How we're celebrating DAD

I WAS ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE #HALLMARKATWALGREENS CAMPAIGN, SPONSORED BY HALLMARK AT WALGREENS. ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN COMPENSATED, ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

It's almost Father's Day, Y'all!  While I have taken pride in celebrating my own father for the past 30 years, this year is extra special because the love of my life, Chris Taylor is officially a DAD!  My absolute favorite part of motherhood is watching Chris be a daddy to Vance.  He is so cute, caring and silly with him it feels like my heart is going to explode.  Guys can be hard to buy for anytime of the year, so I thought I would share some of my ideas on how we are planning to celebrate Chris during his first Father's Day. 

1. The Perfect Hallmark Signature Card.  As you may remember from Mother's Day, Hallmark cards are a big deal in our family.  Chris actually got me TWO this year, one from him and one from Vance, so he really raised the bar.  I headed to Walgreens because they always have the best selection and there were so many it was hard to choose!  

I could stay on the card aisle all day reading and giggling, but the first one I gravitate towards is often the winner and today was no different.  I chose this gorgeous golf card from the Hallmark Signature line. On the outside it says Happy Father's Day and it has this 3-D golf scene with a green.  On the inside it says "Loving you is my favorite pastime."  It couldn't be any more perfect!  It fits in great within our whole golf theme I've got planned and I am going to write a heartfelt message from me.  Afterwards I would like to cut the card and frame the golf scene.  That's what my mom did with her bathtub card from Mother's Day and I can't wait to borrow her idea!  

Once you choose an awesome card, you can let the theme of the card give you ideas for the rest of your gift.  Hallmark has endless options, so you will find something that every Dad will love.  

Continuing with the golf theme, I plan to include

A Customized Golf Flag  Our wedding guest book was a golf flag that I designed and we had everyone sign.  Chris's big project this summer is his very own putting green he's installing in our back yard.  Clearly he has big plans for Vance being a future golfer.  I designed a standard size flag as well as 4 smaller putting green flags for his brand new home course.  These flags coordinate perfectly with the scene on his father's day card, so I couldn't be more excited.  

A Family Outing Since his green won't be ready for a few more weeks, I would love to plan a family outing to a golf course or driving range with Vance.  We actually took him to his first golf course (TPC Scottsdale) when we were in Arizona and he did great.  Chris is certainly the expert when it comes to choosing courses and Tee Times, so I plan to write a sweet message in his Hallmark card about our future PAR-TEE.  That way, he can choose the day and time that works best!  

A Golf Friendly Wedding Band  Chris has been proudly wearing his silver wedding band for two years straight but lately he has complained that it is giving him a callus when he's at work or golfing. Lord knows we can't impact his golf game, so I've ordered one of these silicone bands to see if that helps! You can even personalize them and add your own message on the inside. And, since they are so small they’re just the right size to include within the Hallmark card I picked out for him. Two things he can save and look back on to remember his first Father’s Day!

I couldn't forget to include a card from Vance, and a card for my Dad, as well.  

From Vance, I knew I wanted something iconic, but funny, and Hallmark did it again.  I was envisioning a trophy or a ribbon, so this blue ribbon card that said "You're the best, Dad" was the one.  I laughed out loud in the store when I read the inside because it says "all the Dad's who aren't you suck!"  Probably inappropriate from a baby, but that's what Chris will get a kick out of the most.  He actually held V's little hand with a pen and signed my Mother's Day card, so we will absolutely be making that a tradition.  I can't wait to see Chris's face. I know it will make him laugh so hard. I also think it will be funny to show Vance later that this was his first Father's Day card to his Dad.  

For my own Dad, I saw the front of this and it made my eyes well up with tears "God couldn't be everywhere so he invented Dads."  And it couldn't be more true.  My Dad truly is amazing and does SO much for all of us.  I feel lucky every day that God made me his daughter.  One of his biggest lessons was to laugh at something everyday and I am grateful to have his sense of humor.  I opened this beautiful letterpress card and on the inside it said "and beer. for the dads."  I burst out laughing again.  By this time the people in Walgreens probably thought I was losing my mind, but my dad will think this is so funny, it's perfect!

Handwritten notes are such a treasure and I save every single card.  There's just something so special about being able to go back and re-read words year after year.  I hope you'll stop by Walgreens to find the perfect card for the Dad's in your life this year.   

I never fully grasped and appreciated Mother's Day and Father's Day until this year.  It is such a special day to express love and gratitude to Chris and Dad because they really are wonderful men.  I hope Vance grows up to be just like them one day.  

Join me for a Twitter Party on June 13 from 8-9 p.m. to chat all things Hallmark and Father's Day! My twitter handle is @MaghonTaylor

I hope that you have fun this week celebrating the special men in your life!