A month or so ago I stocked up on canned pumpkin, figuring it would last me through the end of the year. Well, it’s almost December and today I cracked open my last can. Looks like it might be time to re-stock!
Today I incorporated two large scoops of the fibrous orange squash into a big bowl of hot cereal.
Pumpkin Hot Cereal
After adding several dashes of pumpkin pie spice on top, I swirled the pumpkin into the cereal until it was fully combined.
Pumpkin + Pumpkin Pie Spice = Match Made in Heaven
Swirl-a-Whirl
Eat Up!
This breakfast totally hit the spot after a chilly walk with Ryan and Sadie.
Ryan’s work has been seriously demanding lately, requiring him to stay until close to 8 p.m. most nights. Unfortunately he’s been missing our usual evening walks with Sadie, so it was extra special to have our little family walk together this morning. I’m crossing my fingers that he’ll get off a little earlier today because we have plans to enjoy a Thanksgiving potluck feast at our gym tonight!
We took Sadie on her morning walk after completing our separate workouts. My hamstrings are feeling pretty sore today from yesterday’s BodyPump class, so I took it pretty easy on my legs and completed a cardio workout that consisted of 40 easy minutes on the elliptical, followed by 10 minutes of various exercises including jumping jacks, lunges, mountain climbers and crunches.
It feels so good to be back in the gym! 😀
Bridesmaid Gifts
The other day I had a request for details about the gifts I gave to my bridesmaids. I had such a great time brainstorming gift ideas for my girlfriends to thank them for their involvement in our big day.
When it came to finding gifts for my bridesmaids, I had several different ideas. I didn’t want to do something overdone and really wanted their gifts to be personal, thoughtful and usable.
I ended up getting my bridesmaids a three part gift.
In college, my roommate Laurel (who was also one of my bridesmaids) and I would always get ready in our spa wraps.
We loved them because they allowed us to do our hair and makeup without getting fully dressed and prevented us from getting anything on our clothes.
I figured a plush, pink spa wrap would be a great gift for my bridesmaids. After purchasing hot pink wraps, I got each one embroidered with my bridesmaids names on the corner of the wrap in white cursive. 
I then turned to Etsy to find a necklace for everyone. I didn’t want to get them jewelry to wear on the actual wedding day because I wanted them to wear earrings of their choice, and a necklace would’ve looked cluttered with the one-shoulder dress they were wearing.
I still wanted to give them all a cute necklace and opted for a simple gold wishbone necklace made by FreshyFig since they were all instrumental in making all of my wedding wishes come true.
Gold Wishbone Necklace
I bought one of the wishbone necklaces for myself as well and wear it all the time.
It makes me smile to think that maybe one of my bridesmaids are wearing it on the same day as well. 😀 Cheesy, I know, but you guys know by now that I am a huge cheeseball.
The final part of their gift was actually a very functional gift that I also happened to think was super cute!
I once again used Etsy to purchase green eco-friendly totes from Craft Culture Boutique with each of my bridesmaids’ first initial on the bags to hold the other gifts and also serve as a gift itself. 
I also included this poem that I wrote with all of their gifts:
When a little girl is born
All she wants is food, mom and dad
Then she gets a little older
And wants a Barbie doll real bad
Middle school sneaks up so fast
And she works hard to get good grades
Then it’s time for high school
And life is all about the friends she’s made
She hops in her car to head to college
Living on her own for the first time
She makes new friends and has a ball
Life seems great and things are fine
Then this little girl
Starts dreaming of a man
Someone to make her laugh
Make her smile and hold her hand
She finds that Mr. Right
And he asks her to be his forever
She says yes and they’re engaged
On October 30 they begin a new endeavor
Before she says I do
She can’t help but think about what got her here
It’s each and every one of you
Who have made her smile from ear to ear
It’s your love, your friendship, and your support
That means the most of all
You were there to make her laugh
You helped pick her up when she would fall
She feels like one lucky little bride-to-be
To have friends as wonderful as you
And she thanks you with all her heart
For helping make her dreams come true
Questions
- What gifts have you received for being part of someone’s wedding?
- If you are married, what gifts did you give to your bridesmaids?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
I gave mine monogrammed stationery & chocolate from a local chocolatier. They are worth so much more than that, I wish I could’ve thought of something more creative!
Although it wasn’t for a wedding, I gave my sister a very similar necklace. She loves it, but I just wish I had bought an extra for myself! (;
P.S. Isn’t it a bit ironic that your gym is hosting a “feast?” Haha.
LOVE the poem! It made me tear up a little…
Precious poem! I gave spa wraps and slippers because we all got ready at the spa ahead of time… very fitting I thought 🙂
What awesome gifts!!!
When I was in my cousins wedding, she did give us earrings and a necklace to wear for the wedding which were absolutely beautiful (she picked them to match the dresses).
For my friends wedding, she gave us pink flippy floppies to wear for the reception to bust a move on the dance floor. She also gave us pink flasks with our intitials on them.
I always get ready in my towel wrap! I love it. Towel wraps make me think back to college when I would get my little’s a monogrammed AXO towel wrap to put in their “big/little week” basket 🙂
LOVE your gifts. So thoughtful!
For my cousin’s wedding, I got pear earrings to wear on the day in a cute little wooden earring holder. For my sister’s wedding (I was only 11!), I got a silver jewelry box with the engraving, “Bridesmaid today, Sister forever.”
I have a friend who got a white coach wristlet for being in her friends wedding.
Although these are all functional, I love that you put the time into what you were giving and why it meant something so special. I love giving gifts with a purpose. You did a great job!
…And I’m jealous of your poetic skills ( 😉 that was said in my napolean dynamite voice – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5wmParkppw&playnext=1&list=PLCB8615E3D71B50EF&index=3)
you should make your bridesmaids your wine glasses! 😀
I’ve already got the wheels turning… 😉
(shh!)
cuuuute! 🙂 i’ll keep it hush-hush.
I love the gifts you gave your bridesmaids. The poem is so sweet. I think gifts like those mean so much to your friends who are participating in your wedding day events. I’ve only been in one wedding and it was for one of my best friends and she gave us a necklace to wear on the day of her wedding, and a tote bag with our names embroidered on it.
I have never been a bridesmaid, but when I got married I bought my bridesmaids things that would make themselves and their homes smell and feel pretty.
Cute gifts. I have gotten a few different things when it comes to bridesmaids gifts. Thankfully they have been from two of my best friends so they mean that much more. I’m sure your bridesmaids feel the same way. 🙂
Great gift ideas. I know what you mean about the canned pumpkin. My stash is almost gone too!
Oh so thoughtful and so sweet! I was slightly on the boring side and picked out a necklace for each girl that I thought represented them (and would look good with their v-neck wedding dress) and then got a picture frame as well as a personally labeled wine bottle
I really like that wishbone necklace!
I got my bridesmaids $50 spa finder gift cards and a monogrammed toiletry bag with philosophie shower gels (the wedding themed ones)
can i be one of your bridesmaids?
Sure, I’d do it all over again! I actually got the spa finder certificates at Costco so they were $75 for 2 $50 gift cards which was a good deal.
I gave my bridesmaids Helen Ficalora gold initial necklaces. They are adorable and will hopefully be special to them always! And because my mom is amazing, she got one for me at my bridal shower. So now we all have them and I cherish it!
those are great gifts…i did jewelry for my bridesmaid gifts too and i know they loved it!
Those are great gifts I LOVE the necklaces..
For my sisters wedding we got embrodered bags also. Lip gloss, shirts and jewlery of some sort. I loved it all.
Those gifts look absolutely perfect. My sister is getting married in less than a year now and we have been scoping out jewelry recently on Etsy. There is so much to choose from! (We just found the site and may actually use some of their stuff for the big day!)
That necklace is so perfect and simple though. thanks for the ideas!
I was a bridesmaid in my high school friends’ wedding. The bride is really into geometric beading and she has her own beading blog and etsy shop.
As bridesmaids gifts, she handmade matching bracelets, earrings and hair pins for all of us to wear at the wedding. Since we had a high necked dresses, she skipped the necklaces. They’re beautiful and I really appreciate all of the time she spent making them for us.
I was a bridesmaid in a wedding that took place in early October. The other bridesmaids got a paid day to the spa which they all attended together (I couldn’t go – I just started a new job and they went in the early afternoon) and the bride said she would give me a seperate gift once she returned from her honeymoon. She’s been home for 4 weeks now and I guess I’m not getting anything. A bit in poor taste as I spent a lot of money being her bridesmaid (bachelorrette party was in Las Vegas, bridesmaid dress was $300, I had to get my hair done for the wedding an extra $80 there).
Weddings can sometimes test a friendship!
I LOVED the gifts!! They were so sweet and personal. Love you!!
Super cute gift ideas! Just started reading, but so happy for you and your husband. Have a great week!
I had plush pale pink robes (the color of the wedding) monogrammed with “Bridesmaid ” on the back, and their name on the front. We wore them while getting ready the morning of the wedding…those are some of my favorite pictures!
such sweet and thoughtful gifts!
i’ve been a bridesmaid many times and have gotten necklaces, earrings, and personalized toiletry bag w/goodies inside.
I love all of your poems:) And the necklace – how adorable!!
Aww I LOVED my spa wraps!!! My roommate and I got ready in ours too….=( Miss those days!
cute poem!
I gave my BM’s a hankie with their initial embroridered, a necklace and earings to wear on the wedding day, and I paid for them to all have updos on the day of the wedding!
I just read an article today in All You magazine that said that canned pumpkin has been harder and harder to find over the last few years because of the undesirable growing conditions! Stock up while you can!
Such thoughtful and personalized gifts. I am sure they loved them!
Where did you get those spa wraps from? I’ve been searching everywhere and I can’t seem to find any that I like that don’t look “cheap looking”? 🙁 I think my bridesmaids would love them!
terrywraps.com! here’s a direct link: http://www.terrywraps.com/catalog.php?item=1
the site seems a little unprofessional, but they’re great!
I also am wondering where you found those spa wraps from! I’ve looked everywhere and non as short or in fun colors!
terrywraps.com! here’s a direct link: http://www.terrywraps.com/catalog.php?item=1
the site seems a little unprofessional, but they’re great!
I tried that link and it can’t find the page. I’m also looking for bridesmaid gifts. What range do you think is appropriate to spend on each bridesmaid?
I am looking into getting my 4 sisters and mom a necklace for Christmas and love the necklace you gave your bridesmaids! I was wondering how your necklace is holding up. I want to make sure the one I get lasts for a really long time! Thanks!
doing great so far!
I love your gifts – they are incredibly thoughtful and sweet! Not to mention useful and cute!
I was just wondering how you asked your bridesmaids? Did you ask or did you do something a little special? Just trying to get ideas 🙂
Have a wonderful day!
I just asked! I was too excited to wait too long!