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 have been on the hunt for a great new mascara and although I have found one that I think I can live with, I would still love to try a few more!
Eyeshadows or lip gloss. Always on the hunt for good Moisturizer too.
Things I’m loving this week…my best friends are coming to town to visit me this weekend! I couldn’t be more excited.
Thanks for another wonderful giveaway! I’m loving the Texas weather – recently moved here from Nebraska and it’s wonderful to be able to go outside and not freeze to death!
One thing that’s making me smile this week is putting up my Christmas decorations. I just moved into a new apartment last weekend, and I still have a lot of unpacking to do, but I started putting up some Christmas decorations and they’re making me feel right at home 🙂
1. I’m in the market for a new mascara so I’d love to get one of those in my box! 2. I’m loving anything chocolate… Because I’m in college and it’s finals week. There may or may not be some stress eating going on 😉
I am loving my hubby’s new schedule this week! And I would love to try out some dry shampoo samples.
I would love a new mascara or some good lotion for the winter!
I would love a good exfoliating scrub! Thanks, Julie! 🙂
Probably a great moisturizer since it is so dry up in Calgary!
i would love to try a new face wash. i’ve been using the same one for years
I would love a new dry shampoo to try.
I’d love a blush-bronzer in the first box!! And I JUST added that Christmas station to my Pandora (playing in the background as I type haha). Congrats on the new job! I think I would like a more intimate setting gym!
I’d love to try that dry shampoo you were raving about recently. I love new hair products!
I would love to try some new foundation. I love my standby Bobbi Brown, but I think I’m ready for a change!
I’m loving that it’s finally Friday! Does that count? 🙂
I’m looking for a new, high-volume mascara! Would love to try a couple in my Birchbox!
I hate lipstick so would love to try a lip stain!
This week I am loving my new scent diffuser – house smells so good! https://www.capribluecandles.com/product_details.php?frg_id=24&pid=36
One thing I’m loving this week is all the Christmas festivities!! I would love to try Birch Box – a new lip gloss or lip stain would be great!
I’d love some lip gloss! And this week, I am loving JCrew flats. So comfy and cute!
I’m definitely interested in trying a new lip gloss!
I’d love a new shampoo or conditioner to try!
I would love a mascara or bronzer, my top two beauty products.
I’m always looking for a new mascara! I have really long, fine lashes, and they always clump together.
I would love to find a new eyeliner – mine was discontinued 🙁
I would love new makeup brushes. I have the cheap, old ones from years ago!
Im just loving the Holiday Spirit, Im a little obsessed with Christmas 🙂
I’m always on the lookout for new-to-me lip glosses or stains! Would love to see some in the Birchbox!
I have really been looking for a good foundation or powder. My skin just isn’t what it used to be!
I would love to recieve either some pretty new eyeshadow colors or mosturing lipsticks!
I would love to see a new lip gloss! Always looking for new ones!
One thing I am loving this week is getting our Christmas tree!! Can’t wait!
lip color! I always want to try new ones, but can never make myself decide in the store!
A new mascara.
Bright Lipstick.
I need a new lip liner! I’m also loving there are 6 days of work left before “Christmas Break”. Can we pretend that’s still a thing?
I’d love to try to Staniac lip gloss. I normally don’t like lip gloss (or anything too sticky) but this one looks like a good consistency.
I would love a good eye/wrinkle cream or some sort of lip balm for chapped lips. Nothing seems to work in the winter!
This week I have been loving Starbucks Iced Coffee. Yum!
Conditioner.
I’d love to get a new eyeliner. My winged liner skills need some work LOL
Im loving that my family is coming to town to visit this weekend! There is nothing better than family during the Holiday Season!
love having my son home from the hospital
i would love some new eyeshadow!
As I enter my 30s, I’m looking for new beauty products that complement my skin and lifestyle. I would love the opportunity to give Birchbox a try to discover some new-to-me products!
This week, I’m loving being in the full swing of Christmas parties. It means spending time with the people we love and enjoy…and baking lots of holiday goodies!
I would love to try a new cleanser!
I would love to try new hair products. I also love trying new lip balms. i am loving pajama day at school today!
I went into NYC yesterday with the fam and it was just amazing! Nothing screams Christmas to me like a visit to the tree, a walk around Macy’s and a peppermint icecream 🙂
would love to see a bronzer to give me a little color during this winter
I’m loving the fact that it’s Friday! I’m also loving that it’s such nice weather in December here 🙂
I would love to try a new bronzer!
I would love to see some kind of lip exfoliator – the winter weather is killing my poor lips!
One thing I am loving this week is the “Glee Holiday Radio” on Pandora – so many great upbeat Christmas songs!