Every year we explain our reasons for not exchanging gifts.  And every year Mom agrees.  Then shows up on Christmas with her beautifully bowed presents for us.  We’ve come to understand that some people really enjoy gift giving, and we inevitably end up with some really cool stuff, so we’re always grateful.

This year I got some exceptionally great gifts!

For one, I got this wicked Joby Gorilla Pod from Ben!  It was actually a “Happy Friday” gift (we randomly buy things for each other and call them ‘happy __day’ gifts) to support me in taking more photos .

The best part (and really, the reason he bought it):

It not only serves as a tripod (because shaky hands = blurry photos), but it grips on to just about any surface!  How sweet is that?!?  It’s light-weight and easy to carry with me, plus it has a lock/unlock function for the piece you click into the tripod.  Yeah.  I’m in love.

Mom gifted me an incredible book by SARK called “Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper: Gifting the World with Your Words and Stories and Creating the Time and Energy to Actually DO It”

Mom introduced me to SARK a few years ago when I was having (yet another) crossroad in life.  I read “Succulent Wild Woman” front to back in one sitting and carried the book with me everywhere I went for a month straight.

I have a feeling Juicy Pens is going to be another life-changing experience.  I’ve already read through more than half of it and have started a few of the exercises.

[You may have noticed that my family truly supports my passions.  I feel so grateful for their encouragement and love.]

Mom also got us THESE bad boys!:

Ben and I have been wanting a Sonicare for a long time now.  We had heard about all the great dental benefits of using them, but they were a bit of an investment.  In any case, we finally got them!  And we absolutely love them!  Since I got mine I’ve used it twice/three times a day because it makes my teeth feel so squeaky clean (I know, I’m obsessed).

To tell ours apart, mine is labeled:

I found it pretty ironic that Mom got these for us for Christmas because I was about to do a post on the great toothbrushes we just got.  I figured now would still be the perfect time, anyway, since we’ll be keeping them around and you may be looking for a good toothbrush, anyway .

I introduce to you, the Preserve toothbrush in mailback kit!

The concept is so brilliant I wish I had thought of it myself.  You buy the recycled toothbrush at a whole/natural foods store (or online) for about $3-$6 [ours was a bit more expensive because we live in Hawai`i], and when you’re pau with it, you send it back in the already-addressed packaging it came in!  Talk about recycling!  Nothing is being wasted in the process.

They’re made in the U.S. from 100% recycled #5 plastic (like yogurt cups), and although it took a bit of getting used to, the backward bend of these toothbrushes really makes a difference in brushing.

Okay, now that my toothbrush obsession has been shared with the world, I’m off to enjoy the day fully!

Did you receive any ultra-cool gifts this holiday season? Does anyone else out there have a toothbrush obsession like mine?