Since it’s Friday, you know we must keep things consistent around here and dive into your usual Things I’m Loving Friday post where we all chat about the things that make us smile each week. Below you will find a short list of the things I’m currently loving (plus a holiday giveaway!) and I’d love for you to join in the fun in the comments section!
Have a great weekend, my friends!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Chase’s Four Month Checkup
On Monday, we headed into Chase’s pediatrician’s office for his four-month checkup. Everything is lookin’ good and I left feeling a million times better about everything from Chase’s small size to his less-than-stellar naps, challenging breastfeeding sessions (he’s so easily distracted!) and the fact that he’s still waking up to feed two times a night.
(He loves pulling my hair whenever I wear it down! Check out that handful!)
It is so incredibly easy to second guess everything about yourself as a parent when you’re a mom and having our doctor tell me Chase is doing great and I am not failing at life was so helpful. Chase also seems to be growing like crazy… Though he is still under 13 pounds, he has more than doubled his birth weight and is in the 78th percentile for his height. (What!?) According to my mother-in-law, Chase’s light weight and long little body are so similar to Ryan as a baby. When he’s awake, Chase doesn’t stop moving and absolutely loves to push off everything and be held standing up at all times. Our pediatrician commented on Chase’s activity level and said he’s clearly a determined little mover. We have a playful little dude on our hands, that’s for sure!
My thoughtful friend Merri brought this advent calendar with her as a special holiday gift for us when she came to visit last month and it’s easily the best advent calendar I’ve ever seen! Each day is filled with a chocolate surprise, but they aren’t your basic small chocolate squares. The treats range from chocolate-covered pretzel bites to chocolate-covered Oreos and sea salt caramels. They’re absolutely delicious. Thanks, Mer!
- Coconut Oil Peppermint Bark
A couple of days ago, I had a serious craving for something sweet and whipped up a batch of peppermint bark in the kitchen using only coconut oil, cocoa powder, peppermint extract and maple syrup and it was AWESOME. I’ll definitely share this one with you guys soon! It was so easy and a perfect festive treat! In the meantime, if you’re hoping to making peppermint bark this weekend check out this tasty throwback recipe: Peppermint Bark.
I don’t know how they do it, but month after month Fabletics somehow debuts new adorable workout apparel that I always seem to love. These black ice capris from their December collection are fantastic! Though I love funky patterns and vibrant colors on my workout capris and leggings, black bottoms will always be my favorite, so I love this take on simple black bottoms. You get a little spice and variety but keep the simple, flattering look of black workout bottoms.
- Candied Pecan Chex Mix
I have been on a Chex mix fix lately! I made another batch of Chex mix this week and it was wonderful! I followed Gimme Some Oven’s recipe for Candied Pecan Chex Mix and could not stop eating it. (I omitted the pretzels simply because we didn’t have any on hand and I also added almonds.) Ryan also gave it rave reviews. So good!
- Of Possible Interest
** Apparently the code I shared on my White Plum Giveaway post earlier this week wasn’t working for the first few hours but it’s back in action! You may use the code PBGIVE25 to receive 25% off everything from White Plum through December 15! And there’s still time to enter my giveaway!
** 14 Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes (Can’t get enough of them lately!)
** Interesting infographic about brands working with bloggers
** The PickFit app is giving away $75 Rent the Runway gift certificates! To be entered to win, post your outfit picture to Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #PickfitRTR!
- Minted Holiday Cards + Giveaway
Our holiday cards arrived on Tuesday this week! I love the way they turned out and can’t wait to send them to our closest friends and family. Like last year, we ordered them through Minted, though this year Minted offered to collaborate with me and extend an awesome giveaway to you guys, too! If you are hoping to order holiday cards and haven’t done so yet, definitely check out Minted! Their designs are absolutely gorgeous and you can order everything from letterpress holiday cards to foil pressed designs (<—we did this last year!), all uniquely created by independent artists.
From the gorgeous fonts, quality paper and beautiful designs, you cannot go wrong with Minted holiday cards. (And they also have awesome gifts! I ordered this foil collage with photos of Chase for Ryan for Christmas… And made him promise not to read this post today!) Now that I’ve professed my love for Minted, I think we should get to that giveaway I mentioned above…
Three PBF readers will win a $100 credit to Minted to use toward their holiday cards!
To enter this giveaway, please click here to enter on Minted.com and leave a comment on this blog post telling me about one thing you are looking forward to this holiday season. We will randomly select three winners on Monday so you can order your cards ASAP!
Good luck!
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Oooh! I love your Minted Christmas cards! I especially love the specific 4 photos you chose to have on the back. Those are my favorites. I hope I win the **GIVEAWAY!!** I’d send out photos of my new husband and I (married in August). To answer the question: One thing I am looking forward to this holiday season is spending my 1st Christmas with my new hubby…just he and I! We’re going to bake together, have dinner, open gifts, and just enjoy each other’s company.
I love the holidays so much and I hate to choose just one thing… I love giving gifts, all the decorations, and having an excuse to bake lots of tasty treats!
The thing I’m looking forward to the most this holiday season is time with family! We have a little guy of our own, and seeing him interact with his grandparents makes my heart so happy!
Thanksgiving was so hectic this year, so I’m really looking forward to spending a quiet and relaxing holiday with my family.
I can’t wait for two weeks off and to spend time with my boys ages 5 and 2.
Christmas cookie exchanges! And relaxed family time!
I am looking forward to a visit from my parents after Christmas and a trip to Key West! Adorable cards! 🙂
I used minted for our wedding invitations for this past August and just loved them! Your Christmas card turned out amazing!!! I am most looking forward to time with friends and family and visiting my brother in San Diego for New Years!
Pregnant with our first child, looking forward to spent our last christmas just the 2 of us before becoming a family of 3!! Love your holiday cards!
I’m looking forward to heading to Asheville for Christmas !
I’m looking forward to watching my 13 month old enjoy Christmas for real this year! Last year I think she slept under the tree the whole time!
Looking forward to delicious Italian food Christmas eve and our first holiday as husband and wife! I’ve also been seriously slacking on our holiday cards so this is a great giveaway for people like me 🙂
I’m looking forward to our first Christmas at home and beginning our own new traditions
as a family!
I would love to win some cards, I was just starting to look at making some today. I am looking forward to taking my girls (3 and 6) to DISNEY WORLD for the week of Christmas!!!!!
I’m looking forward to time off work, time with family, time for myself!
We actually sent out our Christmas cards last week but I would definitely used the Minted ones for next year!
I am really looking forward to my younger brother coming home from University for the holidays, he is flying home next Wednesday and I can’t wait to see him and spend some quality time together. He has been so busy with his study’s and exams we haven’t connected a lot this year.
I’m super looking forward to a ski trip with my boyfriend’s family!
We are moving the week after Christmas. So I’m excited about the new city, but not so excited about the moving process.
I’m looking forward to a relaxing day away from the office!
We leave for Xmas vacation in a week and I can’t wait. I get to see my baby niece for the first time, have my baby shower, and see my little nephew, along with all my other great family memebers. We can’t wait!
I’d love to win that giveaway! I’m looking forward to spending my daughter’s first Christmas with her and my husband!
Our daughter just had her 4 month check up and she’s 13.5 lbs. She was born at 8 lbs. However, she’s been hovering in the 70-85% range for her height/length. I just call her my string bean! Her doctor has no concerns about her weight, I mean, she never goes hungry and she eats quiet a bit. You’re not alone!
This year will be the first year my new husband and I will be spending Christmas away from family. I’m looking forward to coming up with our own new holiday traditions! I’m thinking cookie baking will take over our kitchen! 🙂
I would absolutely love to win this giveaway! The thing I am looking forward to this holiday season is making Christmas cookies this weekend with my dad. The recipe has been in our family for a very long time, and they are super popular among our family and friends! Since we only make them once a year, I look so forward to them! I am also looking forward to Christmas with my daughter. She is almost 14 months old, and I can’t wait to see the excitement in her eyes (as much as she can have for a young toddler LOL). She was only 2 months last year at Christmas, so this year will be so much fun!
If it makes you feel any better, I’m a pediatrician and I am always second guessing everything I do as a new mama. We all just want the best for our babies!
Looking forward to just having some family time over the holidays! Miss my baby so much while I’m at work every day, so it’ll be nice to just have a few days of nonstop snuggle time!
I am so excited to drive up to GA next week and stay in a mountain cabin for a week with my whole family of in-laws!
I’m looking forward to everything about this holiday season, but especially spending Christmas Eve & Christmas Day with all of my family!
I am looking forward to seeing my family! We moved 8 hours away in February, and it will be so nice to be home!
i’m looking forward to seeing my mom for the first time since getting engaged a few weeks ago!
I’m looking forward to spending our first Christmas together as a married couple!
i’m looking to being home (8 hours away) with my family – now that i’m a bit older, i really treasure the time we get together and the little moments in between things!
I’m looking forward to so much! Taking time off work, spending time with family and friends. Watching everyone open the gifts I gave them. And my favorite is visiting the zoo lights. It’s been a tradition for the past few years for me and my husband to visit Zoo lights during the holidays and last year he proposed while walking around the zoo. It was perfect and now that tradition holds a close place in my heart!
Spending time with friends and family!
I got married this year, so money is tight, and would love to have some newlywed Christmas cards! I am looking foward most to my first christmas as a married couple! And starting new traditions together
We have a whole weekend with nothing to do! I plan on sleeping, snuggling my babies, and watching chritmas movies.
looking forward to spending time with family and friends!
A holiday with new baby!
Chase’s smile! So incredibly cute. We just got our Christmas cards in yesterday, otherwise I’d be all over this giveaway. Adorable!
What did the doc say to you about chase still waking up twice in the night? I’m having the same problem!
I am looking forward to spending time with both my family and my husband’s!
Time off from work and having fun with the family!
I’m looking forward to my mom coming to visit for the holidays – I can’t wait for her to meet her grand-dog (our Vizsla puppy Remy)!
I am looking forward to time off work and spending time with my loved ones back home! Chase is just as adorable as ever and I’m looking forward to your coconut oil peppermint bark recipe! PS I’m missing seeing pictures and hearing about Sadie! I hope she is still doing well too 😉
I just adore these cards! 🙂 I am looking forward to spending lots of time with our family at home. This is one of my favorite times of the year! 🙂
I am excited for several things this holiday season. To be able to spend time with family, enjoy yummy food and enjoy our first Christmas with our 6 month old daughter. Life has definitely changed since we welcomed her into the world in June of this year but it has made life so much better.
I just got engaged so i’m looking forward to spending my first holiday with my fiances family!
I’m looking forward to just being home with my family for a few holi-days! I moved from IL to TX about a year ago and I’m missing my quality time! Plus Christmas movies, cookies, and clothes!
I’m looking forward to going home and spending time with family! My husband is in the military, so with us being stationed far away we don’t get to see everyone as often as we’d like. I can’t wait!
Your holiday cards are so cute!! That peppermint bark looks delicious… I make mine using coconut oil, dark cocoa powder, and honey! So good and super easy!!!
I’m due at the end of December and so looking forward to welcoming baby into the world!
I’m due at the end of the month with my first so I’m excited to see if the baby will make it’s debut before or after Christmas! Either way I’d love to use the minted cards as birth announcements/holiday cards.