Holiday Gift List 2017

Now that the holidays are rolling in, I'm rolling out my wishlist for 2017! Getting the kiddos what they want is the hardest thing to do. I've previously posted about how to get the best layaway deals here, so make sure you check that page out!

I have three girls, all super different ages. They are 3, 6 and 12 and none of them ever want the same thing. So I've compiled a list of my top five gifts for each age! Remember, Black Friday is coming up so watch out for those deals! Most people also forget Cyber Monday is the FIRST Monday after Black Friday. So check out these hot deals and let me know what you think!

Age 3 (Toddler years)

1. My number one choice for kids is the Amazon Kindle. Here's my secret, Amazon usually throws this gem on sale Black Friday through Cyber Monday for $35! I bought the Kindle for my youngest when she was two, I threw on the $10 kid-proof case and a screen protector and she's used it ever since! You can make a kid-friendly, password protected user screen on there. It's super kid friendly and has Netflix but also educational games. Ashley was two when she got hers, she'll be four in December and still loves it.

2. LeapFrog. I really enjoy this brand because it grows with the kids. My middle stepdaughter had the leap pen and all the books when she was three and four. She loved it! I got our youngest the toddler version last year and it just keeps advancing when they get older. They also have tablets for kids but I have to say I'd stick with the Kindle. I like that leapfrog encourages them to read and when you set up your parent account it emails you weekly on how you're doing. It's amazing to watch how good they get!

3. Fish tale blankets are seriously the cutest things ever. I got this for my youngest this year. It's a blanket and a fish tale! If anything, this is just a super cute gift for a little girl. 

Age 6 and up

1. Legos! As a mom, I hate legos. I step on them, I trip over them, they make me bleed. BUT Legos are great for this age. They have the fine motor skills and imagination to build with them. They have sets or they can free hand with them. These are great for boys and girls and can keep them busy forever. They are a little pricey though so look out for sales!

2. Hatchimals. These things are still apparently super popular! I have to admit it's pretty cute when you rub their little heart and they break open. I know these were big last year but this year the price is right! 

3. Fingerlings. I genuinely as an adult have no idea what the purpose of these things are but my kids want them. They're just small animals that attach to your fingers, or whatever equipment you buy for them. They are pretty cute but again come at a steep price!

Age 12 (tween)

1. Polaroid Cameras. These little gems are back in style and I'm a little excited about it I can't lie. They're a little expensive but tend to go on sale, the only issue I can see is purchasing the film. It gives kids the opportunity to not have filters and just photograph life. I love these!

2. Headphones. These cat headphones just make my heart happy! I just find them super cute and it matches those cat headband trends. These are a cute, affordable gift for the holidays!

3. Charging Port. I got this Unicorn charging port for my tween for her birthday. Kids are on electronics all day now so these really help to keep their phones from dying. And it's a unicorn so it's adorable.

These are just my top picks! Let me know what yours are!

*this post may contain affiliate links where I do make money if you click on them*

Why I'm okay being an asshole

Recently my husband was hit with "I don't want to talk to Kristen anymore, only you" which had me DYING! I'm an asshole, and I'm okay with that. In my situation I have two baby mama's I deal with regularly and one thank the good God above I do not deal with (asshole, I know). 

Anyway, It always comes back to me being the scapegoat which I totally get because I'm the evil stepmom who's just so horrible. My oldest stepdaughters birthday party was almost canceled and who stepped in to save the day? Me. Who does my stepdaughter think threw this awesome party? Her mom. I never said anything about it because it wasn't worth the pettiness. My youngest stepdaughter can't seem to wear a coat in the winter so who bought the coat? Me. But when she says things like "I want you to be my new mommy" I immediately tell her that her mommy is wonderful and loves her more than anything in the world and she'll never ever have another mommy. Asshole, I know.

So here's why I don't mind being the asshole to these bio moms.

1. Who the eff cares. Seriously, think about that. I have women who go from absolutely loving me and everything I do to hating me because I called one of them out on the pacifier at four years old or the lack of proper sleeping arrangements. COME ON NOW. If that makes me an asshole, I'm okay with that because who the eff cares right? Go buy a bed and maybe I'll be nice again. Four years into this relationship with my husband and I stopped caring about getting along and started caring about the damn kids and who can and cannot take care of them.

2. It is absolutely about the kids. I promise you I can be the queen of petty like I'm a professional shade thrower sometimes. I have grown over the past couple years but I'm still pretty petty sometimes. Ultimately it is about your step kids though. In hindsight, I wish I would have held my tongue more in the past instead of telling someone she's ugly. She was but that was irrelevant at the time. I've come a long way the last four years but I'm an asshole because again I make it about the kids. If it's the difference between my youngest sleeping on the couch with her mom or a temper pedic bed in her own room then I'm going to choose her bed at my home. That's just how the cookie crumbles. So keep making it about the kids, if that makes you an asshole then so be it.

3. I've had time to grow up. I'm not super mature completely yet but I'm getting there. I used to get really upset when people told me I was this horrible stepmom or that my stepdaughters told their moms they hated me. I realize now how many lies there were amongst that and again the problem seems to be I don't allow them to lie to me or my husband. If you're gonna lie girlfriend, I'm gonna call you out on it. So when you make the decision to lie, the asshole is going to call you out. So just prepare yourself to be put on the spot. I had to grow up and realize that if being a concerned step parent for my step kids means I'm an asshole then I'm rocking the shit out of that hat.

4. I'm the scapegoat. Being the asshole new wife also means you're the scapegoat. That's cool. I'm alright with that because there's no other avenue for these women to go. It's my fault. Why? Because he married me! Accept this white hat and wear it proudly girl. I used to get so upset when women would make up lies about me and what I was doing. To this day this still happens! These bio moms will bait the shit out of you, walk away. Lord knows none of us have any damn bail money anyway. Be the scapegoat, be the asshole, be the evil stepmom. It's okay, paint your white hat pink if you'd like. That role in life will never change, so own the asshole name now.

5. Their opinions will never cut my paycheck. Recently, I debated shutting down my brand and walking away from all of it. My husband and I had a really long talk about us being in the spotlight and how some people are going to hate. Ironically the only haters I have are one of my kid's moms. Which is totally fine, again they will never cut my checks. So what if they think you're an asshole? I was called an asshole because I grounded my stepdaughter and forced her to go to school. GOD FORBID.  If I had a penny for every time I rolled my eyes I'd be a millionaire.

6. I run my brand like a champ. It's been said numerous times that my blog or my brand talks about baby mamas. It does, I'm a stepmom. The thing that apparently doesn't sit well with them that it's always the TRUTH. I don't always spread my personal business out on social media but sometimes I think "shit man, I'm a stepmom and there are some other awesome women out there going through this same damn thing". So I talk about it, and women email me all the time thanking me for not making them feel like they're alone. You're welcome because I too would probably catch some charges if I didn't have Jesus on my side.

the moral of the story here is, BE AN ASSHOLE. If they're telling you-you're an asshole it's probably because you're doing something right. You're not allowing them to lie to you or run your household. So go ahead, put the white hat on and prance around in it. Own that name because when you enter this stepmom life you have to get tough skin. So go on mama, keep being an asshole and raising those kids :)