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Elle Bowes | Charlotte Based Blog | Heart & Home

Heart & Home: Stories from a heart warrior's mother who attempts to keep it all together, including her formerly put together home.

Decor, Family

Christmas Shopping for Kids

White Christmas | Holiday Design | Lifestyle Blogger Elle Bowes shares holiday home decor ideas.

We’ve had our hands (and hearts) full over here juggling work, the babies, and getting ready for Christmas! I had to sneak in a quick update during nap time because I am SO excited for Christmas! We’ve had quite a few messages about what we get our kids for Christmas and I wanted to share how we do things in the Bowes house.

Top Gift Ideas for Any Age

Lifestyle Blogger Elle Bowes shares holiday home decor ideas.

First off, I really encourage you and your family to find a way to give back FIRST. Show your kids how to think about others before they give you that list of their own wants. This year we have been collecting gifts and purchasing gifts for an amazing children’s hospital, Levine Children’s Hospital, located in Charlotte, North Carolina. These children spend endless days in the hospital in addition to celebrating their birthdays and holidays there, too. If you’re interested in participating with us, you can check out their wish list here! The ones that get the least are the teenagers so a simple $5 gift card won’t change your holiday budget much but it will make a huge difference for them! You can contact me for a direct contact and mailing address for the hospital.

Something they… Want, Need, Read, Wear!

Ok, now to the Bowes babies! We do the 4 gift rule. Something they want, need, read, and wear! Our children have more than they need and we choose to make all gifts from us. Emerson does get to choose one gift from “Santa” which arrives on the porch in the morning for him to find. So far, this has worked out great for our family and I highly recommend it! Even with a little extra splurge, I am able to do Christmas for under $300 for the kids!

4 year old boy list: Emerson wanted a lego crane or a paw patrol plane from Santa. Both were hot items and you’ll have to wait to see which one Santa brings!

For the rest of the gifts, we decided on the highly recommended Leap Frog reading book for him versus a traditional book. These are great for preschool age, kindergarten, and even babies. They’re interactive learning books and definitely affordable! Em needed new shoes so I went against ALL that I believe in and bought him his first pair of light up character shoes. For his wear, I got a little creative and found these AMAZING super hero masks and capes to wear! He is going to love them!

For Ryann Whitney, it got a little tricky because what does she really “want?” Well, I settled on a V-tech pretend cell phone. She loves things that sing and she always wants our phones! She got more of the wear than anything but let’s be honest, she won’t be disappointed! I did get a little excited about this $16 tent and ball set that Ry is going to LOVE! They are crunch proof balls and I figured this would be endless entertainment!

White Christmas | Holiday Design | Lifestyle Blogger Elle Bowes shares holiday home decor ideas.A baby and presents | Lifestyle Blogger Elle Bowes shares holiday home decor ideas.

You’ll notice in my Christmas shots from last year that the tree was filled with lots of gifts! We individually wrap everything and these also included quite a few gifts sent from grandparents and gifts that Everett and I exchanged <3

Recommended Stores for Special and Unique Gifts and Presents

Land of Nod (having a 40% off sale)

Nordstrom (surprisingly, they have cute and affordable gifts)

Amazon (this link goes directly to their toys, including best sellers)

Kohls (honestly… the BEST place for toys. they always have amazing deals and tons of toys and gifts!)

White christmas tree | Lifestyle Blogger Elle Bowes shares holiday home decor ideas.

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WHERE I SHOP FOR MY BABIES

H&M Kids
Old Navy
Nordstrom Rack
Kohls
Target

WHERE I SHOP FOR ME

Nordstrom
Old Navy
Anthropologie
ASOS
H&M
J. Crew

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Hi, I'm Elle! I'm a wife to Everett and mother to Averie, Emerson, Ryann Whitney and Remy.

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My handsome boy could swim all day long! He thinks My handsome boy could swim all day long! He thinks he’s close to doing an iron man because he bikes a 5k next to Everett while he runs and then swims 😂🤣
Happy 4 years of conquering cardiac arrest to our Happy 4 years of conquering cardiac arrest to our miracle boy! Thank you to each of you that stopped in the scariest moment of our lives to pray and stuck with us for soooooo many months and years.
My girl in pink is too much! All I can think of is My girl in pink is too much! All I can think of is “I’m a Barbie girl in a Barbie world!” Everett sings, “I’m a Darby girl in a Darby world” to the same tune 💗🤣
After celebrating with the littles this morning, A After celebrating with the littles this morning, Averie and I surprised Everett with a very fun afternoon with delicious authentic Italian food, got him fitted for new running shoes, and then off to the shooting range! We had the best time! The custom socks were his favorite! I asked the littles to draw their favorite thing to do with him: Ryann is riding her bike, Remy is swimming in the sun, Emerson is throwing the football and Averie is custom Gracie socks 🤣. It was wonderful focusing on him and spoiling him today! He’s always putting us all before anything and he more than deserved an amazing Father’s Day!
🤍 Happy Father’s Day 🤍 to our most amazing 🤍 Happy Father’s Day 🤍 to our most amazing, loving, selfless, intentional, fun, silly, hands on, snuggly, Godly, handsome, and best daddy ever!!! We love you so much @everettbowes and cannot imagine our family without you! Thank you for making our days so wonderful and for always putting your family first! You are the biggest gift and blessing to all 5 of us!
Averie and I love getting our nails done together. Averie and I love getting our nails done together.. this time we decided to do them at home and they came out so cute!! Mine are the pink and hers are the pink/white with dots! 💅🏻
Our sweet Remy’s birthday is on my blog:) Thank Our sweet Remy’s birthday is on my blog:) Thank you for all the sweet messages and memories!! He had a wonderful celebration! I tried to link everything y’all asked for. If I missed something, comment or message me!! We did a very simple and affordable party!! It was so enjoyable for all of us! 💙
I guess for normal parents, these thoughts don’t I guess for normal parents, these thoughts don’t cross their mind on big days like their child’s birthday. For us, not only is it on special days but it’s every day that we think, pray about, talk about or talk to so many of the incredible medical angels that worked tirelessly to save our baby. I can’t go to sleep tonight without thanking each of you so very much for these days. I thought as time went on, I’d think of you less. But the opposite has happened. Because I get to see so many new things with Remy each and every day, I think of you more. Because I don’t have to visit him on this day at a grave site, I think of you more. Because I don’t have to imagine what these days would have been Iike, I think of you more. Because I don’t have to draw in my head what I think he’d have looked like at 4, I think of you more. Thank you. You all deserve the world for what you do.
happy official birthday to our FOUR year old!!!! R happy official birthday to our FOUR year old!!!! Remy, every day and every night with you is a gift from God. I’m so thankful we have these days with you. You fought so hard to be here and you bring so much joy to your family! We love you, sweet boy!
Happy birthday to our little Rem Rem! The world mu Happy birthday to our little Rem Rem! The world must have needed you… you made it through so much and through the critical years of 3 and 4. We can’t begin to describe how thankful we are to celebrate you today and every day we have you with us! Happy 4th 💙💙💙💙
4 years ago today I was 48 hours from welcoming ou 4 years ago today I was 48 hours from welcoming our miracle baby Remy!
Summer picnic and some sun bathing with my 4 loves Summer picnic and some sun bathing with my 4 loves 🎀💙🎀💙
🎀 bows on bowes 👯‍♀️ 🎀 bows on bowes 👯‍♀️
Oh my heart. I left it in Colorado, AGAIN!!! 26 ye Oh my heart. I left it in Colorado, AGAIN!!! 26 years ago, my hubby met his best friend, Sean, and because of that we all have been extremely blessed to have each other!! The amount of integrity, support, adoration, faith, selflessness and out of this world love that bursts from this family is indescribable. They are successful, they are godly, they are fun, they are everything you want in a family and more! I know all of their blessings are there because God knows their hearts and sees their actions and pours it on them!! They aren’t friends, they’re family. They’re sisters and brothers, fighters for us in the valley and cheerleaders for us on the hills. All I could have ever wanted is there when we are all together!! You all know it because none of us stop saying this but we absolutely love you and miss you and adore each of you from the tops of your heads to your cute little toes!!! Bringing our answered prayer, Remy, to y’all in 2020 and now our Averie in 2022 was absolutely out of this world. Thank you Holt for marrying our precious Mikayla so we could have the best time ever!!!! 💓💓💓💓💓💓
The last few days have gotten away from us but sit The last few days have gotten away from us but sitting here with some quiet time, I went through our old pictures. We just celebrated our 10th anniversary of getting engaged and the butterflies hit all over again!! I’ve happily said yes to @everettbowes every single day since then and I am so grateful to have such an incredible partner in raising our children, best friend beside me, and my absolute favorite person in the world. Marriage for me showed me how blessed I am and Everett has only shown me a better and better version of himself as the years have passed. We have walked through the best and coolest experiences together and also the hardest battles with nearly losing a child. I go to bed excited about him every night and wake up excited to see him. Not everything in life feels this way but for us, I’m thankful this area of life is a fairy tale. I love you @everettbowes. You have intergrity, kindness, love and intention in your heart and in everything you do. Your children and I are honored to be yours 💓
Today was a very special day for our baby girl! Sh Today was a very special day for our baby girl! She swam SO well without her floaties, got her first official haircut, has another wiggly tooth, took her first shopping trip to Claire’s AND got her nails painted by yours truly. She is the sweetest thing on the planet and makes our family feel so loved! It was a joy for all of us to see her enjoy the day!! I can’t believe she’s going to kindergarten in the Fall. We are so grateful beyond words that she is ours! 💗
I was on a cloud 9 yesterday… I couldn’t stop I was on a cloud 9 yesterday… I couldn’t stop smiling! Darby’s progress has been amazing! For the first time yesterday, I was able to sit on her. I love her so much!
Tacked her up English today:) I love her more than Tacked her up English today:) I love her more than words!! 🐴
Happy Mother’s Day!!! 💐🌸💗🌷There is t Happy Mother’s Day!!! 💐🌸💗🌷There is truly no love, no experience, no bond that compares to motherhood. 💓💙💓💙
One of my greatest joys of being a mom is when oth One of my greatest joys of being a mom is when others recognize and love my children as much as we do. That happens all the time with Averie. I’m so proud of her character, work ethic, dedication, and how she loves others so well! She’s so easy to love and appreciate, I’m so thankful she’s mine! 💞
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