Friday Favorites

 Happy Friday, Friends!

 I'm linking up and sharing my Friday Favorites with Erika, Andrea & Narci once again.

~ONE~

 

My new planner, is definitely a favorite of mine this week.  If you haven't ordered a new planner for 2017, I'd definitely recommend the Simplified Planner.  It's a nice thick planner, just the way I want it.  My year holds so much, that I love having the room to write it all out.  I also really like the Erin Condren planner as well, but I haven't found a good enough excuse to own one of each... any helpful ideas on that.  ;)

 ~TWO~

I am LOVING these lazy days at home with the kids.  I realized this morning on my way to drop Gracie off at basketball practice that it was the first time I have left the house in almost a week.  Now that's what I call a Christmas vacation.

Books, puzzles, movies & games... it's great!

 ~THREE~

This foundation by Bobbi Brown, is another favorite of mine.  I'm not much of a makeup girl, but with age, I'm wanting just a little coverage to help blend some of my uneven tones... so far so good.

 ~FOUR~

This book.
It's been weeks since I finished this book, and I'm still thinking about it.  I will most definitely read it again at some point, but I'll wait until it's not so fresh on my mind.

~FIVE~

With the start of the new year, I'm in the spring cleaning mode.  I found this list off of Pinterest and shared it with you yesterday, but I think it bares repeating.  If you like a good list, and you feel like getting organized for the year, this list gives you a good place to start.

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That's a wrap for my 5 favorites, this Friday.

  

Have a fun & safe weekend, and I'll see you guys next year!

Happy New Years!

XO,

Let's Have Coffee

I always have different odds and ends that I want to talk about, but I don't really need a whole post for it.  So I'm sticking with my "Lets Have Coffee" posts.

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Have you guys ever tried vloging?  Oh my word!  I hope I'm not the only one who has tried and feels like a complete idiot!  I've found that I say "Um" at the beginning of each sentence.  I found the need to buy a good concealer or foundation... as I've found that my mirror lies, and...  I need braces.  Yep.  Attempting to vlog has taught me all that.  No public speaking for me anytime soon.  So for all of you who can vlog and actually walk away from it without a lower self esteem... hats off to you!  ;)

My new planner arrived last week!  I went with the Simplified planner again this year.  I still really wish that the Simplified planner and the Erin Condren planner would merge, but until they do, I've went with the Simplified planner once more... and all because of how the individual days are lined out.  You've got to find what works for you and go with it, right?!

It's a bit hard to see, but I love the layout. The left side has where you can schedule your day accordingly and then on the right side shows your to do list for the day.  At the bottom there is a section to write in what you're having for dinner, and then there is blank spot on the other side for you to fill in whatever you wish.  It's almost the perfect planner.

Do you have a favorite planner?

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I'm planning on taking down our Christmas decorations in the next couple of days, but I think it always makes the house look a little plain and boring.  The house goes from being all decked out in greenery with red accents, to beige, and white.   Tell me somebody struggles with this as well!  I'm hoping to look for a couple of new house decor pieces, but I'm not sure what I'll find.  If you have any fun places you like to shop online, let me know!

~

I was on Pinterest looking for ideas on the best ways to declutter the house.  I know how to declutter, but it's motivating to see it or read about it.  Something about a new year, makes me want to Spring clean like crazy.  Here are a couple of lists that I found and liked.  I mean, who doesn't like a good list.

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Okay, give me some tips.  What's your favorite planner?  Best advice on decluttering?  Do you vlog and have advice for me?
Have a great day!

XO,

What's Up Wednesday

This link up was for last week, but again I decided not to post this until the end of the month.  I just can't do a month review without finishing most of the month.  I mean how can I not include Christmas in my What's Up Wednesday for the month of December?!

What we're eating this week

Turkey breast & mashed potatoes

Cheesy chicken enchiladas & Spanish rice

Ham & bean soup

Pizza

What I'm reminiscing about

Nothing.  I'm actually looking forward to the start of the new year.

What I'm loving

So I will tell you over and over, that I hate to be cold, but I'm actually loving all this snow. As long as it's cleared off the roads that is.  If we are going to have a cold and dark winter, we might as well have some pretty snow to look at and play in.

What we've been up to

 Christmas prep.

Basketball games.

A Christmas concert.

A school play.  (Jesse's the boy in back with the white beard.)

What I'm dreading

 Nothing.

What I'm working on

Getting over a stupid cold, reorganizing my house, and blog posts.  I'm trying to get a few new ideas going for this next year.

What I'm excited about

 I'm excited for the new year.  Besides Summer and Christmas, I LOVE January!  The craziness of the holidays is over, and there isn't any big thing planned within sight, besides the usual.

What I'm watching/reading

 We have watched a bunch of Christmas movies and tons of Hallmark shows.

I just finished reading, The Innkeeper Of Ivy Hill.  I'm hoping to have my review up soon.  It's a huge book.  I had no idea that it was so big when I agreed to read and review it. 

What I'm listening to

 I've been listening to Christmas music this whole month, but the day after Christmas... I'm done.  I just can't listen to it after the 25th.  So I'm back to praise music, with a bit of country mixed in.

 What I'm wearing

Coats, snow boots, scarves... the whole works.

What I'm doing this weekend

 Celebrating the New Year with family and friends!  I'm still regrouping from Christmas.  It's hard getting all geared up for another big weekend already... but ready or not, I'm sure everyone will be headed this way!  :)

What I'm looking forward to next month

Everything.  I love the fresh start of a new month and a new year!  I've got my new planner and I'm telling you, the start of the year feels all new and exciting.

I went with the Simplified Planner again this year, and I'm excited to start using it.

What else is new

Nothing, which is quite refreshing!  :)

Are you getting excited for a fresh start this January?

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, friends!

Today I'm sharing my Friday favorites but with a twist.  I'm sharing a few of my favorite Christmas things. 

Christmas movies

 There are so many Christmas movies out there that I love, but if I had to narrow it down to only 3, I'd pick...

Elf

Home Alone

& The Family Stone.

This isn't one I'd watch with my kids, but I think it's fun, and the humor in it cracks me up.

Christmas cookies

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 I love a good Spritz cookie, but who doesn't, right!

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My very favorite Christmas cookie is an Apricot tart.
 They are so good.  I always refused to try them as a kid, because I thought they looked and sounded gross.  What was wrong with me?!  I haven't made these by myself before, but I am hoping to this year.

Christmas traditions

Out of all of the Christmas traditions, my very favorite one is our family's Christmas morning breakfast.  My Dad makes homemade waffles and a really yummy brown sugar syrup.  Throw on some huckleberries and it's the best!!!  He always made this for Christmas and our first day of school.  Now I'm down to just Christmas, so I wait all year long for this breakfast.

~
We've had a busy couple weeks around this house.  I haven't blogged nearly as much as I've wanted to this month.  But life calls, and my blogging gets put on hold.  It's just the way it goes sometimes, but I'm hoping we'll settle back into our routine soon.

So tell me, what is a Christmas favorite of yours?

XO,

California Trip 2016

I thought I better write about our trip, before I forget too many details.  It's picture heavy today, but I want to make sure and save as many details as I can so the kids and Dan & I can read back on it years from now.

We picked the kids up at lunch time on Friday and hit the road.  Thankfully there wasn't too much snow on the pass yet, so we were still able to drive over it.  They only maintain this road until Thanksgiving is over, and then the rest of the winter it isn't plowed, so we have to take the longer route.

I loved that my kids are now big enough to sit together on the plane without needing Dan or I.

Until Dan spilled his coffee all over both of our laps.  Then I was wishing to have sat somewhere else.  ;)  It wasn't hot enough to hurt us, just annoying like wet denim is.

And it kept us humble when we walked through the Los Angeles airport.  No big heads over here.  Haha!  We know we're a mess.

We got into Los Angeles on a later flight, rented a car and spent about a half hour driving to our hotel.  We stayed right across the street from Universal Studios.  I loved this hill, with all the lit up palm trees.

The next morning we got up early and went to the park.

This picture cracks me up.  The girls wouldn't do it, but this boy of mine didn't mind making a goof out of himself.

These walking/talking transformers were probably one of the kids favorite things.  They were huge, and moved so well.  Kind of freaky!

We aren't big Sponge Bob fans in this house, but what the heck...

It started to get really busy and we had seen most of what we wanted to see, so we snapped a quick family picture and left.

We walked back to our hotel which was just across the street, grabbed our rental car and headed down to Anaheim.

This is one of the only pictures I took at Disneyland.

It had been raining off and on, and it was insanely packed.  I don't even know if it's been half as busy when we've went there before.  There were people actually directing foot traffic... in the park.  I think we left by 2:00 and just went back to our hotel to relax and let the kids swim.  Note to self, we will never go when it's that close to a holiday.  We should have known better.

The next morning, we drove over and stayed with Dan's parents for the rest of the week.

We mostly just hung out around their pool and relaxed.  I got some reading in, and soaked up as much sun as I could.

Thanksgiving dinner, with wet pool hair.  :)

On this night we went to watch the Sound of Music.  They had a red carpet to stand on, so you could get your picture taken.  I love this selfie that Jesse took.  And the performance was amazing!

We had a great time and we're already missing that warm sun, but we are excited for the rest of this month and all the fun things we have planned.  December is a good month to be home!

XO,