the past year"}
9. A 12 pack of their favorite soda {forgo the stocking and sit this one on the hearth}
10. Hair paste/product {they don't want to be girlie, but they need good stuff for their 'do}
11. Box of candy bars {think Costco or Sam's Club sized, and watch their will-power put to the limit}
    
12. Hat with their favorite team's logo {beanie or baseball, they aren't too picky}
13. Pack of razor blades, fancy or just their regular brand {for smooth kissing at New Year's}
14. Small LED keychain flashlight {for seeing the lock at night or finding hidden treasures beneath the sofa}
    
15. Can of Easy Cheese and crackers {because they are so deprived now that they're married}
    
16. Gloves for whatever they're into {batting | gardening | nice leather driving gloves | golfing | nitrile coated for odd jobs}
17. A can of nuts {no peanuts please. Pistachios got a hearty endorsement, but they aren't too picky}
18. Car wash tokens or punch pass

This was lifted straight from Deidra's blog with a few changes made.
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Christmas Stars

A few Christmas favorites from around the web:

Frosty's hat and trees both made from toilet paper rolls--great crafts for little people.

Add a little festivity with this printable Christmas sign.

These shortbread cookies really are easy! I mixed up a batch a few days ago and we've been cutting a baking daily for different Christmas parties.

If I were feeling more ambitious I'd decorate our photos like reindeer. Definitely next year.