Hey friends! How are you!? Ryan, Chase, Sadie and I arrived back in North Carolina late last night after spending some much-needed time with family over Christmas. We extended our stay a bit to be in town for a procedure my mom had scheduled for yesterday morning (all is well, no worries) and I’m glad we were able to spend so much time together!
The post-holiday blues always tend to kick in for me after Christmas and extending our stay a bit helped fight the sadness I often feel once Christmas is over. Since we were quite busy with my family and traveling back home, I didn’t have many opportunities to sit down by myself and blog last week. I really missed chatting with you guys! Things should be back to normal around here next week!
For now, let’s dive right into my usual Things I’m Loving Friday blog post where I share a short roundup of small things that make me smile every week. (Be sure to scroll to the bottom and check out today’s sneaky $250 giveaway!)
Have the best weekend!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Pie Heaven
When my mom and I planned my sister’s bridal shower years ago, we ordered quiche from Pie Heave to serve along with other brunch favorites and I’ve been dying to order quiche from the adorable local bakery again ever since. We prioritized a trip to Pie Heaven a couple of days before Christmas and ended up returning to the shop again a couple days later because my entire family inhaled our first round of quiche Lorraine and southwest quiche.
We ended up trying a few of their dessert pies for the first time as well (wild blueberry, peach and apple) and every single one was absolutely unreal. Pie Heaven truly lives up to its name and the pies are beyond fantastic. A must-try if you’re a local or ever find yourself in the Jacksonville area!
Also, I must give a shout out to the two women who own and run Pie Heaven because they were so kind and wonderful to our family. We arrived with Chase and they gave him a holiday bear Beanie Baby and he was beyond thrilled (hence the above picture)!
A new robe was one of the top items I had on my Christmas wish list this year and my sister and brother-in-law surprised me with the coziest robe in the world. I LOVE it. The robe is fluffy and soft and meets three of my biggest requirements: It’s long, has two pockets and feels incredibly warm and cozy when I slip it on. I also love the aesthetics of the fuzzy trim along the neckline and wrists and know this robe will be worn non-stop in the coming winter months. (I guess this means I can finally retire the hot pink Charlotte Russe robe I bought for myself for like $25 when I was in college. It’s borderline gross at this point with stains and singe marks on the sleeves from less-than-careful cooking mishaps.)
- Family Zoo Day
The weather in Jacksonville on the day after Christmas could not have been more beautiful – upper 60s and sunny – and we took advantage of the gorgeous day and headed out for a family trip to the zoo. I’m continually impressed with the large exhibits at the Jacksonville Zoo and love the way it feels spacious and clean. Plus, the zoo has a large train that choo-choos around the exterior of the park which is heaven-sent for a train-obsessed toddler. We rode the train for a solid 45 minutes during our visit and had a great time waving to elephants, giraffes, rhinos, coyotes, monkeys and more.
- Park Playtime + ChunkaBuns Pants for Chase
Chase cannot get enough of playing outside lately (nothing new around here!) and we’ve taken him all over Jacksonville over the past week. His favorite park is, without a doubt, Sunshine Park in Jacksonville Beach. It’s huge and fenced in (hooray!) and Chase had a ball exploring every inch of the park during our visit.
The super-soft pants he wore to play and explore came to us from ChunkaBuns, a company specializing in adorably soft, sustainable and organic eco-friendly pants. The pants could not be softer and they are made to grow with your toddler with a foldable waistband and cuffs on the bottom to give your little one extra length when you need it. These pants are fantastic and I find myself reaching for them right after I wash them because they’re so great.
- $250 VISA Gift Card Giveaway from RetailMeNot
Thank you to RetailMeNot for sponsoring the following giveaway!
And now for today’s sneaky giveaway!! A little over a week ago I shared a giveaway with you guys from RetailMeNot – the BEST site I use every time I want to find the most amazing deals, coupon codes and cash back opportunities when I do my online shopping – and the giveaway was such a huge hit that RetailMeNot reached out for Round Two! We’re teaming up today to giveaway another VISA gift card valued at $250 for you to use toward the amazing post-holiday sales that are popping up all over the place right now.
To enter this giveaway, simply click here to visit RetailMeNot and then leave a comment on today’s post telling me about a specific store/sale you’d be most excited to shop at should you win the gift card. I will randomly select a winner first thing next Friday morning. Good luck!
- Puzzle Time with My Mom
I don’t get many opportunities to kick back and work on a puzzle and the fact that my mom and I were able to complete one together in less than 24 hours this past week felt like such a treat! It’s such a great way to completely relax and unwind while sipping a hot mug of apple cider or hot cocoa. I need to do more puzzles in my everyday life. Now to find the time…
- Friday Flashbacks
Cold Brew Protein Smoothie (Just in case you’re craving a cold mocha smoothie but don’t want to down a total sugar bomb.)
Cardio + Core Burn Boot Camp Workout (This was the first BBC workout I ever did!)
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Target for sure – they literally have everything!
Nordstrom, Target, or Amazon!
I love retailmenot! I’d definitely use the gift card to help us furnish our nursery for our first baby coming this June! The Land of Nod and Baby’s R Us seem to always have special deals if you look to find them.
Hi Julie, Happy New Year! I’d be excited to use a gift card on Amazon. Thanks for the giveaway!
Target or Bed Bath & Beyond
Love any kind of target coupons! Also I just signed up for Starbucks emails and got the free drink thanks to Retailmenot!
I love stocking up on Bath and body works lotions and candles during their end of the year sale!
I use RetailMeNot everytime I shop online! I would totally use the gift card on Nike gear that I desperately need to stay in shape in the new year!
Nordstrom or Target!
I would use it at Target and Carter’s! Such great deals!!
macy’s after christams sale! i desperately need a long winter coat (chicago winters…) they have such a great selection!
I’d spend the gift card on some new cold weather running gear from Nike! I’m training for my first half marathon in March and need to stay warm in the frigid NY winter 🙂
I can’t believe this is topping my list over some of the other stores on there but HOME DEPOT! I’m closing on a new home in 2 weeks and didn’t realize they were having such good sales right now. Thanks for the heads up!
The Payless Shoes coupon – I need new ankle boots!
I would be most likely to use the Michaels discount for some new crafts for my kiddos!
I love the deals Kohl’s has online with their codes
I would love to shop the Nike or B&BW sales! Thanks for the giveaway and I hope you have a lovely holiday weekend!
I would use the 20% off Bath and Body Works and stock up!
Kohls!!
I would pick Home Depot because we need to finish our basement to make room for baby #2!
I’d use it for the VS semi annual sale and Nordstrom!
Ditto to Lisa’s comment re: Home Depot! Closing on the 12th:) And also, Nike!!
Kohl’s! It’s always great when they allow you to stack coupons on top of their online deals. Our living room could use a new rug.
Nordstrom or Target!
Nordstrom! I always have that shopping cart full 🙂 !
We just moved into a new home the week before Christmas and Home Depot would be the store for us!
$250.00 would really help out with many of our
Honey do’s ?
I think it’s all about home depot and my personal favorite, her bath and beyond. Let’s face it there’s always something that needs to be done around the house, and I could always find something nice at BB&B. Hope your holiday was as fun as it looked and sounded.
I like be RetailMeNot! I would most likely use it at Target or Macy’s!
I “love”, I mean. AutoCorrect. ?
25% off Nike! Yes Please! I am in need to update my workout clothes!
I think I would try out Blue Apron ($40.00 off first order). The meals you have showcased always look so yummy!!
Amazon or Bath and Body Works
PS — I love puzzles! I wish I had more time to work on my current one.
Tory Burch!!
Omg! Too many great options to choose from! Target, Nordstrum or Bed Bath and Beyond!!!
Kohl’s for sure. After shopping for others this holiday season, I am ready to treat myself! Keeping my fingers crossed that I’m the lucky winner. Merry Christmas everyone, and Happy, Healthy New Year! 😀
J. Crew or Anthropologie would make for one happy girl!!
Home Depot! We’ve got a lot of projects lined up for the new year!
So many great sales! Would love to check out Nordstrom or express!
Definitely Amazon!
I’d probably use it at Dick’s Sporting Goods for a kayak 🙂
Definitely Target and Amazon! My Go-to’s! Thanks so much!
Happy Holidays! Thank you for the giveaway. H & M all the way. There is not one near me. Many Blessings to you and your family in the New Year!
Definitely Nike, as I’m trying to get back into working out after the holidays and need some new gear!
I would shop at Kohl’s and Talbots.
I’ve never tried Retailmenot but it looks amazing! There are so many stores I’d be interested in shopping from such as Nordstrom and Nike!
Retailmenot is such a great thing… Nordstrom or Amazon would have my vote for shopping these days! xo
Definitely Amazon or Target!
My husband and I love puzzles! Do you know where that one came from? It’s so cute!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Before I buy anything online, I always visit Retailmenot for coupons. If I win this giveaway, I would definitely buy something from Sole Society!!!
50% off at Michael’s because I need a Christmas tree storage bag for this years tree!