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!!
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
I’d love to see some skincare products. My skin type has changed and I’m having a tough time finding something that works.
Some kind of lipstick. Cant ever get myself to buy any without testing them first
I’m obsessed with moisturizers. But really, any samples I love and they are perfect for travel!
Something to make my skin more luminous. This cold, dry weather is terrible :P.
I am definitely loving all the christmas lights when driving throught my neighborhood at night. I would love to try some new eyeshadows for the new year.
One thing I’m loving this week is pics of my new nephew Emmett!
One thing that I’m loving is how everyone around me seems to be in the giving mood. It’s spreading like wild fire and it’s an overall great presence to be around.
I’m loving holiday teas! Peppermint and gingerbread are makin me feel festive at night 🙂
I’d love a liquid eyeliner to try in Birch box. I never buy it on my own.
I just turned on pandora rockin holidays
I’m in the market for a shimmery eye shadow, so I’d want that in my Birch Box!
I would love to try out a new nighttime moisturizer!
I would love to try a new mascara! My eyes are very sensitive and it’s hard to find one that I can wear.
What is one beauty product you’d love to see in your first Birchbox? I would love a good night moisturizer!
What is one thing you’re loving this week? the rain in California!
I’m loving being almost done with finals and getting to spend time with my family next week!
I would love a new face moisturizer!
I would love to see some fun new eyeshadows – I keep my makeup routine pretty simple but am dying to try a new way to switch it up!
I’d love to try a new cleanser. Happy Friday!
I need a new lip gloss that stays!
What a wonderful *GIVEAWAY* of a 6 month subscription for Birchbox PLUS and a Cynthia Rowley Beauty Palette! I love both!
To answer the questions:
1). I would love to have in the Birchbox Dr. Brant’s products (pore cleansers) or the COOLA Peppermint Vanilla balm!
2.) Things I’m loving this week: Christmas songs! Currently, I’m loving my Mannheim Steamroller and also the Michael W. Smith & Friends Chrismas Spirit CD’s.
I hope I win!
This week, I’m loving exercise! My schedule has been off lately and I haven’t exercised regularly in awhile. This week, that changed. I’m back!
I would love to try a new lip gloss to spice up the holiday season!
And speaking of holidays, I am LOVING that I bought a time for the christmas tree and every night when I get home it’s lit.
I’ve been dying to try a dry shampoo, my thin hair always looks so greasy after a day!
Perhaps some new colors of eyeshadow to help me be brave. I need some new makeup for my wedding next spring!
Currently, I’m looking for a liquid liner that actually lasts! Super hard to find.
I’ve been wanting to try Burchbox!!!! I’ve been wanting to try some deep conditioning hair masks. I’ve been loving my c booth bath scrub from ulta. My skin has been super dry lately too!
What a great giveaway Julie! I’d love to try new hair products in my box. Hope you have a great weekend girl!
I’m loving all things red. I’m wearing red flannel, just bought a fun red bra, and I’ll probably have a glass of red wine tonight. 😉
Something I’m loving this week is mac & cheese! Well, I love it every week!
I love the nice weather we’ve been having in iowa!
I am still on the hunt for the perfect eyeliner, so winning the birchbox giveaway would be amazing!
In a Birchbox, I would love to try out some new lip colors and liners. It’s so hard to find amazing colors in formulas that feel good and stay on!
I would definitely be interested in trying a new bronser or eye liner. I have been using the same kind for years. One thing I am loving is that it’s Friday!
I would love a great hand lotion. My hands are cracking all over the place! I am excited for a brand new hair cut today! I’m cutting off a good 12 inches! I’m also thankful for all the Christmas fun we are going to partake in. We have an Ugly Christmas Sweater Run, a Prep and Landing party for the kids, and a Christmas lights and hot chocolate evening planned.
I’d love a fun new lipstick!
I could really use a new cleanser!
I have thought about trying Birch Box but don’t typically use a lot of beauty products. With that said, as I am getting older I am wanting to dive into more make up and skin care. You named it, I really need to find a new eyeliner, mine seems to never stay in place and I wind up looking pretty scary after a long day. And this week I am also loving your Grandma’s sugar cookies! And Alex did too!
A new eyeshadow… I accidentally gave up my favorite one in a swap party I hosted recently – whoops!
Today I am loving that a surgery I had to have this week is behind me!
I could really use some new bronzer. Ive always wanted to try birchbox!
I need some good eyeshadows !!
Lip stain!
I’d love to try a new lip gloss!
We’re having two Polar Express pajama parties with my boys this week!
I would love to see smashbox photo finishing primer!
I always need some new lip color!
I would love to find a new mascara to try!
I’ve been loving the So Delicious Egg Nog in my morning coffee.
I am a minimalist when it comes to makeup and barely wear it anyways. I would love a good cleanser or moisturizer to make my skin look it’s best.
I would love to find a new lipstick!
I normally do NOT like cold weather. But we’re celebrating Christmas this weekend at our house and it has been very chilly here in Florida and I’m loving it. It feels more like Christmas if it’s not 80 degrees 🙂
I’d love to try a new cleanser.
This week I am loving being home from my semester abroad in Europe and able to spend time with my boyfriend!