Tag Archives: Father’s Day

5 Great Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Dads

5 Great Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Dads

It can be really hard to shop for guys sometimes, but Father’s Day is next week and I know some of you are still trying to figure out what to get. Here are a few suggestions, the subtitle of this post being  What my husband is really into right now;

1.

An Audible membership and a few books to start him off. This app has been revolutionary for my husband ‘s commute and for us on long road trips, he even listens to his books while doing work around the house. He love it.

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2.

I’m loving the Tembo Catchall from FashionABLE for him. I had a chance to see the impact this social enterprise has on the lives of women in Ethiopia first hand when I was there a year ago. Not only are their products high quality, and well designed, when you purchase them you improve the lives of others. There is no better gift than that!

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3.

Beats By Dre Powerbeats Wireless bluetooth headphones. Totally portable and no more annoying cord! My husband uses his all the time for music, workouts and audio books.

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4.

Logitech UE MEGABOOM Bluetooth Wireless Speaker is a mini portable speaker on steroids. This travels everywhere around the house, outside, and on the road with my husband. It rocks!

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5.

Math Formulas Tie by Josh Bach at Uncommon Goods. Uncommon Goods is one of my favorite sources for gift giving, if this tie isn’t quite the thing for the person you have in mind, there are also the constellation socks, or the golf ball cufflinks, among other wonderful items to choose from.

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What else would you add to this list?

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

Remembering My Dad On Father’s Day

Remembering My Dad On Father’s Day

A few years back I bought some Concord grapes at the market.   I hadn’t tasted them in years and surprised myself  as the flavorful berry burst in my mouth andburst into tears.   When I was a kid my father had cultivated Concord grapevines up the side of our garage.  Apparently my memory of him was intrinsically intertwined with the taste that burst forth from inside that grape.  Since he passed away when I was 13 I am left with gauzy recollections…much like peering out from behind the bee nets we would wear to help harvest honey from his beehives.   He was a beekeeper, among other things.  As a physician and small plane pilot, he had served as a flight surgeon in the Army.   He was a wood-worker, a craftsman, and gardener.  He was the father who had nurtured me until I became a teenager, and then was gone.

Me and my dad

As an adult I realize now,  that I missed out on truly getting to know him as a person, as only grown children can know their parents.  My insight into the man he was comes from the clues I collected over the years.  An eccentric for sure, to house 5 stacked beehives in an urban ¼ acre backyard.  I remember him reading constantly, many books and periodicals at the same time, and the thousands of books in our home were a testament to his love of them.  I discovered the mysterious root of my wanderlust when I found his massive collection of adventure travel books.  He was an armchair traveler, and that somehow planted a seed that then took me around the world.

I do remember the feeling of missing the security that having a father allows you.  Some umbrella of protectiveness shut with his loss;  I so envied those who had that.  Truth be told, I still do.  A father’s strong love is unique and irreplaceable.

In time,  I was fortunate to gain an amazing father-in-law.  He is also a renaissance man, a physicist, artist and author.  Most importantly, he is father to my husband, also a renaissance man in his own right, and an incredible father to our own four kids.  I can see how my father-in-laws’ influence and brilliance nurtured my husband and my equally amazing sister-in-law.  With the advent of our own children, these two fathers in my life give us so much to celebrate on Father’s Day.  I am incredibly grateful for the presence and influence of an remarkable father and grandfather in my children’s’ lives.

My oldest daughter is now thirteen, the age I was when my own dad passed away.  My husband and I marvel at that fact.  I try to see my thirteen-year-old self in her, and reach back to find those memories of that age to peer through her lens.  I wonder at  how we are shaped by our parents in childhood as if through osmosis, only become aware of some of those influences, as we become parents ourselves.  As we prepare to celebrate Father’s Day, no matter where your father is , or what your relationship may be, take this day to cherish just having had him in this world and in your life.

These days when I eat Concord grapes I know what to expect ,and I let my beautiful, gauzy memories flood back in.

 

A different version of this post previously appeared on www.amomknowsbest.com 

5 Great Father’s Day Gift Ideas

5 Great Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Less than a month away, June 17th is right around the corner, so to help you start thinking about what to give this Father’s Day I’ve picked out a five favorite Father’s Day gift ideas that have caught my eye:

 

1. If the dad in your life likes cutting edge technology like my husband and father-in-law do, then he might love the new Lytro camera that uses light field technology to focus your picture after you have taken it!

 

 

2.    Tom’s Sunglasses 

 

 

 

A cool pair of sunglasses make a great Father’s Day gift.  The Tom’s motto is:  “One for One”, and you may have heard about the shoes before, but now Tom’s is making glasses too.  For every pair of these cool looking frames bought, one pair of  eye glasses will go to someone who needs them.

 3. Anything Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod, idon’t care what it is, if he doesn’t have one he probably wants one.  The cool thing is that for no additional charge Apple will laser engrave a personal message onto the back of whichever one you choose.

4. The world traveler and photographer will love the photography book Steve McCurry: The Unguarded Moment 

 

 

 

5. Something fun like:

Math Symbol Cufflinks

 

 

 

 

A Cool Tie

 

 

 

 

 

or  The bottle Opener (for that engraved iPhone you got him)

 

Of course all dads love the homemade gifts and cards from the kids, so these suggestions are in addition to those! Any other great gift ideas for Father’s Day? I’d love to hear more.