Recently, I had the opportunity to meet some of my college girlfriends in Fredericksburg, Texas for the weekend. We had the BEST time being together, and when we met up it was like time didn’t pass at all. I loved every minute of it!  

Being pregnant didn’t slow me down one bit either. I kept up with the girls the whole weekend, but Fredericksburg is a hard place to stop exploring. When it was time to enjoy a cocktail, I would splurge with a great dessert or a Shirley Temple (a cherry Sprite).

For meals, we went to Pasta Bella, Burger Burger, Fredericksburg Herb Farm, and Silver Creek. Each of these places were very different, but always had something for everyone. 

On Saturday, we shopped around Main Street and then went to Becker Vineyards and Grape Creek Vineyards. Both have a wonderful atmosphere with music. Grape Creek even has a small restaurant for those who need a meal to go with the fine wine.

For evening entertainment, we went to Crossroads to listen to a great cover band and Silver Creek for some great live music.

During the weekend, we stayed at the Inn on Barons Creek. They had great breakfast and a very relaxing environment. It is right off Main Street, allowing you to walk up and down the street all day.

I hope you have the opportunity some day to venture out to Fredericksburg, TX. All of us girls have been there before, so we only visited our favorite places. But for those first-timers, I highly recommend seeing all the sites and even taking a full wine tour! If you are a explorer, the Enchanted Rock is a great place for you too. 

Happy Travels!

My dad and me in honor of Father’s Day this weekend:

Father’s Day is quickly approaching. Do you have what you need to show your love to those fathers in your life?

For some reason, I always feel that fathers are tough to buy for when it comes to gifts. The men in my family don’t have hobbies that have gift-buying qualities affiliated with them. Or when these men finally have something you can buy, they usually go out and buy them on their own. It is a tough world when it comes to show appreciation.

If you can relate these types of fathers, I can hopefully help ease your frustration with some great gift ideas this year.

One of the things my dad really likes to do is solve puzzles. Shutterfly has a great product where you can put your own photo on a puzzle. They can make the puzzle into 60 or 252 pieces. Right now, they have great discounts in honor of Father’s Day. So don’t forget to look at those promo codes! Click on the following link to get started on your own puzzle: Shutterfly

Another option is to have your man’s toes tended to. You would be surprised how common it is for men to have pedicures these days. Why not treat yourself and that special father to a pedicure? I suggest letting them try a hot stone pedicure. If a pedicure isn’t up your father’s alley, a massage is another great option too!

Feet of people who enjoy pedicures

If you are on the craftier side, or don’t have enough time to have something shipped to you, I found fun idea to show your love. It is a lotto ticket bouquet. You can budget as much as you want for this gift, and really make it your own. Here is one example that I really loved and plan to use from blupla.com:

This bouquet was created by blupla.com

I wish you the best on your Father’s Day gift this year, and I would love to hear from you on any great gifts you have given in the past or are giving this year. Comment below with any suggestions or ideas!

Brothers, sisters, cousins, and loved ones – out of your family and friends circle, I bet someone is graduating this year. Along with sitting amongst hundreds to watch that graduate cross the stage and receive their diploma, a gift is usually provided to that graduate as well.

If you are looking for something unique and fun for a graduate, I have a great gift to share. I actually received this similar gift when I graduated from high school from some wonderful people. I still have it and use it today too!

I like to call this gift an “everything toolbox.” It literally has everything you can think of for people going out on their own. Zip ties, silly putty, screwdrivers, batteries…the list goes on and on until the box is full.

When I headed off to college, my box always seemed to have just what I was looking for: extra staples, ziplock bags, and the right-sized nail to hang something. It was always there for me, and still is today! I had to share this amazing box with our cousin that recently graduated high school, and it was so fun to build! Below are photos of the toolbox and things inside. I also included a list if you needed a starting point for yourself:

Must-Haves for the Everything Toolbox:

• Hammer
• Nails (different sizes)
• Screwdrivers
• Outlet extender/extension cord
• Duct tape
• Level
• Tape measure
• Scissors
• Tums
• Throat lozenges
• Headache/Sinus medicine
• Band aids
• Toothbrush
• Fun markers
• Highlighters
• Pens/Pencils
• Sticky notes
• Paper clips
• Rubber bands
• Tacks
• Stapler
• Staples
• Glue
• Note cards (to write to the family)
• Stamps
• Study candy
• Chapstick
• Ear plugs (for noisy roommates)
• Cards
• Silly putty/stress ball
• Dice
• Rain poncho/umbrella
• Batteries
• Ziplock bags
• Sewing kit
• Finger nail kit

The great thing about this box is that you can make it fit whatever budget you have for the graduate, and you can customize it any way you want. So step of the graduate gift box this this year, and have some fun in creating an everything toolbox. I would love to see your creations too! Please share in the comments box below, or tag me on instagram @rockparkscissors! Happy gifting!