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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #75

Hello all! 

Happy Friday!

We made it through the first week of January! How was your first week of the New Year? Have you started chipping away at your New Year’s Resolutions or giving yourself some grace this first week of the year? I know I enjoyed getting back into a routine and doing some cleaning, we still have all our Christmas decorations up which makes our home feel extra cozy. Regardless of how you are spending this week, I hope it’s been a good one.Ā 

I saw this quote and thought it was so timely especially if you are embracing these next few months as a slower time.

Today I’m sharing some last of holiday fun and some new favorites from this week as I link up with ErikaĀ andĀ AndreaĀ for another roundup of favorites for the first week of the new year!

Books Beach and Beyond– I heard about this podcast, Books Beach and Beyond in the fall but didn’t have a chance to start listening to it until the Christmas holiday. If you are a book lover like me, then you will love this podcast. Author, Elin Hilderbrand hosts the podcast with Tim Ehrenberg, and they talk to different authors about their books, where they get their inspiration from and what projects they are working on. The two hosts have interviewed Taylor Jenkins Reid, Colleen Hoover, Ann Patchett and Kristin Hannah, just to name a few. This podcast is so informative, and it gives great insight into the literary world. I really have been enjoying this podcast and hope they bring it back for season two in the new year.

A new favorite podcast

Candy Cane Lane-We watched Candy Cane Lane for a family movie night over Christmas break. The movie stars Eddie Murphy and it’s all about a man who loves Christmas. He participates in a house decorating contest, but gets caught up in signing a deal in hopes of winning, which results in some magic getting out of hand. The movie follows the classic Twelve Days of Christmas song as each of the items comes to life. There are a lot of good one-liners and fun catch phrases in the movie too. This was the perfect family movie that held everyone’s attention in my house. If you are still in the Christmas spirit, you can watch it on Amazon Prime.

Such a cute movie!

Wordle party game– We got the Wordle party game for Christmas and it has been a huge hit in our home. A few of my siblings and I play Wordle every day, so this game takes it to the next level. Up to four people can play the game. One person chooses the five-letter word, and all the players have to guess the word using the same rules as the daily game on the New York Times. If you are a fan of Wordle, this game is definitely worth the buy, plus it forces you to really put your thinking cap on.

A great family game

Mighty Patch– As far as beauty products go, the Mighty Patch has been a new favorite for me. I tried using the Mighty Patches after I got them as a gift and have been impressed with how well they work. These clear patches go over any blemishes you may have for a faster clear-up of your face. You can get them for overnight wear or daily wear. I tried a sample pack of both and found that the overnight patches work better. This product won’t solve all your acnes issues, but it does help if you are looking for a quick fix here or there.

Chopped Pomegranate Salad– I love a good salad, but I’m not one to purchase bagged salads too often due to the expense, I would rather make a salad with vegetables I already have at home and on hand. However, we picked up a few chopped salads to go with some appetizer nights and they were a hit. I really enjoyed this pomegranate salad, it’s a perfect blend of flavors for fall and winter.  We enjoyed this salad with some other snack bites, but it could also go great with a pizza night or with a protein like chicken or steak.

 That’s a look into some of the things that I have been loving this week, from the last bit of holiday fun to games, beauty products and food, there was something for everyone. I hope you have a relaxing and cozy weekend as we begin a new month.

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #19

Hi everyone! 

Happy Friday! I can’t believe we are ONE week away from Christmas. I’ve been trying to soak up as much Christmas cheer as I can. This past week has been filled with mailing gifts, Christmas dates and holiday movies and I’m loving every second of it.

Here’s a few favorite things of mine this past week as I link up with with Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites:

Gift Exchanges: I am so proud of myself for scheduling gift exchanges with friends and family before the month got away from me. Between dinner and lunch dates, I was able to spend one on one time with my friends, exchange gifts and catch up in between holiday commitments and it did wonders. One of the many instances where planning ahead pays off big time.

A little bit of Christmas cheer!

Ice Skating: Ice skating has become a winter favorite for me and over the past few weeks, I’ve been able to go a handful of times and have been loving getting back on the ice. Last week, I went skating with my boyfriend and we had the rink to ourselves with Christmas music playing…yes, I felt like I was in a hallmark movie and LOVED it. I’m looking forward to hitting the rink several more times through the winter months.

Daisy Jones and the Six First Look: If you have been following along this year on my blog then you know I’m on a Taylor Jenkins Reid’s kick. The first photos for Daisy Jones and the Six just came out a few weeks back and I’m so excited for more teasers and photos. The mini series comes out on March 3 and that is one thing getting me through a long winter.

Harry and Meghan Docu-series Part Two: Last week, I talked about part one of Harry and Meghan’s documentary series on Netflix coming out and this week, it’s all about part two. In between all the Christmas movies, I’ve been watching this mini-series and I have really found it enlightening, interesting, and true love story. My favorite part was all the little stories and behind the scenes photos and videos. I’ve really enjoyed seeing a different side of Harry Meghan than what we have seen in the media. This docu-series has me even more excited to read Harry’s book next month.

Nancy Thayer Christmas books: As I continue with my Christmas books, I read two great ones from Nancy Thayer. A Nantucket Christmas and An Island Christmas. Both stories take place in Nantucket over Christmas time and have themes of family drama, cozy Christmas vibes and happy endings. I really appreciated the attention to detail about the island of Nantucket and I ahve to admit after reading both of these books, it makes me want to travel to the island and experience it for myself.

Some of my Christmas reads so far!

That’s just a taste of life over the past week. My world has been work, family time, seeing friends, and all the Christmas cheer and I couldn’t ask for anything more. I hope you have a magical weekend full of Christmas cheer!

Happy Friday!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #18

Hello all!


Happy Friday!
December is flying by and I hope you are enjoying the holiday season in the midst of all the holiday to-dos! This week has been filled with Christmas spirit, Christmas shopping (both in store and online) and making plans with friends for the holidays.

A sweet treat by the fire.


Todayā€™s Friday Favorites are a mix of things to watch and eat! I have been watching different movies and shows as I order and wrap gifts, so if you are looking for some fun things to watch, hereā€™s some suggestions as I link up with Erika and Andrea for this weekā€™s Friday Favorites.

The Noel Diary-Iā€™ve been watching lots of holiday movies, new and old. I was excited to see The Noel Diary with Justin Hartley from This is Us and Barrett Doss from Station 19. The movie follows the story of a famous author who is forced to confront his past when a family member passes away. He uncovers secrets from his family and goes on a journey of self discovery. He also meets a young woman on his journey and they quickly learn how they are connected. This definitely has Hallmark vibes, but a bit more substance to it.

Spirited– Speaking of Christmas. I watched Spirited with Will Ferrrell and Ryan Reynolds and loved it. The movie is a modern day take on a Christmas Carol. Thereā€™s singing, dancing, drama and a little romance to this new movie. The characters were interesting, the one-liners were funny and the music is so catchy! Definitely a Christmas move to add to your watch list.

Christmas movie and hot cocoa!

Firefly Lane– The new season of Firefly Lane came out last week and Iā€™m hooked. The series follows the friendship between two girls through the decades. It bounces back and forth between the 1970s, 1990s, and early 2000s. Itā€™s based off a three book series and season two is broken up into two parts. Iā€™ve been watching an episode or two at night. Iā€™m looking forward to the second part of season two especially after the cliff hanger in the finale.

Harry and Meghan trailer for Netflix-Last week, Netflix dropped the trailer for the Harry and Meghan docuseries and it came out yesterday. I already started watched and am really enjoying it. Iā€™m looking forward to learning more about the couple and seeing some behind the scenes photos and videos. It’s been interesting to hear their side of the story about everything that’s happened over the past few years.

Chocolate covered Graham crackers-I whipped up this quick snack the other night as I was trying out new recipes. This recipe just requires Graham crackers, melted chocolate and any toppings you like. I made some plain, some with nuts, a few with marshmallows, and others with sprinkles. Everyone really enjoyed this quick snack that took less than 10 minutes to put together. Iā€™ll definitely be keeping it in mind for future snacks.

Thatā€™s just a look into life lately! I hope you get to enjoy this weekend do something festive! Happy Friday!

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Fabulous living

Christmas Bucket List

Hello everyone! Happy December!! Itā€™s officially the holiday season and I am here for it. From the Christmas movies, to decorations, to the gift buying. I love spending the next few weeks seeing friends and family and celebrating Christmas and New Yearā€™s!Ā 

Today Iā€™m sharing my Christmas Season Bucket List. Iā€™m a girl who loves a good list and loves crossing things off of it even more. Iā€™m using this bucket list as a guide of things I want or hope to do. Iā€™m hoping that this gives me inspiration for date ideas and activities to do with friends or family. If you re looking for something fun to do during December, I hope this gives you inspiration or ideas.

Hereā€™s my Christmas Bucket List:

Decorate 

Watch the Santa Clauses on Disney Plus 

Watch the new movie Spirited

Bake Cookies 

Make a Gingerbread House

Christmas Shopping

Get a Christmas Tree and Decorate it

Exchange Gifts with Friends 

Play in the Snow

See Christmas Lights

Enjoy Hot Cocoa and a Hot Cocoa bar

Watch Classic Christmas Movies

Watch Hallmark Movies

Mark Christmas Bark

Do a new Christmas Activity

Read Christmas Books

Play Christmas Music

Board Game Night

Read by the Fire

Ice Skating

Celebrate Christmas and New Years

Thatā€™s just a few ideas for some fun Christmas fun! Tell me what are your favorite Christmas traditions or things to do over the holidays?

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Currently

Currently #24

Hey guys! Happy December…the countdown is on until Christmas! I hope you are gearing up for the holiday season!

Quick check in time…How are you doing? Got everything wrapped? Checking off all those holiday traditions? Feeling overwhelmed with everything you still have to do? Weā€™ve all been thereā€¦while it may seem like this season will never end, it will. In the meantime, enjoy every moment and soak up all the moments, the big ones (like decorating the tree) or the little ones like looking at Christmas lights.

Onto todayā€™s post, can you believe that we are up to two years of Currently?!  This has been such a fun monthly post, not only does it keep you updated on my life but it also puts in perspective everything Iā€™ve done in 30 days or soā€¦without further ado, hereā€™s this monthā€™s Currently.

What Iā€™m up to: ALL the Christmas fun and cheer. From skating, to watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music at every opportunity, baking cookies and shopping and wrapping this month has been about enjoying all the Christmas fun!

There’s Christmas cheer all over the house.
We got our tree earlier in the month and it was perfect tree cutting weather.

What Iā€™m wearing: Besides work clothes, Iā€™ve been getting in the Christmas spirit by wearing Christmas sweaters, some cute graphic shirts and of course, Christmas socks!!! I canā€™t get enough of Christmas socks!

What Iā€™m reading:  I finished reading ā€œAll the Light We Cannot Seeā€, it was definitely a heavier read but it was so well done. This month I have been reading all the Christmas books. I read “A Shoe Addictā€™s Christmas”, which was super cute. I then read “Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe”, this was the perfect mix of Christmas and a beautiful tribute to Jane Austen. Iā€™m currently reading “The Mistletoe Secret” by Richard Paul Evans, I read his series, ā€œThe Walkā€ during the pandemic and loved it, so Iā€™m very excited to read this one too. 

What Iā€™m Watching:Ā Besides watching classic Christmas movies and some Hallmark ones too.Ā Ā I have also been watching Selling Sunset on Netflix and like many other women out there, Iā€™ve been watching ā€œAnd Just Like Thatā€ā€¦the first two episodes were so beautiful and so poignant, but broke my heart. I canā€™t wait to see what else this season has in store. If you have watched them, what are your thoughts on the shows?

What Iā€™m Loving:Ā Christmas spirit all day, every day! I love this time of year, thereā€™s nothing better than having a candle lit, while wrapping presents and watching Christmas presents. Plus, making treats hasnā€™t been bad either. I made some Christmas bark this year and it was so good. Itā€™s super easy to make and itsā€™s easy to save and store. Hereā€™s the recipe I used, thank you Mix and Match Mama!

Look at all this delicious Christmas bark!

What Inspires Me:Ā The holiday season puts me in the best mood. I decorated my room at the end of last month and whenever I put on my tree and light a candle, Iā€™m automatically put in the Christmas spirit. I also canā€™t wait to spend time with family and continue our holiday traditions.Ā I went skating this month and had the best time.

Skating in the city
Buffalo was beautiful.

What I accomplished: Iā€™ve been doing a great job at being intentional and present during the holiday season. From the gift buying to the family time and holiday traditions. I wish this season was longer. Even enjoying a hot coco and cookie while driving back from ice skating made me so happy. 

Besides homemade cookies, I can’t resist some Pillsbury cookies too!
Even the shopping malls are all decorated

Goals Accomplished from Last Month I got all my Christmas shopping done by my deadline and I got almost all my gifts sent out or wrapped. It was a huge accomplishment! I love all the gift giving but it can be a lot to get everything organized. I donā€™t know how parents do it, they are the real super heroes during the holiday season!

My presents for others all wrapped up under my tree.

Goals for the New Month:Ā Ā Kick off 2022 with my New Yearā€™s Resolutions. I also canā€™t wait to break out my new Simplified planner and start getting ready for the next. As much as I hate to see the holidays come to an end, thereā€™s nothing quite like a fresh start.

Thatā€™s a look into my life this past month, lots of holiday fun and traditions. How are you spending the last few weeks of this year?