Gifts For Your Guys AND ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!

9 DAYS.  Are you stressed out?

Stop it.  You'll be fine.  But if you're not fine?  If your shoulders are all tensed up and your head is busting and your back hurts from leaning over doing all that wrapping, keep on reading because I've got a giveaway that is going to fix you right up!!!  (And also kick start your effort to spread peace around the world.)

But you're going to have to wait until the end of the post to find out what it is.

Just kidding.  IT'S A GIFT CARD FOR A FREE MASSAGE OR FACIAL AT MASSAGE ENVY (specific locations in Northern Virginia)  WHAT??? HAVE I LOST MY MIND???

Well, yes I have, but that's not the point here.  The point is that the owners of Massage Envy in my 'hood are amazingly generous and wonderful and also two of my favorite people on the planet.  You do have to wait until the end to find out how to enter because first there is some serious business to attend to.

This week I've been pretty stumped about what to get for the boys in my life.  If I was actually able to buy Fake Daughter gifts, she would be raking it in, but I've been running out of ideas for Real Sons and Real Husband for a few years now.  I went on quite a search in the last few days and found a few different options, so I thought I'd share some ideas with you mamas/wives who might need a little guidance for your guy gifts.

GIFT FOR ANY SPORTS OBSESSED BOY (not that I would know what that's like)

  FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES SHARE THE VICTORY MAGAZINE

I've mentioned this magazine before.  I know that magazines are sort of archaic for our children, but every once in awhile I think it's good for them to exercise their fingers by turning actual pages.  I mean what kind of men are we going to raise if they've never had to struggle through a paper cut in their lifetime?  It appears you can now read this online, but I think the $16.99 a year for 6 issues of actual pages is worth it.  This is a great magazine full of high school, college, and professional athletes and coaches sharing stories of how their relationship with Christ helps them on and off the field.

GIFTS FOR BOYS WHO NEED TO STOP BOUNCING THAT BASKETBALL IN THE KITCHEN RIGHT THIS MINUTE

BOOKS.

If we want to toughen up our boys by providing even more opportunities for a paper cut, we can take it up a notch from magazines.  It is my opinion that everyone should get a book for Christmas, so I polled the guys in my house and here are some of our favorites.

Drew suggests:
Wonder by RJ Palacio and Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Kyle suggests:
The Outsiders by SE Hinton and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Joe went straight to bed with a fever when he got home from school and was unavailable to be surveyed.  He would probably suggest any number of sports biographies, but I'm going to take the opportunity to suggest this book I bought him a while ago.  I am certain he would  like it. (had I not suggested it.)

Do Hard Things:  A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex and Brett Harris

Steve suggests; 
The Boys in the Boat:  Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
and
The Greatest Coach Ever:  Timeless Wisdom and Insights of John Wooden  (various contributors) 

GIFT FOR THE LITTLE BOY WHO NEEDS TO GO OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW

BLAST PAD ADVANCED MISSILE LAUNCH SYSTEM

This is one of the best toys I ever bought for Drew when he was about 3 or 4, but really it's fun for all ages.  He stomped on these things for hours.  I would recommend buying extra rockets because these will end up on the roof and you don't need your kindergartner scaling the side of your house to grab one.

GIFTS FOR THE TEENAGE BOYS WHO WON'T TALK TO YOU EXCEPT TO SAY "WHAT'S FOR DINNER?"

TABLE TOPICS

Honestly, the only surefire way for us to have good family conversations is if we put a steak on a plate in front of  our boys.  I'm thinking of adding these conversation starters to our next Sunday night dinner.  They will roll their eyes at first, but I think they'll like them eventually.

GIFT FOR THAT BOY THAT IS "GONNA CATCH HIS DEATH OF COLD"

 COLUMBIA MEN'S ASCENDER SOFTSHELL JACKET

These Columbia jackets at Dick's Sporting Goods were originally $115.00 and are on sale for $69.99 which according to the math geniuses online is 39% off.  They have tons of great colors.

GIFT FOR THAT BOY YOU MARRIED

YETI HOPPER 20 COOLER

Now, this is pretty pricey for a cooler, but I've heard these are amazing.  This apparently can keep your guy's beer cold forever and ever, amen.  I'm also thinking this would be the perfect place for my diet Coke stash for those 100 degree baseball double headers this summer.  If you don't want to go for the whole cooler, maybe just the YETI RAMBLER COLSTER  which apparently is a combo koozie/coaster.  I mean y'all, what man has not put a colster on his Christmas list? 

GIFT FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S BOY BUT CERTAINLY NOT YOURS, FOR THE LOVE

THE HUMAN SLINGSHOT

Um. Yes.  It's a real thing.  Lawd, have mercy.

FREE GIFT FOR THE ANYONE ON YOUR LIST - MOST SPECIFICALLY, YOU!!!!

OK HERE WE GO!!!

Last week, I wrote about how the gift of a massage at Massage Envy is perhaps the first step to peace around the globe.  Well, guess what????

For my Northern Virginia readers, The View from Behind Home Plate is offering a gift card for a free massage or a facial (they do both!) from one of five locations in our area:  Gainesville, Herndon, Reston, Fair Lakes or the newly opened Dulles South!!!!

(For readers out of my area, this giveaway, this time, won't work out for you. ;-(  Unless you plan a trip to the DC/Northern Virginia area and if so, let me just say this:  The traffic around here will make you want to run your car into a ditch, so a massage at one of these fine locations will need to be on your itinerary.  If a trip to our fair city is not in your future, just go to your local Massage Envy and purchase one BECAUSE EVERYTHING.)

Listen to this from the Massage Envy website:

Our bodies work hard for us every day. We may not always realize it, but the fact of the matter is that hard work, day in and day out, can take its toll. It's our responsibility to stop, check in and tune up. That pause, that momentary break of the daily grind is important, essential really. That pause is us practicing total body care… to make life even more livable.

And all the mamas and daddies, said, "AMEN."

To be entered to win the Massage Envy gift card, COMMENT HERE ON THE BLOG with your favorite gift idea for guys by midnight on Sunday, December 20th and don't forget your first name and first letter of last name.

(or just comment, "Hi, Jenn, I need a massage like I need to breathe.").

My red headed elf will draw names out of a hat and the winner will be announced on MONDAY, DECEMBER 21st right here on the blog.

Have a fabulous day and happy shopping, Friends!