I’m really looking forward to a couple of low key days ahead with my two favorite boys and furry BFF! (Well, as low key as possible with Tinytron in the mix.)
In keeping with Friday tradition around here, it’s time for your weekly Things I’m Loving Friday post featuring a short roundup of some of the things that are making me smile right now. As always, I’d love for you to join in on the fun and share a little bit about something you are loving in the comments section of this post.
There is also an awesome giveaway from Minted at the bottom of this post, so definitely check it out, especially if you’re in the market for holiday cards or beautiful prints this holiday season.
Have a great weekend, my friends!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- R.W. Knudsen Cider & Spice Apple Cider
You guys know by now that I have a serious obsession with Ina Garten’s mulled wine recipe. I’ve made it no less than four times since October and tweak it a tiny bit each time. For Wednesday night’s White Elephant gift exchange, I made it again and am convinced one key component to the mulled wine is selecting a wonderful apple cider to combine with your favorite red wine.
This R.W. Knudsen Cider & Spice apple cider caught my eye at Whole Foods before Friendsgiving and I’ve bought it for every batch of mulled wine since because it’s so fabulous. It seems more spiced and flavorful than other ciders and I love that the ingredient list is nice and simple. It’s also wonderful on it own and since we usually have a little leftover, I love heating up a mug of the cider as an afternoon pick-me-up on chilly days as well.
One of my girlfriends recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and everyone in my small group wanted to bring home cooked meals to Anna and her family to make the first few weeks a little easier. My friend Danielle coordinated meal deliveries for Anna using the website Meal Train and it made everything SO easy! We were all able to select a day and the Meal Train site said what time Anna prefers to receive meal deliveries, her dietary preferences, address, etc. We were also able to share what meal we were planning to make for Anna’s family to help avoid any repeats or similar meals back-to-back. I highly recommend this handy little site for anyone trying to coordinate meal deliveries for someone!
I was just talking about this cleanser with my girlfriends last weekend when my friend Leah said she is struggling to find a cream cleanser that doesn’t leave a film on her face. I was exactly the same way (don’t even get me started on my hatred for Cetaphil) until I discovered Beautycounter Nourishing Cream Cleanser. I bought it a while back after I downloaded an app on my phone that gave my previous cleanser horrific ratings for its ingredient list. I’ve been more cognizant of the beauty products I use thanks to pregnancy and nursing and have tried to keep up with buying safer products as my older products run out. This cream cleanser was a hit from the beginning and after cycling through a myriad of more natural face cleansers, it is the one I feel does the best job at keeping my skin clear while also moisturizing my face and giving it a clean feel after every wash. A small amount goes a long way and I love the way the coconut oil and aloe help hydrate my dry winter skin.
- Rockin’ Holidays Pandora Station
I think I mention this Pandora station around the holidays every year, but it deserves another shout out just in case you’re on the lookout for an upbeat holiday music station to help you get in the holiday spirit!
I’ve been on such a peppermint kick this week. Every day I’ve had either peppermint coffee, peppermint tea or peppermint hot cocoa. I don’t see this trend ending before Christmas and I’m definitely embracing the festive flavor! An afternoon mug of peppermint tea makes cranking out a couple of hours of work during Chase’s naptime feel a little more cozy and fun, especially when I light a balsam candle on my desk, too. I can’t resist all the Christmasy things!
- Minted Holiday Cards + Giveaway (THREE Winners!)
Is it just me or do you guys really look forward to checking the mail this time of year? I looove receiving holiday cards from friends and family and sent our holiday cards out earlier this week!
Like the past few years, we ordered our holiday cards from Minted who offered to collaborate with me this year and extend an awesome giveaway to you guys, too! If you haven’t ordered holiday cards yet, you have to check out Minted! Their designs are stunning and they have everything from thick letterpress cards to foil-pressed cards and more. The holiday card designs are created by independent artists and I had the hardest time choosing a favorite from so many gorgeous designs!
If holiday cards aren’t on your radar, Minted also has awesome holiday gifts including beautiful photo gifts like this foil collage I made of photos of Chase for Ryan for Christmas last year! And I actually ordered a couple of holiday prints from Minted (this one in green and this one) to hang in our bathroom as well this year and love them!
Now here’s the good news!!!
Three PBF readers will win a $100 credit to Minted to use toward anything on the site!
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. The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday and we will contact the winners on Monday so you can order your cards and gifts ASAP!
Good luck!!
Note: Due to promotional laws, this giveaway is only open to U.S. residents.
- Friday Flashbacks
Gluten-Free Double Chocolate No Bake Icebox Cake (Change this one up and add crushed candy canes for a festive holiday dessert!)
20 Minute Total Body Workout (A total body workout that you can do in only 20 minutes! Add another round for a 30-minute sweat fest.)
Question of the Day
- What is one thing that is making you smile today?
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Disclaimer: Though I was provided holiday cards from Minted this year, this post and corresponding giveaway are not sponsored. Affiliate links are included in this post and do not affect purchase price. Thank you so much for your support!
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I’m looking forward to watching the kids open there gifts (the smiles on their faces are the best)…and Christmas cookies! 🙂
I love Minted, thanks for the giveaway! I’m most looking forward to experiencing Christmas with our first child, a baby girl, this year! 🙂
Thanks for the great giveaway! I’m looking forward to traveling home and spending time with my family.
I’m like you and love getting holiday cards in the mail! I love to look at how much my family and my friends families have grown over the years!
Also, I’m totally with you on Cetaphil. I used to use it all the time and my breakouts just kept getting worse. Now I just use straight coconut oil!
I’m so looking forward to seeing Christmas though my kids’ eyes this year. Being a parent makes it so magical!
I’m looking for spending time with family and some much needed time off from work.
I can’t wait to see my family + spend extra time with them.
What app do you use to tell you about the ingredients in your skin care? I’m working towards buying better products as well!
I came to the comments section to ask this same question. 🙂 In the past, I’ve used EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, but I’m not sure if they have an app (I’ll have to check). https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/site/about.php
Am also curious, Julie, to know which app you use!
I’m looking forward to my Christmas choir concert that I sing in every year! It’s 300+ voices filling a church with wonderful Christmas songs – I can’t wait!
Watching our little guy experience his first Christmas!
I am so excited to spend my first Holiday season with friends and family as an (recently) engaged couple!
I’m so excited to watch my little guy experience his first Christmas! He is 11 months old 🙂
I can’t wait for Christmas Eve with my family, it’s my favorite time all year
I just bought the beauty cleanser from beauty counter too and I’m loving it along with the face lotion!!
My company always gives us the week between Xmas and New years off and I added a few days myself before Xmas 🙂 so i’m looking very forward to some extra time to relax, recharge and most of having the extra time to celebrate the holidays with both our families and friends visiting that we don’t get to see as often as we’d like.
I just added that face cleanser to my holiday wishlist. I’m also cleaning up the products I use and would love to know what you’ve been trying out! We are having our first baby this holiday season (due Dec. 20) and are SO incredibly excited!!!!
Hey Kristin!
First off, Congratulations!
I see that you are interested in Beautycounter products. I would love to help you find the best products for your skin. We also have an amazing baby bundle available 🙂
Here is my website if you would like to check us out.
Cheers!
I’m looking forward to sipping mulled wine while listening to Christmas music!
Thanks Julie! I’m most excited to see Christmas through my kids’ eyes this year. As they get older (7&4) they get more excited about GIVING gifts and it is so sweet to see them find a treasure and tell me that they just know their (grandma,aunt,cousin) will love it so they have to buy it for them. So sweet and special! Merry Christmas!
I’m very much looking forward to spending time with our families, most of whom we haven’t seen since announcing we are expecting in May 2017!
I’m really looking forward to my mom visiting this holiday season. She lives in New York and I live in Georgia so we don’t see her often.
I look forward seeing all the Christmas decorations.
I’m looking forward to spending time with family and friends while eating a ton of home made goodies! 🙂
I am excited to celebrate this holiday as the last one as an unmarried lady because I get married two weeks after Christmas Eve!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m so looking forward to seeing The Christmas Carol this weekend!
Looking forward to my daughter’s first Christmas! She’ll be 8 months old and is at such a fun age!
Hi Julie!
I am also loving all things peppermint this holiday season. What I am most looking forward to is being with my entire immediate family for Christmas for the first time in 10 years!
I’m looking forward to relaxing with friends and family now that I am finished with school!
I am looking forward to some time off work and seeing my 3 year old niece unwrap presents! She is finally old enough to really get into the idea of “santa” and giving/getting gifts, so it will be adorable!
I’ve been in & out of the hospital lately so getting well & so being home with family & snuggling my sweet boys.
I am in the process of moving to Chicago, just in time for the holidays. I am very excited to check out the Christmas markets and all of the beautiful holiday lights!
Looking forward to my kids Christmas program next week!
I’m looking forward to some much needed time off of work and time spent with family we don’t see often!
I’m looking forward to my family meeting my son for the first time!
I’m looking forward to seeing my family!
And I hated Cetaphil as well when I tried it, my face felt so gross after!
I am looking forward to spending our first Christmas with out little 8 almost 9 month old!
I’m looking forward to my family’s tradition of going to our church’s Christmas Eve service, then having the same appetizers we have every year (+ wine!), and watching Christmas Vacation!
Looking forward to being home in Vermont for Christmas. I haven’t been home in 18 months!
I love Christmas Cards as well and seeing Christmas through my daughters eyes, she is almost two but loves Santa and the lights!!!
I am looking forward to taking time off work to spend more time with my family during the holiday season.
I’m looking forward to visiting family and friends back in Arkansas this year!
I am looking forward to Christmas with my 1 year old!
I am looking forward to my sweet little one’s first Christmas! She’s 5 months old 🙂
I’m looking forward to my daughter finally being excited about Christmas this year! She’s 2 1/2, and she’s totally enjoying the tree and Christmas lights this year.
I am looking forward to time off from school and work! I plan on spending it with my family and friends!
I am looking forward to traveling home to spend quality time with my family this holiday, relaxing and planning our upcoming wedding getaway. This would be the perfect gift towards our wedding announcements.
I’m looking forward to doing some Christmas baking with my girls.
I’m looking forward to staying local and not traveling! My husband and I have traveled back to Boston every year since we moved out of state. This year we are staying put and enjoying our own home on Christmas morning 🙂 We’ll miss our family but am selfishly excited for some QT with my husband and dogs!
I’m looking forward to spending time with family!
This is my first christmas married so I am looking forward to new memories and flying home to see my family!
Minted makes GORGEOUS cards. I made my wedding thank yous with them and couldn’t be happier with how they turned out.
This holiday season, I’m looking forward to the prospect of snow! It will be my first Christmas with my in-laws in Washington state instead of with my parents in San Diego, so the possibility of snow, as well as celebrating some new traditions, is really exciting!
I’m looking forward to extra time with family.