I didn’t want to contribute to any stampedes at brick and mortar retailers, so I saved my holiday wish list for late in the evening of Black Friday. You’re welcome.

This is what I want for Christmas, or what YOU want for Christmas because I already have it and love it – which means I want more of it.

1. Tretorn Canvas Tennis Shoes – This is strictly a want. I wore Tretorns for many years as a kid and I can still remember the cushiony softness of this shoe. Plus, they’re cute.

2. RoC RETINOL CORREXION MAX Wrinkle Resurfacing System – Okay, so maybe your gift recipient would need to be okay with you acknowledging their sorry skin, but if you know someone who is looking for a good beauty treatment, this is pretty great. I received this system at BlogHer ’13 and it’s done some magical stuff to my face – especially my pores. There, I said it. It’s a little pricey for a stocking stuffer, so I’m including it in this gift guide.

3. iLive Under Cabinet Radio with Bluetooth Speakers – I love to listen to music while I’m in the kitchen. Instead of putting my phone in a bowl or cup to amplify the sound, it would be great to have something that would play my iTunes without the use of dinnerware. I have an under cabinet radio now that gets a lot of use, EVEN THOUGH IT’S A CASSETTE PLAYER. 4. Wii Fit U – I included this on my special needs kid’s list, too. We enjoy it that much. I would love to say that I do only the adult stuff, like yoga, but I can’t stop playing the obstacle course game. Also, the Fit Meter tracks your steps and altitude so I joined a virtual gym community and we’re competing against other players. There’s nothing like a friendly competition to motivate me. Chocolate works, too.

5. Cuisinart Stainless Cookware Collection – We are moving away from cooking with non-stick cookware and though the few pieces of stainless we have aren’t Cuisinart, every other kitchen tool I own that’s stamped “Cuisinart” is a quality piece. We got our Cuisinart toaster for our wedding and while everyone made fun of me for putting a $90 toaster on the registry, it’s lasted for almost 17 years and is still toasting strong.6. Isotoner smarTouch Gloves – I asked for touch-screen gloves last year, too. *cough*

7. Brown Ankle Boots – Because everyone has black ones, so why not stand out. Also, because my brown, pleather ones are all torn up from wearing them so much. If a stacked-heel is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

8. Gap Perfect Boot Jeans – These jeans come in four lengths which is awesome for a tall girl. I have them in regular, long and extra-long and can switch them out depending on whether I’m wearing ballet flats, tennis shoes, or boots. And, they’re mid-rise so there’s no risk in bearing your backside. Again, you’re welcome.

9. Remote Car Starter – Show someone you love them by warming up their car for them. Bonus: You don’t even have to leave the house.

www.viper.com

10. The Home. T. – Getting another Home. T. would mean moving to another state, but for this kind of softness, I’d consider it.

11. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays – I am not exaggerating when I say that I’ve been complimented on yesterday’s turkey about 20 times. My husband won’t stop talking about it. The recipe came straight from this book and like all of Ree’s dishes, it was easy and delicious.

Disclosure: I received a Home. T., Wii Fit U and Fit Meter for review and Ree’s book as a gift. I, quite possibly, have the best job ever.

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Every year my family asks me what my kids want for Christmas. My teen daughter’s requests have morphed over the years; as she’s grown, so have her tastes. We’ve gone from Barney, to Hannah Montana, to jewelry, to sports equipment, to nice shoes and gift cards. Those last two things are on my list too.

Not only is my 11 year old son, who is on the Autism spectrum, a super-slow grower (we just moved into a size 7 slim!), his taste in toys hasn’t expanded much either. He doesn’t play sports, other than an occasional game of golf, and his interest in trains, planes, roller coasters, music, bike riding and video games is about the same as it was when he was a toddler.

Since we are running out of storage bins for train parts, recently I’ve felt the need to step outside of the gift box, so to speak. These are some of my favorite things (his, too) for special needs kids.

1. Gorilla Gym Indoor Swing

The Gorilla Gym is a great gift for the whole family, actually. My daughter loves to box, my husband and I do Crossfit (and the Gorilla Gym AirStraps would give you a great workout), and my son uses all of his earned free time at school to play on the indoor swing. Whenever he needs a break, he can take five or ten minutes to swing and calm himself. This activity has long been part of his sensory therapy and now, even during the cold winter months, he has a place to exercise and refocus.

2. Bosu Ball

This is another item that the whole family can use, if you can manage to get it away from your child. Not only does my son have an affinity for anything round, he has also sat on a “hippity hop” ball for years while writing, eating, or playing games. The bouncing and squirming helps him concentrate on the task at hand. It’s also been a great benefit to his balance, stability and core strength. Now that he’s getting a little bigger (7 slim!), we’re moving away from the hippity hop ball with Tigger on it, to a more grown-up, Bosu version.

3. Wii Fit U

You may sense a theme here. That’s because left to his own devices, my son would come home from school and play video games. All day, every day. Because he doesn’t play traditional sports, it’s hard to keep him active. The Wii Fit U has been perfect at incorporating fun and movement. Just look at those squats!

4. Weighted Blanket

image courtesy of www.sensacalm.com

Not unlike the concept of swaddling newborns or the Thundershirt for dogs, weighted blankets help kids with anxiety and restlessness. We don’t own one of these yet, so I can’t recommend a particular brand, but I can tell you that the more blankets I lay on my son at night, the more restful his sleep. I’ve taken to placing a hefty, crocheted blanket on him so he doesn’t get too hot, but still gets the sensory benefit. I’m sure he would enjoy a kid’s version and not the one I’ve been putting on him that looks like it belongs on a grandma’s lap.

5. Blokus

This strategic game is a family favorite in our house; even when we aren’t playing it I’ll often find my son arranging the tiles into colorful patterns. Not only does it help develop his social skills, this (along with chess) shows him that his actions must be planned. Thinking ahead and good decision making don’t always come naturally to him. In fact, they rarely do. A board game that teaches him this fundamental concept and is actually fun to play? Bonus

When buying for a special needs child, remember to take their individual compulsions and weaknesses into account. You wouldn’t want to buy a noisy toy for a kid who is agitated by sounds nor would you get a rock collection for the child who puts everything in his mouth. Try to find something that lends value in multiple ways, and when in doubt, ask mom or dad for ideas.

Disclosure: I was provided with a Gorilla Gym Indoor Swing and a Wii Fit U for review.

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I am a Buckeye born and bred. Even though I would move from this state in a heartbeat if I could get my husband to move west, I would still be, and will always be, a Buckeye. You can be proud of the state in which you were raised and still hate winter. Just sayin’.

Ideally, I would only move away for the cold months – and maybe some of the hot ones – but, spring isn’t bad and fall is just gorgeous around here. It would be hard to be away from September-November because the trees turn fiery, the wind is crisp, and Buckeye football rules all.

In Chicago recently, I was at a group dinner when I was introduced to a man sitting on my right. He asked where I was from and I said, “Columbus.”

He replied, “Columbus…Ohi0?

I nodded and he said, “O-H!”

And I answered, “I-O!”

Then everyone else at the table looked at us like we were crazy.

Don’t judge us! We spell it so we’re not confused with Iowa.

In a few weeks, when football season begins, I will don this shirt from The Home. T and wear it with pride. And, comfort. I boast my allegiance to all things Buckeye in softness. Buttery softness.

At the same time, I’ll be showing my loyalty to my country (every Home. T is made in the U.S.A.) and my family and friends (a portion of profits is donated to Multiple Sclerosis research). I’m covering my bases in one fell-swoop and one very soft t-shirt. Ohioans rock at multi-tasking; we can watch football, drink beer AND milk a cow at the same time.

Where do you consider home? Would you wear it proudly across your chest? See if your state’s shirt is available, here!

Disclosure: I was sent a free Home. T for review. I also disclose that I love this shirt!

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What happens when you take Queen Latifah, Sheryl Sandberg, Wendi McClendon-Covey (of Bridesmaids fame), Randi Zuckerberg, Gale Anne-Hurd (as in the writer/producer of Terminator, and producer of AMC’s The Walking Dead), many, many more talented and inspirational speakers, hundreds of brands, and thousands of bloggers?

Why, BlogHer ’13 of course.

Now imagine the logistics of all of that; the food (including vegan and gluten-free options), signage, transportation, set-up, registration, social media, programming, promotion, and every last detail down to a lactation lounge, a fashion show, a shipping station, and transcribed session content – and imagine all of it being managed by a staff of about 15 people. That, folks, is really where I’ve been.

Let’s put it this way, I picked up a copy of USA Today on Thursday and didn’t even get a chance to read this article until Sunday.

oh hi, those are my bosses in USA Today.

U – S – A – Today.

So it’s weird, you know? It’s weird to have the cell phone numbers of those three women, or be a fangirl of all these big name speakers and Food Network stars like Ree Drummond who is actually one of your greatest friends. Just so you know, it’s possible to be inspired by Ree AND pose for a picture with her in which you accidentally move Anissa’s wheelchair with your breast. Yes, that happened. (Thanks for the photo, Cecily.)

Cecily, Ree, Dresden, Katherine, Rachael, Anissa, and me. Awkward.

It’s weird to only see your co-workers a couple of times a year. Or have the opportunity to hang out with your co-worker/BBFF/Bedazzler-Extraordinaire, Melisa and be TOTALLY fine with walking around in the shirt she made you. She, literally, can not help herself. I love her.

totally fine, because it was awesome!

And, it’s odd that I speak on panels with unbelievably powerful women, with great stories and amazing hair.

Seriously, how did I get to here?

It’s strange to have one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women in the World sitting just feet away when she gives you a great quote like this:

.@sherylsandberg "Next time u are going to call your daughter Bossy, take a deep breath/say she has executive leadership skills" #BlogHer13

— BlogHer Conferences (@BlogHerEvents) July 27, 2013

— BlogHer Conferences (@BlogHerEvents) July 27, 2013

It’s crazy to walk through the Expo Hall at the conference and get a manicure from Kiss USA, grab a drink from Dailey’s Cocktails (or Turning Leaf, or Moskato Life, or Yellow Tail), pet a puppy from ASPCA, check out a generator from Ryobi Tools, swoon over We Montage, and fall so deeply in love with the Shark Sonic Duo that you almost grabbed it and ran.

I got products I love (and will buy again) from some of them, and from Windex, White Cloud, Samsung, Folgers, ULTA Beauty, Walgreens, CLR, Jamba Juice, Orbit Gum, and Budweiser’s STRAW-BER-ITA. As a matter of fact, I want a STRAW-BER-ITA right-NOW-er-ita. I also learned about the good work of companies like Etymotic and Camp Wonder, supported generously by Cetaphil. Social good makes me warm and fuzzy.

I think the brands were better than ever this year and they GOT IT. They understood that blogs and social media are the new front porch/back fence/water-coolers of the world. Trust me, if I like something I’m sure as heck going to tell you so. And, who would’ve thought that 10 years ago? Uh, no one. See? More weirdness.

So, it’s surreal; this enormous gathering of (mostly) women from all over the world who affect change, share stories, and influence people online. It’s the only place I’ve ever been where it isn’t considered rude to pull out your phone in the middle of a conversation and send a tweet. Bloggers are nothing if not multi-taskers. We are often simultaneously posting to Twitter, Facebook, IM, and email. While we’re making dinner. And, picking up after our kids.

In all it’s weirdness, though, BlogHer is the one time of year where everything is familiar. It’s my people. We are writers, educators, brand ambassadors, and a hundred other labels, but above all we are bloggers.

And, I will own that weirdness all day long.

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