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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One thing I’m loving this week is that my in-laws are coming to visit tomorrow!!
BB cream or a new foundation — I’d love to try it out!
I would love to receive a good face moisturizer in a birchbox. My face has been feeling so dry and peely lately and I literally carry moisturizer around with me throughout the day to reapply. And something I’ve been loving lately is pumpkin spice chai from trader joes :))) hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I am LOVING the Christmas season! It’s my favorite time of year, WITHOUT a doubt, and every day is just more special than the next 🙂
I would love a new mascara! I’m always on the hunt. This week, I have been loving face masks and lip balm because finals and stress are doing some whacky stuff to my skin, but I’m trying to keep it under control! 🙂
I can’t get enough lip gloss! I rarely run out of them, but love getting new ones!
i’d love a new dry shampoo or conditioner — always on the hunt for the best of these. this week, i’m loving having so many great friends to do fun things around NYC with every night!
Lipstick! I am really into a colored lip these days, and there is no such thing as too many lipsticks!
Either BB or CC cream — I haven’t tried one yet but I want to!
I’d love to try a new oil for my hair, my hairdresser just used one recently that made my hair feel fabulous! And this week, I am loving the pumpkin scones I got at the farmer’s market! The vendor gave me them buy one get one free, and I’ve been eating them non-stop ever since 🙂
I would love to try out a new dry shampoo.
This week I am loving peppermint mochas!
I’d love to try a new cleanser for my skin!
Definitely needing a new bb cream!
I would love a high quality shampoo, and I’m always in the market for quality mascara – it’s not always in my broke college-student budget, but I love what a difference it makes for my eyelashes!
I’m always actively looking for a great cleanser. Something that smells good and, more importantly, works like a dream.
One thing I’m loving this week is that my daughter started walking! Very exciting (and busy!) over here!
I would love to try a new mascara!
I am loving that I will be 15 weeks pregnant tomorrow!!
Ooooh I’ve been dying to try Birchbox but can’t swing the money right now. I would love to try some new haircare products. I’ve noticed lots of breakage and flyaways this winter and I’m not sure what to do!
This week, I am LOVING my first Christmas with my wonderful fiance, Scott. We just moved in together this past September (we’ve been dating for nine years…since high school) and it’s wonderful to be able to decorate and get our first Christmas tree.
always in need of a new exciting lip gloss!
I would like to find a mascara sample. One thing I’m loving this week is the rain that got dumped on Southern California…. we desperately neeeded it!
I’d love to try a new dry shampoo or face moisturizer!
I’d love a new scent – I’m getting sick of my current perfume!
I’m loving that it finally stopped raining up here in New England. Hoping for a nice, sunny weekend!
i would love to try an eye cream! I am loving the fact that my college friends are visiting this weekend!!!
Peppermint mocha lattes and other holiday drinks!
I’d love some new lip gloss or moisturizer!
I’d love some new skin care products! I stopped my birchbox subscription when I got pregnant since I was a little weird about using any chemicals during this 9 months…I’m ready to jump back on the wagon!
I would love to find some new skin care items. Lately my blackheads have been awful on my nose but my skin is so dry everywhere else. It’s so frustrating when I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a full sized product if I don’t like it.
This week I am loving all the rain we are getting on Northern California!
i would love to find a good dry shampoo! I’ve been on a seemingly endless quest to find the perfect one. this week I am loving all the holiday cheer and goodies in my office!
I am in need of a new lipstick or gloss, badly!
Eyeliner!! I’m obsessed with creating a perfect cat-eye before I walk out the door every morning. I’m currently loving the new S’mores Quest Bar! SO GOOD!
I would love to try the latest and greatest CC cream. Life with a little one leaves little time for myself so I need something quick to look put together. In Northern Nevada I’m loving the wet weather we’re finally getting. The snow on the mountains is gorgeous. Plus it gives me a good reason to wear my Hunter boots everyday.
I need a new eyeliner pencil.
I would love to try a new lip balm that is super hydrating during the winter months and I’ve been loving getting my Christmas shopping all done!
I would love to see eyeliner or some lip gloss! I am a bit if a lip product junkie.
I always love to try new lipstick! With the weather so dry this winter, I also need some super-hydrating face lotion.
I’m always looking for a good lipstick or lip stain and your review of your favorite one is intriguing- I’d love to try it!
I am always looking for the perfect nude eye shadows!
I’m loving that, as a teacher, I have just 1 week until Christmas break and a Disney vacation with my family!
I’d love to see a pretty maroon lipstick or lip gloss in my Birch Box. I’ve been wanting to try out the darker shades, but it scares me a bit;) I’m loving the Banff Film Festival this week!!
I need some new lip gloss!
Lip balms
I’m loving that i only have 6 more work days til i go home for christmassss!!
I am in desperate need of a new moisturizer for the winter months.
Looking for a new red lipstick!
I would love to find a good dry shampoo!
A wrinkle cream for the eye area. Time is not treating me well!! Lol
After reading about the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment on your blog and on Housewife Glamour, I bought it this week and so far I’m loving it! It has given my hair a nice texture and I could swear my roots have doubled in a week!
I’d love to try a new lip gloss!
I’d love to try a new lip stain, I got first introduced at a friend’s wedding for make-up and I’m obsessed.
I would love to see some smoky eyeliner or blush/bronzer and this week, I’m loving that we bought a gingerbread house to decorate this weekend!