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\")
This week I am loving sipping on hot tea to warm up on chilly evenings.
I’d like to try a tinted moisturizer! 🙂
I’d love to try a new lip balm to help my dry lips!
Something I would LOVE to see in my first Birchbox? Moisturizer! I’m on a constant hunt for something for combination skin that also helps fight breakouts.
I’m totally loving that all of my Christmas presents are wrapped and under the tree!
I’ve been admiring everyone’s brightly-colored lipstick but have been too timid to try it myself. I’d love to give it a whirl for funsies.
I am in a huge need for foundation powder!!!
I have tried hunting down the staniac you mentioned but that appears to be a no-go around here. Would love to try that. And congrats on the new job!
A good concealer!
I would love to try a rich hand cream or a deep hair conditioner.
I’m loving buying gifts for my family and friends!
I would like to try a new eye liner. Right now I am loving my week here in Vegas.
I need to try Mimi’s sugar cookie recipe this holiday season!
I’ve been searching for that perfect mascara lately, and still haven’t found one that I love!
I’m loving that my puppy is getting with the house training program. Fingers crossed the progress continues.
I actually really need a new lipstick (hypoallergenic) but not sure if they offer that.
I’m loving that my half marathon will be over on Sunday! And I’d LOVE a Birchbox subscription. I’m always wanting to try new products.
I’m loving that my father is down for a week!!! My son is loving having his PawPaw here as well!!
I’d love to try a new color of lipstick or gloss. I get stuck in my peachy/nude lip route and I always think the holidays are a great time to try new colors.
I’ve been loving honey chamomile tea this week. It’s raining in CA and it makes me feel warm and cozy at night sipping away with my husband.
I’m loving bright lip colors but can’t find one that stays put and stays moisturizing for longer than a couple hours.
I could use a new perfume!
I would love to try some new eyeshadow. I really need to branch out and try something different with my eyes.
I would love a new cleanser…my cheap-y drugstore one is almost out and I’m definitely not in love with it!
I would love to find a really good blush. I struggle with that.
Hard to choose just one thing I’d love to try but definitely a dry shampoo. I’ve been reading about how to make my own dry shampoo with corn starch but finding a good product would be better! What I’m currently loving-Bath and Body Works holiday hand soaps! Winter Candy Apple smells amazing
I’d love To try a new cleanser!
I’d love to try some new face and/or skin products that I wouldn’t normally buy.
This week I’m loving my favorite Christmas bazaar in Philadelphia! Hoping to find some fun gifts as I haven’t started any shopping yet…
I would love a good perfume!
So close. Thought I won a prize!
I have been loving Northern Illinois weather lately! It’s pretty mild for us!
I am on the hunt for a new mascara!
I’d like to see a new cleanser. It seems all of the cleansers I’ve tried end up leaving my skin very dry. The one thing I’m loving this week is the Christmas music the local radio stations are playing (especially Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”).
I would love a high quality tinted moisturizer!
I don’t think it’s available in the birchbox but I’ve been dying to try the tarte blushes. I’m loving being done with finals and another semester of school!
I am loving that my manager sent our group an email dictating that we work from home due to the crazy rainstorm in the California Bay Area.
I am always up to try a new eye cream- or lip stains/lip sticks!
A good primer to use under foundation and I am always looking for a good mascara!
I would love some new lip colors!
I need a new cleanser.
Would love a new foundation! And this week discovered the 2014 haters guide to the William Sonoma catalog – super funny!
I’d love to have better foundation, and eye makeup!
I’ve been subbing at a kindergarten this week and totally loving it!
I would love to try a new lip scrub!
I really want to find a “go to” mascara, I just don’t have one that I absolutely love.
I don’t wear too much makeup, but I would love something to help me with my stubby eyelashes!
This week I am loving working from home!
I’d love to try a new mascara.
I’m going to a Christmas party at Disney tonight with my family so that’s definitely what I’m LOVING this week 🙂
I need some new blush/cheek color. I am not good at picking those out so I would love the help 🙂
I would love to see a beautuful peach lipgloss or blush
I LOVE Birchbox! My December box should be arriving any day now and I can’t wait to see what is inside! I never take a sneak peak that way I am always surprised when I open it up. I am hoping this one contains some eye shadow I can try out for some holiday parties coming up! I am loving the reaction my son has every time he sees the Christmas tree and the lights. He says “wow” every time. Makes me so happy!
I’d love to try a new hair product. I hate buying a full size product and then not loving it. 🙁
This week I am loving my new essential oils. I’m slowly learning about the different ones and their uses and it’s all very interesting!
I’ve been using the same hair volumizing spray for ages. I would love to try something new, but I’m afraid to pay for an expensive spray that I don’t like. A sample-size volumizing spray in Birchbox would be a perfect way to discover a great new product!
I would love a great moisturizer to help me get through the winter. I am just loving that it is Friday and I get to see one of my good friends Saturday evening.