PT-LawMom

Lately I’m getting a lot of hits to my blog from people looking for gifts for law students. I have a few ideas. First of all, I’d suggest steering away from the traditional pens/leather goods route, at least until graduation. You’d be surprised how much stuff like this law students get for free from firms or at events.

Books
I have bought pretty much all of my books so far from Amazon (either new or, more frequently, through Amazon Marketplace). Most of us don’t have time to read for pleasure right now, but an Amazon gift certificate to help us purchase our books would be great!

Pampering
One thing I use a lot to ease the pain in my shoulders from hunching over my laptops and books is this microwaveable neck wrap from the Happy Company. They have a bunch of other cool pampering products as well, such as foot massagers, a tingly head massager (easier to use if someone else does it to you) and warm booties. Okay, now I want the whole page of products!! Ack!
Yoga DVD — I’m buying this one for myself in the hopes that if I get into it over the holiday season, I’ll actually keep it up during the year. This particular DVD has been highly rated by Yoga Journal for two years now.
Chocolate — how about some chocolate for the studying student? Or healther mixed nuts packets?

Useful Items
Book Holder — this book holder is not only sturdy enough to hold large textbooks, it also folds flat so we can carry one in our backpack for use in class or at the library!
Power inverter — for charging our laptop in the car
Rolling backpack — take the stress off our backs with a rolling backpack
Staple-free Stapler — environmentally friendly and definitely useful!
Delivery! — if you want to buy something truly helpful to a busy law student, how about subscribing them to regular delivery of paper towels, laundry detergent, etc., through Amazon’s Grocery service. I do this all the time because I save 15% if I order regularly and it all arrives with free shipping on my doorstep! Such a timesaver!
Great pens
iTunes Gift Card or, even better, an iPod. It’s so much easier to listen to review CDs on an iPod than stuck next to a CD player!

Finally, if you want a goofy gift, how about a marshmallow shooter? It’s the deal of the day at Drugstore.com. This boggles my mind but I can see how some people might think it’s cool. drugstore.com deal of the the day

Hopefully this list is helpful to those of you who have been searching my blog for ideas. There’s always the funny CafePress or Threadless t-shirt route as well. For law students with kids, definitely check out Redhead, Esq’s cute baby apparel.

There’s an article in today’s New York Times today about the increasing demand for technology for the pre-school set. This post might get me a lot of backlash, but I am so on board with the tech toys. In fact, this toy (shown on the front page of the article) is the one my son is getting for Christmas (thank you LeapFrog for the great sale and free shipping!) (P.S. Unlike many, MANY of my friends with kids Pumpkinhead’s age who have had them since two, this will be Pumpkinhead’s first video game-type machine.)

Okay, sure, the pediatricians know what they’re talking about and increased screen time is DEFINITELY a contributor to obesity and other issues. That said, we need some more pediatricians of my generation to get into practice. The reality is that we grew up on computers and other technology advances. The generation behind us is even more entrenched. Texting? Don’t even try to text me because I am SUCH a moron when it comes to that. IM’ing — time-sucker. But my peers would disagree and I think that is well-illustrated by some of the comments in this article, such as the mother who said she had to return the fake cell because her preschooler wasn’t easily fooled — she knew what a real cell looked like and wanted one (no, I wouldn’t get a cell for a child that young, but I thought it was an interesting observation). What do you all think about this tech trend? Is it damaging to kids or just realistic to purchase them technological toys?

It is 3:30 and I am just now grabbing a bite to eat. Thank God I had a protein shake on the way out the door this morning. All five of my assignments at work gave me serious, substantive stuff to do today (the gall!) so I’ve been flat-out all day. The only reason I’m taking a bloggy break now is that I will be without Internet connection for most of the weekend and I may go through withdrawal!

Fortunately, I have my casebooks and notes and I also have my copy of “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office” so that I can read it and be ready to discuss by Monday. Does that still sound good for everyone? Have you had a chance to read some? It looks like the layout is very conducive to reading in spurts.

FYI, I got an e-mail from Vivian at Blend Creations. They will be having a sale Friday and the 15% off coupon code (CBB15) I gave out during my holiday gift recommendation post will also still be good. This is not sponsored in any way whatsoever, I just like to share a good deal. I already have my Mom on alert to shop for me if I can’t get online that day.

Okay, nose back to grindstone. So much for getting out of here early for our 23-hour drive to DC. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you are all able to take time to be with the ones for which you are most thankful. I know I will be.

P.S. Misty — The title of this post reminds me to tell you that I promise to look at it and get back to you next week!

Last week, thanks to the amazing BlogHer Ads links (to recent posts by other BlogHer bloggers), I stumbled across the site of Carrie Evans, the Gremlin Wrangler. Carrie is a very talented artist with many of her works displayed here. I was impressed enough by that, but then I found her Etsy site and realized that she could do a pencil sketch of my son for a very reasonable price ($20 for the first single-person sketch and $15 for each additional). I thought, “What a great Christmas gift for my husband!”

I also decided to have her do a sketch of my grandmother and my cousin from last Thanksgiving (my Gramy passed away in January). Today Carrie sent me a draft of her final sketch. I requested a few modifications and the final product came out beautifully! I am sharing this with you today and would encourage you to consider patronizing Carrie in the future.* I know I cried when I saw how beautiful this came out so I can only imagine what my cousin’s reaction will be when she sees it framed. I am very thankful to have such a beautiful piece of art to share with my cousin this year as we deal with the harsh reality of having lost both of our grandparents in 2007.

Original Picture Final Portrait

Click the picture for a larger, more detailed view.

*I have not been compensated for this post. Once I saw my picture, I asked Carrie if she would mind if I shared her information with all of you because I know there are others out there who would love to have pencil sketches of their kids or other loved ones. I think heirloom-type gifts like this are just perfect to give and pass on through the years.

PunditMom is a mother, an attorney and a passionate advocate for the most important issues facing our nation today. Her posts are always inspiring, thoughtful and interesting. My favorite recent post was about voter apathy, but it was today’s Spin Cycle post on Republican candidates’ pitches (or lack thereof) to women that really got me thinking that I should share her with those of you who aren’t already familiar with her work. I’m not just saying this because she promised me a stack of free books, but you should really add her various blogs to your daily reading list.

1) PunditMom
2) PunditMom’s Spin Cycle
3) PunditMom Reviews
4) Momocrats
5) Soccer Mom Vote
6) DC Metro Moms
7) Huffington Post (co-authored by PunditGirl)

If you all are making holiday purchases there anyway, please consider using my Amazon search tool (at right in sidebar) to get there. The doctor bills from the bone scan, MRI and other tests are rolling in at an alarming rate (damn PPO!) so I’m trying to make a little extra cash. Sorry for the added advertising guys. I won’t go overboard, but I did sign up for BlogHer ads (at right) and the Amazon referral bonuses and would appreciate your click-throughs.

If you haven’t already checked out Amazon’s extensive grocery collection, I highly recommend it. You can typically get free shipping over $25. I get toddler wipes, paper towels, laundry and dishwashing detergent and dry goods that we go through rapidly (you have to buy everything in bulk, but that’s okay if you’re buying things you use regularly). I don’t know about you, but I find the convenience of having these things shipped to my door so helpful, especially with my busy schedule. I purchased an Amazon Prime membership last year (free two-day shipping!) so I order almost everything I need through Amazon.

For those of you on a limited budget (or the crafty/thrifty folks), check out Kisses with Sunshine’s 2007 Homemade with Love Carnival. Plenty of bloggers have signed up to share their homemade Christmas present ideas and there are some great ones! I wish I had the time or creativity to try some of these ideas. Maybe next summer Pumpkinhead and I will tackle some projects in anticipation of the holiday season.

I’m having a blast checking out all of the holiday gift ideas on the various sites through Don’t Try This at Home’s Holiday Shopping Carnival. Unfortunately my bank account is not as perky as I wish it was so I’m just bookmarking things for now.

Based on several recommendations, I bought Josh Groban’s Christmas CD, “Noel” and am seriously tempted to buy a necklace from Blend Creations. I’m considering a digital photo key chain for my parents, especially because Amazon is giving away a free photo calendar with each key chain purchase.

There’s a Braun hand mixer and attachments that looks really cool and is almost half price, but I don’t cook so never mind. I’m going to get an address stamp for my Dad from Expressionary.com or PSA Essentials (can’t decide!). I’m also enjoying reviewing the various items on GiveSimple. Pumpkinhead is DEFINITELY getting either this wicked cool crayon keeper or the crayon tool belt (looks neat but probably less practical). All I need for Christmas is this, this (okay, fine, this ) and this.

I am also stealing Citations’ idea to share with all of you — Give One, Get One this year. For $399 through November 26, a child in a developing nation gets a laptop and so do you!

We are trying to do a low-key Christmas this year, in part because Pumpkinhead is way too spoiled for his own good and in part because we’ve spent $5k on our immigration attorney and even more on medical bills.

Chilihead at Don’t Try This At Home is hosting a Holiday Shopping Carnival on Monday, November 12. I’m posting mine today because I won’t have time tomorrow.

1) Charitable Giving. I have seen the difference quality animals make in the life of a family (specifically my in-laws) living in impoverished countries. Heifer International is a fantastic organization that allows you to purchase a variety of different animals to help families in need around the world. Those families then pass on the offspring of their animal to other families to try to keep the chain of giving going. I think this is a great gift to give your child because not only is it fun to browse the animal catalog, but it’s wonderful to talk to them about the ways in which one animal can make such a huge difference to a family.

2) Memories Scrapbook. Instead of making a regular scrapbook, how about making one for a grandparent or special friend where each page recounts a special memory. You can find scrapbooking supplies at pretty much any store these days and you can get beautiful colored pens to write your stories. Another version of this is a memory jar where family members write down or type up memories on scraps of paper and throw them in the jar. Last Christmas we did this for my grandparents, both of whom passed away this year, and it was such a joy to watch them go through the memory jar and recall memories we kept close to our hearts that perhaps they had forgotten. They kept the jar on their living room table. Here is a link to a site with great tips on making your own scrapbook.

3) Handmade Gifts (by someone else…). Have you discovered Etsy? It is an online crafts show with unique jewelry, art, candles, tapestries, etc. I love the jewelry and covet many of the artists’ creations, especially this one (the hint would be great if my husband or family actually read my blog! Darn Anonymity!). You can find some wonderful pieces here and the nice thing is knowing that you’re probably getting a one-of-a-kind creation for a friend or family member. If you want to try an easy craft product yourself, how about making a macrame plant hanger? I did this once when I was a broke undergrad and my mother still uses hers to hang a pretty fern. It was fun and easy! For more homemade gift ideas, go here.

4) Green Toys. Not only are these toys less likely to be recalled, they also are recycled so you’re saving the earth while spoiling your child. FatBrain Toys tell you where the product is made and what it is made of and has some really unique and different options. They also offer free shipping on orders of $75 or more. Even better, buy locally. Try to visit local markets and stores where you can find products made close to home for your child or loved one.

5) Reading Materials. For those of you who are like me and would rather read a magazine with substantive pieces targeted to your life than fluffy junk pieces, how about a subscription to Pink or Brain, Child? Pink is a magazine that celebrates women, particularly those that enjoys having a thriving career and raising great kids simultaneously. Brain, Child is written by women authors worldwide about a variety of topics that challenge mothers today. I love the segments that have two authors, each arguing strenuously on one side of an issue. I would encourage you to gift these magazines to the women in your lives (and perhaps give yourself the gift as well!)

UPDATED TO ADD: Today’s Celebrity Baby Blog features the coolest necklaces!! I really want one bad and they have a discount:

Exclusively for CBB Readers: Use code CBB15 for 15% off your next Blend Creations order of $50 or more.

Final points.
a) When I purchase anything online, I always go to NaughtyCodes.com first. It gives me a list of all of the current offers that site has and the various discount codes I can use for my purchase. I save a ton of money this way and it also helps me figure out where to shop.

b) Consider green methods this Christmas. Purchase a live tree and then take it to a mulching facility for reuse (fake trees aren’t biodegradeable). Make homemade ornaments, especially popcorn and berry strands that can later be fed to outdoor creatures. Use LED lights. Have a wrapping paper party where the kids paint newspaper or recycled blank paper. Send e-cards or create a special web page with your Christmas letter, pictures and maybe even your kids singing a song. Make/buy fabric bags and have your kids paint them with fabric paint. Use the bags as “wrapping” for presents. Go to GreenDimes.com to stop the over-excess of holiday catalogs and other unsolicited junk mail in their tracks.

c) Consider volunteering as a New Year’s resolution. I know it’s hard to find time to volunteer with children, but there are plenty of virtual volunteer opportunities. CharityGuide has a great list of 15-minute opportunities. Oh the Joys and Ima (off and on) the Bima have whole posts with links to various organizations. My favorite virtual opportunity, for those of you in the DC area, is In2Books, where professionals partner with local schools to promote literacy. You read six books over the school year and correspond with your partner child about the book. All of it is done online in a secure space.

My very first real digital camera was a Casio Exilim. I loved that camera and carried it everywhere, thanks to its small size, until the day Pumpkinhead dropped it on the concrete floor of my in-laws’ house and cracked it. I’ve got a cheaper, much larger camera now and miss my Casio. Sigh…

5 Minutes for Mom, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is giving away a pink Casio Exilim. Visit them today for a chance to win. And click on the link to the Breast Cancer Site on their blog or mine to help fund mammograms for women who cannot otherwise afford them.