What I got for Christmas 2017

Happy holidays gals!!   Don’t you feel like we should get a day to recover after Christmas?

I do not care for the stress of trying to come up with a gift idea for someone who doesn’t offer any suggestions.   All eyes on you Pete MacGillis (my old brother).   So many times I got my brother gifts he went on to return so now I have to just be clear that I’m happy to get him something if he points me in the right direction.

I tell you this because I hand picked my Christmas gifts.   Some people don’t like that but I think it makes the holiday hustle a little less stressful for my mom and brother.    I do not like to exchange gifts outside of my very immediate family because I want to keep the holiday stress to a minimum.   Growing up the holidays were about a bunch of traditions and I remember those more fondly than any gifts.

So here is what I got for Christmas 2017:

A lighted makeup mirror.

I had tried to purchase this makeup mirror  but it kept selling out so instead I got this more affordable option and I really like it.   The lighting in my bathroom is really poor and I was noticing my makeup was not well blended when I’d catch a glimpse of myself in my car’s rearview mirror.  I’ve already used this lighted makeup mirror and I can’t imagine the quality of the other mirror is much better for the price difference.

An Instant Pot

Do you have an Instant Pot?   If you do, please drop a comment below with your favorite recipes to make.  I had been hearing such great things about the Instant Pot that I asked my brother to get me one for Christmas.   I normally do not like to get kitchen gadgets and appliances because I like to keep my counters clear but this supposedly might replace my well loved crock pot with a bunch of additional features.    The box says the pot makes homemade yogurt which my kids really want to try.    There are so many recipes I want to try like this chicken ramen and this butter chicken.  I also saw a bunch of dessert recipes online as well.

A Wristlet Wallet/Phone Holder

The exact wrislet I asked for has sold out but you can find similar options here more specific to your phone size.   I used to have a wallet phone case but I now prefer to use a slimmer phone case and throw it inside a small wallet when I leave the house.   My kids were constantly ripping my credit cards out of my wallet phone case and I always had to flip it open to use the phone.   This is totally personal preference but just figured I’d share cause I’m sure there are other mamas on the go who might like something similar.

I’d love to hear any fun gifts you got this holiday season!   And please, if you have a favorite Instant Pot recipe drop it in the comments below.

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Hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Rachel