The holiday season is definitely the thing I’m loving most this week. From festive cookie exchanges to beautiful decorations and twinkling lights, it really does feel like such a magical time of year. I can’t wait to hop in the car next weekend and head to my parents’ place in Jacksonville for the week!
But I’m getting a little ahead of myself… Let’s jump into our usual Friday fun and chat about what we’re loving this week. As always, feel free to share something that is making you smile in the comments section of this post… It just might count as an entry into today’s Happy Holidays Giveaway Week giveaway!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- A New Gym Job (…but I’m still keeping my other gym job, too!)
About a week ago, one of my favorite Pure Barre teachers passed my name along to the manager of a small corporate gym at a local business park. Then, earlier this week, I went in for an interview and am happy to report I’ll be picking up some more classes and working a few days a week at another small local gym! Both gyms where I’ll be working (the one I’ve been working at since November 1 and this new one) are very small and quite different from what I was used to when I taught at the YMCA in Ocala. I am enjoying the change and really like the intimate atmosphere!
These cookies are just the best. I made them for my cookie exchange party earlier this week and baked another batch yesterday before our last Girls On The Run practice of the season. The girls absolutely gobbled them up and raved about them which naturally made my heart happy. My grandma’s oversized, fluffy sugar cookies were my all-time favorite when I was a little girl and I always knew I could expect to see her big glass cookie jar overflowing with them whenever we’d go to Gettysburg to visit. (And yes, that’s Mimi’s handwriting on the recipe card above. Love!)
- Pandora Rockin’ Holidays Station
If you’re looking for an upbeat holiday Pandora station, check out the Rockin’ Holidays station! It’s full of energizing Christmas songs and I’ve been playing it non-stop since the day after Thanksgiving!
- Beautycounter Glow Sugar Scrub
Ryan and I had such a nice time with our friends Amii and Walt over dinner last weekend. As we ate Amii’s amazing baked ziti and sipped on fabulous wine, Amii told me a little bit about some of the beauty and skincare products she’s been loving lately since she’s heard me complain about my skin a time or two. She let me take home a few of her favorite samples to try from Beautycounter (she’s a consultant – and not pushy at all), and I quickly fell in love with the Glow Sugar Scrub and Peppermint Lip Conditioner. The sugar scrub is unreal (it smells like refreshing lemongrass) and only uses real sugar and pure essential oils to exfoliate skin for a healthy glow. The mineral-rich evening primrose, sweet almond, apricot kernel, and sunflower oils leaves my skin feeling soft and so, so hydrated which is much-needed since my skin cannot soak up enough moisturizer in the colder months. I’ve been using it when I shave in the shower and adore it!!
Our realtor is absolutely the best! Earlier this week, I arrived home to find the sweetest package of holiday chocolates sitting on our doorstep from Diane which made me smile. She’s so incredibly thoughtful and clearly has the best taste in chocolate because every single piece of Davidson Chocolate included in the giant solid-chocolate star box I’ve tried so far has been fabulous!
- Happy Holidays Giveaway Week Winners
Congratulations to Bre (grand prize) and Molly and Arianne (runner up), the winners of the Lorna Jane giveaway! And congratulations to Karen G. ($250 gift card) and Rachel W. (Skyscapes), the winners of the Reebok giveaway! All winners were emailed first thing this morning.
- Birchbox Giveaway
I first started subscribing to Birchbox, a monthly subscription beauty box, last year. Each box includes five beauty samples from high-end brands and my ongoing subscription has led to some of my all-time favorite beauty product discoveries, including theBalm Stainiac lip stain, Klorane dry shampoo, Dr. Brandt skincare and more.
It’s so much fun to receive a pretty little box filled with fun beauty samples each month and I think it would make a great gift for the beauty-lover in your life! Thankfully, Birchbox was kind enough to agree to host an awesome giveaway on the blog today in honor of Happy Holidays Giveaway Week!
One grand prize winner will receive a 6-month Birchbox subscription and a Cynthia Rowley Beauty Palette! And a runner-up winner will receive a 3-month Birchbox subscription!
To enter this giveaway, please answer one (or both!) of the following questions:
- What is one beauty product you’d love to see in your first Birchbox? Maybe you’re dying to try a new kind of eyeliner. Or perhaps you could use a better cleanser or lip gloss? Let me know!
- What is one thing you’re loving this week?
I will randomly select a winner next Friday. Good luck!!
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Good Eyeshadows
I would hope my birch box includes a new eye cream!
I would love to find a good facial cleanser in my first Birchbox!
I would love to find a new moisturizer for the winter months!!
Any good chapstick. I am addicted.
I am loving the rain this week.
I love trial sizes of different scents…that way I don’t have to commit to an entire bottle of something I may not even like!
Concealers and lip products are my favorite items to try!!
I would love to see a facial cleanser that helps with blackheads!
I always love travel size skincare products like cleanser or night cream. I take them with me on vacation instead of bringing my large size products from home.
I have really sensative skin and would love to find a foundation with some coverage that won’t cause irritation of breakouts.
I would love a birchbox!! I would love to try new mascara, and to try different kinds of eyeliner.
I would like to see an eye cream in a birch box. And this week I am loving peppermint mochas. Yum!
I would love to find a good primer. The primer I was in love with was discontinued and my makeup will literally slide right off my face somedays. Yikes! This week I’ve been loving all of the Holiday Movies that are on. Christmas always brings back memories of when I was a child. 🙂
I love lip and skin products that help with my dry skin during the winter! I would love to try birch
I can never have enough lip gloss!
I am loving Christmas shopping! I almost have everything bought and have been putting packages together for my family. It’s fun! 🙂
One beauty product I’d love to see: Lip Plumper!
One thing I’m loving this week: 12 days of Christmas Starbucks alerts!
Hey Julie, happy holidays:)
One product I would love to see in a Birchbox would be the new Benefit “They’re Real” slanted eyeliner. I’ve heard people rave about it but haven’t pulled the trigger on buying a full sized one yet.
Right now, I’m loving my Blistex Lip Medex blue pot of lip balm. I have found that there is not another lip balm that soothes my lips like it does! I’ve tried Carmex, coconut oil, and even other Blistex products, but nothing works like this product!
I’d love to see a nice bronzer to give me some color this winter!
I’m loving the rain that has FINALLY come to California!
I’m loving the holiday season! 🙂
I am looking for the perfect DARK red shade that isn’t purple-y or brownish, and would love a “day” moisturizer with SPF that’s a pure, natural product!
I’d love to see nail care items in a Birchbox! Something for winter care around your cuticles would be great instead of always having to get manicures!
I am also loving getting all the email confirmations that my packages have shipped and my gifts for everyone will arrive on time for Christmas 🙂
I would love a really nice tinted moisturizer for the dry winter air!
I bought a mascara because my sister said it was a “must have” but I don’t have the same love as she does for it and with my budget, I’m stuck with it! I’d love some mascara or a face moisturizer for my gym bag!
I would love a fancy new body wash!
I would love to see a beautiful natural lip stain or eyeliner! 🙂
I would love to see some fun lip colors! I love buying new lipsticks but am always apprehensive to spend $15 or so on a color that doesn’t look good on me or dries out my lips. I’m always on the hunt for good lipstick samples!
I would love a great lip stain or mascara!
SUCH an awesome giveaway!! I’d love to see a tester-sized bottle of Stella by Stella McCartney! It’s my absolute favotire perfume and a small bottle of it would be perfect to take on my upcoming Christmas trip! Thanks for offing the giveaways, Julie!
My skin is starting to get dry with the weather. I’d like some sort of moisturizer to try.
I would love an oil-free moisturizer for night that is hydrating!
I’d love to find an eyeshadow palette with bronze and gold and shimmery hues in my first box.
Right now I’m loving holiday parties at work. “Cookies and milk” day is coming up next week!
I am always on the lookout for new, one step above natural lips lip glosses and stains :). This week I’m loving running outside in the slightly warmer, brisk weather.
I would love to find a new dry shampoo! This week I’ve been on a hot tea kick, it’s my afternoon treat!
I would love to find a good cleanser, and I always like trying new lip glosses.
I’d love to find some new mascara in my box!
I need fun holiday lip gloss or lip stick!
I would love to try a new moisturizer!!! This week I am loving the mall at Christmas time! There is nothing better
I would love a new eyeliner! I have the hardest time buying any good ones.
I would love to see a tinted moisturizer!
I’m a pretty simple makeup routine kind of girl – bronzer, mascara, eyeliner most days. I buy much else because I don’t want to commit to it without knowing if it’ll become a regular in my routine – and makeup is so expensive!! A box like this would be a fantastic way to find some new things to love.
I would love a matte lipstick!
I love lip gloss! One thing I’m loving this week is my new Sorel boots, they have made this week of winter weather in Maine bearable!
i love birch box, but haven’t had it in SO long!! I love the monthly beauty surprises! 🙂
I need a new smoothing product for my hair. Haven’t found the perfect one yet and this dry winter air is making me frizz city! And, I am loving that I am actually starting my holiday baking early this year so I’m not overly stressed come Christmas Eve trying to get all my neighbor’s treats delivered. Oh yeah, and it’s $8 candle day at Bath and Body Works today!
I want a kick ass mascara. I’m looking for a good one as my wedding approaches. Also, I’m loving the celestial seasonings gingerbread tea this week!
Could really use a good dark lip color!
Congratulations on the job!
I wouldLove to try a new fabulous mascara.something I am loving this mean is that I am about to fly home to Florida to go to Harry Potter world with one of my best friends!
I’d love to see a new sample of mascara in a Birchbox! I am having the hardest time finding a non-waterproof formula that doesn’t smudge.
OMG what a great giveaway! I need some new lipstick…ASAP!
Happy friday!
I’m loving that we are moving tomorrow! I’d love to try a new tinted moisturizer and a new lip gloss.