Oh No You Didn't!

Before I hop into the Listicle this week, here's a little peek of the Valentines (Pinterest inspired, of course) that I had the whole family whip up this weekend. I'm linking this up to Paper Issues It's In The Bag Challenge, since we loaded these cute fish into a crinkly cello bag! I Cricut the circles and made the original sample. Hubby stamped the fronts, trimmed the sentiments, and helped me load and twist tie the bags. 

Gabe stamped the backs - and he even used second generation to add  swirls to the background behind the writing! MAx helped eat the extra gluten free swedish fish. Then both Gabe and Ben got to fill in their classmate's names and sign their fishbowls. All while I stamped away on the fabulous project I can't wait to share with you...later this week for New Product Blog Hop. I love that the boys are old enough to start taking on part of the crafting work fun!

Stasha's topic this week for the Monday Listicle is bound to be a touchy subject for my dear hubby. I am fairly easy to please in the present department, if you ask me. I don't expect fancy jewelry, expensive electronics, hard to find items. Time was when a nice peppermint mocha and a chance to sleep in would be the most appreciated gift! But of late, my hubby has been trying really hard to knock my gift receiving socks off...and missing the target despite his best intentions. In case he's reading this...just go to Jacobsen's Books and ask Tina. You're shopping local, supporting a friend's awesome business, and you can never go wrong with a book! 

Top 10 Oh No You Didn't Gifts

1. Straws. One birthday my hubby and the boys went to the dollar store. I got straws that year.

2. Beach Vacation. Seems like a winner, right? A fabulous weekend at the beach, just the two of us...with nary a safe gluten free dining option in miles. We ended up eating cold salami from the grocery store on the beach and he was feeling sick all night from eating something glutened when I told him nothing was safe. It's the thought that counts....but googling gluten free Oregon Coast would've been a good first step...

3. Sparkle Uggs. Now, I kind of set him up on this one - I did tell the boys Mommy wants Sparkle Uggs, giggle, snort, tell Daddy. But I was joking - have you seen how expensive those suckers are? Really, I am very practical, and so is he, or so I thought. So hubby dutifully goes off and without regard to budget or common sense purchases some sparkly, sequin loaded Uggs for Christmas...that are white. They are like bridal boots or something. We live in Oregon. Where it rains incessantly. So the second I step out of the house in the pristine sparkly white costs-as-much-as-our-car-payment boots they will be irrevocably ruined. Thank goodness for Zappos and free returns. It's the thought that counts (again)!

4. Two holidays in a row he had the boys make copy paper signs with crayons early in the morning, photog'd them, and made me a screen saver. The first time I was touched and very pleased. The very next holiday...repeat...not so touching. He's been warned that ship has sailed. 3 sheets of copy paper, however lovingly crayoned, loudly, outside my bedroom with lots of "Shhhh! Mommy's still sleeping!" do not count as a present for every holiday ever. The thought doesn't count three times.

5. Once in college he bought me a sweet little pearl necklace...on a gold chain. I am not a fan of pearls or gold jewelry. I'm more of a silver and rhinestone, or hippie beaded girl. I wore that necklace for years, just for him. Then it got, ahem, lost. I don't think he noticed.

Now in all fairness, I think  I'm gonna flip this Listicle and list the last five as Oh No You Didn't Awesome Gifts from my Hubby, since he is actually a sweetheart who really does try hard. It's my Listicle and I'll be nice if I want to!

6. Sometimes he brings me flowers from Trader Joe's for no reason at all. You know, the $4 bouquets of cheapo flowers, and that totally fits my practical nature and budget. Plus it feels nice to know he thought of me.

7. On our first anniversary he took me out to a "fancy" dinner at Mallards in Stockton. Hey, we were in college - that's as fancy as we could afford or fathom. Anyhow, when we got to the restaurant the table was all decked out in roses and it was just so out of character for him. He's an engineer. Logic and sci-fi rules the roost round here - roses (and the effort to get everything set up ahead of time in secret) do not compute.

8. For our second baby he got me the newest Stephen King novel to read at the hospital. Some friends may be horrified that my push present was a horror novel. To me it proves that he knows me well - nothing better for me than a new book to read, even if I'll be reading it while exhausted and nursing a newborn baby.

9. Last Fall I was at a n all day crop on our 20th Anniversary...yes, he let me go out to scrapbook on our Anniversary, watched all three boys, and tried not to ask me any questions all day. That's love, man.

10. To top off the scrapbooking retreat amazing gift...he had roses delivered to the crop! When they brought in the flowers and started to announce how someone's super fab hubby had sent roses to a lucky gal I was all, "Awww! How sweet is that!" and never stopped cropping to pay attention that closely...it couldn't be me...and then it was! I was so surprised! I am not kidding, I really couldn't believe he had done such a sweet and extravagant thing. It did not fit my budget plans, but it certainly was not returned. And after the flowers arrived I didn't have any trouble finding my table any more, lol. I scrapped the pages for the sweet card and flower pics right there on the spot.

That's it for me today - except for this quick reminder to go out and vote for your favorite card in the Practical Scrappers Top 20 contest. The link takes you to my card and a link where you can vote - for me or for any of the other fab entries too!