Tag: empty nest

11 Unique Thank You Gifts for Every Member of the Wedding Party

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Credit: Mark & Graham / Papier

When planning a wedding, there’s a lot to think about, from the dress to the venue to the seating plan—and you’ve helped your teen every step of the way. Let us help take one thing off your plate with this guide to the very best wedding thank you gifts to thank anyone who has given some extra support for the big day (you included!). We’ve scoured the internet, queried our friends, and pulled from our own gift-giving expertise to put together our list of the most thoughtful, unique, and creative keepsakes to buy for bridesmaids, groomsmen, ring bearers, flower girls, and just about everyone else who pitches in on the big day.

You won’t find the same old engraved cutting boards or customized cufflinks on this list, either: These are the kinds of wedding thank you gifts that family and friends will truly love getting and will use for years to come.

Note: We are a reader-supported site and may receive compensation from purchases made through these links.

The Best Wedding Thank You Gifts

1. For the Bridesmaids: Birdy Grey Jonny Pajama Set

Credit: Birdy Grey

Who doesn’t love a chic pair of pajamas? One of the few traditional bridesmaid gifts we can actually get behind, a customized PJ set is useful on the wedding day and beyond. After all, friends don’t let their capable adult friends go to bed in some ratty old college T-shirt and a pair of yoga pants.

Help the bridesmaids step up their nighttime game up with something personalized, like this Birdy Grey Jonny Pajama Set, which ranges from XS to 3X and comes in over 15 colors, including muted pink, black, deep red, and a rich emerald green. Get them plain for $44, or fork over the extra $6 to put their name (or nickname) on the back, creating a keepsake that they’ll appreciate every time they drift off to dreamland.

2. For the Groomsmen: Smythson Flat Card Holder

Credit: Smythson

Weddings are, in some ways, a celebration of growing up. They’re taking a big step in adult life, and doing it while surrounded by longtime best friends. Why not help the groomsmen down the path toward adulthood themselves with a smart, grown-up wallet?

These days, there’s really no need to carry anything bulky or that can be stuffed full of receipts, so we recommend the Smythson Flat Card Holder, which is made of soft, timeless leather, has five card pockets, and comes in five smart colors, including a bright red. While it’s lovely as is, for a wedding thank you gift, we recommend going the extra mile and having it personalized with their initials, their zodiac sign, or even a little drawing of a cat or dog.

3. For the Flower Girl: Flower Girl Necklace

Credit: Etsy

While the flower girl and ring bearer might be the youngest members of any given wedding party, it can be nice to show them a slightly more “grown up” amount of respect when it comes to their thank you gift. For a flower girl, for instance, we love the idea of a matching jewelry set, plus a card that thanks them sincerely for their help and makes clear their importance to both your ceremony and your life.

This Green Peridot set of daisy-themed jewelry comes atop a nice message that both thanks the flower girl and lets her know that she’s “amazing and very, very special.” Customize the set based on the flower girl’s age and whether she has pierced ears or not.

4. For the Ring Bearer: Kidamento Kids Digital Camera

Credit: Amazon

Give the ring bearer something to do after the ceremony with their own kid-friendly digital camera. This Kidamento Digital Camcorder takes photos and videos, comes in two cute animal-friendly styles, and is wrapped in a soft silicone casing. With six hours of battery life, the camera should be ready to rock and roll right out of the box, meaning the ring bearer can start capturing memories at the reception—something that might also be a present to his parents, given that it means he’ll have something to do.

Just make sure to ask for a link to the pics he takes: While some are sure to be blurry thumb snaps, there just might be some candid gems in there that they’ll want to add to their wedding album.

5. For the Wedding Planner: Milk Bar Cookie Faves Tin

Credit: Milk Bar

Being a wedding planner is a lot of hard work, so don’t overlook them on your wedding thank you gift list. Thank them for all their time and trouble with a box of 12 Milk Bar cookies, which come individually wrapped so they can either keep all the goodness to themselves or spread it around their staff. The reusable windowed tin is packed with four of Milk Bar’s best-selling flavors, including the Compost, Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow, Confetti, and Chocolate Confetti Cookies—all of which are both delicious and a little bit decadent.

6. For the Mother of the Bride or Groom: Artifact Uprising Layflat Photo Album

Credit: Artifact Uprising

Weddings can be hard on moms (if you’ve been there before, you know). A good many of them have been waiting for and dreaming of this day, but the ceremony also means that, in some sense, their little baby is even more grown up. Remind mom that she’ll always be number one with a beautifully bound customized layflat photo album from Artifact Uprising. Available in six different sizes and three different page counts, this book can be filled with photos from all the best days with Mom, from the day she gave birth to her first Mother’s Day to college graduation. Tuck a couple of selfies in the back from the run-up to the wedding to let her know that she’s always at the top of her mind.

7. For the Father of the Bride or Groom: W&F Gift Wedding Handkerchief

Credit: Amazon

If there’s a fact universally acknowledged about weddings, it’s that the bride or groom’s dad will probably cry. Sure, that kind of weepiness is often attributed to moms, but more than a few dads have been known to shed a tear or two—especially when they’re walking their formerly little girls down the aisle. Why not tuck a crisp white handkerchief into a sleeve or pocket and present it when the time arises? Amazon has plenty of fun embroidered options, from ones that say “father of the bride” to ones that remind the holder to “keep [their] stuff together!”

8. For the Bridesmaids and the Groomsmen: Yeti Rambler Straw Mug

Credit: Amazon

These days, everyone’s trying to drink more water. That’s especially true the morning after a long night of boozy wedding revelry. Help everyone hydrate with a customized Yeti Rambler, which comes in eight great colors and holds up to 42 ounces of life-giving ice-cold water. This dishwasher-safe mug is cup-holder compatible for the ride home and has a reusable straw for when even tilting a cup back to drink is too much work for a tired, danced-out body. Take this wedding thank you gift to the next level by personalizing the cup with a set of initials, a monogram, or even a piece of clip art or a custom design for a creative touch.

9. For the Bridesmen: Boy Smells Cedar Stack Candle

Credit: Boy Smells

It’s not uncommon at modern weddings for a bride to have men in her wedding party or a groom to have women in his. If a bridesman is on the wedding thank you gift shopping list, opt for a fancy, long-burning Boy Smells candle. We’re partial to Cedar Stack, which is woodsy and mysterious while also kind of neutral. This is the kind of luxury item that a lot of men (and, let’s face it, women) might not buy for themselves on the regular but that they’ll really appreciate.

10. For the Groomswomen: Mark & Graham Travel Jewelry Case

Credit: Mark & Graham

While it’s possible a groomswoman would like the same customized card holder we suggested gifting above, for something a little different—but still entirely personalized—we suggest the Mark & Graham Small Jewelry Travel Case. Available in an array of colors and patterns, these square, zip-up cases are made of pebbled vegan leather with a soft linen lining, and there are multiple compartments inside for holding earrings, rings, necklaces, and bracelets. There’s even a little mirror. To up the luxury ante even more, these can be monogrammed, which makes a very fun and necessary travel addition feel a little more luxurious.

11. For the Officiant: Papier Ampersand Notecard Set

Credit: Papier

Whether the ceremony is officiated by a priest or a pal, it’s a nice gesture to slip them a little thank you gift, like these Papier personalized notecards. Custom stationery is the kind of thing that most people probably won’t ever buy themselves, but once they get it, they’ll never want to be without it again. There are a ton of different designs to choose from, including frolicking foxes, delicate bows, and plain old black and white, so there’s sure to be something that will fit the officiant just right.

Prices were accurate at time of publication.

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Marah Eakin

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May 28, 2024
The 14 Best Home Gym Equipment Pieces to Build Your Bonus

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Credit: Amazon

When your child flies off to college or post-grad life, their absence may leave a space in your heart. It also leaves you with some new space in your home. Not sure what to do with this new, wide-open room? Once you’ve checked (and double-checked) that your child isn’t expecting you to maintain a shrine to their childhood in their old bedroom, it’s the perfect spot for a home gym filled with the best home gym equipment you can afford.

Whether you’re into cardio, strength training, yoga, or a mix of fitness activities, having a whole room dedicated to fitness — rather than a random corner in the living room or your bedroom — may just transform your wellness routine.

First, though, you’ll need to pick some gear that works for you. Of course, the gear can only be as successful as the effort you put in. So, once you’ve cleared out the sports trophies and the posters, here’s some great home gym equipment for your new workout room.

Note: We are a reader-supported site and may receive compensation through purchases made through the links below.

14 Best Home Gym Equipment Pieces

1. For Yoga & Stretching: Gaiam 6mm Yoga Mat

Credit: Amazon

No matter what you like to do for your workouts, a yoga mat is one of the best pieces of home gym equipment to snag. It softens the ground for stretching, ab exercises, mobility training, and yes, yoga. This option from Gaiam is a home gym classic — it’s 68 inches long, 24 inches wide, 6 millimeters thick, and comes in a wide range of colors and patterns to suit every kind of home gym style. Plus, with its 4.7-star rating out of more than 16,000 reviews, you can be assured that it’ll provide a lot to like. Reviewers say the mat lasts a long time, feels durable and grippy, and offers the perfect level of thickness for all kinds of workouts.

Alternatively, you could cover the entire floor with interlocking EVA Foam.

2. For Two-Handed Lifts: Bowflex Selecttech 552 Dumbbells

Credit: Amazon

No need to clutter up your new home gym with a full set of dumbbells. This Bowflex 552 adjustable pair ranges from 5 to 52 lbs in 2.5-lb increments — the equivalent of 15 dumbbells. To change the weight, all you have to do is turn the dial at the front and back of each dumbbell and listen for it to click into place.

Among the dumbbells’ near-perfect 4.8-star rating out of more than 22,000 reviews, customers praise the weights’ ease of use, sleek design, and ability to build muscle for whoever is using them.

3. For Single-Arm Weight Training: Bowflex Selecttech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell

Credit: Amazon

Another great adjustable strength training item? Bowflex’s adjustable kettlebell, which ranges from 8 to 40 lbs. With its sleek, unobtrusive shape — it measures a tidy 8.8 inches long, 7 inches wide, and 12.5 inches tall — it’s a piece of at-home gym equipment that can easily be tucked away on a shelf (or under a bed, if you’re keeping your kid’s bed in their old room).

4. For Elevated Weight Training: Flybird Adjustable Weight Bench

Credit: Amazon

A weight bench allows you to use a greater range of motion for certain exercises, like dumbbell flys and bench presses. This popular bench can be shifted into seven different back positions — from fully flat to 90 degrees — and folded up when you aren’t using it to save space. Users love its sturdiness, ease of setup and use, and overall comfort.

5. For Balanced Workouts: Bosu Original Balance Trainer

Credit: Target

With its unstable surface, this balance trainer helps increase workout versatility and challenge muscles in new ways while doing squats, situps, planks, single-leg holds, bicycles, and other exercises. It’s especially useful for people looking to improve balance and core strength. The Bosu balance trainer has a 4.6-star rating out of more than 9,000 reviews, and many reviewers write that implementing the Bosu into their routine gave them noticeable improvement in their stability.

6. For Quick Cardio: Loocio Jump Rope

Credit: Amazon

Want to add a cardio source to your home gym without committing to a big, heavy piece of equipment? A jump rope is just the thing. Jumping rope can improve coordination and balance, boost cardio health, and may build bone density, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This Loocio jump rope, with its tangle-free cord and adjustable foam handles, makes it easy to use and gives you the ability to take your cardio workout anywhere and everywhere.

7. For A Bit of Extra Resistance: FitSimplify Resistance Bands

Credit: Amazon

Whether you’re stretching or strength training, a set of resistance bands is one of the most affordable pieces of home gym equipment. This FitSimplify set comes with five different resistance levels — from X-light to X-heavy — and five different colors to help you easily identify each one.

With their 4.5-star rating out of more than 122,000 reviews, they’re a popular pick. Reviewers especially like their versatility, durability, and quality you get for the price.

8. For Space-Saving Strength Training: TRX Suspension Trainer

Credit: Amazon

This all-in-one suspension trainer hooks into an anchor point (usually a door frame), letting you do elevated planks, pulls, pushups, inverted rows, and more — with virtually no footprint. It can also be transferred to different spots. The extra suspension provides greater resistance than what you’d get with gravity alone, providing an excellent way to build strength and endurance at home.

It’s earned a 4.8-star rating out of more than 6,800 reviews, and reviewers love its portability, versatility, and challenge it gives muscles.

9. For Indoor Walks & Runs: NordicTrack T Series 6.5s Foldable Treadmill

Credit: Amazon

A treadmill is a great way to get in cardio when you can’t (or don’t want to) go outside. When you’re ready to add one to your home gym mix, this foldable tread is a good option. The tread has a speed range from 0-10 miles per hour — ideal for leisurely walks, brisk jogs, or all-out runs — an incline of up to 10%, and it boasts a roomy 20 by 55-inch tread belt.

Among its more than 32,000 reviews, customers especially love its sturdiness and overall quality.

10. For Indoor Bike Rides: Yosuda Stationary Bike

Credit: Amazon

If running isn’t your thing, this Yosuda exercise bike might be. It uses magnetic resistance and a 35-lb flywheel to deliver a smooth, quiet ride and comes with a magnetic tablet mount so you can stream cycling classes from your favorite workout app. (Or just watch Netflix.) Customers like that it’s easy to assemble, doesn’t squeak as you’re pedaling, and is a good value for the price.

11. For Guided Strength Training: Peloton Guide

Credit: Amazon

Want to get into strength training at home — but not totally sure how to manage your form? The Peloton Guide can help. It provides real-time, AI-powered guidance by connecting with your TV and the Peloton app and showing extra guidance on the screen to alert you if your form is off.

It works with Peloton’s popular strength training, yoga, stretching, and boxing classes. Users praise its tracking accuracy and report that using the Guide helps keep them more focused than just streaming workouts alone. Just note that you’ll need a Peloton subscription to use it!

12. For Low-Impact Cardio: Sunny Health & Fitness Mini Stepper

Credit: Amazon

If you’ve been seeing mini steppers all over TikTok or Reels, now’s the time to get in on the stepping action. This device elevates your heart rate and activates the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. It also comes with detachable resistance bands, which you can use to engage your upper body. Reviewers say it’s easy to set up, works smoothly, and doesn’t make noise, even with vigorous stepping.

13. For Post-Workout Cooldowns: TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller

Credit: Amazon

When you’re done with your workout, don’t forget to stretch it out. This TriggerPoint foam roller will help you do just that, with its ridged foam exterior that provides a deep massage to the muscles, promoting blood flow and recovery. It has a 4.7-star rating out of more than 33,000 reviews and customers say it lasts much longer than other foam rollers — thanks to its plastic hollow core design — and its ridges provide just enough satisfying pressure.

Credit: Nike

You’ll need a good pair of indoor trainers to be active in your home workout space. The Nike Free Metcon 5 not only looks stylish, but they have good stability and comfort to push through a HIIT workout or feel secure when weight lifting. They come in several fun colors and are available in both women’s and men’s sizes.

Buy the Women’s Nike Free Metcon 5:

Buy the Men’s Nike Free Metcon 5:

Why You Can Trust Us

Hi, I’m Sara! I’m the former health & fitness editor at Reviewed, USA Today’s product reviewing website. I’ve tested all kinds of workout equipment, from treadmills to stationary bikes, and I’m passionate about finding the best home workout gear for people at different fitness levels and budgets.

To find the best home gym equipment for parents looking to convert their child’s old bedroom into a home gym, I researched popular products and pulled from my own memory bank of tried-and-true products. Then, I worked with the Grown & Flown team to select the list above, considering different space constraints, budgets, and types of exercises you might want to do at home.

Prices were accurate at time of publication.

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Sara Hendricks

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February 23, 2024
21 Engagement Gifts for All Kinds of Couples

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Credit: Target / Pottery Barn

If your grown up son or daughter has recently announced that they’re engaged, you may be wondering what else you can do other than offer a heartfelt “congratulations!” How about giving them a thoughtful engagement gift as well? We’ve put together a list of the best engagement gifts that are meaningful, practical, and the perfect way to show your child and their future spouse just how happy you are for them.

There’s no need to break the bank in order to give the best engagement gift—you’ll have plenty of opportunity to do that when it comes to the wedding—that’s why we’ve filled this gift guide with a wide range of options that they’ll be able to use throughout their engagement. Whether you’re looking for something little or big to help a newly engaged couple ring in their impending nuptials, these are the best engagement gifts to give to your newly betrothed offspring.

The Best Engagement Gifts

1. For the Culinary Couple: Jot & Mark Recipe Box

Credit: Amazon

Getting engaged means combining your lives. This Jot & Mark recipe box will help them corral treasured recipes from both of their families into one charming box. It also comes with recipe cards and dividers to keep things organized. Available in patterns like lemon zest and pink peonies, it’ll make a nice addition to any couple’s new life.

2. For the New Ring-wearer: Vincomic Ring Dish

Credit: Amazon

This ring dish provides a resting spot for new bling — and can be personalized with the wearer’s first (or last) initial. This will prove especially handy if they aren’t used to wearing a lot of jewelry, as it provides a safe place to put their ring when they’re cooking, bathing, working out, or doing any other non-ring-friendly activity. (And don’t worry if you aren’t the only one to give a ring dish — it’s useful to have several around the house.)

3. For the Champagne Toasters: Zweisel Champagne Flutes

Credit: Pottery Barn

There’s no question that the best way to celebrate a newly-engaged couple is with a bottle of nice champagne. But what if they don’t have any appropriate glasses to drink it from or to toast with? Rectify that with these classic, understated Zweisel champagne flutes made from chip- and crack-resistant glass. Stick with a pair of glasses for now, as the couple may want to add a full set to their registry. In the meantime, though, they’ll appreciate these high-quality, toast-ready flutes.

4. For the Laid-Back Pair: Pottery Barn Robes

Credit: Pottery Barn

Planning a wedding is not what most people would call a “relaxing” activity, so these plush, luxurious robes can help them take full advantage of those brief moments of calm leading up to the big day. They’ll also add comfort to late nights spent hashing out invites and seating arrangements. If you want, you can personalize the robes with monograms to give them a bit more pizzazz.

5. For the New Home Owners: Homesick Let’s Toast Candle

Credit: Amazon

If they have a new house to go with their engagement, a scented candle is a great gift for them and their new home. The Homesick Let’s Toast candle has a burn time of 60 to 80 hours and is scented with mandarin and grapefruit. It adds a delicate note of celebration to any home and is a thoughtful and budget-friendly gift for any engaged couple.

6. For the Hyper-Organized Planners: Your Perfect Day Wedding Planner

Credit: Amazon

Weddings are all about logistics. (And love, of course. But also logistics.) Help them work out the details in style with this agenda that’s specifically designed for planning a wedding. Complete with slots to collect samples, sections dedicated to sorting vendors, and a registry checklist, it contains everything they’ll need to lay the groundwork for their big day.

7. For the Couple Who Have Set a Date: Pulse Brands Countdown Blocks

Credit: Amazon

Once they’ve set a date, help them keep track of how long they have until the big day with this set of wedding-oriented countdown blocks. Starting a year out, it lets them adjust the blocks by the day and is perfect to keep on a desk or mantle—plus it’s great for social media posts!

8. For the Couple that Won’t Finish a Full Bottle: Rabbit Champagne Preserver

Credit: Amazon

An engagement gift that they’ll continue to use long after the wedding is over, the Rabbit Champagne Preserver keeps an open bottle of bubbly from going flat. The stainless steel device holds tight to the lip of the bottle, reducing the amount of air that goes in and ensuring its bubbles stay bubbly.

9. For the Entertainers: Pottery Barn Charcuterie Board

Credit: Pottery Barn

Getting engaged usually means they’ll have lots of opportunities to host family holidays or other get-togethers. A gorgeous charcuterie board is a thoughtful and useful gift that they’ll use before and after the wedding. Available in three sizes — 6.25 x 16, 11 x 18, and 9 x 26 inches — you can also add a monogram so it’s personalized to their new joint last name.

10. For the Correspondents: ExcelMark Return Address Stamp

Credit: Amazon

Between the event invites and thank you notes, weddings tend to involve a great deal of paper correspondence. Make the process easier with this self-inking return address stamp. You can customize the font, size, and color to ensure it fits the couple’s style. Give them one with their individual last names to use during their engagement, and one with their married last name for all those wedding gift thank you notes they’ll have to write post-nuptials

11. For the Memory Keepers: Floating Glitter Photo Frame

Credit: Amazon

This is an easy but incredibly thoughtful gift. Pick one of your favorite photos from their earliest days as a couple, print it out, and stick it in the 4-inch x 6-inch frame. It’s a sweet reminder of how it all started — and the floating glitter hearts add a touch of whimsy.

12. For the Cake Cutters: Juve Cake Knife and Server for Weddings

Credit: Target

Planning to throw them an engagement party that involves cake cutting? They’ll need a special cake knife and server for that! The set can be used for their wedding, too, so they won’t have to worry about registering for one.

13. For the Picturesque Pair: Define Design 11 Custom Engagement Map

Credit: Amazon

A proposal spot instantly becomes the stuff of family lore for a newly engaged couple. A custom engagement map is a romantic gift that they’ll cherish for years to come. The gorgeous watercolor prints are customized with the place, a specific color, and a type of frame so you can gift them something that reflects their tastes and honors their commitment to one another.

14. For the Coffee Drinkers: Aw Bridal Matching Mugs

Credit: Amazon

For many, wedding planning calls for caffeine — and lots of it. These matching, nuptial-planning-centric mugs provide a charming vessel to hold java, and the included covers ensure that coffee doesn’t grow cold. In the product’s ratings, reviewers note that the cups are high quality and the packaging is surprisingly luxe, making them a perfect gift.

15. For the Home Cooks: The Newlywed Table: A Cookbook to Start Your Life Together

Credit: Amazon

Whether they’re seasoned cooks or just learning their way around the kitchen, they’ll appreciate this cookbook written just for newlyweds. The recipes are simple and portioned to make just the right amount of food for two people. The cookbook also contains valuable information about safe food storage, repurposing leftovers, setting up a pantry, planning a dinner party, and establishing new family traditions.

16. For the Box-Checkers: The Little Book of Wedding Checklists

Credit: Amazon

If they aren’t sure where to begin with their wedding planning, The Little Book of Wedding Checklists is an engagement gift that will set them on the right path. As the title implies, it’s filled with checklists of things a couple should consider or look into as they’re getting married, including budgets, invitations, and information to tell guests. It can also be repurposed for different styles of weddings, from casual backyard parties to big, lavish affairs.

17. For the Sweethearts: Williams-Sonoma “Chocuterie” Board

Credit: Williams-Sonoma

Nothing says love and celebration like chocolate. Be the star (or the heart) of any engagement party with this heart-shaped “chocuterie” board. Filled with chocolate-dipped strawberries, raspberry-filled bonbons, and a variety of dried fruit, it’s a sweet way to instill romance (and chocolate) into the air. Plus, they can reuse the heart-shaped board once they’ve polished off the sweet stuff.

18. For the Couple with a Refined Palate: Williams-Sonoma Caviar Cocktail Party Set

Credit: Williams-Sonoma

If they prefer something on the savory side, they’ll love receiving this classy caviar cocktail set as an engagement gift. With caviar, creme fraîche, cocktail blinis, and mother-of-pearl serving spoons all in a reusable cooler, it’ll elevate any engagement party—plus they’ll have the pearl spoons to use for caviar service after they’re married.

19. For the Couple With a Sense of Humor: Pairs Well With Planning a Wedding Gift Bag

Credit: Amazon

Don’t just hand them a bottle of champagne as an engagement gift without putting it in a cute gift bag! This cheekily titled bag is sure to elicit a chuckle from the engaged couple, plus they can reuse it later whenever friends get engaged.

20. For the Couple that Wants to Capture the Moment: Skylight Digital Photo Frame

Credit: Amazon

The Skylight digital photo frame cycles through photos they can select in advance — perfect for all the pictures they’ll amass throughout their engagement. Family members and friends can also send photos to their frame, so they’ll have an incredible library of amazing shots once the wedding is over. It also makes for a fun centerpiece at an engagement party, shower, or rehearsal dinner, and would be a big hit if you fill it with some embarrassing photos from their childhoods.

21. For the One Who Loves to Show Off Her Ring: Diamond Dazzle Stick Portable Diamond Cleaner

Credit: Amazon

Suddenly having new, fancy hardware like an engagement ring leads to lots of questions. Like “Should I insure this thing?” (probably) and “Wait, how do I even clean it?” This pen-sized diamond cleaner helps keep brand-new bling shiny so that it’s sure to elicit plenty of “oohs” and “ahs”. It’s especially effective at cleaning those hard-to-reach spots on intricate engagement rings.

Prices were accurate at the time of publication.

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Sara Hendricks

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February 8, 2024
Empty Nesters Capturing Their Second Life With Action, Connections, and Tools
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Mastering The Empty Nest is a National movement launched by conflict expert and mediator, Karleen Andresen, for the 35+ parent crowd, also known as, empty nesters.
United States, December 1, 2015 (Newswire.com)
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As young adult children leave the proverbial bed of roses, some parents appear to move on without a hitch; however, contrary to appearances, this substantial crowd is realizing a loneliness left in the wake. An increase in divorce among the empty nest is being recognized by religious groups to entertainment websites, and conflict resource tools are Andresen’s answer, “…because I have seen it work repeatedly.”

Conflict experts, like mediators, are brought into a court situation in the eleventh hour, when it’s time to divide assets. “It’s like the hospice for families and couples because it’s where relationships go to die” says Andresen. Yet, Andresen can attest that if empty nesters gain the necessary tools earlier, “There are many relationships that could be redeemed or rescued.”

According to WSJ and others there has been an increase of divorce among the empty nester crowd; however, Andresen says, “…using mediation or conflict tools, there are many relationships that could be redeemed or rescued.”

Karleen Andresen, Owner/CEO

“People don’t get married or live together to get divorced. Behind every long lasting relationship are smaller tasks at work, and every bit of effort has needs and required tools to make it successful” Andresen says, “Knowledge, connection, a place to commiserate, a judge free zone, and tools can help them choose their terms. Andresen is not absent of reality, “Divorce can still come, but imagine it happening because it was their decision and not a knee jerk reaction to their loss.” She also says when it’s a thoughtful choice between people, there is more peace and wholeness present.

Mastering the Empty Nest is for pre-empty nest and empty nest age adults and provides free resources for those looking to recapture their “second life.” The site provides free information, a networking channel to ask and receive answers to questions, online webinars on how to navigate the changes that happen, a membership program, one-on-one consulting, and conferences to build a new life plan as couples or individuals.

An article is included for your use and publication as you see fit.

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1 POWERFUL TIP FOR EMPTY NESTERS TO STEER CLEAR OF THE AFTER CHRISTMAS CRASH – so powerful it will become a new tradition

written by: Karleen Andresen

Long awaited homecomings, late night visits, and traditional pecking and hen pecking is all part of the holiday legacy experienced between November 1 to January 2 each and every season. Like the sun rising and setting, this period of time is fraught with frenzy and tension, but beloved and expected. However, darker days lay ahead for empty nesters especially after Christmas.

Without immediate re-engagement, empty nesters can be lulled into a reminiscent depression or isolation creating an emotional crash after Christmas. This can come almost immediately, or after the dishes are finished and the tree is at the curb. It can also show up weeks later as the calendar and shopping list have fewer entries.

For empty nesters, Christmas is a highly anticipated event. There is the pre-baking, special dishes prepared for each family member, thoughtful gifts, wrapping paper and ribbons, wiping down the stemware to be spot free, polishing of the silver, and making sure you know your store hours for last minute required dashes.

The after Christmas crash is not easy, but gleaning from experience and training, this single tip could help an empty nester land on their feet. When I created this in my life, it was so enjoyed that it has became a tradition. This is geared for couples, but can easily be modified for single empty nesters to do with friends.

Plan and follow through with an activity for the two of you on the same day as the house empties –

The day everyone leaves is the day you should have your next activity with your companion. Doing so will give you something to anticipate and talk about as the children are packing up to leave. I remember an aunt and uncle left my Grandmother’s home on Christmas day for their gift to each other: a trip to Venice. As a young girl, it was delightful to watch the anxiety while everyone helped them pack, to listen to everyone speculate about their trip, and soak up the energy that surrounded them. Planning something the same day as departure also comes with some of the same frenzy as my aunt and uncles trip. Finally, make this plan equally important to planning for the arrival of the extended family or leaving on that jet plane.

If you’re not sure what to do, consider attending a champagne brunch, strolling an outdoor or indoor mall, take a long drive and just stop at a local cafe and absorb the experience, or even spend a couple hours at a local McDonald’s. You might take a trip because airlines usually participate in Black Friday sales that can last for weeks. Maybe you dine at an expensive restaurant or visit people at an assisted living facility. Perhaps you want to look at babies at the local hospital or shut yourself in at a fine hotel overnight. Really, the choice is yours to plan, but it must be planned, expected, and treated as something you are gifting. The finale? Adding a few guidelines will be the icing to a warm event.

Here are five guidelines to really add the nuances needed to make an empty nester forget their woes.
- Gauge The Activity Toward The Schedule Ahead – For example, if you only have a few hours then plan something that fits within that timeframe. If you have the ability to spend a day or overnight, pull out the stops and extend the holiday celebration.
- Forget The Clean Up – If you haven’t quite gotten the house back in order, don’t worry, the work will not clean itself. It will be there when you return.
- Get Dressed Up – It can be cumbersome to think about, but just like the effort made for the children, make the same effort for yourselves.
- Conversation Starters – Talk about the best experiences of the holidays, the most growth you noticed in each of the family members, what you noticed about each other during the season, and how you will walk into the future together.
- Hold Hands – This is so powerful that it requires announcing it. Touch is a necessity, and as empty nesters this can be a forgotten technique if not reminded.
It is a sobering time when you realize there are no more high demands on your time, no more hems to sew, no more scraped knees to kiss, and no more graduation invitations that need to be sent, but with a little help and openness, you can make a new tradition your best yet.

Karleen Andresen is a conflict expert dealing with legal cases and high conflict personalities. She runs an online community of empty nesters seeking connection and tools to navigate the terrain of living their second life. Prior, Andresen grew a women in business magazine to be the #1 in her State and published From Mystery to Math Formula: Simple equations to build your business; available on Amazon. Join her at www.MasteringTheEmptyNest.com
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December 1, 2015