Wow! I’m not a fan of the holidays flying fast but I am a fan of Friday’s and sharing with you some of our family fun and favorites during the blessed season. Hoping 2023 brings joy, happiness, and good health to you all my friends!
1. Family
May have been some of my favorite family time yet despite one gathering postponed due to weather being -40 below! BUT spent all day Christmas with these darlings. Just missing our Pharmacy resident in Baltimore (but she’s off next year!) And the postponed night at moms was wonderful.
Ruth's Chris on the 26th to celebrate Birthdays, College Graduation and an engagement (the other engagement had not happened yet)
Family Recreates
Oh my, were these ever fun! I came across some of these photos as it was getting closer to Christmas, and I knew it was time to re-create this family goodness. I don’t know why I didn’t think of getting one of the five of us, but I did get the three boys reenacting the year that our youngest still believed in Santa. And because it’s a rarity to have all three boys when we see the cousins, I had to do Mr. Nine’s sister’s family with a couple re-creates too.
Hilarious these 3 trying to re-create it!!
With the Cuz's
Love this fam.
2. 2nd Son ENGAGED
Eek, when our son got back to Baltimore, he proposed! That’s right friends; 2 sons engaged within 2 weeks of each other! Exciting times!
3. What I Wore
Didn’t take many pictures of what I wore at all, but the hot pink blazer was a favorite as well as this dress that I wore to a holiday dinner.
Blazer HERE // Black Silky Camisole HERE // Faux Leather Leggings HERE // Booties HERE
I actually had someone on TikTok that did not believe that I made this. She obviously has not followed me very long, lol. Look how amazing the Christmas wreath charcuterie turned out. Mr. Nine told me I should start my own seasonal business for these. You know I love my Charcuterie friend, but I think there might be a market for the wreath idea. Anyway, I plan on sharing the whole thing and how I did it on the blog next Christmas season.
I just ordered these earrings of the month. I love the neutral aspect and style. Nickel and Suede are my most worn earrings, and the earring of the month is always a good one at a great price.
How in the world have I gone all year without doing a What’s Up Wednesday? I think I always have so many Friday favorites to share that I don’t deviate much from my Wednesday fashion posts, but to be honest, my life is so much more richer than my fashion so happy to participate, especially during the festive holiday season!!
1: WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK:
Not necessarily what we’re eating for dinner, we’ll maybe, lol. These are 3 of my most requested recipes every Christmas.
Sweepstakes Peanut Butter Fudge
I submitted this fudge at our county fair a few years ago and it won sweepstakes. I make batches and batches of this every year. Recipe HERE
Amish Apple Fritter Bread
My most pinned recipe on Pinterest. Amish Apple Fritter Bread. Over 1 million times and catapulted my blog to 6 figure views a month. (Power of Pinterest). Makes a great gift too! Recipe HERE
AND Fun content for December, including a healthy festive food option.
7: WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT:
Some fun Christmas parties and see #11.
Oh and carrying my 27year old Santa Purse...one of my balls fell off so it's going to mom's to get sewn, lol.
8: WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING:
Yellowstone of course, Dead to Me, and LOTS of others. And so excited for Emily in Paris and YOU to return in December.
Many of you may have heard about Christina Applegate having MS. She was determined to finish the last season despite feeling so crummy and not being able to walk at times. What a great job she has done!! Just finished this...SOOOO GOOD!!
Every Christmas Eve my mom gives me a book with a Christmas theme. The next season, I pull it out to read. Been a tradition for years. This year I’m reading: The Noel Letters..GET IT HERE
Only $10 and would make a great gift PLUS it is a current Netflix Movie with Justin Hartley.
9: WHAT I’M LISTENING TO:
Christmas Music! Some of you may think that I’m a Holly channel kind of girl with a more modern Christmas songs but nope, I am a traditional Christmas songs through and through!
10: WHAT I’M WEARING:
All the Christmas Pajamas and RED!!
Candy Cane Jammies (this style sold out but they anticipate more HERE)
Celebrating our sons 25th birthday! How can that be? So excited to give him his gifts..show ya soon.
12: WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:
Soooo many Things like our son’s birthday, Stella’s first birthday, having all the boys home AND CHRISTMAS! Look at the Birthday Lamb Chop we got Stella and just wait until you see her CAKE!
13: FAVORITE AMAZON FIND:
One of my most treasured Amazon Finds will forever be my Tiered Trays (MAJOR SALE HERE). I got all 3 wood washes and normally do all three decorated for Christmas but this year I only did this one. Check out all 3 HERE.
And BONUS: My favorite NECKLACE SET to give and get..I talk about it ALL the time, had mine for almost a year and no tarnishing..wear it many times a week! Under $15!
I've never been a resolution maker and in all actuality, New Years is my least favorite time of year. Depressed the holidays are over, yucky weather, back to better eating and hitting workouts harder. However, what it does offer is a fresh start and what kind of girl am I? A Type A list maker!!! Goals are important for a person like me who, while occasionally can go by the seat of my pants, could never live like that on a daily basis. I need structure, things to look forward to and things to conquer and accomplish. I need things to believe in and I want to live life to the fullest. There are overarching themes that I cannot ignore so Here's the 9 categories I'll be working on in 2016.
Let's Talk NEW YEAR!!
Hubby and I toasted to it all on NYE!!
Family
Basically to continue to love on one another because the older they get, the years take them to a little more independence and not wanting to be with mom and dad as much. We're gonna make the most of the time we have. So when there are not around, hubby and I are gonna do the same. Maybe some more day dates or a spontaneous trip!!
Travel
Nice segway to travel huh!! How sweet is this, on NYE, Mr. 9 looked up flights and we were going to take a last minute trip, like leave the next day, to Park City Utah or the Caribbean. Yep, those are the things I want to do. Even if it's just a quick day trip, to go somewhere we've never been and enjoy new sights, tastes and experiences together!!
Conscious Minimalism
I've been wanting to declutter and reorganize for a while now and while I am fairly organized, many drawers and closet's got a little haywire around here! It's time for my organizational skills to come into play and that may mean several trips to Target for organizational type materials like bins, containers, labels, you get the picture.
Huge Garage Sale
Speaking of decluttering and organizing, much of that will include throwing things in boxes and pricing them for my big ole May garage sale! I have had a garage sale every other year for 20 years and it's always a huge hit! While it is a lot of work, it actually is a lot of fun talking with all the people that come, not to mention a great feeling of getting rid of all that stuff! Almost everything usually sells, but what doesn't gets boxed up for Goodwill and doesn't come back in the house.
Compliment Someone Everyday
I feel this is so important. Think about it, when someone compliments you, don't you smile on the outside and on the inside. You take pride in the things you love. In this crazy world, it is so important and vital to make others feel good about themselves. The better we all feel, the nicer we'll all be to one another. Being More Assertive
This is tough, but I need to speak of for myself more. When someone is doing the wrong thing to me or I see it happening to someone else, by golly they are going to know it is not right. treat one another the way you would wish to be treated, right!!
Save More Mula
Really no explanation needed here, two boys in college, yeah, you better believe I'm going to be saving a lot more mula and probably not buying as many shoes, LOL. You like that statement honey? Not to Cry
Not to cry at prom, not to cry the last day of school, not to cry at Senior night, not to cry at graduation, not to cry at the open house, and not to cry pretty much every.single.day until college move-in. However, I know those tears are going to flow, I'm an emotional person and basically those tears to me, are tears of love and emotion from all these years. My goal is basically to restrain myself from getting too emotional because I want the kids to know that I believe in them and their strength to make it on their own.
Blogging
Don't care that much about stats, but what I do care about are the people I've come to know. So, I want to continue those relationships, meet even more people and maybe even meet some of ya all in person. Those big ole' blogger get aways always sound so fun. And oh, I would like to learn to take my own pictures on a timer with the Cannon, lol.
Totally attainable, right!!
Yep, Mantra for 2016: Tomorrow is a Brand New Day
and make sure to join Andrea and friends over at Momfessionals for her Let's Talk Series
I'd love to hear what goals all my blogging pals are striving for too! After all, we're in this together and everyone needs a little reminder of that and encouragement now and then.
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