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And We Are Officially Two! Two Year Anniversary Gift Idea

9.16.2015

2nd Anniversary Gift - Cotton and ChinaAnd just like that, I’ve been married for two years! One day you wake up, ready to walk down the aisle and the next thing you know, it’s two years later and you wake up just wanting to sleep in a little bit longer. For a few reasons (I had pneumonia last week, my in-laws were in town, and the big one: we are going to Disneyland next weekend to celebrate), we didn’t make a big fuss out of our actual anniversary. We exchanged gifts and went out for some sushi. (Only a few fish were harmed in the making of this anniversary)

I know it’s real surprising, but I really wanted to make Brendan’s anniversary gift by hand. I wanted it to be something traditional, as I did last year. Since the traditional gift for the second anniversary is Cotton and the modern gift is China, I really struggled with how to combine them. Eventually I realized that a few dish towels and a new set of china was not going to cut it, so I aimed for something Chinese instead. After nixing the idea of a photoshoot in Chinatown with some cotton candy (the bigger problem here is that I do not have a friend I could rope into this), I decided to go a little nontraditional. Chinese takeout with cotton candy. New spin on an old classic?

2nd Anniversary Gift - Cotton Candy and Chinese TakeoutI bought white takeout containers at Michael’s, found a little fabric that resembled a Chinese print, and fashioned my own Chinese takeout container with matching fortune cookie. Filled the box with some cotton candy, added my own ‘fortune’ love note, and done! Now if that isn’t the best spin on the 2nd Anniversary gifts that you’ve ever seen, I don’t know how much more I can do to please you. Seriously. I spent weeks trying to combine China and Cotton into one gift. If you have a better idea, I am ALL EARS.

2nd Anniversary Gift - Cotton and ChinaWarning: To avoid a “Pinterest Fail” – Do NOT put the cotton candy in the container the day before you plan on giving this gift. I would suggest filling it a few minutes before you gift it. Let’s just say a “friend of mine” did this, and ended up giving her husband a box of depleted cotton candy/rock hard sugar that may or may not have resembled the colors of cotton candy. On that note, I am off to make my husband a new 2nd Year Anniversary gift. 😉

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Comments

  1. Carli says

    9.16.2015 at 10:40 am

    I hope you guys had the BEST anniversary! Love you both <3

    • Carli says

      9.16.2015 at 10:41 am

      Well I hope you have the best time celebrating next weekend 🙂

      • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

        9.16.2015 at 1:35 pm

        Thank you!! Wish we could see you!

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.16.2015 at 1:35 pm

      Thank you!! Love you!

  2. Britta says

    9.16.2015 at 10:53 am

    This is so cute! Glad you’re feeling better !

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.16.2015 at 1:35 pm

      Thanks love!

  3. Alice says

    9.16.2015 at 11:31 am

    That’s awesome! Although a shame that your ‘friend’ had to remake if!;) happy anniversary ?

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.16.2015 at 1:34 pm

      Hahaha I know right! Poor “friend.” 🙂 Thank you!

  4. Julia says

    9.16.2015 at 12:33 pm

    Such a cute idea!

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.16.2015 at 1:34 pm

      Thanks!

  5. Haley says

    9.16.2015 at 12:49 pm

    Happy Anniversary! Very clever idea with the cotton candy!

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.16.2015 at 1:34 pm

      Thank you so much! It seriously took me forever to think of ANYTHING!

  6. Megan says

    9.16.2015 at 1:03 pm

    So cute! I’m impressed that you sewed that by hand! Happy Anniversary!!

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.16.2015 at 1:33 pm

      Thanks!!! I actually didn’t sew it all, I used my hot glue gun!! Haha…but we can pretend!

  7. Laura says

    9.16.2015 at 1:46 pm

    So cute (& no pun) sweet. Love the cloth cookie.
    Also like that you added the Pinterest fail…

    Would have been me.

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.17.2015 at 12:52 pm

      Hahah thank you!!!! It turned out pretty cute seeing as how it was so hard to come up with anything that worked! 🙂

  8. Laura says

    9.16.2015 at 1:47 pm

    And congratulations!! Silly fat fingers and iPhone…

  9. Nad says

    9.16.2015 at 3:55 pm

    Happy Anniversary <3 May your love grow more and more for each day that passes! Love like that is hard to find and keep telling each other how much you love one and another. You guys are my role models <3 Bless you all! Lots of hugs

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.17.2015 at 12:50 pm

      Thank you so much Nad!! Those are all such nice things to say! Your prince charming is coming soon!!! <3

  10. Jamie says

    9.16.2015 at 6:14 pm

    So cute and creative! Happy anniversary & wishing you many more 🙂

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.17.2015 at 12:50 pm

      Thank you so much Jamie!

  11. Martina says

    9.16.2015 at 9:03 pm

    happy anniversary! this gift idea is so cute! another idea, since you guys kept it low-key, could have been chinese takeout while wearing sweats (cotton!). on the couch, with a movie and some wine. it is a special occasion, after all. =)

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.17.2015 at 12:49 pm

      That sounds like the best special occasion I’ve ever heard of! Hahaha. Seriously though. Who wouldn’t rather do that than spend a ton of money on one dinner?!

  12. Routine Dreamer says

    9.17.2015 at 2:10 am

    Happy Anniversary! 😀

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.17.2015 at 12:49 pm

      Thank you!!!!!

  13. Kristin says

    9.17.2015 at 9:43 am

    this is ADORABLE!! happy anniversary!! ??

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.17.2015 at 12:48 pm

      Thank you!!!

  14. chelsea jacobs says

    9.17.2015 at 9:46 am

    This is so cute! So creative!

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.17.2015 at 12:48 pm

      Thank you so much!!

  15. Rob says

    9.18.2015 at 1:52 pm

    Congratulations, Shauna! May you have countless more anniversaries to follow!

  16. Erin McElrath says

    9.22.2015 at 11:36 pm

    I was really looking forward to seeing the final product and it turned out so cute! Happy Anniversary to you and B, love you guys!

    • shauna841505@yahoo.com says

      9.23.2015 at 4:36 pm

      Thanks!! Yours was even better. My favorite!

About Me

About Me

Hi Mamas! My name is Shauna, a 30-something (big emphasis on the 'something') new mama and wife living in Southern California. I've become a Stay At Home Mom to Sawyer, and I would do it forever if I could! I'm originally from Wisconsin and am a total Cheesehead! I'm here to share DIY's, travel tips, and baby stuff I'm sure!

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Do you ever just look at your spouse and think, I Do you ever just look at your spouse and think, I really nailed it? 

Why yes, I do. 🤣🤣🤣

#husbandgoals
One of my favorite things we get to give our girls One of my favorite things we get to give our girls is perspective. To see new places. To meet different people. To experience cultures outside of their own.

Not so they grow up thinking one place is “better” than another — but so they grow up curious, grateful, and grounded. And the more of the world we see, the more thankful I become for home, for the freedoms we have, and for the life we get to build together. 

Flag tees from @sweet_peas_and_sweeties - they’re selling fast so grab yours before they’re gone!
I might be the world’s worst “influencer,” because I might be the world’s worst “influencer,” because I’m here to tell you this: you do not need a whole new wardrobe for vacation.

Social media makes it feel like every trip requires new outfits, a new summer closet, a new date-night dress…but honestly? It doesn’t.

I’m willing to bet you already have plenty of great options hanging in your closet. And instead of spending a bunch of money on clothes you’ll probably only wear once, maybe it’s enough to just wear what you already love.
One day, instead of hearing little feet running th One day, instead of hearing little feet running through the house all day, I’ll be leaving voicemails hoping they call me back when they have time.

The sticky fingerprints will wash away, the car seats will come out, bedtime routines will end, and the house that once felt so loud will get quieter little by little.

It’s strange how the things that exhaust you in the moment become the very things you ache for later. 🤍
When did it become expected to spend hundreds of d When did it become expected to spend hundreds of dollars on Teacher Appreciation gifts? Don’t get me wrong, if it were in the budget you better believe it’s worth it. I am not advocating for giving them LESS, I’m just advocating for staying within your families budget. And maybe if we see more of these easy little inexpensive gifts, we can make it more acceptable to gift within budget. Because that’s what it’s all about. 

What’s that saying? It’s the thought that counts.
I’ve been seeing so many reels lately saying that I’ve been seeing so many reels lately saying that Mother’s Day is only for moms with small children. I couldn’t disagree more. To me, Mother’s Day is not just about me. It’s about the women who helped shape me, as a mother, a woman, a friend. It’s about my friends who help me be a better mother, even if they don’t have little kids themselves. It’s about my own mother, who is the biggest inspiration for me, to be a better mother myself. It’s about the many generations before me that allowed me to be a mother at all. It’s about every woman in my life that loves me and my girls as if they’re their own. That’s who I’ll be celebrating this Mother’s Day.
Listen. Shelling with my kids will always be so mu Listen. Shelling with my kids will always be so much fun. But I think we have enough of these oyster shells at this point. 🤣

What are your kids always finding for you?
There’s something rare about being fully known and There’s something rare about being fully known and still fully loved. No shrinking yourself. No editing your personality.
Just being met where you are. That kind of friendship changes you.
It’s just a little walk… It’s just a little walk…
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