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 try a new concealer and I love trying out new lip gloss!
I would love a new lip stain! Also loving Christmas music this week.
I would love to try new moisturizer. This week I’m loving the Christmas decor all over town!
I am loving seeing snow flurries all week!
New moisturizer and lip gloss would be at the top of my list! Have always wanted to try a Birch Box!
I would like to try dry shampoo or a good body lotion.
I am looking for a good facial moisturizer & I am loving my husband this week!
Some new eye shadow would be awesome!
I would love to find a good under-eye product for dark circles. I’m always on the hunt but haven’t found a product I really love.
This week I am loving all the Christmas related activities – decorating, baking cookies, parties, it’s a fun time of year 🙂
I would love to have the Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturizing spray in my Birchbox. I’ve been wanting to try it for months now!
I’d love some mascara.
I would love to see a new red lip!
I’m just starting to get into makeup more so anything would be great but I am on the hunt for a great facial moisturizer.
A dry shampoo would be really awesome! I’ve never tried it before. I love to try lip stains but I’m afraid to spend so much money on one I don’t think I would like. This would be an awesome opportunity to branch out!
I’ve been looking for a nighttime moisturizing cream.
Some new eyeshadow would be great!
I am loving that I am done Christmas shopping!! Yay! And I would love to see any products from Hourglass or Cover FX…both great product lines!!!
Anything skincare related. I’m always nervous to buy a full sized bottle of something before I know if I even like it.
I always love trying new foundations and powders!
Loving 3 holiday parties in one weekend!
I would love to try a new fragrance!
I would love to try a new moisturizer and mascara!
What an amazing giveaway! So hard to narrow down to one beauty item but I would have to say right now I am need of a nighttime moisturizer. One thing I am loving this week is the warm weather going on here in Iowa.
I’m loving all the Christmas decorations!
Would love a new hair product that helps prevent fizziness.
Face moisturizer. Lipstick. Any hair products.
I could use new blush. One thing I’m loving this week is my peppermint Chapstick.
I would love to try a new out-of-my-comfort-zone eyeliner!
I would love to see a fun, bright red lipstick!
I’m loving the holiday sales! I’m finding great deals to shop for friends and family.
I’d love a new lip color!
I’m loving all the Christmas parties right now!!
Number 1 thing I’m loving- that it’s the weekend (and a long one, since I took Monday off work)!
Loving this weather!
I’m in the market for a great mascara!
Dry shampoo for me please!!
Love being done with exams!
I’d love to try some new natural makeup products like Tarte. I’m always looking for a more natural product that works well but with the price, it gets expensive experimenting~
I would love a new cleanser!
The cooler Florida “Winter” weather!
I would love to try a new moisturizer. And I’m loving all my wonderful new friends I’ve made in my graduate program. I couldn’t have made it through the first semester without them!
I could Use a heavy duty lip balm to cure my winter dry lips!
I’d love to see mascarra! I’ve been on the hunt for a new tube and want to try a new brand 🙂
This week, I’ve been drinking coffee like it’s water… so I’ve been LOVING just different coffeeshops and the coffee drinks!
I would love to see some Tarte lipstick!! I’m currently loving that the snow has stopped and the roads are dry to commute on!!!
I would love to receive new blushes/bronzers. Everybody can use a new color to brighten up their face in the winter months.
This week I have been loving seeing the trees in my area draped in snow! It feels like Christmas around here.
Ooh, I need a heavy duty moisturizer… these Chicago winters aren’t kind to my poor skin!
I’m in the market for new skincare products! Birchbox would be perfect to try some new things!! Thanks for hosting these giveaways!!
I would love some new eyeshadow. I’m stuck in a color rut. I’m a teacher, so I’m loving that there’s only one more week until winter break! 🙂
I would love to try a new lip balm! My lips have been so dry during these cold winter months!
I would love to see mascara or a lip color
A new mascara or eyeliner. The thing I am loving is graduation day! My hubby is graduating from grad school today!