Hey friends! How are you!? Ryan, Chase, Sadie and I arrived back in North Carolina late last night after spending some much-needed time with family over Christmas. We extended our stay a bit to be in town for a procedure my mom had scheduled for yesterday morning (all is well, no worries) and I’m glad we were able to spend so much time together!
The post-holiday blues always tend to kick in for me after Christmas and extending our stay a bit helped fight the sadness I often feel once Christmas is over. Since we were quite busy with my family and traveling back home, I didn’t have many opportunities to sit down by myself and blog last week. I really missed chatting with you guys! Things should be back to normal around here next week!
For now, let’s dive right into my usual Things I’m Loving Friday blog post where I share a short roundup of small things that make me smile every week. (Be sure to scroll to the bottom and check out today’s sneaky $250 giveaway!)
Have the best weekend!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Pie Heaven
When my mom and I planned my sister’s bridal shower years ago, we ordered quiche from Pie Heave to serve along with other brunch favorites and I’ve been dying to order quiche from the adorable local bakery again ever since. We prioritized a trip to Pie Heaven a couple of days before Christmas and ended up returning to the shop again a couple days later because my entire family inhaled our first round of quiche Lorraine and southwest quiche.
We ended up trying a few of their dessert pies for the first time as well (wild blueberry, peach and apple) and every single one was absolutely unreal. Pie Heaven truly lives up to its name and the pies are beyond fantastic. A must-try if you’re a local or ever find yourself in the Jacksonville area!
Also, I must give a shout out to the two women who own and run Pie Heaven because they were so kind and wonderful to our family. We arrived with Chase and they gave him a holiday bear Beanie Baby and he was beyond thrilled (hence the above picture)!
A new robe was one of the top items I had on my Christmas wish list this year and my sister and brother-in-law surprised me with the coziest robe in the world. I LOVE it. The robe is fluffy and soft and meets three of my biggest requirements: It’s long, has two pockets and feels incredibly warm and cozy when I slip it on. I also love the aesthetics of the fuzzy trim along the neckline and wrists and know this robe will be worn non-stop in the coming winter months. (I guess this means I can finally retire the hot pink Charlotte Russe robe I bought for myself for like $25 when I was in college. It’s borderline gross at this point with stains and singe marks on the sleeves from less-than-careful cooking mishaps.)
- Family Zoo Day
The weather in Jacksonville on the day after Christmas could not have been more beautiful – upper 60s and sunny – and we took advantage of the gorgeous day and headed out for a family trip to the zoo. I’m continually impressed with the large exhibits at the Jacksonville Zoo and love the way it feels spacious and clean. Plus, the zoo has a large train that choo-choos around the exterior of the park which is heaven-sent for a train-obsessed toddler. We rode the train for a solid 45 minutes during our visit and had a great time waving to elephants, giraffes, rhinos, coyotes, monkeys and more.
- Park Playtime + ChunkaBuns Pants for Chase
Chase cannot get enough of playing outside lately (nothing new around here!) and we’ve taken him all over Jacksonville over the past week. His favorite park is, without a doubt, Sunshine Park in Jacksonville Beach. It’s huge and fenced in (hooray!) and Chase had a ball exploring every inch of the park during our visit.
The super-soft pants he wore to play and explore came to us from ChunkaBuns, a company specializing in adorably soft, sustainable and organic eco-friendly pants. The pants could not be softer and they are made to grow with your toddler with a foldable waistband and cuffs on the bottom to give your little one extra length when you need it. These pants are fantastic and I find myself reaching for them right after I wash them because they’re so great.
- $250 VISA Gift Card Giveaway from RetailMeNot
Thank you to RetailMeNot for sponsoring the following giveaway!
And now for today’s sneaky giveaway!! A little over a week ago I shared a giveaway with you guys from RetailMeNot – the BEST site I use every time I want to find the most amazing deals, coupon codes and cash back opportunities when I do my online shopping – and the giveaway was such a huge hit that RetailMeNot reached out for Round Two! We’re teaming up today to giveaway another VISA gift card valued at $250 for you to use toward the amazing post-holiday sales that are popping up all over the place right now.
To enter this giveaway, simply click here to visit RetailMeNot and then leave a comment on today’s post telling me about a specific store/sale you’d be most excited to shop at should you win the gift card. I will randomly select a winner first thing next Friday morning. Good luck!
- Puzzle Time with My Mom
I don’t get many opportunities to kick back and work on a puzzle and the fact that my mom and I were able to complete one together in less than 24 hours this past week felt like such a treat! It’s such a great way to completely relax and unwind while sipping a hot mug of apple cider or hot cocoa. I need to do more puzzles in my everyday life. Now to find the time…
- Friday Flashbacks
Cold Brew Protein Smoothie (Just in case you’re craving a cold mocha smoothie but don’t want to down a total sugar bomb.)
Cardio + Core Burn Boot Camp Workout (This was the first BBC workout I ever did!)
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Amazon would be great! You can buy anything!
I love the great UGG coupon code. I think I am finally going to get a pair for the winter!
Home Depot would be perfect! My boyfriend and i just moved in with each other, and we are currently decorating!
I would love to shop at Macy’s!
So that robe looks like heaven! I got one for Christmas this year as well and I can’t believe I’ve lived without one for so long.
I would love to shop at Target, Amazon, Nike, Old Navy, Bath and Body Works…I’m not going to lie, I’m not picky!
if I were to win the giveaway I would be most ready to hit NORDSTROM! That store gets me every time. And that robe you mention looks like it might be my next thing to hunt!!
Thanks for sharing your recipes and workouts! Love your workouts.
Mandee
ALSO TARGET 🙂
The Nordstrom sale is always my go-to! And Sephora!
That new robe from your sister and brother-in-law sounds so comfy!
I would love to get a new pair of Uggs from the Ugg store; mine bit the dust this year and cozy things always make me happy!
I’ve been eyeing some UGG slippers and I see 60% off?!? My pick for sure!!
I would use it for lululemon!
I’ve been meaning to stock up on makeup for the new year, so the ulta discount looks perfect!
Hi Julie! Sounds like a great visit with your family!
The amazon home & garden sale is definitely calling my name!
I’d probably shop at either West Elm or Macy’s – looking to buy some new furniture and home decor in 2018!
Happy New Year! I would use one of the Nike Deals, $20 off of $100!
I didn’t know Care.com had discount offers!! We may need to find a sitter that can transport to Preschool next year. It’s great to see 20% off if we do need to join Care.com.
Amazon for sure! I’ve ordered a ridiculous amount of stuff since my little one arrived.
I’d probably be happy to use it at Bed Bath and Beyond!
I will definitely be using the Ulta and Kohl’s deals! Happy New Year!
I’d love to use the Bath and Body Works coupon because I’ve already burned all my candles from my “stocking up for awhile” trip in November! 😉
Old Navy all the way!!!
The target discount!
I already found a coupon code for Sorel and used it on the EXACT boots I was about to buy full-price for a trip to Iceland in Feb! Already browsing more stores/codes that would help us get the gear we need for ice caving and winter hikes!
I would use it with the 15% off at Kohls or Banana Republic deals.
I would have to say amazon and Target
Definitely the Amazon home and garden sale! Happy New Year!
I’m excited about the Lyft deal!
Definitely the amazon home and garden deal! I just moved into a new house and I can’t wait to start decorating and making it a home 🙂
If I win I would be most excited to shop at Old Navy for some new postpartum clothing once I have my baby in a week or so! Gotta do a wardrobe refresh and they have great sales!
I’d like the Nike coupon to get some workout gear fro the new year!
Amazon for sure, since that was where 90% of my xmas shopping was done!
I would love to shop the Amazon sale for sure!
I would totally hit up the twenty percent off target accessories-I need some new fun jewelry
I would love to use it at Old Navy and/ or Amazon – my two go-tos for almost all my shopping. 🙂
I want to use some of the Sephora coupons. Always so many great things to get there!
I have never used this site but would love to look into Target or Nike for some new workout gear!
Definitely Nike, not for me but for my girls! Between soccer and lacrosse they are in dire need of new sportswear!!
It’s my birthday today, and I’d love to treat myself with 15% from Kohl’s!
Just used RetailMeNot to look up codes for Nordstrom, Target, and Groupon! Yay!
I would do Dicks as my husband is in need of some new shows and athletic gear
I would definitely use the target deal for $5 off every $50… we are having our first baby in March and are registered there! I am learning babies need a lot of stuff! 😉
I would use it for some of the maternity clothes I’ve been coveting at Target!
With a six month old baby, the Target dale caught my eye!!!
Who wouldn’t want the Target deal?
Nike! I have a serious sneaker obsession lately.
I’m close to using that Old Navy offer 😉
The 15% off Carter coupon would be great for my family, which now includes a fast-growing four month old!
Bath and body works! Love their sales going on right now!
I would be excited to shop at Target and Ulta!
Most definitely Jo-Ann Fabrics!