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 would love to find a great moisturizer! Winter is drying me out big time.
I’ve been seeing posts about creme (cream?) eyeshadow everywhere recently and have been wanting to give it a try! I’d love to see anything new in a birchbox really – I’m not adventurous with makeup and skincare stuff at all on my own!
I would love an under eye moisturizer! I just haven’t found one that I love!
I really need a new face moisturizer! I buy probably a gazillion a year, and still have yet to find the PERFECT one for my skin!
I would love to try a good line minimizer! Too many hours in the sun when I was younger! Or fun glittery eyeshadow:)
I am loving my new hot pink CEP compression sleeves. They have complained changed how my legs recover.
I am loving all the Christmas parties this time of year! It can be stressful with so much going on, but it’s so nice to get together with friends and family for the holidays!
I would love to see a new face cleanser (mine hasn’t been working as well as it used to for me). And I’m loving being done with this semester of school so I can go home and spend some quality time with family!
eye shadow. I haven’t worn in in forever and probably should be.
I am not all that girly so I am always looking for any help I can get! An awesome lip balm would be fun. I am loving that is it Friday 🙂
This has been such an amazing week! I think, overall, I’m just thankful for my positive outlook on life and my friends and family who I’m surrounded by. Also, it’s the Christmas season! What a beautiful time of year. 🙂
I’m looking for a new under eye concealer! I’m always hesitant to spend a lot of money on a new product, unsure of how well it will end up working. This week I’m loving that I had a short work week! I was in FL earlier in the week, so only had to work 3 days 🙂
One thing I’m loving this week – Christmas lights! I put some lights up on my apartment last night and it totally changed my attitude towards this Holiday season.
Red lipstick!
I am in dire need of some new blush! And something I am loving this week is finishing my first semester of OT school!
Hi Julie, thank you for hosting these giveaways, they’re so fun! I’m mascara obsessed, but always hesitant to shell out lots of money for more expensive brands without knowing how it will compare to some cheaper options, so I would love to get a mascara sample in my first box!
I would love a new mascara!
Looking forward to going to my work christmas party tonight and my first patriots game on Sunday!
Definitely some lipstick. I really want to find an everyday lipstick that would work for me!
I need new fun, eye-shadow and can’t decide which color palette I want.
I would love to try a new facial cleanser that doesn’t dry out my skin.
I could really use something to help minimize my pores…i feel like the older i get the bigger they get! Right now I am just loving the holiday season…christmas dinners, parties…its such a great time to catch up with friends and family 🙂
lip gloss or any eye makeup!
I would love to see some eyeliner or eyeshadow. This week I am loving random acts of kindness. It just makes my heart feel supersized to make a stranger smile.
I’d love to try a lengthening mascara that actually works!
As for things I’m loving this week, I’d have to say mini candy canes. I’ve been popping them into my hot tea for a little mint flavor!
Facial moisturizer. It’s brutal 🙁
Company holiday parties!
I would love to see some eyeshadow palettes in my first Birchbox. Eyeshadows is a territory I have yet to venture into so I need to practice (hopefully with the Naked palette!!).
A new lip stain or any makeup product!
I would love some new blush! I will switch up other products, but I never venture out with my blush and would love to step out of my comfort zone a bit.
i’m loving your generosity and for all the amazing gifts you have given for this holiday giveaway week! you rock! happy friday!
I’d love some cute eyeshadow colors.
I really want to get into the red lip stick trend but can’t find one that works well for me. I also really need a new liquid eyeliner!
Thanks for the holiday station recommendation! I’ve been looking for new ones to spice it up!
I am always on the hunt for the perfect mascara! Congrats on the new gym role. Have a great weekend!
I would love to find a new face cleanser!
one thing i would LOVE to see in my birchbox is essie nailpolish, I have quite the collection and can never get enough! This friday i am loving coffee. I am in law school, and after 2 weeks of 9-11pm days in the library, I am grateful for this delicious beverage for keeping me going 🙂
I’m a mascara junkie and always love to try new ones out!
Andddd I just put on the Rockin’ Holidays pandora station 🙂 Thanks for that, it will probably be playing nonstop from now on! My friend gave me a birch box subscription for my birthday!! It expires next month, but I LOVE getting new makeup products. I’ve recently enjoyed getting creative with makeup, but it’s just so expensive to buy new stuff!
I would love a facial moisturizer and under eye anti-wrinkle cream!
Definitely could use some new bronzer- winter white does NOT look good on me!!
And, I am loving that finals week is almost over which means its almost time to head HOME for some holiday cheer and family!!
awesome giveaways!!! i would love to have a “winter” moisturizer in my birchbox … winter in NYC is no joke and is wreaking havoc on my face.
i could use any skin products for winter skin — dry but still oily (combo skin, lucky me!). winter in CT is rough and my skin needs all the help it can get!
I’m still on the lookout for a great dry shampoo – but I’m so cheap those two don’t usually mix 😉 And Friday? As of 12:30 I’ll have finished my last presentation and be done undergrad!
I would love some new facial moisturizer. What I’m currently loving is extra time spent with family and friends!
I’m loving that the work week is over! It was my first week back to work from Maternity leave(where I broke my foot) and I got pink eye and crashed my car. Needless to say, I’m glad this week is over. It can only get better right?
I’ve been really into skincare recently and trying to find the products that are right for my skin, but so many of the products are expensive and I’m intimidated by how many there are. I love getting smaller samples to try out!
I would love some liquid eyeliner!
I’m loving that I finished grading all my students’ final papers this week!
I am loving going over to parents house tomorrow to decorate the tree!
Loving the BIg Sexy hairspray for all the fun holiday parties I am curling my hair for! I am loving mint hershey kisses, going to make some christmas cookies this weekend with them! Have a great weekend!
I would love a new dry shampoo. I’ve tried so many and just can’t find one I love.
And this weekend, I’m loving that it’s my nephew’s 2nd birthday party! So excited!
I would love a new shade or two of lipstick!
Loving mornings spent sipping peppermint mochas and reading the newspaper before getting up for work and on with the day.