Martin Family Gift List 2025

Happy Holiday Shopping!  Here are the gifts we have received or given over the past year.  

As always, thank you for shopping through my links, at no additional cost to you :)

Teen Girls:

Sephora Makeup collection - my niece loved this

Dainty Bracelets - Maggie is always on the hunt for more

Huggie Earrings - I wear them everyday and sleep with them

Ear Cuffs - when you're feeling edgy

Real Uggs - pricey but popular

Small Backpack - great for bopping around

Silk Pajamas - for the fancy girl who loves a nap

Comfy Wide Leg Jeans - these are for the moms too

Chunky Blanket - cold weather = gotta cuddle

Lamp - for that someone who hates overhead lights

Flat Socks - for gals and guys and kids!

The Boys:

Boys Pullover - so classy

Boys Slippers - just like grandpa

Celtics Shirt - cheaper than a jersey and more comfortable

Kids Eye Masks - bougie boys

Sports Bag - popular to hold the next gift...

Basketball Shoes - Declan gasped when he got these

Sports Crocs - how cute!

Kids Power Toothbrushes - a good stocking stuffer

Alarm Clock w/ Sound Machine - 2 machines in 1

Gatorade Water Bottle - always a popular choice

The Ladies:

Walking Pad - I use it while I watch tv

Kettlebell - strength training is a must

Women's Quarter Zip - runs really big, I ordered a Small and love it

Women's Casual Sweatshirt - Casual but elevated

Women's Cable Knit Sleeve Sweatshirt - I have these in four colors

Firming Lotion - I slather this on after a shower

Facial Hair Remover - embarrassing but necessary

Audible - the gift of reading!

Fake Birkenstocks - because sandals need to be replaced often

Oura Ring - I love it and wish I had waited for these prices!

The Men:

Silver Cross Necklace - every teen boy has asked for this at some point

Men's Casual Sneakers - white sneakers seem to be the only sneakers

Men's Cologne - my young men like this scent

Sea Salt Spray - for that tousled hair vibe

Adult Electric Toothbrush - dental health is important

Portable Hammock - popular with the college boys

Luggage - a great young adult gift for their future travels

AirPods - duh

Hydro Flask - because we all need a new water bottle ;)

In the Kitchen:

Meat Chopper - mine broke and I forgot how to cook hamburger meat without it

Personal Blender - great for protein shakes on the go

Instant Pot - we use our every week

Cold Brew Coffee Maker - the college guy loves his

Drinking Glasses - I replaced our glasses with this set

Sink Strainer - a must in our kitchen sink

Magnetic Cups - stick them on the fridge for water use = no more cluttered counter

Air Fryer - we use this almost every day

Coffee Maker - caffeine options!

For the Home:

Reed Diffuser Set - this was the scent at the Chateau Frontenac and I had to have it at home

Essential Oil Diffuser - we use it in our bedroom each night

Yankee Candle Wax Melts - a flameless way to create a vibe

WoodWick Candle - these candles crackle as they burn!

Shower Curtain Hooks - so much easier to replace a curtain or liner with these hooks

Soft Washable Rug - inexpensive, so soft, and you can wash them

Pillows - a bed refresh is nice every so often

Duvet + Cover - comfy and inexpensive and popular brand

Solar Outdoor Lights - we just put these on our front entrance

Blink Outdoor Camera - great for spying, I mean safety

Wedge Pillow - a gift to give the snorer or heartburner in your life :)

Toys:

Amazon Fire Tablet - always a great Black Friday deal

Walkie Talkies - still fun year after year

Smart Watch for Kids - Brendan loves his

Hover Soccer Ball - fun in the hallway

Basketball Cards - for the collector among us

Lego Sets - $25 for two cars to build!

Sound Effect Machines - kid favorite

Rubik's Cube - keep your kid entertained for hours by letting them watch a video on how to solve

Waterproof Cards - great for swim meets and around beverages

Whiteboards + Markers - I think I encourage these every year because of how often they are used

Books:

Paint by Sticker Book - such a great boredom buster that's not messy!

The Action Bible - the way my kids pored over this graphic Bible was intense

2026 Guinness World Records - we get the updated book each year

2026 Year in Sports - to give kids more "Did you know..." info

Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac - a certain someone will love getting this

Human Anatomy Coloring Book - for the nursing/med students and bio majors in your life

Set of Markers + a Sketch Book - classic!

Create Your Own Comic Book - we've filled these up and I just ordered more

There's also a Long List of Books over here

Week in Review: College Football, Mom in Training, Prayers for Ollie and Thanksgiving Pants

Happy Friday before Black Friday!  This weekend we will be happily preparing to welcome back home some college boys, which will require a room clean/switch up since the little boys have taken over the big boys room while they have been away.  I can't blame them because it is a much nicer room, but I do find it funny that instead of splitting up into into two bedrooms, they all wanted to move together to the big bedroom.  

While we were frolicking in Quebec last weekend, Eamon went with a group of friends to try and get on the Pat McAfee show before the Pitt v. Notre Dame game.  

The kid kicking missed his chance to win $100,000 but somehow (?) Eamon's group go the check and went all over taking photos with it (?)

They were only planning to go to the show and try to get on tv, but one of his friend's dad bought everyone a ticket to the game...how nice!  Go Notre Dame!

Happy 23.5 Anniversary to Us. Let's Go To Old Quebec!

Phil and I were able to take a long weekend away to celebrate our 23rd anniversary (which happened back in May but we took a raincheck to wait until life + the shop + the kids schedules were less busy).  So don't say Happy Anniversary in the comments if you already said that back in May or you would look silly.  Just kidding, there's no rules!  

We left work early on Friday and drove 3.5 hours up to Hallowell, Maine to The Maple Farm Inn where I was a little bit convinced that we would be murdered and nobody would find the bodies. But we are happy to report that we are indeed alive, and the stay was pretty nice with a delicious breakfast.  The innkeepers are charming, the room was clean and comfortable (minus the ladybugs??) and the jacuzzi was huge, but the whole inn and their website needs a renovation. 

Free Thanksgiving Dinners

We watched the new Fantastic Four movie while Phil killed the bugs on the walls for me.

On Saturday morning, we went for a walk until my thoughts of bears coming out of the forest to eat us got the better of me (hey, we are in the woods of Maine!) and we headed back for breakfast and to pack up for our next destination.

Maine blueberry pancakes - mmmmmmm.

"Isn't this a lovely drive by the water?" we thought premonitionally.

A birdhouse wall!

Week in Review: Short Weeks, Dinners Out and The Maggies Take Franciscan

What a great week!  

We had Tuesday off for Veteran's Day (we love our Grandpa and Gramps veterans) and I took Monday off because Xander and Brendan had physicals and then Declan and Brendan had a SAL day (stay at home school day).  Going back to work knowing it was already Wednesday, well that's what working-mom-dreams are made of.

Homeschoolers R Us (when the school makes us)

The boys physicals were great except they both need to see a dermatologist.  Xander for an unusual mole and Brendan for the years-long rash he has on his feet and hands that we have been to the derm for many times, but this time we are seeing a pediatric derm per the advice of my sister, so I hope we can finally figure it out.  On Tuesday, I went to the dentist with Xander and Declan and they both had good reports but I have another cavity in the same tooth where I already have had three fillings previously.  I asked if we should just pull the tooth at this point but the dentist wants to keep patching it up for as long as possible.  I hope that's in my best interest and not a money grab.  

Thank You Veterans!

While we were at the dentist, Phil and Brendan watched the Veteran's Day parade with Grandpa and Phil did some research to figure out the best plan of attack for my parents to get free meals that day.  I think Grandpa ended up getting a free lunch at one restaurant, a voucher for a free meal at another restaurant, and a half priced dinner takeout from a third restaurant.  Not too shabby!

Lucy Doodle got her hairs cut and a festive paper hat made by Brendan.

The things I put up with.

On Wednesday, a new restaurant opened in the city next to us, so Phil and I checked it out while Brendan had swim team practice right nearby.

The Mexican food was really good, seemed authentic (I went to Mexico once in 5th grade so what do I know) and we will be returning!  Our waiter was a former student of Phil's (they're everywhere after having taught for 22 years) and we had to laugh because we got the smallest table in the worst spot in the place (always happens to us).

Week in Review: Michigan Fall Break, Pray While You Play, and the Never Ending Chess Game

Happy Friday from a week that felt very long and tiring, could it be the time change?  Or the full moon?  Or the windy nights that kept me awake?  How are you all handling it?

Last weekend, the college boys had their fall break and ended up in Michigan split up between friend houses and had so.much.fun.  I am so grateful to these families who just welcome in a bunch of their son's college friends for four days.  They sent me these photos:

Andrew said they went to the arcade, which I thought was an arcade, but was actually a casino.

JP was also in Michigan for the weekend, visiting his newlywed friends (he was in their wedding party back in August):

Some huge mall in Michigan!

Giving Generously and A Family's Legacy

The other day I was scrolling on Instagram, and saw this video by someone whom I do not follow, show up in my feed:

   

It stopped me in my tracks.

It’s so true that we decide to have children if/when we’re young and able, but then we have to trust, hope, and work hard to provide for them in the future. It takes a leap of faith to welcome more children than you think you can afford in the present moment.

Peter Kreeft once spoke at my church and said that discerning family size is like tithing. We should give a little more than we think we can afford. We should give uncomfortably for it to be a true offering from the heart, trusting that God will bless that sacrifice.

It’s right there in Scripture:

Mark 12:41–44

He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

Returning to the woman’s point in the video that inspired these thoughts, I felt so sad for her regret, and I know she’s not alone. The window for having children is relatively short compared to the many years spent raising a family. We make those big decisions within a small slice of life, and then we live with the results for the rest of our lives.

I will always remember hearing an interview with Barbara Walters, a woman of incredible professional success, who admitted to one lasting regret: not having more children.

Last month, one of my coworker’s grandfathers passed away. He was the father of eleven children, with over thirty grandchildren and even a few great-grandchildren. Everyone who mentioned his obituary to me spoke about how blessed he was, how wonderful his family sounded, and how respected he was.

It made me think about how, when a family is in the trenches of raising a large brood, they often face judgment and bewilderment. People ask things like:

“Why are they having so many kids?”

“How can they afford them?”

“Don’t they know what causes that?”

Yet years later, when the children are grown, those same families are admired. The comments change to:

“What a beautiful legacy he left behind.”

“What a big family full of love and joy.”

"How truly rich they are."

But to reach that place, to have raised a large, loving family, someone first has to walk through the years of daily struggle, sacrifice, and trust. That grandfather’s story reminded me how important it is to discern family size carefully and faithfully, and to do so when we are still young enough to shape our future family tree.

It is a leap of faith to welcome another baby or adopt another child when our means feel uncertain. But are we foolish to hope it will all work out, or are we faithful to trust that God will provide?  The line can certainly feel thin between the two.

We work hard today so we can retire later.

We train our bodies now so we can run the race later.

We follow God’s commandments so we can enjoy eternal life later.

We constantly sacrifice and toil for future rewards, so why is it harder to see that truth when it comes to having children?

Yes, it’s difficult.

Yes, it’s tiring.

Yes, it’s expensive and requires constant self-giving.

But the payoff is immeasurable. As Harvard’s 85-year study concluded, it’s relationships, not income, status, or possessions, that make people happy.

We only have a small window to decide whether to have children, and sometimes when we change our minds, it’s too late. As the woman in the video said, she regrets not having more, but she's never heard of a large family who regretted welcoming another child.

Not everyone is called to have a big family, and not everyone is blessed with that choice. But if you find yourself on the fence, I encourage you to take that uncertain leap of faith. As someone on the other side of those choices, I can confirm that one more scary, hopeful, and faithful decision can potentially lead to a lifetime filled with love, joy, and the beautiful legacy of family.