Holidays – Page 6

Categories: Holidays

A Christmas Wishlist

So, Christmas is somehow nine days away. WHAT?! I don’t even know where this month has gone. I’m nowhere near done with my shopping. I’ve finished with my brother and my nephew, but I still need to do some serious shopping this weekend for my mom and some friends. I thought it would be fun to do a little Christmas wishlist, something I’ve done many years before. So, without further ado, my Christmas wishlist for 2014!

1. A new pair of TOMs

I got my first pair of TOMs for Christmas two years ago and I’ve worn them ragged. They may not be the prettiest of shoes, but they are super comfortable and are one of the few types of shoes that I can wear for walking long distances. Finding a new pair under the tree would be a delight!

2. A Keurig

I would love one of these, but they are pretty pricey and it’s one of those wishes that I put on my Christmas list for funsies. I’m not a huge coffee drinker, and I don’t have a regular coffeemaker now (I usually just whip by Starbucks or drink from the coffeemaker at work when I need a java jolt.) A Keurig would be such a treat! We’ll see what Santa thinks. 😉

3. A new Vera Bradley tote

Another thing I am in desperate need of. The one I have now is fine, but I’m just ready for a new one. You know how that is. I typically only use my totes on weekdays, for traveling to and from work, but they’re so nice to have on hand.

4. The SkinnyTaste Cookbook

Probably about 80% of the recipes in my regular cooking rotation now come from SkinnyTaste, and I definitely need her cookbook. I rarely buy cookbooks, but I’ve tried so many of her recipes before and I love them all.

5. Chromecast

Watching Netflix on my iPad Mini is fine, but it’d be nice to be able to plug this into the TV and watch Netflix on a larger screen. This is a purchase I’ve been meaning to make, but keep putting off, so I added it to my Christmas list to see what Santa thinks. If not, it’s something I’ll be buying after the holidays.

6. A pair of ankle boots

I have a pair of Uggs and knee-high boots, but I really need a pair of ankle boots. Of course, Florida has maybe 1-2 months where these are necessary, but I’m really trying to bulk up my winter wardrobe because it’s in a sad state. Ankle boots would really just complete things!

7. A keyboard for my iPad

This would just be nice! I don’t use my iPad as much as I thought I would because I hate using the keyboard. It’s mainly just used for watching Netflix, reading, and sometimes playing games. I’d love to be able to use it more frequently, and a keyboard would help me do that.

8. Yes, Please by Amy Poehler

I rarely buy physical books anymore, but I have a mad girl crush on Amy Poehler and I really want to read her book! I’m on the waiting list at my library, and I may just end up buying the Kindle edition if I don’t receive this for Christmas.

What’s on your Christmas list this year?

Categories: Holidays, Recurring Series

Five for Friday: The Christmas Edition

Happy Friday, friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed their time with family. I took a little bit of a blog break for the holiday, but I’m back with a Christmas recap, Five for Friday style!

One – Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a busy day for me! I woke up early, so I decided to spend some time finishing up Holiday Council work (including listening to the last live call! How is it over so quickly?!). There was a quick stop at Target to return a few gifts (emerged unscathed!) and then I picked up lunch at Publix. The afternoon was spent baking cookies, wrapping Christmas presents, and watching Christmas movies (A Boyfriend for Christmas and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation). That night, my mom’s boyfriend (who is home for the holidays, after being on the road since early October!) took my mom and me out to Carrabba’s for dinner. Yum, yum. He is further endearing me to him, that’s for sure. There was a round of peach sangria, multiple baskets of bread consumed, friendly service, and delicious food. While I intended to make another batch of cookies for our holiday celebration tomorrow, I just wasn’t in the mood when I came home from dinner. Instead, I took a long, relaxing bubble bath and read for a bit before calling it a night.

Two – Presents!

Oh, I was completely and utterly spoiled this year. I received an iPad Mini + case, Otterbox case for my iPhone, two gorgeous bras from Victoria’s Secret (I don’t even want to tell you how much I needed new bras! TMI?), two planners (one for work and one for home!), a new cardigan, a new blouse, cute headbands, and a most generous Target gift card from my mom’s boyfriend. Spoiled, I tell you, spoiled!

Three – Family!

My aunt and uncle hosted the family for a wonderful Christmas dinner. There were presents, pictures in front of the tree, tons of laughs, yummy food, spiked eggnog, and so much fun. It was also the first time some of the family met my mom’s boyfriend! (Can you believe they’ve been dating for a year now?!) It was such an enjoyable afternoon, though, and it made me realize how much I love my family. No, we’re not perfect and we’ve been through many trying times together, but through it all, they’re my blood and nothing is more precious than that.

Four – Nephew time!

After enjoying Christmas with our extended family, we still had to exchange gifts with my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew! We all left the party around the same time to head back to our apartment and do more present unwrapping. My nephew was spoiled, as per usual, and he loved all his gifts. Lots of action figures, LEGO sets, clothes, a coloring book, and a remote-controlled helicopter. He made out like a bandit! After all the gifts had been opened, he, of course, wanted to open up every single box and play with everything! By this time, I was exhausted from an already busy day (as were all the adults, it seemed!) but this little boy has unlimited amounts of energy. Toward the end of the evening, I showed him Photobooth on my iPad and he thought it was the greatest thing ever. We had a blast with it, as evidenced above!

Five – A Silent Night

After the busyness of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I was thankful that Christmas Day night was peaceful and quiet. Once my brother and his family left, I took a relaxing bubble bath and then settled in with a good book and some goal-setting prompts to brainstorm with. I am in full-on goal-setting, dream-envisioning mode, as I prepare to set my resolutions for this upcoming year, so it was the perfect way to round out the holidays.

How was your Christmas? What was the best present you received?

Categories: Holidays

A Christmas List

Guess what? Christmas is TWO weeks from today. Is that nuts or what? I am ready for Christmas, though, as I am mostly done with Christmas shopping. I still need to find a gift for my mom’s boyfriend, as well as stocking stuffers for my mom, but the hard stuff is out of the way. Though I am perfectly fine with these next two weeks going by slowly. The magic of Christmas anticipation is the best.

I thought it might be fun to do a little wish list for what I want for Christmas, some are things I know I am getting and some are “just for fun” things I thought I would throw onto my list, even though I don’t expect to receive them. It’s fun to wish!

1. iPad Mini ($300)

credit

Confession: I already know I’m getting this for Christmas. Because I am so, so spoiled. My main reason for wanting an iPad is to have a more functional e-reader. I’ve been using a Kindle Touch for the past two years and it works fine, but I want more. It’s just very basic and bare-bones, and I want an upgrade. I’m working on my best surprised face for when I open this present.

2. An Otterbox case for my iPhone ($40)

credit

I still do not have a protective case for my iPhone and I know that’s bad and I know I need one and yes, I am terrified of shattering my iPhone screen again. So an Otterbox case for my phone for Christmas would be a wonderful surprise! I really like their Commuter series, over their more bulky Defender series. I had a Defender before and I really, really did not like it! I think this will be sleek, while also being protective.

3. Happy Endings ($13 for season one, $72 for the full set)

credit

Happy Endings is one of the most hysterical shows to ever be on TV and the fact that it was canceled after three seasons breaks my heart. This show was a hidden gem. Typically, I don’t like receiving DVDs for Christmas. I don’t collect movies. My movie collection consists of maybe 10 DVDs… some of which are in their original packaging. I’m just not a huge movie rewatcher! But this show. Oh, this show. I could see myself rewatching the series over and over again. I would love to receive the first season (since I didn’t start watching until season two!). This show made me cry from laughter every single episode.

4. Floating shelves ($25, at Target)

credit

Home decorating is not my forte, but I really want a set of floating shelves for my bedroom. I just love the look of them. I’m not sure how well I could actually decorate one, but I’m willing to try.

5. Dachshund prints

These would be the perfect addition to my floating shelves! The last two are probably my favorites. In order: Dachshund Silhouette by Miller Sye Shadows ($12), Life is Better with a Dachshund Art Print by Dogs Incorporated ($29), House of Dachshund Print Poster by Weavers of Southsea ($29), and Dachshund Art Print by Happy Tails Prints ($25)

6. Black glitter TOMs ($54)

credit

I got my first pair of TOMs last Christmas and they’re still in pretty good shape. While I know TOMs are not the prettiest to look at, I once walked 6 miles in a pair of TOMs with no arch pain at all. This is unheard of for me. I can’t even say that about supportive running shoes! They offer my feet fantastic support and are super, super, super comfy. I have a gray pair currently, so maybe I should jazz it up with some black sparkles? Yes?

7. A paper shredder

credit

Ha… this is a boring purchase, eh? I am in desperate need of a paper shredder. I have so many papers and documents and mail that need to be shredded and I just keep stuffing a grocery bag when I come across a new piece of paper that needs shredding. So, practical purchases FTW!

8. An Amazon gift card

credit

Because I have an addiction and her name is Kindle. These are the best gift anyone could get me ever.

9. New measuring cups and spoons

I am in desperate need of measuring cups and spoons. We have some, but some sizes have mysteriously disappeared and it drives me crazy, especially when I’m trying to bake. I love these matryoshkas-inspired measuring cups ($13) (so efficient!) and these measuring spoons ($15) are pretty neat, plus they are magnetic so they can either just stay on your fridge or be stacked easily in a drawer. Want, want, want.

10. And just in case Santa is reading this: a MacBook Pro

credit

Ha… I know I am not ever getting a MacBook Pro for Christmas (unless I marry well?!), but hey, it’s a wishlist and this is a big wish for me. The computer I use (a Toshiba) is fine, but I salivate over the thought of owning a MacBook. Trying to save my pennies so I can buy one sometime next year!

***

Boy, that was fun! Now, you tell me, what’s on your wishlist this year?

Categories: Holidays, Recurring Series

A Weekend in Pictures: Birthsgiving

Oh, what a weekend this was! I always love the long Thanksgiving weekend, because my birthday usually falls somewhere in the midst of it, and it’s just nice having four full days off work. This weekend felt especially long, but I can’t lie that I whimpered a little when I woke up this morning. It’s hard getting back to routine after a holiday! But alas, here we are. It’s December and we have 23 days until Christmas. I have done zero Christmas shopping.

But no matter. It will get done! For now, let’s take a look back on this weekend, shall we?

The oh-so-lovely Natasha coined the term “Birthsgiving” for my birthday and I loved it so I stole it for the day. Birthsgiving started early with a 5am wake-up call. My mom and I, and our house guests (my uncle, aunt, and two cousins from Georgia!) ran the Turkey Trot 5K so we had to be up and attem early. It was 43 degrees that morning so we were all freezing. The race was good, though I ended up walking more than I wanted to.

The rest of the morning and part of the afternoon were spent lounging around and slowly getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner. There was a quick trip to Cracker Barrel because we were all hungry and not going to last until dinner. Dinner itself was great. We had a big group this year – 23 people in total! I got my fill of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. (My favorite Thanksgiving foods!) And the desserts topped everything off, leaving me feeling as if my stomach would burst from all the good food. And the best part? The best part was that my grandma hosted and seeing her feeling and looking so good made me the happiest. She’s on the path to recovery after being diagnosed with cancer for the third time and we’re all just praying it stays away for good this time.

After dinner, my mom & I and our house guests settled in for the night at our apartment with some drinks, UNO, and good quality gossip. Having our Georgia family here in town was the best, and I love them dearly. I wish they could come down more often! Maybe a trip to Georgia is needed soon? Yes?

Friday started a bit early, as we wished our house guests safe travels back to Georgia, and then I took Dutch on a 30-minute walk. After coming back inside and fooling around online for a bit, Dutch and I went back to sleep for a few hours, because what else are holiday weekends for? Gradually, my mom and I got up and ready for the day. We went out for lunch and then shopping for my birthday present: new boots! I’ve been looking around for the perfect knee-high boots for a long time because I guess I have fat calves and most boots won’t fit over them. (Wonderful.) But then I found these by chance and they fit perfectly. I want to wear them every day. But we have highs in the mid- to upper-70s for the next week so we’ll see how much use I get out of them!

After that, I took another nap (because, holidays) and then Friday night was spent lounging. I caught up on almost all my TV shows, ate good food, and worked on some blog things. A perfect night, in my opinion!

Oh, what a day Saturday was! I woke up around 7:30 after not getting to bed until 2am, so I was tired throughout the whole day but there was no rest for the weary! My mom and I went for a run, and then came home to shower and start Christmas decorating! After setting up the tree and stringing the lights, we took a break to have lunch and then do some shopping. We stopped at the mall (where I picked up my favorite pair of Old Navy skinnies!) and then at Target to get some more holiday decorations.

We finished decorating our apartment just as my brother and nephew arrived for some Saturday night fun. We ordered pizza, I baked cookies, and we spent the night watching TV and just hanging out. It was a wonderful night! I love having those boys over. It was a bit of a belated birthday celebration since my birthday was taken over by Thanksgiving, so I got to make all the decisions on what to do! Woo!

Sunday was another early morning, as my mom signed up for a 5K in Brandon. I opted not to run it, since I didn’t feel confident after my 5K on Thanksgiving. She did wonderful, as per usual, and then we came home for showers before heading out to brunch. And then? Then, we came home and I took an epic 5-hour nap. It was beautiful. So, so needed. I was out cold from the minute my head hit the pillow until Dutch woke me up by licking my ear. The rest of the day was spent watching football, grocery shopping, meal prepping, doing laundry, and trying to hold on to the last few seconds of my holiday weekend.

And that was my weekend! Full of fun, food, family, and plenty of naps. And now it’s time to get back into my routine, especially healthy eating and exercising!

How was your weekend?

Categories: Holidays

Gratitude in the Everyday, Part V

25 – When I look around my home, I’m grateful for the fact that I really enjoy living with my mom.

Since I was seventeen, aside from the year I lived on campus during my freshman year of college, my mom and I have lived together, just the two of us. It’s been so nice and I have really enjoyed living with her. I am grateful that we get along, enjoy each others’ company, and that she’s never pressured me to move out. It’s been such a wonderful experience living with my mom and I am just so grateful and blessed to have such a close relationship with her.

26 – When I look around at the world, I’m grateful for freedom.

We honestly have no idea how good we have it. I am free to read whatever I want, have a career, do things on my own without a male counterpart, worship where I want and how I want, criticize public officials, and write on a public blog. I have a roof over my head, electricity, running water, a comfy bed, and food in my home. I go to sleep with a full belly every night and I have enough money in my bank account to get me to my next paycheck. Freedom. We have so much of it, and I think it’s so easy to get bogged down in what we don’t have, or what we want, or what we think we need, and we forget that we live in a world some people cannot even imagine. We are living the dream. We really and truly are.

27 – I love that I have the ability to daydream about my next cruise!

My mom and I have already discussed our next cruise. This will be the sixth one for both of us. And after having a balcony room during my girls’ cruise this month, we’re even contemplating reserving a balcony room. We’ve already settled on the cruise we want to do (a 7-day cruise out of Miami that leaves in May) and just thinking about is filling me with such joy and glee. I can’t wait!

28 – I love it when I see animals anywhere!

Goodness, I don’t think I could be more of an animal lover. I definitely love animals more than I love people. (Usually, I get more choked up about news stories involving animals than I do about news stories about people.) They are just so innocent and sweet (well, most of them) and fun to be around.

29 – The nicest thing I have felt on my skin today was a pair of jeans!

On Monday, my company announced we were free to dress casually on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Typically, we adhere to a business professional dress code Monday – Thursday and then a casual dress code on Fridays, so we were all stoked we could dress down and wear jeans this week. I’ll admit, I felt a bit funny walking out of the house on a Tuesday in a pair of jeans, as if I was being naughty or disobedient (almost 26 years old and I’m still completely terrified of authority!). It is really the little things, sometimes, isn’t it?

30 – I’m grateful that I’m learning to enjoy the present moment.

I was looking through my worksheets from the Holiday Council 2012 and noted one of my goals for 2013 was to enjoy what’s happening in the present and stop worrying so much about what’s to come in the future. To stop worrying about being a certain weight or meeting someone special or having the perfect career. To enjoy what is in front of me and have hope for what is to come (but not dwell on it!). And I believe I am learning to do that. I feel more centered and present and here. I’m not looking forward or backward, I’m just feeling peace and contentment for what lies in this moment. It’s precious, this life we’re living. We don’t get a second chance at it. So we might as well enjoy the ride.

And that concludes my “Gratitude in the Everyday” posts! It’s been fun reflecting on my life and completing these prompts over the past few weeks and I want to wish a very, very Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers. The next few days are going to be a whirlwind for me, with a race to run, food to eat, and a birthday to celebrate! I’ll be back on Monday with a full recap on all the festivities. Have a good one, friends!

« Previous Page
1
…
4
5
6
7
8
…
12
Next Page »