For the Mr. Special...

Let's see.

Colorado was COLD. We're talking bathe in Vaseline because your skin gets chapped from being outside 3 minutes. I didn't mind that detail though. I'm quite the Vaseline enthusiast. In fact, I have a pot in my desk and another in my purse. I have a slight obsession, to be honest. You would really be surprised what wonders that little bit of goo can do. I slather it on my cuticles probably 7 times a day. Just a dab to tame the eyebrows. Pat some on your cheeks with a tiny dab of lipstick and you've got a fabulous cheek stain. And the light bouncing off the Vaseline glisten makes you look like you've just run a few miles. Just a tiny dab on your eyelids and voila...your eyes suddenly look brighter. You think I'm joking.

We frequented the local Starbucks where we Skyped with family, checked work email {like I can stay away}and loaded up on that good stuff that warmed up the bones just enough to gain feeling in my fingers and toes.

We went shopping for Christmas gifts and by shopping I mean "point out everything we want so that we can gather ideas for each other." I find this a much better solution than the old guessing game or in Ryan's case texting my sister. And I clearly wasn't a fan when he thought it would be funny to try to convince me that he bought my gift at Sam's the week before...gotta love that little rascal :)

So, I'm back in Atlanta now. Where its not that much warmer. Where the storm that blew in was so terrible, it flooded parts of I 285 {and if you're any bit familiar with ATL, you know this is a MAJOR road} and forced me to take the LONGEST route home in the pouring rain through the international district of this lovely city. Don't worry Mom and Dad, I actually used the old college degree when I went through the Mexican portion.

Christmas shopping is in full force with packages arriving daily and I am always on the hunt for that "perfect gift." No more waiting until December 23 with only a few dollars to spend. This year, I'm looking for things that are functional, affordable yet luxurious, unique and of course, exactly what the receiver has been wanting {although may not have known it until the moment they rip off the wrapping}.

Want to see a few of my picks for that Mr. Special in my life??

Here we go...

I know you're thinking, "Slim Jim's???" But the boy loves them. Every trip to the grocery, we have the tradition of buying the mini four pack. He eats 3 and I get one. I always fight for a bite of the third one, but usually lose. So this year, he's getting a BIG box from Sam's. Beef Jerky...the way to my man's heart.
Ryan has a thing about shaving. He claims that it is "stupid." But I honestly think its because its a hassell to him. However, I know how to convince him to do something he has zero desire to do...Make it fun!! Ummmm, how awesome is this?? In Lenox Mall, there is a fabulous little shop that will actually give you the old fashioned shave in the old chair and of course you can buy your own kit. I think this is just AWESOME!!
"One day, I'm going to buy myself one heck of a knife collection." That's what he said the MOMENT we walked into Williams Sonoma {cutely pronounced as "Williams Somona" by the big ole "five year old"}. Personally, I'ld prefer he save the $2000 that this set will set him back for a nice little down payment on a sparkler. I'm just saying...
What man doesn't love a grill? I've yet to meet one who doesn't gravitate towards them. In fact, at dinner the other night, my brother waxed poetically about all the consumer reports he's been reading about Weber's and how something will rot in it causing food to taste rotten. While that may be true, it isn't stopping him from loving the art of the grill. Give a man a grill and a bunch of grill tools and he will instantly be happy. I know this to be true, especially one that has an added gadget...a stereo system. HEY TAILGATING HEAVEN!!
I believe that every man needs a well thought out bar. And once a man leaves college, he needs glassware that doesn't have beer or liquor logos. Is this not perfection? Whatever, I like them. And it is never too early to start a collection.

The wallet is the man's version of Louis Vuitton. It is quite prized and never leads his side. So functionality combined with aesthetics makes this J.Crew wallet the absolute perfect solution to the quest for the perfect sidekick.
If the man in your life is anything like mine, he has a major obsession with Sperry's. He loves the comfort and could care less about the style. So when it comes time to put on a loafer that isn't meant to be worn on a boat, these would be the perfect solution. And an added bonus, no fights about "those look like something a pretty boy would wear." Simply tell him, "honey these are Sperry's" and you win!

Every man needs a stylish jacket in his closet. This is actually quite a task to find one that is stylish but that he actually will agree to. I love this one. You can thank Jenna Lyons at J.Crew for thinking this through. Thank you Jenna for ALL that you do!

And if I REALLY feel like pushing my luck, these suckers make for a VERY stylish man. Guaranteed that he will turn his nose up to them for at least 2 weeks, but I am 100% positive I will show him that style is not simply for "pretty boys."

And last but not least, Ryan and I do a lot of traveling these days. In fact, we made a mile long list of all the places in this world that we want to travel to some day. If you've flown anytime recently, you know that it is in your best interest to not check luggage. So if you think things through for more than a split second, you'll see that taking a carry on suitcase paired with something like this is genius. Go ahead and pat yourself on packing smart and saving a good $70!