Tag: holiday baking

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #126

Hi everyone! 

Happy holidays! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! 

Here’s how I celebrated the day!

A quiet night
Lots of cookies-my contribution this year
And so many snacks!

Although, I am working around the holidays, it is still nice to take things a bit slower and enjoy the time with family, friends and loved ones. The time between Christmas and New Year’s is always funky, so I hope wherever you are, you are enjoying what you need most, whether it is rest, family, activities, cleaning, or Christmas cheer!

It’s Friday which means it’s time for Friday Favorites, my final one of the year! This year flew by and I appreciate you reading my posts, whether you have been a long time reader or this is your first time here! 

Here’s been some things I have been loving this Christmas week as I link up with Erika and Andrea.

Blue Light Glasses– I have always had pretty bad vision, I started wearing glasses since I was nine, then began wearing contacts in college and still wear them today. I will wear glasses on my days off, so I still get the best of both worlds. I spend a lot of time looking at screens between work and home, so I decided to try a pair of blue light glasses to reduce eye strain and give my eyes an extra layer of protection. I picked up a pair of stylish readers with blue light in them and have been wearing them at work. I have noticed a decrease in headaches I was getting from staring at screens all day long and they have been a cute accessory too. I’ll keep you updated on my thoughts on them in the new year.

Shoe Bag– This is not a new item, but something I have been getting a lot of use out of lately.  A few years ago, I got a shoe bag to transport my shoes to and from work every day in. I use it on days when we are getting lots of snow or rain and I’m wearing boots to work but want to change into my nice, dress shoes when I get into work. This bag has been extremely useful over the past few weeks with all the snow we got. This bag would work great for both guys and girls and it’s very practical too.

New Shoe Boots– After talking all about a bag to place your shoes in, I figured we had to talk about some shoes too. I was on the hunt to replace an old pair of shoe boots and found these leather ones on sale at Marshall’s. My previous shoe boots were suede, so these have held up a lot better. I love the look at the thicker heel. I have worn these with jeans, leggings, skirts, and dresses. These shoes have been so versatile. 

Meet Me Next Christmas– If you are still watching Christmas movies I like am, might I suggest, Meet Me Next Christmas. It came out on Netflix this year and it’s all about a guy and a girl who meet and hit it off, they make plans to meet in one year at a Pentatonix Christmas show if they are meant to be. Plans get derailed when the show is sold out and the girl can’t get a ticket. The movie follows the lengths she will go to get the ticket. The movie is filled with Pentatonix Christmas songs and the group makes an appearance themselves too. This movie is very cheesy, but cute too. 

Peppermint Chocolate Loaf– I have been doing so much baking over the past few weeks and have been trying my hand at some new recipes too. I baked this Peppermint Chocolate loaf and it was divine. I love anything chocolate and peppermint, so this checked all the boxes for me. I gave it as a gift to someone and baked one for myself too. I will be making this next year for sure!

That’s a look into life lately and some favorite things of mine. I promise I will have a lot more favorite items in the new year. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, New Year’s Eve and I’ll see you back here on New Year’s Day for my 2025 Goals and Resolutions. See you then!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #124

Hello everyone! Happy Friday! I hope you are having a great week and are doing something festive this December weekend. 

Last weekend, I went to see a Christmas show and a dinner out and it was so much fun and got me in the Christmas spirit. 

This got me in the Christmas spirit!

I have been making my way through Christmas shopping and wrapping and baking. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

I baked lots of gingerbread, YUM!

This week’s post is full of holiday favorites as I link up with Erika and Andrea.

Let’s dive right in!

Christmas in Notting Hill– I have been on a Christmas movie kick. I started on Thanksgiving afternoon/night with the Netflix movie, Christmas in Notting Hill. It’s about a young woman who goes to visit her sister in England. She falls for a cute guy, only to realize he’s a pretty big deal and has a connection to her sister. This is your classic, cheesy, Hallmark-esque movie. But I loved it and it got me in the Christmas spirit.

Festive Accessories– Speaking of the holiday season, I have been picking up some festive, but subtle accessories to add to my wardrobe. I got this cute red barrette, which can dress up any outfit. I love the festive pop it can bring to a look. I wore it with blue and white, but it can be worn with black, white, green and of course, red!

Wall Flower Scent– As I was decorating for Christmas, I had to break out a new wall flower scent from Bath and Body Works. This is fresh balsam from Bath and Body Works and it smells like Christmas in a cup, the perfect mix or peppermint, a fresh cut Christmas tree and snow. It’s the perfect scent to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Rosemary Cashews– I found this recipe from Ashley Brooke’s blog. I love a good salty mix and this is the perfect snack for an appetizer spread. You can eat it on its own or add it to a fruit, cheese, and meat tray. I love the salty and flavorful taste the rosemary brings. We enjoyed it with other snacks after decorating and it was so tasty!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie– Another recipe that I made over the holiday weekend. I found this one on Mix and Match Mama’s blog. I love anything with chocolate and this was such an easy pie to make and can be enjoyed in the fall and winter. It tastes like a warm chocolate chip cookie. I would recommend it with some vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk. You can find the recipe here. Yum!

That’s a look into what I’m loving this week. Lots of holiday cheer and goodness. How are you enjoying the holiday season? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!

Happy Friday!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #121

Hello everyone! Happy Friday! It is the Friday before Thanksgiving. The holiday being so late this year is really throwing me off, so I have already begun to do some of my holiday prep, since I know December will fly by.

Signs of Christmas have already been popping up!

I hope you have something fun planned for the weekend, whether it be festive or not. The past few weeks have been busy between work, family commitments and some trips too, so I am looking forward to a bit of a breather before the holidays. 

You know winter is getting close when you see frost in the mornings.

Today’s post is very holiday themed and I have a feeling the next several Friday Favorites will follow suit, here’s a look at what I’ve been loving this week as I link up with Erika and Andrea.

Holiday Sweatshirt– I always love my festive graphic tee shirts to wear around the holidays. One of my local grocery stores had a bunch of seasonal items out for display, including sweatshirts. I thought they looked cute, but didn’t buy any. For the next several days, I kept thinking about the apparel and decided to go back and buy one and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. I love the colors and the fact I can wear it through the winter too, and not just on Christmas. 

Start of Holiday Baking– Since Christmas is weeks away, I have begun my holiday baking. As a way to make sure I don’t get too overwhelmed with the thought of baking dozens of cookies the week before Christmas, I started a new system last year that I will continue to use this year. I love to bake and typically bake one type of cookie or dessert a week. Now, through Christmas when I do my weekly baking, they will mostly be a family favorite cookie, and I will share half and save the other half. This way, people are still enjoying a homemade item every week, but I have cookies for the holidays. I am slowly making my way through my cookie list. A few weeks ago, I made my Halloween Candy cookies (it’s a sugar cookie with leftover pieces of candy) and they were a hit. I can’t wait to continue more baking in the next few weeks.

A beautiful first batch!

Bridget Jones New Trailer– I am a huge fan of rom coms and Bridget Jones Diary is one of my all time favorite movies. A new series was announced through Peacock following the three movies and the trailer just came out. You can watch it here. I was a bit sad to see the plotline and concept for it, but I will be watching. It’s a great example of moving on in life after loss.  It’s so fun to see a lot of the characters return and interesting to see how they have aged through the years. Will you be watching?!

Outlander Returns– Sticking with tv, one of my favorite tv shows returned for a new season. Outlander is back! I binged watched this show several years ago and have been watching it weekly ever since. The show is in its final season, so I can’t wait to see how it all wraps up. I may or may not have started it yet, depending on when you are reading this, but I can’t wait to get back to binging it.

Here– Have you seen the new movie “Here” yet? It stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. It’s all about a home and all the different people who live there through the years. The coolest part of the movie was the fact it was shot from one camera angle. It’s truly a cinematic masterpiece! I loved the concept, the storylines, and the casting. The message was truly beautiful too! It’s a must see for me!

That’s a look into what I’ve been loving this week. I can’t believe we are less than a week away from Thanksgiving! Time is going by too fast! Have a wonderful weekend!

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Fabulous living

2022 Year in Review

Here we are at the end of another year. At the beginning of this year, my motto or phrase of the year was “Building the Best Version of Me”. I really wanted to lean into my routines and rhythms that I established at the beginning of the year and stick to them and I was happy I did that.

It’s been said before that the older you get, the faster the years go by and that is certainly the truth.

This year has been busy with growing in my job, time with family both at home and away, building friends, enjoying hobbies.  

I’m using today’s entry as a both a recap of the past year and a favorite things of 2022 post.

So, let’s begin with a recap:

The beginning winter months of 2022 brought me out in snow and soaking up with outdoors with ice skating, winter walks and trying cross country skiing, something I haven’t tried in years.

Starting the year off with time outside, like skiing.
Time spent ice skating.
And cross country skiing…
Seeing the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit.
I also took in some local theater.

It also brought day trips to Pittsburgh for a trip to museums and time with family. As the weather got warmer, it meant more time outdoors with walks, picnics and trips to the local zoo and different parks. 

Time in Pittsburgh in the spring
I love taking in all the architecture.
First zoo trip of the year.
Celebrating Easter traditions.

Both of my brothers graduated in the Spring, one from college and one from high school, so it was fun to celebrate their milestones as a family. I also celebrated my 24th year around the sun. 

First signs of spring.
Cheers to 24!

I tried to spend as much time outdoors as possible in the summer months, from walks, to reading outdoors, picnics, and countless meals outside, our winters are long, so I tred to take advantage of the summer as much as I can.

I went to the National Comedy Center this year.
Summer picnics outdoors.
Drive-in dates.

I met up with friends through the summer months for dinners, or coffee or walks. I also did some traveling with day trips with family and my boyfriend and then some meet ups with friends too. My family and I got away for a few days with and went to the ocean which was such a fun escape.

Beach days in the summer
One of the many places I went for hikes for in the summer.
It felt so good to relax for a few days at the beach!
More zoo trips!
Fair fun!
I spent so much time reading outdoors.
I enjoyed sunrises and sunsets.

The summer was also filled with baseball games, strawberry picking, zoos, bonfires, beach days, and grilling. I tried to head outside as much as I could when the seasons changed from summer to fall.

Day trips to Pittsburgh
Lots of burgers on the grill.
Beautiful night for baseball
Strawberry picking summer fun!
Bonfire nights.
In my happy place!
I went to my first MLB game this summer.
And ice cream nights!
I fell in love with avocado toast this summer too.
I enjoyed farmer’s markets this summer too.

But as the winds changed, I had to layer up for fall walks, leaf peeping and apple picking. I tried to do as much baking as possible when I was cooped up indoors.

Fall drives.
Lots of fall baking
Enjoying Beautiful Fall Walks
Apple picking fun!
First time seeing this majestic waterfall.
Making Halloween treats too.

The last chunk of the year was filled with all things holidays. From Halloween movies to family at Thanksgiving and all the Christmas and holiday cheer. The last few months are always my favorite time of the year.

Family movie night for Halloween.
More fall baking.
Hello holiday cheer!
All the Christmas spirit, from movies to decor, to hot cocoa.
Holiday fun!

That was a bit of a recap, now here’s some of my favorite things from the past 12 months:

Favorite Show: This is Us: the Final Season

Favorite Binge Watch: Downton Abbey (both the series and the movies)

Favorite New Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid (new to me!!)

Favorite New Movie: Elvis

Favorite Artist or Song: Taylor Swift’s Midnights

Favorite Adventure: First MLB Game in Cleveland to see the Guardians

This is a snapshot of this past year, it can be easy to forgot or not recall all the little moments that make up the past 365 days. This year has been so fulfilling and fun. I don’t know what the new year will bring, but I’m ready to embrace the change, take opportunities (even the scary ones), and make every moment count.

Thank you 2022…let’s ring in the new year!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #20

Hey hey! Happy Friday and happy day before Christmas Eve! I hope you are able to slow down and enjoy the next few days with family and loved ones. I absolutely love this time of year, after all the anticipation and build up, we can all (hopefully) enjoy some time to slow down and reset with family and friends. 

Here’s a few things I’ve been loving this past week for this week’s Friday Favorites with Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites:

Cleveland Trip: My boyfriend and I took a day trip to Cleveland last week and had the best time. From ice skating to walks around the park and dinner and a show. It was the best way to celebrate the Christmas season in a different city. A truly spectacular Christmas gift!

Christmas in the city!
The best Christmas gift from my boyfriend.

Christmas Snack Mix: I have been in the Christmas spirit since the day after Thanksgiving and it hasn’t slowed down at all. The holiday displays at the front of stores always suck me in to try new things. I picked up this holiday snack mix from Giant Eagle and have been loving it. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty and holiday cheer. If you are looking for a sweet snack for a holiday party, this is it!

The best Christmas mix

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies: Speaking of Christmas cheer, I tried this peppermint flavor mix in a batch of chocolate chip cookies and loved how they turned out. I have been doing lots of holiday baking over the past few days, from new recipes to classics, it’s been so fun to do some holiday baking. This cookie mix has the perfect blend of peppermint and chocolate. There was also mini marshmallows and chocolate chips in the mix too. Yum!

The start of baking season.

Long Sleeve Blouses: I am always on the hunt for new pieces to add to my wardrobe and found this long sleeve blouse by Ralph Lauren at Marshall’s for a great deal a few weeks back and couldn’t wait to try it.  There’s so many things that I love about this top, first the colors, I adore the classic blue and red. Second, I love the cut and style with the sleeves and the bow at the top. Lastly, I love that it’s long-sleeved. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more tops like these.

I love a good long-sleeve blouse

Christmas in Paris: Just in the nick of time, I finished another Christmas book. I loved this story about a young woman who calls off her wedding and retreats to Paris. The description of Paris in the winter is beautiful. I loved the character development and it was so interesting to see this young woman find herself and love again. Christmas in Paris gets 5 stars from me.

That’s a look into my Christmas-filled week. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day and I will see you back here next Wednesday for my 2022 Recap!

Merry Christmas!