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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i’d love to find a new face cleanser!!
I’m loving the rain in Southern California! We are in a drought and this rain is much needed! Plus it makes it feel more festive when you have to be all bundled up 🙂
Obsessed with lipgloss…always happy to get a new one!
I would love to find a red lipstick! I’ve never worn red before but I really want to try it! 🙂
I think have my eye and lip makeup products pretty nailed down, but I am constantly searching for face products that would help improve the appearance of my complexion. These boxes are an ideal way to get me introduced to some products I wouldn’t even know to try!
This week I am loving your giveaways! Hahaha! But I have been interested in trying Birchbox for a while, would be a great way to test it out!
I would love to try a bunch of mascaras. I have so much trouble finding “the perfect” one and they’re so expensive to keep buying duds!
I’m addicted to trying different tinted moisturizers and BB creams to wear underneath my make up for hydration. My mom said I need to hop on the CC cream bandwagon so that will probably be my next purchase 🙂
I’m loving returning to yoga. We moved about 6 months ago and I’ve just now found a studio to get back in the groove. Love that post yoga bliss! I’ve been interested in BirchBox for awhile now and would love a chance to try it out!
I’d like to try the Klorane dry shampoo you mentioned! Oscar Blandi is my staple, but it’s good to mix it up every so often!
I’d love a new moisturizer for winter!
I’m loving ALL the Christmas cookies!
I would love to find a lip scrub especially now that the colder weather has arrived.
I would be most excited for some kind of exfoliator. I love exfoliating way more than anyone should!
Every winter my hair gets so dry and static-y (this year is the worst!). I would love to get a super hydrating deep conditioner…..so far everything I have tried has been mediocre.
ps, I recently moved into my own office at work and have started playing music on my phone, because I’m lonely away from my co-workers and need a little background noise. I just turned on the rockin holidays pandora station and am lovin it! Thanks for the recommendation!
I’d love to see some lipstick! I’ve been trying to switch things up from my same old color lately.
I’ve been trying to find a new and awesome lip stain for the winter months. I would love to see what Birchbox would recommend.
I’d love a new, fun shade of lipstick! This week, I’m loving peppermint hot chocolate – nothing like that to get me in the Christmas spirit!
I’d love to see some eye liner – probably something with sparkles this month!
Something I’m loving: eggnog.
I am loving sugar cookie celestial seasonings tea! 🙂
I’d like a new moisturizer! My usual favorites aren’t cutting it with the cold, dry weather.
This week I’m also loving Christmas cookies, I baked a ton with my family last weekend and they didn’t last very long… :/
Anything from Dr. Jart or new eye shadow would be great!
I always love trying new lip colors, whether it’s gloss or lipstick!!
i would like to see a mascara — i’m always up for trying new ways to play up my eyelashes!
I would love to try anything. I need to shake it up a bit.
I’d love a pretty lip stain in a birch box! A thing I’m loving this week is orange theory. The classes have been kicking my butt this week in an awesome way 🙂
I’m loving the holiday season! Have holiday parties this weekend and then going to the UK to visit the fam!
I always love a new lip gloss!!!
I would love to try Nerium, but I don’t want to commit to buying an entire bottle without trying it because of the cost!
It would be fun to try some new blush colors and I am loving this version of the song “Mary Did you Know?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE, also as a school teacher discovering viewpure.com where you can “purify” videos you want to show students has been a lifesaver!
I would love to see some makeup primer! I love trying different primers to find the perfect fit.
I’m loving celestial seasonings cinnamon apple spice tea!
I’d love a nude palette of eyeshadows! One thing I’m loving this week is celestial seasonings Bengal spice tea… I had a sample the other day, loved it and ended up buying a pack- so good!
I’ve been loving Carribeau Coffee’s cinnamon spice tea.
From birchbox I would love some new hand cream or perfume.
I am in desperate need of high quality tinted moisturizer. I have tried a few without any luck, but full bottles of the stuff are so expensive!
I’m loving the beautiful Christmas lights my husband put up. He tries really hard to make the front entry of our house beautiful and festive, so that we’re in the Christmas spirit as soon as we pull in the driveway 🙂
I would love to try a new moisturizer! Living in VT during the winter makes my skin so dry!
I am absolutely loving the Step & Sculpt class I have been going to–so hard, but so energizing!!
Seeing my house fully decorated for the holidays.
I would love to try some moisturizers.
I would love to try some new liquid liner that doesn’t smudge!
I’m like loving the sound of the rain!!
This week, I’ve been loving new beauty products as well! I would be so excited to win that Birchbox – I asked for a subscription for Christmas. Also, lovin’ a decorated Christmas tree and home. It makes my heart happy.
A new eyeshadow – I’ve been stuck in a rut with the ones I have used for years!
I would love to try a brow powder from birchbox!
Oh I’d love to try a new hair product for frizz!
i would love a new, fancy tinted moisturizer! i’m loving that Christmas is only 13 days away 🙂
I would love to try some new eyeshadows… I have been making my Naked Basics palette streeetch for some time now!
I would LOVE to try this! I deperately need a new lip balm for my dry lips and would love to try some new mascaras.
I would love to try a new tinted moisturizer!
I would love to try out a new lipstick or lip gloss, I have such a hard time finding the right shade.
I am loving that all my classes are done, with just a few finals to go before winter break!
I am dying to try Birchbox!! I would love a new, natural lipstick.