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!!
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
I’ve gifted birchbox to friends before, but have never bought myself a subscription. Would love a great hand cream or a fun new eyeliner.
I gave a subscription to my sis in law and regretted not getting one for myself as she just raved about it! I would like to receive a dry shampoo. I am currently hunting for the perfect one so a sample would be nice! I keep using baby powder and my fiancé isn’t on board with my hair smelling like a baby booty. Haha. Or a good eye cream. Holidays and parties (too much sugar and libations!) have my eyes a little too poofy.
I’d like to try a good moisturizer for my dry winter skin!
Just came back from vacation in Hawaii. I have to say I am loving the sun right about now!! Its cold in New Englang brrr!!! Would love just a little sunshine.
I would love a new eyeshadow or liner to try!
I hope to see some dry shampoo. #lazycheapcollegestudent
And I’m loving my first Christmas break ever!
I’ve always wanted to try birchbox and would love to find a nice moisturizer for my hands. They get so dry and cracked during the cold winter months. This week, I’ve been loving the sight of my decorated Christmas tree.
Would love to see a great mascara in the birch box
I would love to see Benefit eye make-up in my Birchbox!
I’d love to try some new fragrance!
I think I’ve tried every kind of face moisturizer out there but have found THE ONE yet. I’d love to try some samples in birch box. Winter running really dries out my skin!
I would love some lip balm! So hard to find one that works in the winter!
I love new lip colors and fun nail colors I might not usually buy!,,
I’d love to try the Josie Maran Argan Oil
I’m loving the song Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. It’s been on repeat all week!
I would love to try some new lipsticks/stains! That is one area where i have yet to venture out of my comfort zone
Eyeshadows or a lipstick. 28 years old and I’ve NEVER worn lipstick but I’ve been thinking about it recently… especially for special occasions when i want to look different than how I do every day at work.
I’m always on the lookout for something to take care of my ‘challenged’ skin. I thought these issues would end once I was over 30!
I’m loving the smell of our real Christmas tree, with a little help from a pine scented candle 🙂
A lip stain and a fun new eyeshadow is what I would look forward to!
I would love to try a fun lipstick/stain!
What I’m loving this week is being done with medical school basic science classes on Friday and then getting to go home and see my family&friends!
I’d love a good liquid eyeliner! Need to perfect that kitten eye!
I am in desperate need of a fabulous moisturizer – winter makes my skin so DRY!
PS such a GREAT giveaway!
I would love a new lip color to try out – I always seem to gravitate towards the same color, so trying out a new one would get me outside my comfort zone!
I’d love a good dry shampoo, or even a nice eye shadow palette to play up my brown eyes for the holidays! I’m loving the wonderfully Christmas-y smell in my cottage now that we have our tree. Every morning I wake up and get happy because Christmas is almost here!!
I would love to find a new hair product! Mine is currently, well, not working! 🙂
I would love to find a light winter facial moisturizer!
I would love to try Tarte lip stain!
I’d love to try some new lip glosses! I always have a hard time finding shades and/or textures I like. Birchbox would be a fun way to be exposed to new items!
I would love to try a spray wax for your hair!
I’m an eyeliner junkie! Would love to find something different to try:) One thing I’m loving this week is my education as my college finals are finally wrapping up!
Lip stick all the way!
Face moisturizer for this rough winter weather!
I would love a nice winter lipstick! Currently, I’m loving my flannel sheets!
I need some new mascara! I trust the fine people of Birchbox to find me some good stuff.
I would love to try birchbox and find a new eyeliner!
I would love to see a eye cream for dark circles and puffiness. I’ve been looking for a good one for so long and haven’t found anything I love yet.
I’d love to discover a great new multipurpose product, like a combo lip/cheek stain.
I would love to find a new moisturizer my skin is so dry right now!
I would love to see a pretty purple-y lipstick in my birchbox. I’ve always wanted to try that color with my skin tone but can’t justify spending a lot of money for something that might not look awesome!
i would love so much to win this! i have been wanting to try Stainiac since you mentioned it a few months ago.
moisturizer 🙂
New Mascara – Or a new lip moisturizer leaving in UT is tough on the lips
I am loving the fact that I have one more law final before the end of the fall semester! Hooray!
As for the box, I would love a new cleanser because sadly, the one I have has been performing sub-par.
I would love to find a “go-to” lip gloss.
I would love to find a good red lipstick!
I am looking for a good eye cream to keep wrinkles away!
I love trying new shampoos and conditioners, any any eye makeup!
I would love to start trying different colored eyeliners… so a grey or blue would be perfect in my first box!
The thing I am loving the most this week is being reunited with my dog! We were out of town all last week and I missed her sooo much! I am always in the market for new and improved mascara, so I would love to try something new via Birchbox!
I would love to see a great tinted moisturizer. Something heavy enough for winter skin but with light coverage.