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’d like to see a new eyeliner.
I would love to try a bright lipstick – I’m too nervous to buy one and have it not look good! Plus I’m not sure where to even start with finding a good color or brand.
This week I am loving Christmas lights – usually my drive home at night is dark and boring but now that it’s Christmastime I am beginning to see Frosty & Rudolph & some beautiful Christmas lights! I think it’s amazing how much time and effort people put into their Christmas (and other holiday) decorations!
New eyeliners!!!
I would love to try a new type of lip stain. I’m not very experimental with lips and I need to get out of my comfort zone! Things I’m loving today are Secret Santas!
I would love to get a new eyeliner!
I’d like to try a bold lipstick!
I’d love to try a new nighttime moisturizer/mask for dry winter skin!
-I desperately want to find a great nighttime moisturizer. I can’t seem to find the right one!
-I’m loving the weather as I’m on vacation In Florida for my birthday this weekend!
I’m loving snuggles with my new kitten Stanley! 🙂
Congrats on your new (other) gym job! That’s fantastic! 🙂
I’d love to try some new moisturizer!
I’d love to try some new lipstick!
I would love to find a good mascara. Smudges and “racoon” eyes are the bane of my existance
I’m looking to get a birchbox subscription for my sister for the holiday!! I’m sure she would love to try any of the products out!!!
I would loooove to try powdered eyeliner – I’ve only ever really used liquid or pencil. This week (and the last 4 weeks, for that matter…) I’ve been loving dark red lip
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I’d love to try a new lip gloss!
I’m loving my annual Christmas cookie baking weekend with my mom & sister!
I am seriously looking for a better daytime and nighttime moisturizer!! I have tried so many this year, and I still feel like there has to be something better out there!
This week I am loving Orange Theory. it is an amazing interval workout. I love the feeling after I leave!!
A new moisturizer would be great.
I am getting a new fridge this week so I’m pretty excited about that!
I’m loving holiday get-togethers! I had a weekend full of good times with many friends and it was awesome!
I love new eye shadow! 🙂
My hair is quite oily, but I’ve never tested out dry shampoo, so I’d definitely love to try that! As far as this week goes, I’m loving the Christmas music, as you pointed out Christmas is basically here, and I’m trying to advantage of this time of year!
I would love to see in the box…. any new lip gloss/ tint (my lip tint is old school). This week I am loving my mommas 60th birthday – she is awesome and the best momma around!
I’d love a new mascara!
I’d love to try some new fun eyeshadow!
I would love a new facial moisturizer!
I could really use a good eyeliner!
I could really use new foundation!
I am dying to try some of Arbonne products…maybe lip gloss??
I am also loving Christmas…”It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
I could really use a better moisturizer. My face has been so dry since winter hit!
I’d love to try a new dry shampoo. I’ve tried a couple brands before but haven’t found anything I’m in love with, and feel like a great dry shampoo could be a game changer! Something I’ve been loving this week are all the homemade goodies floating around the office. Our secretary made bourbon balls, and someone else brought in some toffee. I’m going to attempt some kind of holiday candy this week to contribute!
New lipstick! Love trying out new colors but buying a full size tube is a scary commitment…
dying for a new lip gloss that doesnt dry out my lips!
I’m loving that my boyfriend is home from Afghanistan this week 🙂
An exfoliater or any Dr. Brandt products!
Loving that I have a new Christmas playlist to listen to now! Thanks for the suggestion!
What is one beauty product you’d love to see in your first Birchbox? I used to subscribe to birchbox but, month to month there would be the same brands repeated. I would love to see them branch out more and include brands that have not been used in recent months.
What is one thing you’re loving this week? I have been loving the overall Christmas atmosphere! Wrapping presents, shopping with family, Christmas movies on hallmark, spruce candles, everything! 🙂
Love your blog!
Sara
I would love to find a beauty blender! 🙂
i love new perfume samples…ones that i wouldn’t find in a store.
I would love to see some eye shadow – I see all the smoky eyes on pinterest and would love to try it out. I am not really a makeup type person but I think I want to be – LOL!
I would love to see a new colored lip gloss in my first BirchBox!
I’d love to try the dry shampoo. This week I’m loving my new Too Faced mascara!
A dry shampoo…that doesn’t make my hair feel worse than it did before i used it!
Some new mascara would be wonderful, I’m feeling less than inspired by my usual brands lately
I would love to find a new eyeshadow for holiday events!
I would love to find a new go-to lipgloss. I get stuck in the same ol makeup ruts too easily. Lately I’ve been loving my athleta fleece lined yoga pants. I wish I could afford to give all of my girlfriends a pair for Christmas.
I would love to have a good hand lotion.
This week I am loving reconnecting with old college girlfriends. We all have December birthdays and it is fun getting to see how much we have changed over the last 7 years.
I don’t know if my eyes do something weird or what, but I’m constantly on the lookout for a non-smudging mascara. It would be great to be able to try small samples of brands I might not otherwise try.
I need to find a new leave in conditioner and dry shampoo!! Always looking for better hair products 🙂