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\")
Awesome awesome giveaway!
I would love to receive a fragrance sample. I live trying new smells out, but they are usually so expensive to buy.
This week I am loving that I took the last exam of my college career – wahoo!
I’d like some new mascara!
I would love some sort of lip color! I never use lip products so I feel like it would really give me a different look!
I need a new mascara & possibly a bronzer.
I am in dire need of a good dry shampoo!
I would like to test out some new mascara!
I’d love some new makeup brushes. The good ones are not cheap!
i need something for bags under my eyes!!
And I’m loving that finals are done next week. Semester 1 of my masters program is aaaaalmost done
I am loving amazing coworkers!
Perhaps a facial cleanser?
I’m going to say lip gloss- you can never have too many!
I’ve been on the loo out for a lip stain and mascara.
I would love to see a new mascara! I’m in desperate need for a great one that doesn’t flake/make my eyelashes stiff!
I would love to try new concealor and dry shampoo.
I really need a good eye treatment/cream!
I would love to try an oil cleanser or a new mascara. I am always on the lookout for a good one since they quit making my favorite Max Factor 3000 calorie mascara years ago. My favorite thing right now is reading my kindle. I just had finals this week and am ready to read and relax.
I’d love to find the perfect mascara!
I am loving watching all of the Christmas movies out on tv!!
I’m currently loving “Last Christmas” by Wham! I’m obsessed and its been on repeat.
I’m an eyeshadow junkie!
I’d like to try different moisturizer. I’m loving Christmas music this week!
I would love to see a primer or lightweight moisturizer in the Birch Box.
I’d love to try a new lip gloss
Something I’m loving today is that today I was offered a full time position doing what I love as a Child Life Specialist at the hospital I’ve been working at as a contingent for the past few months
I would love to try a new dry shampoo – maybe the dry bar one?
I am loving the crispness of the winter air. It is so refreshing!
My lips have been so dry this winter. I’d love to try something to help them and then some new lip gloss to make my lips look good! Some new face wash would be good too; my skin is out of control!
I’d love to see a great lip gloss!
I would love an all natural shampoo! What am I loving this Friday? The fact that it’s finally Friday!!
I would love a great lengthening mascara!
A refreshing face mask and a lip gloss! I’m loving gingersnap cookies
Something I’m loving this week is all the cookies we decorated this evening with family!
I would love some new mascara!
I’m loving getting in the Christmas spirit and buying gifts for my loved ones!
would love eyeliner! Mine is…olllddd
I would love to see an eyeliner! Perhaps the urban decay 24/7 glide on pencil because I have never tried it! This week I have been loving Christmas related things like shopping, listening to music, and Christmas movies!=]
I would LOVE to see some eyeliner in a birchbox, especially something in a funky color. To give it a little more pop, I usually line colored eyeliner over black liquid!
I would love some new mascara or thickening shampoo!
I’m happy the holidays (& vacation) are right around the corner
One thing I am loving this week is watching the amazing race! I love seeing all of the countries they go to and I hope to experience the race one day with my dad (:
Something I’m really loving this week is my 2nd graders. I am an intern at an elementary school and this was my 2nd week. I’m really starting to fall in love with them!
eyeliners!! definitely my favorite make-up item. LOVE.
I would love to see an anti-wrinkle night moisturizer! I am looking for a new one, but don’t want to shell out major bucks until I find one I like 🙂
I’m loving the fact that I’ll be on a plane HOME to sunny (though currently very rainy) San Diego in 3 days after finals are over! CANNOT WAIT!!!
Eyeshadow and I’m loving Chistmas Parties!!
I would love to try some Dior lipgloss! And I’m very thankful for all the Christmas spirit around this time of year!
Ooh, dry shampoo would be great!
I’d like to try a lip stain!
I would love a new face cleanser. My current one is ok… but I think it could be better! I’m loving the Christmas lights in my neighborhood this week.
!
The one thing I’m LOVING this week: I GRADUATED from college with my Bachelor’s in Social Work!!!!!!!!!
Something I’m loving this week/month is performing the Nutcracker ever night of the week! I’d love to try some new cleanser or a new lip color!