If you’re looking for a meaningful, screen-free Christmas gift this year, I’ve got something extra special to share! As a mom of four boys and a children’s book author, I’m always hunting for gifts that spark creativity, imagination, and joy. That’s why I put together a brand-new holiday bundle that kids (and parents!) are already loving.
Introducing the Turtle Trouble Christmas Gift Pack!
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🐢 What’s Inside the Gift Pack?
Each bundle includes four great items:
1. Autographed Copy of Turtle Trouble
This story is based on a real-life “What’s in the Box?” challenge gone hilariously wrong… and the messy adventure that followed. Kids love the humor, the mystery, and the message of teamwork. Each book comes personally signed.
2. Mini Plush Turtle
A soft, snuggly turtle that will love to be held and listen to you and your child read!
3. Turtle Trouble Coloring Sheet
Custom made for this book. Great for winter days at home or after-school downtime.
4. Sticker
Kids can decorate water bottles, notebooks, or their craft bins. (Because every kid loves stickers!)
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Why This Makes the Perfect Christmas Gift
As parents, we’re all looking for gifts that are meaningful, not just more clutter. This holiday bundle:
Encourages reading
Sparks imagination
Includes hands-on fun
Makes kids feel seen and special with a signed book
Fits perfectly in a stocking
Supports a mom and Minnesota author
It’s a wholesome, charming gift that brings smiles.
I put together a limited number of these holiday gift sets – when they’re gone, they’re gone! If you want one for your child or to give as a gift, now is the perfect time to grab it.
🎄 Finding Peace and Joy in the Chaos of the Christmas Season🎄
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The holidays are meant to be the happiest time of the year, but for many, they can feel like the most stressful time of the year. Extra to-dos, packed schedules, and high expectations can leave us overwhelmed and far from the peace we hope to experience.
We decorate our homes with pillows and ornaments that say “Love,” “Joy,” and “Peace,” yet that is NOT what we are feeling. Why? Because in the crazy, we forget all self-care. We skimp on sleep, skip exercise, and don’t drink enough water—all while trying to “do it all.”
But what if this year could be different?
Crystal Paine from Money Saving Mom suggests a simple approach: list all the holiday traditions and activities you think need to happen, then let each child choose just one. Focus on those, and let the rest go.
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List all the holiday traditions and activities you think need to happen, then let each child choose just one. Focus on those, and let the rest go.
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At our house, we’ve made similar adjustments. When my kids were little, we put up a tiny tree on a table to make decorating manageable. I rarely bake Christmas cookies because I know I’ll just eat them all. And we don’t overdo gifts.
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3 year old George and 1 year old Clark
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Instead, we focus on simple traditions like:
Decorating the tree and sharing stories about our favorite ornaments
Driving around to see Christmas lights
Watching Christmas movies
Reading Christmas stories (and THE Christmas story)
Listening to Christmas music
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Hanging new ornaments they received for Christmas
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These are the moments our kids remember—not the perfectly decorated house or an endless stack of gifts. What they really want is a peaceful, present mom who enjoys the season with them.
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What our kids want is a a peaceful, present mom who enjoys the season with them.
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When you feel stress creeping in, turn to Jesus. He’s your strength and peace. Time with Him isn’t just another thing to add to your list; it’s the thing that makes everything else better. He can calm your heart, help you prioritize, and multiply your time in ways you never imagined.
The peace, love, and joy we see on those Christmas decorations aren’t just words—they’re promises. Take a moment to stop, breathe, and ask Jesus to fill your heart. Let His love guide your season and remind you of what truly matters.
This year, may you embrace a holiday filled with peace, love, and joy—the kind that comes not from doing more but from being present in the moments that count.
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My Challenge for YOU:
As you prepare for this holiday season, ask yourself: What is one thing I can let go of to create more peace in my home?
Let it go, and replace it with something that brings true joy—whether it’s quiet time with Jesus, a relaxed evening with family, or simply resting.
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In just a few days I will have THREE teen-age boys in my house!
Finding the perfect gift for a teen boy can feel like cracking a secret code. With so many options out there, it’s tough to know what will really hit the mark. Whether you’re shopping for a sports enthusiast, tech lover, budding entrepreneur, or someone who’s impossible to shop for, this guide has you covered. These gift ideas are not only practical but are sure to bring a smile to even the most hard-to-please teen. Let’s dive into the best gifts for teen boys that they’ll actually love!
I’m not sure where the socks go, but it seems my boys are always in need of them. Throughout the year, most of their socks come from Target. However, at Christmas they get some upgraded socks. Nike Elite are their favorites.
Teenage boys can EAT! Gift cards to their favorite restaurants are a huge hit. Taco Bell, any hamburger place, Chick-fil-a, Chipotle and Subway are some favorites.
This is my teenage son’s favorite thing to wear. A customized bracelet with a word of your choice. His word is “strength.” He also has “courage” and “faith.” Choose a word that describes your teen, or a message they need to hear, and this may become their favorite item.
The #1 most played with gift for my boys from day 1, has always been ANY type of ball. If your child plays a sport, perhaps this is the time to get them an upgraded ball.
The #1 book I recommend for teen boys: Chop Wood, Carry Water. Perhaps you could offer a teen some $ if they read and give you a report on what they learned?
Again, teens are GROWING and usually in need of more clothes. Now is the time to buy them a shirt from their favorite team, and Nike shirts are always a hit as well.
Whether your kids love basketball or not, this is a gift that could provide hours of entertainment and draw the neighbor kids to your driveway or backyard!
I want to acknowledge that these items can add up FAST! Christmas for teens can be SPENDY, but it doesn’t have to be. Work within YOUR budget. Let your teens know where you are and what they can expect this year. You can also buy many items second-hand to save money.
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Tips on saving:
Check marketplace for hand-me-downs.
Buy ONE item for Christmas.
Share this list with grandparents or someone interested in buying a gift for your teen.
Review: I’ve heard of and even quoted this author many times. I don’t know how I haven’t read his story until now. It’s a beautiful and hard book to read. He’s a psychologist who survived Auschwitz – partially by using the techniques he taught his clients. One thing I loved was that he tried to find a way to laugh every day. He and another Jewish man would think up silly stories to share. Finding humor in the worst situation helped them survive.
Review: I really enjoyed the beginning of this book where the author shared her conversion story.
However, the chapters on her specific denominational preferences was not really relevant or necessary for this book, and for me, it took away from her powerful personal story.
Review: This was one of my favorite books from childhood. I re-read it to find inspiration for some children’s books I’m working on. Each chapter of this book contains a story from a grandmother’s childhood and includes a lesson she learned.
Review: This is a book that’s stood the test of time. It’s the story of an orphan girl named Anne who gets adopted and the book shares her adventures, and mis-adventures, in a warm and endearing way.
I’ve watched the movie a dozen times, and even starred as Marilla in our high school play, but finally read this book for the first time. I’d recommend that mothers read or listen to this book with their daughters.
Review: Clark and I read this book together. It’s the third book of a series about a young girl who moves to the US from China. In this book, she goes back to China and shares how much it’s changed. Clark said at the end, “I wish there were more books in this series.”
Review: I had this on my list of books to read this Christmas season, then walked into a thrift store – and there it was on display, for only 75 cents! This was a great book to read over my quarantined Christmas. If you haven’t read it, I’d add this classic to your list.
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Thanks for reading. I’ll be listing my favorite books of the year very soon. Subscribe so you don’t miss that post!
Thanks to every single person who took the effort to put up Christmas lights this year or send out cards. It definitely brought Christmas JOY to our family.
My favorite tree!And this house!
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The new Hawkeye series on Disney Plus
When Ted asked me to come watch Hawkeye with him and the boys, I brought a book to read. I’m not really in to the “Hawkeye” character, and didn’t want to watch this new show, but I did want to hang with the boys while they watched it.
Little did I know how much we would ALL enjoy it. The storyline was so engaging and the characters were endearing. We just finished the final episode on Disney. I said to Ted. ‘Let’s watch that series again’ (I never say that. It was truly THAT GOOD)!
Wrigley is the SWEETEST DOG. However, when he’s outside and not on his leash, he doesn’t always come back when you call him. If he’s not done playing, he will run AWAY from you when he sees you coming toward him.
This became a HUGE problem two times in December. Once when I had to go to work and couldn’t get him inside. Another time when he ran onto the pond and we weren’t sure if it was thick enough to hold him. Paul was a wreck thinking his dog might go through the ice and there was nothing we could do.
Enter the world’s best invention. A collar that beeps, vibrates or shocks. (We don’t use the shock)
The very first time I gave Wrigley a gentle vibrate and beep and said “COME,” he immediately came and sat next to me. I was shocked and overjoyed how well it worked then, and how will it continues to work. I only needed to use the vibrate twice, and now he obeys when he just hears the BEEP!
This device is usually $50, but they are currently 20% off. This was the best $40 I ever spent.
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YouTube videos the whole family can enjoy
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There are so many ANNOYING YouTube Channels. However, there are a handful that we can all enjoy together.
Mark Rober – a former Nasa scientist who makes entertaining videos by creating gadgets and fun experiments.
Dude Perfect – a group of guys that met at church and now make trick shot videos and a ‘game show’ called Overtime.
Fantastic 2 – I can’t NOT mention the channel my son’s created. 🙂
Last year, to save time, I just put a clementine in each bag. This year, I bought oranges and dried them. If you want to make these pretty orange slices, here’s how to do it.
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How to Make Oven-Dried Orange Slices:
Preheat oven to 175° F.
Slice oranges about ⅛-inch thick.
Set slices in a single layer on baking sheets with wire racks (this will allow oranges to dry on both sides).
Cook for 4-6 hours, until dry to the touch. You may want to rotate halfway through for even cooking.
We put ours up over the weekend, and as we hung the ornaments, the ones that made us smile and brought back the sweetest memories were the ones we made together.
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Hanging new ornaments they received for Christmas
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Here are five fun holiday ornaments my boys enjoyed making, and I think your family will have fun with it too.
You can keep them for your own tree, or gift them to loved ones.
Which one of those I listed is your favorite? Leave me a comment.
Send me a picture of your family’s favorite homemade ornament.
Enjoy the holiday season!
Love,
Kathryn
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Disclaimer: The items I recommended from Amazon are affiliate links. If you purchase an item I recommend, I may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!
It was a cold day with LOTS of snow. All four boys shoveled two of our neighbors driveways.
We played with our dog, completed a Christmas puzzle, then watched White Christmas (one of my FAVORITE Christmas movies).
Luke and Paul were excited to go to bed that night because they could hardly wait for it to be Christmas morning!
After the two littles fell asleep, George and Clark helped me put presents under the tree, then George created a scavenger hunt from the “elves.”
Clark set up some games around the house for everyone to play on Christmas Day.
Christmas Day:
Scavenger hunt for the littles:
George created a scavenger hunt from our ‘elves.’ He wrote a clue, that led to another clue, that led to another … all around our house. The final clue led to a gift from “Santa.” The gift was a game called “Ticket to Ride.” I’d read good reviews of this game so I thought my boys would like it.
I made the mistake of trying to play it with them right away, without having ever played before. I didn’t realize how many details were involved. I tried to read the instructions and play at the same time. This was a FAIL! I didn’t understand how to play, let alone how to teach all four boys what to do. We all got frustrated and quit.
Afterwards, I watched a YouTube video on how to play. I finally understood and asked my boys if they wanted to try again. The boys said no, they just wanted to open their other presents.
Opening presents:
Clark got football cards
Luke got an art set
Hanging new ornaments they received for Christmas
Our big Christmas gift to the boys was a dog (Read that story here) …but other family members had gifts for them to open Christmas morning.
I filled their stockings with some fun treats, hid the stockings in my closet, tied a long string around them, and wrapped that string all around the house. I gave the boys the end of the string, and they had to follow it to find their stockings.
The boys also did a “Secret Santa” gift exchange with each other. After Thanksgiving, I put the names of the boys in a bowl and they each drew a name. They have a $15 budget and get to pick out a gift for each other.
Luke drew George’s name and got him a puzzle (see below).
Paul drew Clark’s name and bought him football cards.
Clark drew Luke’s name and got him a remote control car.
George drew Paul and bought him some Pokemon cards.
Christmas Day Scavenger Hunt for the Parents:
Clark created “Wheel of Fortune”
Ted came in first
As a Christmas gift for me and Ted, Clark created a super fun obstacle course for us to complete. We had targets to hit with a nerf gun, matchbox cars that had to get past a certain line, a box to tear open to find a clue and a quarter, basketballs to get in the net, then a word to complete in a “Wheel of Fortune” type game. When we completed all our ‘challenges,’ we had to race to put our “quarter” on the winning circle to win a prize (see picture above). I won “Wheel of Fortune” and the matchbox car game, but Ted is way better with a nerf gun and basketball. He won and got a big chocolate bar. I was second and Clark gave me chocolate coins.
Christmas Day Walk:
It was COLD outside (7 degrees), but Ted encouraged us to bundle up and get outside with him, and I’m glad we did!
Christmas Dinner:
Steak, Brussel Sprouts, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and …. French Fries. (I forgot to take a picture)
We Watched:
A Christmas Story – Ted and George love this movie. Since they watch “White Christmas” with me, I watch this movie with them.
We read:
The Christmas Lizard: this is a cute story of the Lizard climbing up the tree and hearing the different reasons Christmas is celebrated. The Nutcracker says “tradition,” the elves say “parties,” etc. When he gets to the very top of the tree he finds the Angel and the angel points to the manger and tells the lizard that the reason we celebrate Christmas is Jesus.
After Luke and Paul went to bed, I was able to talk George into giving Ticket to Ride another try. We both really enjoyed playing! I would only recommend it for ages 10 and up!
The Day After Christmas:
Luke got George’s name as his “Secret Santa” gift exchange. I helped him create a puzzle as a gift for George.
We put it together and it turned out so cool!
We also went ice skating with friends.
One friend lifted his hockey stick to hit a puck, and accidentally smacked Clark in the eye. It hurt bad at first (and looks really bad), but Clark was playing again in ten minutes.
We took another walk and had a snowball fight:
Get Ready …
Get Set …
Fire!!!
My boys received this “snowball maker” toy last year – it makes these perfect, round snowballs and saves your hands from freezing or your gloves from getting soaked:
Hope you had a Merry Christmas friends! Sending love from our family to yours!
Here’s a peek into our fall and winter. I love how my iPhone can take pictures and videos and turn them into this:
It was a long journey to get here … our oldest three boys started asking for a dog since, well, they could say the word “DOG!”
I was NOT excited about having a dog. I had a hard enough time keeping up with our boys, I didn’t want another thing to take care of!
However, this quote resonated with me….
“Every boy should have two things: a dog and a mother who lets him have one.”
― Robert Benchley
In 2013, we told George and Clark that when Paul was potty-trained, we’d get a dog! They were overjoyed. However…
Just as Paul was potty-trained, I found out I was pregnant. So, they boys got a BROTHER instead of a dog. Thankfully, they were okay with that … for a while.
Every subsequent Christmas and birthday – the number one requested item was: A DOG.
In 2020…we finally decided it was time. And you all know why. This year we were all stuck at home with plenty of time on our hands!
We got serious about looking for a Goldendoodle. However, I didn’t realize how expensive they could be. I was NOT going to pay what most people were asking.
I told the boys that if we were going to get a dog, we would have to find the right one, for the right price.
So the boys started praying. They asked God for a golden doodle dog for a ‘good price.’
I also saw Clark googling:
“Goldendoodles for less than one thousand dollars.”
For several months, we couldn’t find one. But then…we went for a visit to Tulsa.
Randomly at dinner, I told a friend that we were searching for a golden doodle, but could not find one for a decent price. This friend gave me the number of a local breeder who sells them for a very reasonable price.
There was MORE great news:
I knew the breeder’s family! I had worked with her brother-in-law in Colorado Springs!
I had friends with her dogs.
She had a litter recently born and they’d be available the same week that my in-laws would be visiting us in Minnesota!
Ted and I SECRETLY went to meet the puppies and of course, we fell in love. It’s hard to meet a puppy and not BUY a puppy!
This was finally the right breeder, the right dog, at the right time and the right price!!!
We bought one.
However…it was a secret. We would surprise the boys the week before Christmas!
When the puppy was ready, Papa and Nana picked him up and and drove him from Tulsa all the way to our home in Minnesota.
The Big Puppy Surprise:
When they were just a few minutes away, I took the boys upstairs. I told them we had to hang out in my room for a little while because dad had to work on something for Christmas.
While we were upstairs, Ted greeted Nana and Papa at the door and let them in. They put the crate in front of the Christmas tree, they put the puppy in the crate, and a blanket over the crate. Nana and Papa stood in front of the crate, blocking it from view.
Then…Ted came upstairs, knocked on my door, told the boys he was ready…and they came downstairs.
The boys were SOO excited to see their Nana and Papa.
Then, Nana and Papa moved to show the crate. They removed the blanket and showed them the REAL surprise – their PUPPY!
They exclaimed this as the BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!
The Best Christmas ever!
The best dog ever!
The best parents ever!
The best nana and papa ever!
They were thrilled and oh, what a memory!
Why the name?
All the men in our family have a “W” in their middle names…so we wanted our dog’s name to start with a W.
Here’s a fun and simple activity to do with your kids: Salt dough ornaments.
My boys aren’t always into crafty things – but when they heard their cousins made and SOLD some of their ornaments, my boys were all in! They always love a way to earn money – right now they are saving up to buy a DOG! (This was their idea, not mine)
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The salt dough recipe is simple:
2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 cup of water
Mix with a wisk, and then your hands.
Flour a surface, then roll out the dough until it’s about a quarter inch thick
Cut into shapes
Use a drinking straw to poke a hole at the top of the ornament for the string to go through
To make the Snowman Ornament:
Use a cup to make circles
Take a little piece of the dough and form it into the shape of a carrot
Press the nose on top of the circle
Press divots in the dough for the eyes and mouth. I used the bottom of a paint brush.
Bake at 175 degrees for 3 hours.
Let them sit for 1 hour.
Paint with acrylic paint or water colors.
Seal with Modge Podge.
Tie a string through the hole.
Hang on your tree, gift wrap, or sell.
My boys …Selling their handmade ornaments to neighbors
The boys put their earnings in this jar and tied one of their dog bone salt dough ornaments around it!
