Life Lately: Snow Adventures

Well in last week we had our first and second snow!

Since this was Sophie's first snow we weren't quite sure how she would do, but she absolutely loved it!

Our first snow was just a dusting and she kept looking around and trying to eat it as it fell.

She is such a sweetheart and absolutely loves playing outside and in the snow was no exception.

I forgot to save this picture on Instagram before I put words over it but I was wondering how long my white and gray runner would stay clean. Sophie was on it within two minutes eating her bone! We didn't have any rugs down at first because we didn't trust Sophie not to pee on them but now that she's potty trained we are adding one rug at a time. I just ordered one for the living room and can't wait to share that with you once it comes in!

Side note: I need to buy things for underneath the rug to hold them in place. Any recommendations? I know some people use tape and others use mats...

Just another cute picture of Sophie :)

Here she is during her second snow! This one left a lot more snow on the ground and lucky for Soph, her dad got to stay home with her for a snow day! 

She loves being outside so Tim built a snowman with her and sent me a picture while I was at work.

So cute, but I'm so sad I missed out on such a fun day. Boo to work!

Anyone else feeling slightly overwhelmed this December? Seriously, where is the time going? I can't believe it's already the 9th. This month is just flying and even though I feel mostly prepared, there's always something else to do!

This week I have a work Christmas party and I still need to find out what we are doing for Tim's family this year and buy gifts for that. So still stuff to do, even if the house is decorated and the rest of the gifts are purchased.

What is left on your to do list for this season?

Check out those cute little paw prints!

 On Saturday Brittni and I had a fun shopping day on Saturday. We started off at Bath and Body Works candle day and hit up a couple of stores in Garden City, Cranston. Then we headed to the Warwick mall to eat lunch and buy more stuff!

We got a ton of shopping done and it was so nice to be off shopping for the day. I haven't had a marathon shopping day in awhile and honestly order pretty much everything online these days.

Here's my candle haul! I picked up a few for co-workers and then a bunch for my candle stockpile.

Last night, Rachel, Ant and Tilly came to visit and it was so nice! I didn't take any pictures but it was so nice to hang out with all of them and we absolutely love having a place where we can entertain guests.

That's whats been up with us lately around here! What have you been up to lately?

Holiday Gift Guide 2016

If you're anything like me you might be already close to done with your Christmas shopping. I only have a few more items to purchase and then I will be completely done! I did want to pop on here and share my annual gift guide with you. You can check out my previous gift guides by searching right here on the blog. 

Here is a collection of items I think would make terrific gifts this holiday season. 

This is a new item for me and I'm obsessed! I've always used LUSH lip scrubs and enjoyed them but when I heard about the lip scrub by sara happy I knew I had to check it out. It's a gentle lip scrub that feels great and smells delicious. I use this once or twice a week and although this little container retails for $24.12 on Amazon it is something that will last you quite a long time. I think any woman who loves beauty products would be thrilled to see this under her tree or inside a stocking!

The Wet Brush retails for just under $9 on Amazon but it something I absolutely love. I grew up with very tangly hair and if I don't brush my hair out after emerging from the shower I'm in for a fight when I go to style it. (and everyone wonders why I just wear my hair up most of the time) I don't know many girls who wouldn't appreciate a nice brush and this one is certainly worth it especially since it's at such a low price.

It seems like Tis The Season is sold out of the 3-wick candle version currently online but this is by far my favorite holiday scent from Bath and Body Works! We are also using the hand soap in our bathroom and the scent is just so cheerful this time of year. Bath and Body Works consistently has great deals on candles this time of year- in fact yesterday was their annual $8.50 each sale (which explains why they are currently sold out of a ton of items) so keep an eye out because candles make great gifts for everyone!

Currently books one and two from the Harry Potter series have been released in illustrated editions and it's something any Harry Potter lover would love. They retail on Amazon at $23.99 and are just beautiful collectors items. I have both in my house currently and it's a beautiful way to read and appreciate these classic tales.

This is my favorite seasonal lotion scent from Bath and Body Works and if you keep your eye out you can get great deals on this as well! The ultra shea lotion can be paired with the shower gel to make a great gift for any girl in your life.

If you've been reading for any length of time you now that I absolutely love my birchbox!  The women's box retails for $10 a month and men's is $20 a month. The best part about this gift is that you can give it for Christmas and they will receive a box each month which is so fun- it keeps the gift going for as long as you like. You can do a three month, six month, or year long gift which gives your recipient plenty of time to decide if they want to continue subscribing.

Know a sports fan? Well right now in the midst of football season it's great time to get that football fan some gear. There are great deals going on right now and you can buy everything including hats, scarves, socks, jerseys, sweatshirts, and more! A great choice for any sports fan. I am currently lusting over the Patriots hat pictured. Not that I wear hats much...but you know...

Beats are so expensive but they are seriously great headphones. I have had the chance to try them on several occasions and these are great for guys or girls. They are great for blocking out all other sound when you are listening to music (or an audiobook). There are a ton of different options to choose from as well. 

Apparently if you are a video-gamer this is the game of the moment. Tim just recently got this and while I am not a video game person at all, if you have one in your life you might want to consider picking this up.  Just make sure you check what type of console your loved one has first! Another idea for a video game lover is a new controller- something that I've gifted Tim in the past and he has appreciated- controllers are expensive!

We actually just picked up this particular LEGO Ninjago kit for Tim's nephew because it's on sale for $24.79, originally $40! Tim's nephews love LEGOs and they have some great sales this time of year. We just recently saw LEGO minecraft on sale at Target in store for 50% off. They were actually all sold out by the time we got there but what a great deal. We don't see a ton of deals on LEGOs but this time of year there are quite a few!

Some of my other favorite gifts to buy this time of year? 

• Ornaments
• Gift Cards
• Candy and Other Food Treats
• Big Electronics (SO MANY SALES!)

I have only a few more items and then I'm done- how much Christmas shopping have you completed?!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year....

....at least that's what the song says right??

I think most of us think of this as the most stressful time of year. There is so much to be done and so little time before the holidays to get it done. I thought today I would share some tips on keeping your stress levels low and your cheer high. I know from personal experience that we tend to want to do it all and then we end up in a nervous breakdown the week before Christmas trying to get to everything finished. (This coming from the girl who has added dog sitting and coaching a dance team to the full time job I hold as well as writing this blog- I know I'm crazy) There are a few things you can do to make this time of year more enjoyable (or at least plan on next year being less stressful).

Buying Gifts

I know that buying gifts is a central and materialistic part of the holiday season. It can ridiculously stressful knowing what to buy for everyone which is why I like to keep a couple of lists to help me out.

List #1 details everything I have purchased and who I purchased each item for. Also if I've hidden the gift for some reason it's also listed on there. 

List #2 is a list of gift ideas. I keep a physical list as well as one on my cell phone and all year long I keep track of ideas that I have for family and friends. There are a lot of times I am out shopping with my mom and she mentions something that she likes and it's great to quickly jot it down so when Christmas time comes I can get something she actually will like/use. I do the same thing with my friends and it really has helped me.

Another tip I have is to buy gifts all year long. Now that we're in December it is obviously a little late for this year- but start preparing for next year! I always shop the after-Christmas sales and look for items to put aside for next year. I make sure to buy my gift wrap during this time and anything that is specifically holiday related- such as ornaments- so that way I'm not paying full price.

Buying gifts off-season is way less stressful with smaller crowds in the store and the ability to actually find a parking spot...so get out there early! =)

Wrapping Gifts

I think we've all been there- that marathon wrapping marathon where you feel like you might die via paper cuts and scotch tape- but that no longer needs to be the case! My simple solution? Wrap as you go. When you go to the mall and come home with an amazing gift for your grandpa- wrap it. When you buy a fistful of gift cards during your grocery shopping trip- wrap them. When you finish knitting that scarf for your best friend- wrap it up! 

Don't get too crazy about wrapping- a beautifully wrapped gift is definitely a bonus and looks great under the tree- but there is definitely nothing wrong with a nice gift bag. Gift bags are much easier and take half the time.

Giving Gifts

I always get super stressed about when I'm going to be handing out the gifts that I bought, so when December rolls around I like to pull out my planner and check out what is going on for the month. I get nervous about making sure I see everyone before the month is over and I like to organize my gifts like that as well. When I have all my gifts wrapped I separate them into sections- all my family gifts go into two piles- my immediate family that will be receiving their gifts on Christmas morning, and the rest of my family that will be given their gifts on Christmas Eve. 

My friends gifts depend on the day I will see them, so I try to sort them out by when I will be seeing each person. Some are at Christmas parties and others I have to make special arrangements to see. Keeping everything organized in a planner is so important- especially this month!

Christmas Cards

If you've ever sent a batch of holiday cards you can understand why this is such a stressful, sore spot.

One tip I learned from my mom was to create labels on your computer to save your hand some serious pain writing out all the envelopes. I would take it a step further and also update your address labels as you hear from friends and relatives throughout the year. This way when the holiday comes around all you have to print out those labels, stick 'em to the envelope and drop 'em in the mailbox!

Holiday Events

Another reason why your planner is so important this holiday season. I know you have a bazillion things going on this month- Christmas parties- both with friends and family, Holiday events and bazaars and don't forget those holiday shows that the kids put on every year! There is so much going on that unfortunately you can't do everything. Here's my number one tip for this- Sometimes you have to say NO. As much as we like to believe we can do everything- we can't. Pick and choose what is most important to you. Plan to attend the events that are meaningful and skip the others in order to get some holiday things done that you otherwise wouldn't have time for. 

Get In The Spirit!

Take a step back and enjoy the season- go see those Christmas light displays, pick out a tree, make some cookies as a family. Take time to enjoy it. I know about the stress of the holidays- but by being prepared and organized you can tackle this time of year and come out on the other side smiling!

Happy Holidays Everybody!

Christmas Shopping and a Free Printable!

How are you doing on your Christmas shopping this year?

I've been way behind my normal schedule of getting everything done before Thanksgiving..but I tried to recover by ordering a ton of items online this weekend. I have quite a few good ideas for Christmas gifts this year, but I don't want to give anything away because I know a few people I've bought for are regular readers- but let's just say I've gotten a lot of great ideas this year and I'm excited to give out my presents!

However I do want to give you a few ideas of gifts to give this year...

~Candles


   

I am a huge fan of candles and I think they make a great gift for everybody from family members, to acquaintances. There are so many different scents and types of candles to choose from. Bath and Body Works candles are one of my favorites- they are inexpensive and come in some great scents!

~Gift Cards

 
Even though they are boring- gift cards are the way to go! I love giving gift cards that my friends and family will actually use. My favorites to give and received are ones to Amazon, coffee shops and restaurants that are local.

Isn't it better to give a gift card that your friends and family will use rather then another knickknack they won't?!

~Beauty Products

As a big-time beauty product lover there are a few items I think would make great gifts if you know someone who loves beauty items.

 

Urbay Decay released their Naked 3 palette and for anyone who is a fan of the brand- I would definitely check this out.

I also can't recommend Taylor Swift's perfume enough! This is my all-time favorite perfume lately and I think it would make an amazing gift for someone who needs a new perfume!

~Books

You can probably tell if you've been reading for awhile that I'm an avid reader. Check out the tab above to see some books I've read and recommend.

Some books I've read that would be perfect gifts this season...

          

There are so many gifts you can give this holiday season...

Lucky for you I have done a few gift guides throughout the past years...

Gift Guide 2012

Gift Guide 2013


I also created a quick printable to help you keep track of all the gifts you buy this year. You can download your copy of this festive printable right here.

I like to keep track of who I'm buying for, what I've bought them, how much money I've spent, and where I've hidden the gifts I've bought.

How are you doing on your Christmas shopping this year?