Cassie DeNisco

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January Amazon Essentials!

Last year I shared my Best Amazon Purchases and you loved that post! This year I’m going to try to share my Amazon essentials each month so you get my real time favorites! These will be shorter posts only because I’m hopefully not going crazy on Amazon!

I love watching videos and reading blogs like this because I am a sucker for product recommendations. Any time I see something kind of cool, I instantly become obsessed and need it! This month I really prioritized health with these Amazon essentials!

Hatch Restore Alarm

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amazon essentials

I’ve been using this for a solid 3 weeks now and seriously love it! I love to fall asleep to the sound of the rain. I like that it’s also a night light because it seriously changes the game for reading! I love using the red light to wind down or the warm white light to read. It’s also great because you can schedule your bedtime so it’s always on when you need it and can go off on its own!

I also fell in love with the wake up feature! First the bright light starts and then you get a gently sound slowly getting louder. It is so magical and makes you wakeup in the best mood. I’m really not sure how but I swear this adds to my morning mood being better and I just have been sleeping so well.

One down side is I’ve found the buttons on it are super sensitive. I feel like I have to click it a few times to get it to do what I want. Since at night I really don’t want to be on my phone, I wish the Hatch itself was easier to use than having to open the App!

Essential Oil Diffuser

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I have always wanted a diffuser but with Sky I am very careful about the stuff I put in the air because dogs are so sensitive. I did some research and do feel comfortable diffusing lavender a little at a time. This diffuser is great because I love to just do the 30 minute version.

It gets my room smelling so good and I swear it really helps you relax. Lavender is also good to help pets relax too so I feel like even Sky is benefiting from it. I just ordered the essential oil right off of Amazon too and it has a dropper. This seriously just adds to the vibe and keeps you relaxed and cozy!

Bloom Powdered Greens

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I also got this for the new year because I really want to prioritize getting my greens in. I find that I’m someone who usually goes for the carbs and proteins but usually forgets the greens. I like taking this right after my Seed probiotic and then I’ll have a chai or breakfast.

I am someone with a really sensitive stomach so I get nervous when I take anything that says digestion but I have so far really like this. It’s easy to just add to some water and get on with my day. I know I’m getting in so many good stuff so It honestly just helps me to make better food choices throughout the day. I definitely want to try to get my hands on the mango one when I run out of this because I hear it’s so good!

Let me know you January Amazon Essentials! It’s seriously so fun to see all the cool things you can get on Amazon these days so leave a link below!

Confess Book Review by Colleen Hoover!

My first book review of 2023 is finally here! I actually took some time off from reading in December. I got burnt out from trying to meet my 2022 goal. Eventually I made it to 50 books but boy was I over reading for a little while. This month is all about Confess book review by Colleen Hoover.

My 2023 goal is actually 50 books again but I’m going to try to actually space my books out and not wait until the end of the year. This book club has seriously helped me to be accountable with my reading so I’m excited to bring it back in this new year!

Every time I need a book to get me back into the swing of it, I always reach for a Colleen Hoover book. I almost enjoy the predictability of her books which makes them a comfort read for me.

Confess Book Review by Colleen Hoover

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Confess Book Review

This book starts off with a young Auburn spending every minute with her boyfriend who is dying of terminal cancer. They’re each other’s first everything because they’re so young so the pain she feels when he passes is massive. Fast forward 5 years, Auburn is living in his hometown because she ended up getting pregnant right before he passed. She’s desperate for money to get full custody of her son from his grandma.

She walks passed Owen’s art studio and with a very direct we’re hiring sign, she pops in. Owen is an artist with a pretty heavy past of his own. We find out he was driving a car that killed his mother and younger brother. It also put his father in a coma. His father is better now but is seriously struggling with a pill addiction.

Neither Auburn or Owen shares their past, which only leads to the build up of their drama. We find out that Auburn’s son’s uncle is a corrupt cop with a thing for her. When he gets wind of her and Owen spending time together, he pulls Owen over. He ends up arresting him because he has his father’s pills on him. Owen goes to jail and Auburn gets with her kids uncle in hopes it’ll mean more time and a better chance of custody for her son.

All the while, Owen’s art studio is accepting anonymous confessions from people and Auburn keeps writing hers to keep Owen in the loop while he’s away. Once he gets out, Owen and Auburn finally realize that in order to be together they should just be honest and dive into their pasts.

Final Thoughts

I loved the twist at the end of the book.We realize Owen and Auburn were both visiting their loved ones in the hospital all those years ago at the same time. It was such a sweet added touch to know that during the darkest point in their lives they were still somehow connected!

These books seriously get me back into reading every time. I love that it they give you all the warm and fuzzy feels even though they have so much heart ache. It often mirrors real life and I think that’s why I love them most!

If you need any 2023 book recommendations, read my full 2022 Book Recap here!

My Sweet Potato Quesadilla Recipe!

This new year we are prioritizing eating our veggies! I love this recipe because it sneaks in veggies in a really yummy and delicious way! I’ve now been plant based for over a year and a half and I love recipes like this sweet potato quesadilla!

Quesadillas used to be one of my go to recipes to make a quick lunch or order out but it’s hard to do when you’re dairy free! I found this recipe actual from a Hello Fresh Box but have made it my own as the years have gone on. If Hello Fresh is reading this, offer dairy free alternatives so I can still enjoy your stuff!!

This recipe is so quick and easy, as well as perfect to rotate into your New Year’s meals!

Ingredients

Your favorite Tortillas (I love almond flour but my grocery store didn’t have so I did whole wheat)

Cheese (Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheese is the best to melt with)

1 poblano pepper

Grape tomatoes

1 yellow onion

Salt

Pepper

1 tsp cayenne

1 jalapeño pepper

Avocados

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 then peel and dice your sweet potatoes. Spray them with a little oil and bake for 25 minutes or until soft.
  2. Dice your poblano and yellow onion. Sauté your poblano and half of the yellow onion in a pan with cayenne, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Create a little salsa with your diced jalapeño, other half of the yellow onion, and tomatoes!
  4. Once everything is cooked, assemble your quesadillas without the salsa and bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crisp.
  5. Serve with salsa on top and sliced avocado & enjoy!!

I love this recipe because it’s truly a twist on a classic. This helps you sneak in your veggies while having something good. If I’m looking for something more nutrient dense, I’ll even throw in some black beans! Let me know if you have tried this sweet potato quesadilla recipe or if you have a non-traditional quesadilla recipe!

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How to Stay Organized this New Year!!

I love to share blog posts on how I plan! This year I wanted to put a twist on how to stay organized this year! I have recently moved more towards digital planners. If you know me, you know this is a shock because I have been a pen and paper girl forever. However, I recently discovered some really helpful digital tools that honestly have made the paper planners useless!

My all time favorite paper planner is the Day Designer. I love this for so many reasons, but my top is it has a spot to plan out your entire day. Working at the studio in the evenings means I seriously need to plan my mornings to be as productive as possible. I actually was able to swap the paper for these 2 super helpful digital organizers!

Google Keep

This is the real game changer that most people don’t know exists! It’s essentially an online to do list, however you can share it and collaborate on it! We use this at the dance studio but I’ve started using it in my personal life too. I treat it essentially as my giant life to do list.

Any time I get a thought, I jot it down. I have the app on my phone so it’s always near me and accessible. Having a big to do list seems daunting, but I love just seeing everything that has to be done whether it’s today or 2 months from now.

I’ve recently started organizing it with the day of the week then the item to keep my even more on top of things. I seriously love it and I like that I can share it too. I found it super helpful for even ordering Christmas presents with Jordan because we were able to share the list and check off who we got for!

The best part is, this is a free service through Google! If you have a Google account, you can access it today and really start to get your life organized! I did try the Apple Reminders app which is similar to this, but Google is more universal so I love this so much more!

how to stay organized

Google Calendar

Like I just mentioned, I was an Apple girl but it’s not universal like Google is! I just love that I can share calendars with people so that everyone sees the exact same info. This is great for my entire week or month in a more general fashion. I have it set to download to my iPhone calendar app so that I literally see everything on all my devices.

This is a great resource to just share with others. Family events or just work stuff is so important to share so that’s why I switched to this. It helps the people around me to be as organized as I am so it makes my life easier.

I’ve even tried to plan out my days through this but most of the times I would just rather have this as an overall calendar. I do know people who block out their day with this and use it as their planner so it definitely can work for you!

how to stay organized

As you can see I really don’t need the whole pen & paper thing when I have these two free resources. I love both and how they seriously keep me on track and productive. As we head into the new year, it’s essential figure out how to stay organized and I know these both will work for you!

Be sure to check out my Pinterest here and a yummy recipe here!

My 2023 New Year’s Resolution!!

I can hardly believe another year has passed and I’m writing out new year’s resolution! It’s crazy how quickly the years go by and how fast we get to the next one. This year I wanted to share my new year’s resolution in a different way.

Instead of picking multiple things, I just wanted to choose a word that everything falls under. I started this last year with the word wellness and I truly think I got to live that word out. This year I’m doing the same because I feel like sometimes resolutions can be too limiting and put too much pressure on yourselves.

Patience

new year's resolutions

Now people always say patience is a virtue but I feel like a lot of my anxiety comes from jumping to the next thing or next worry. I want to really slow down in 2023 and try to get everything back in check. 


In the times we live in we can really just feel out of control a lot. Life flies by us and if we’re not moving as fast as everyone we feel like we’re missing out or not doing something right. For me, I want to try to break this habit next year.

A slower lifestyle and mindset doesn’t put me behind others, if anything it’ll set me up for success because I’ll be able to make decisions based on thinking things through. I want to be so intentional with my time so I think having patience will help with that.

One other aspect of patience is with purchases. We live in a world where it’s so easy to order exactly what we want and have it delivered right away. Financially, you can only do that for so long so I just know being patient and thinking through purchases on clothes and other non-necessities will boost my finances as well.

As you can see, choosing one word that encompasses your mood instead of a resolution changes your mindset. I never followed through on resolutions because they always felt like too many unattainable goals. With choosing a word to live by, you can find it in all areas of your life and mold it to how you’re feeling.

If you have a word for 2023, share it down below! I love hearing how other people approach the new year with their mindsets. You can read more resolutions posts here! And don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest here!

The Best Products from 2022!!

Buckle up because this post is a full list of the best products from 2022! These were featured on my monthly favorites but ended up making the cut for things I couldn’t live without this year! I absolutely loved doing my favorites as a bonus post. I figured they needed their own post before the end of the year!

These products all have affiliate links so you can shop right through this post! As always I make a small commission if you purchase but there’s no pressure at all to do so!! Hopefully these give you some ideas if you still need a last minute present too!!

Crop Tanks

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products from 2022

These crop tanks were feature in my Amazon Favorites post in January and let me tell you, I’m still obsessed! These are the perfect crops to wear when your teaching dance or just working out and want to be covered. They hit in the right spot and are so inexpensive and look great.

Five Minute Journal

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products from 2022

I seriously use my Five Minute Journal almost everyday! It’s really great if you’re just starting out to journal and need ideas about what to write. I also like it because if I want to write something quick it’s super easy to do. Read about all my wellness favorite here!

Lululemon Belt Bag

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If you have a pet you need this bag! It’s essential for treats and any other items you need on the go. It’s also perfect to just take out and about to run errands on your own. This was featured in my Pet favorites post but I’ve talked about it in many other posts since!

Our Place Always Pan

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If you’ve seen any of my cooking posts or videos, you know I always reach for this pan. It seriously does everything you need in a pan so that you don’t need many. I love to boil pasta, make veggies, and even breakfasts foods in here because the non toxic non stick coating is life changing. Read the full cooking favorites post here!

Amazon Sunglasses

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I shared these sunglasses in my May Accessories post and I still loveeeee them! I’ve actually got a second pair in case anything happens to the first. They look super luxe but are only like $15 bucks. I just never can justify designer sunglasses because I’m not gentle with them at all and I just know I’d lose them. These are the perfect dupe and so inexpensive. I would argue this is one of my best products from 2022.

Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen

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products from 2022

This year really became my SPF year. I found that I love the Super Goop Unseen Sunscreen and use it everyday. It’s nice and light but protects and doesn’t break you out. I wear it pretty much everyday and it gives me the piece of mind that my face skin is protected from the harmful effects of the sun. My summer skin essentials post shares more must haves!

Sculpting Bar

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I can tell you out of all the things on this list, you probably don’t need this but you’ll love it! I was inspired after watching a Hailey Bieber skin tutorial and this seriously is a treating. It vibrates and sculpts so it’s essentially a mini massage for your face! Read about all my beauty tool favorites here!

Low Dunks

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These were in my summer shoe favorites but I seriously wear my dunks all the time! My latest way to wear them is with a nice trouser and blazer! It gives such a fun look and I love these shoes. I am still an air force once girly but these are just a teeny bit comfier because sometimes air force 1s are too bulky.

Glow Recipe Niacinamide Drops

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These drops are essential to a glowy makeup look. Swap out your primer with this product and your life will literally be changed. I swear my makeup has never looked better and it’s absolutely this product. It leaves a tacky finish so the makeup just sticks to it and it gives you this gorgeous glow from within! Read more of my makeup favorites here!

Ugg Ultra Mini

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I love the Ugg Ultra minis that were featured in my fall favorites post! They are seriously something that I wear literally everyday! Now that they are cool again I even throw them on with jeans and I just look so perfectly put together. The mustard seed color is my new favorite because it’s a little more neutral and just looks amazing with everything! These are probably my top products from 2022.

Crimper

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products from 2022

This crimper was my top choice for my gift guide for her this year! I just seriously love how it makes my hair look. It’s a more natural wave/curl and it almost matches my natural hair. I love that it just spices up your hair and gives you another way to style it other than the usual curling iron or wand.

Stanley Water Bottle

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products from 2022

So this actually isn’t in any post but I’ve just been so obsessed with this cup this month! I was a little late on the train to purchase it but I seriously love it. It’s so big but not bulky and actually fits in the car cup holder. That’s a serious essential for me and I just know that I this is going to be a favorite for the new year too!!

These 12 products are best products from 2022 I can’t live without from this year! Ranging from pets to beauty, I literally mentioned it all and know that this products will be your favorites too! Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a post!

Holiday Cocktail Recipe!!

I struggled a bit with what type of recipe I wanted to share this month. I decided it would be so fun to share one of my favorite holiday cocktail recipe to get you in the holiday spirit! Recently I’ve gotten really into making cocktails and it’s actually so much fun.

Even if you aren’t hosting a big party, this cocktail is so yummy that you’ll want to make it on your nights in too! I am big on just using what you have at home and this recipe seriously is things you probably already have in your home!

holiday cocktail recipe

Ingredients:

Vodka

Cranberry Juice (I prefer low/sugar free recipes)

Limes

Lime Juice

Shaker bottle

Directions:

  1. Pour 1/2 cup cranberry juice, 2 cap fulls of Vodka, and 2 squeezes of lime into a shaker with ice. Shake well.
  2. Pour into a cute cocktail glass and garnish with a lime!

I probably didn’t have to give you the written out directions but hey you never know! This recipe is so easy and I love how easily you can control the sugar content. I worry about how much sugar is in those crazy cocktails you get out and about so I love making it at home. I’m not a huge drinker but I love something sweet for the holidays!

This recipe was a hit on Thanksgiving and I feel like it’s going to be just as good for Christmas! The sweet cranberry with the tart lime is soooo good and you have to give it a try! Let me know if you love this holiday cocktail recipe and if you’re interested in more like this!

Shop here for my shaker bottle

Shop here for my cute plastic cocktail glass

Check out my latest blog post here and be sure to subscribe to the blog so you never miss a post!

Christmas Presents for Him 2022!

The final piece of my 2022 gift guide is here! I’m sharing my go to Christmas presents for him this year! I love curating theses lists because they’re actually things I’m purchasing this year for the people in my life.

These items all have affiliate links so I do make a small commission if you purchase through them! Hopefully they’re all still in stock when you go to purchase, I tried to create this post as close to upload date as possible!

Gymshark Set

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Shop Bottoms Here

christmas presents for him

Gymshark makes some really great active pieces especially for men. I really almost everything that they have on the website because they’re just great basics. I feel like everyone can always these pieces so you can’t really go wrong with anything from their webstie!

UGG Slippers

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christmas presents for him

Did you think we’d get through a gift guide series without UGG? My go to gift is always a nice pair of slippers or boots. It’s something people wouldn’t necessarily ask for but that they would use every day if they got it. Not to mention, UGG has seriously made a comeback so truly everything that’s on the website could work for your whole family.

Winter Jacket

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This might be a little trickier to gift unless you really know the person. I love a good jacket and I feel like boys just don’t prioritize outerwear like they should. I love this Nike jacket because it’s an elevated basic where you can wear it dressed down or up. Most men don’t even have a jacket so this is definitely a good gift because it’s an essential.

Coffee Maker

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This could be for him or her, but if you have a coffee lover this is the gift for them! Most people either buy coffee everyday or refuse to upgrade their dinosaur of a maker. Getting a new one is so exciting because they can really do it all now. From frothing to shots the new coffee makers are serious about bringing the coffee shop to your house. I love this one and think the guy in your life would love it too!

Tool Organizer

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All men have tools but I can guarantee they aren’t organized. This set from Amazon is super inexpensive and can work in any little storage system. I stopped getting the tools or gift cards to these stores because they definitely don’t need more things, they just need a place to organize them. You can even go bigger and get a big container for storage depending on how much room you have!

I hope this gift guide gave you some good ideas!! These Christmas presents for him are sure to be a hit this holiday! All these pieces are carefully curated so you give the best gift this holiday! Be sure to check out my other gift guides here!

PS as I am writing this Abercrombie also has some really nice men’s pieces if you’re still stumped!

Christmas Presents for Her this Christmas!!

I am sharing my exact Christmas list in this post so get ready!! These are mostly items I’m purchasing for myself but I love see what’s on other peoples list! It helps give you some inspo on what’s currently in and what people are looking for! This Christmas presents for her will be helpful because sometimes you just get so stuck if you don’t have any starting point!

These are affiliate links which means I get a small commission if you purchase through these links but there’s no pressure to purchase! I tried to create these posts as close to upload date as possible so hopefully everything is still in stock!

Thera Gun

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Christmas Presents for Her

As a dance teacher, I get so sore and this just looks like something I’d love! A nice massage to work on my tired muscles after a long day just sounds so lovely! You can actually purchase different attachments on the smaller version so I am just very excited to get my hands on one of these!

Aritzia Sweatsuit

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Shop Here for Bottoms

christmas presents for her

This was definitely on my list last year and is on my list again this year! I love these sweat sets because they are such good quality! Definitely pricy but you’ll have them forever. One thing about Aritzia is you do have to be patient because they definitely also are sold out but if you pre-order you’ll eventually get what you want!

Our Place Perfect Pot

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When I look at this pot all I want is soup! I have the Always Pan that I am obsessed with! It seriously does it all and I cannot wait to get my hands on this pot! The only downside is it can’t be baked in but I definitely still want it for soups and chilis this winter!!

Clogs

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I have been trying everything to get myself the Boston Berkenstocks but that just isn’t happening considering they’re sold out always. I am obsessed with this look and these are super cheap. This dupe definitely looks like the actual pair and if you really want them now and not to wait, these are a good alternative!

Hair Crimper

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I lowkey am getting sick of regular curls so I’ve had my eye on this waver for awhile now! This is a fun look for special occasions and it just spices up your hair. I love this one because it’s not too expensive so if you find out that it’s not necessarily for you, you didn’t spend a fortune on it!

I hope you love this gift guide!! These are things I’m actually asking for this holiday season or purchasing for myself! Be sure to check out my other gift guides here so you don’t miss out on gift ideas!!

Christmas Presents for Kids 2022!!

I’m sharing another gift guide but this time exclusively for kids! These Christmas presents for kids are great ideas to get the little one on your list this holiday season. I’ve actually never done a dedicated gift guide for kids but I thought I’d give it a try so let me know how you like it!

These are actually presents I’m giving this year so I’m very excited to share them! As always these are affiliate links so I make a small commission if you purchase but no pressure at all!

Sneakers

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Low dunks are seriously everywhere this year and my 12 year old cousin made it quite known he wanted a pair this Christmas! I feel like sneakers are the perfect gift for the older kids who are out of the toy phase but not quite fully in a gift card phase. They still get something cool to unwrap and can actually use/wear right away!

Amazon Gift Card

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christmas presents for kids

I feel like parents and kids of all ages can really benefit from Amazon gift cards! Amazon has toys, clothes, and electronics so it might be nice to give a gift card so they can pick what they want! For little kids, parents might love this gift because they can get clothes and other things in the next sizes up since they’ll know exactly what they need.

Experience

One thing I think gets lost during Christmas is sometimes kids want experiences with you! Whether its a trip to a movie or maybe your local Legoland, kids just want to spend time with you! I have a tradition that I started for birthdays where I’ll take my cousins shopping for whatever they need like clothes shoes. They’ll get a budget and then afterwards we get lunch. It turns into just a fun day and an experience they’ll remember and look forward to!

North Face Jacket

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christmas presents for kids

I love gifting the kids in my life something their parents would never spend money on! I know kids grow so fast so it’s not always practical to spend so much on their clothes but I love a North Face! They’re so comfy and the style has really come a long way. Definitely pricy but sometimes it’s fun to gift something they wouldn’t get otherwise!

Baktivity Subscription Box

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This is literally the coolest thing I’ve found for kids! This is a monthly subscription box that you can get right to your door with ingredients and easy steps to bake things! Think hello fresh but baking and for kids! I know I would love a gift like this as a kid because it’s like the easy bake but just better! You can just pick one box or do a monthly/yearly subscription so it’s really great for all budgets!

I hope you enjoyed this post dedicated to Christmas presents for kids! I’m seriously so excited for this holiday season and I can’t believe December starts tomorrow! Let me know in the comments below who’s on your shopping list this year!

Check out my lastest blog post here and check out last years gift guides here!

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