Christmas Bucket List

Christmas is one of my favorite times of year and I'm sure I'm not alone in this sentiment. There's something so magical about the joy all around and how families and friends come together during this time. I love the traditions that my family has been doing for years and I'm excited to start our own traditions with our little ones (one day).  Here are some of the things that are on my Christmas Bucket List.

1. My class and the other 2nd grade class go Christmas Caroling every year. It's so adorable to hear their sweet voices and I almost always tear up during Silent Night. I can't wait to go this year.

2. I love children's books because I am a teacher, duh lol :) I especially love Christmas stories. Even though the Night Before Christmas isn't about the true meaning of Christmas it's still an adorable book.

3. Every year my church hosts a Christmas Tea. The Sanctuary is transformed to a Christmas wonderland with all different tables decorated with Nativity scenes, Christmas trees, garland, etc. They are also set with beautiful china and tea and finger foods are served. I already attended this and it was so wonderful!

4. I think gift giving is one of the best parts of this time of year. It can bring such joy to someone's day especially when the gift is unexpected.

5. I like to get a new ornament every year. Okay, well sometimes it's much more than one ornament but I specifically buy one that is significant to that year. :) I haven't picked out one yet for 2015 so I am hoping Mark and I can do that when he gets home.

6. My family always watches the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve. I love this movie... it never gets old and seriously cracks me up! I can't wait to watch it with everyone!

7. Who doesn't love hot chocolate? It brings me back to my childhood but is also still such a treat as an adult. I love making it from scratch because it's just that much better!

8. We always attend a Christmas Eve service and my favorite is the candlelight service. It really focuses us back to the real reason for the season... Jesus being born of course! It's just such a special time and the message of His birth is always such a blessing to hear.

9. We usually bake Christmas cookies a few days before Christmas. We make sugar cookies and then frost them. Last year my sister and I did a horrendous job icing them. We need a piping bag or something lol. My mom also makes peanut brittle and fudge. Oh my goodness I can't wait to get my hands on some!

10. "Santa! I know him!!!" Oh my goodness I love the movie Elf so much. I can pretty much quote the entire movie and I'm sure you can too. Last year we dressed up as buddy the Elf at our staff Christmas party. Don't worry we wore jeans instead of tights lol. Great times!

11. As I stated above it's always good to focus back on the real reason for Christmas. Reading the Nativity story is so important on Christmas and being a teacher I have so many beautiful books that do such a great job of relaying this birthday message. Some of my favorites are: Humphrey's First Christmas, Itsy Bitsy Christmas, and the Christmas Baby.

 I am linking up with Jessica, Amy, and Alisha for the Bits of Cheer holiday linkup. I'm also linking up with Katie, Pinky, and Sara for their Countdown to Christmas.  Check out their blogs for more holiday goodness!

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday everyone! This weekend definitely did not turn out as planned because I got sick :( If you read my last couple of weekend recaps you know that my hubby was sick with the flu then pneumonia. I thought I had avoided getting sick but on Friday I started to feel a little crappy when I got home and it continued to get worse on Saturday night. I finally went to the doctor on Sunday and I have acute bronchitis :( Boooo! I was feeling so much better yesterday and then I woke up with a fever again today. Ugh so frustrating.  Hopefully the antibiotic will work its magic soon.

 Anyways, let's jump into this Weekend Recap. I apologize for the lack of pictures but like I said I wasn't feeling 100% this weekend.

On Friday, I squeezed in a quick workout and then met my friend Ashley and her baby, Emma, at the outlet mall. We walked around for awhile sipping our coffees and chatting. It was a super low key and relaxing night. Just what I needed :) I got this sweater in forest green and a pair of workout crops at Old Navy. I had some SuperCash to spend :)

On Saturday, I got up early to take my Jeep in to get an oil change. I had canceled my workout for Saturday morning because I started to feel sick on Friday night. I felt better in the morning so I continued with all my errands.... Christmas shopping, groceries, dog groomers, etc. I decided to just veg out for awhile when I got home because my headache and body aches were back. UGH! I made a hot chocolate in my cute new mug because that makes everything better, right? :)

I am LOVING this book that Tracy sent me and of course gotta have my sparkling water

My friend Stephanie and I were planning to go to December Nights at Balboa Park which is a HUGE holiday celebration with food, entertainment, and all the museums in the park are free that night. Since I wasn't feeling that great we decided to just do a dinner and movie instead. I was bored and wanted to get out of the house... in hindsight I should have just stayed in bed and rested. Oh well! We had dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and then saw Love the Coopers. Such a strange movie. It was actually really sad and had some weird parts. I thought it would be funny but I was wrong lol. When I got home I realized that I had a fever and had a pretty rough night trying to sleep.

In the morning, my hubby was texting with me (he's gone for a few weeks on a work trip) and convinced me to go to the doctor. I'm so glad I did because I obviously needed an antibiotic. I felt a lot better for the rest of the day thanks to constant motrin as well. I made yummy shrimp tacos for dinner and watched the Santa Claus. I was trying to just lay low and get better. This is not an opportune time to miss school. There is just so much going on!

I had been planning to attend the Christmas Tea at my church for weeks now and I was going to be devastated if I couldn't go. It's a night where different woman host tables and decorate them with holiday flair and super pretty china. Volunteers serve fun little finger foods to us and we sing Christmas carols and their is always a great speaker. It's just an encouraging and fun night! Thankfully I felt way better and was still able to rally and head to the event. My friend Ashley came with me and I'm so glad she did! Stephanie's mom hosted a table and they did a beautiful job decorating.

Our table :) So beautiful!

 Some of the other tables...

Ashley and me

Stephanie and me

It was such a fun night and definitely put me in the Christmas spirit! I hope you all have a great start to your week!

Five on Friday

Happy Friday everyone! This week just flew by and I'm sure the next few weeks leading up to Christmas will do the same. I love this time of year though. It's just so magical...as cliche as it sounds lol. I love that everything is decorated for the holidays, Christmas music is constantly playing, and all I can think of is gift buying haha. I love buying presents for people and I seem to go a little crazy trying to figure out exactly what to get everyone. I came up with some ideas early this year and posted quite a few gift guides.

Check them out here:

Gift Guide: for her

Gift Guide: for him

Gift Guide: Skincare 

Gift Guide: Makeup Lover

As always I'm linking up with April, Natasha, Christina, Karli, Erika, Narci, and Andrea. I hope you all had a great week!

One- Oh Christmas Tree...

We decorated our house early this year because Mark went out of town on Tuesday for work and won't be back until we head to Vegas for Christmas. We wanted to experience some sort of Christmas cheer in our home before he had to leave, especially since we only get to be with each other every other year during the holidays. Ohhh, deployments :( We moved our table out of our kitchen this year so our spot for our tree is now a little squished. We made it work though :)

Also, a couple of moms from my class brought a tree into the classroom and decorated it. Seriously beautiful!!

Two- A Delicious New Rub and Herbed Butter

I have been trying tons of recipes from Juli Bauer's Paleo Cookbook since I got in a few months ago. This week I made the steak rub and herbed butter and holy moly it was so good! We usually have steak on Sunday nights and rib-eyes are always my go-to. I typically just marinate the steak in olive oil, garlic, and salt & pepper. When I saw this recipe I was excited to try something a little different. I made the rub out of garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and pepper. I added extra cayenne pepper because Mark and Greg both like their food on the spicier side. It turned out so delicious!!

 I also made the herbed butter which is basically where you take softened butter and add in minced parsley, chives, roasted garlic, and sea salt. *The original recipe called for fresh tarragon as well but I didn't have any. Then you mix it all together and put the butter into the refrigerator to harden. After the steaks were grilled and then rested you place the butter on the top and it melts into this garlicy deliciousness. Seriously so good! I also made oven parsnip fries and truffle oil aioli to go along with the steak. These were delicious as well. I'm thinking about doing a dedicated blog post to this little side. 

Can you tell that I LOVE this cookbook??

Three- Wreaths Across America

I came across a post from a friend on FB the other day about an organization called Wreaths Across America. They organize all kinds of veteran events but what they are most known for is placing wreaths on the gravestones of veterans during the holidays. This immediately grabbed my attention because I have such a soft-spot for our military and I think it is incredibly important to honor our fallen. After further investigation of their website I couldn't help but LOVE what they stand for and their mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach. 

My friend's post on FB stated that Arlington National Cemetery is down 30,000 wreaths this year.  That makes me so sad! I immediately sponsored a few wreaths and I encourage you to do the same. If you aren't convinced that it's important yet then watch the video above. I cried several times! If you want to find out more about Wreaths Across America click here for a link to their website. 

Four- Nevada Brining Company

One of my good friends, Matt, started a business called Nevada Brining Company where he makes his own pickles, rubs, brines, etc. This is a Nevada based (Battle-Born) company where Matt hand-crafts everything. NBC also uses local vendors and seasonal ingredients so you are always getting great quality produce. Matt is an incredible cook so when he started this business I knew it was going to be a success and I wasn't wrong :) 

He recently just sent me a batch of the deli style pickles and the boozy pickle. I am a pickle fanatic so I ripped the package open as soon as I saw it on my doorstep. You guys... these pickles are fantastic! He even recently partnered with Great Basin Brewing Company in Reno, NV and made an Icky Pickle using their famous Icky beer. This new pickle will be featured on their menu in two weeks. If you live in that area go try some asap! 

And if that's not awesome enough NBC pickles will also be in Whole Foods in Reno!!! SOOO STINKIN' COOL! If you want to check out his pickles and other products visit the NBC website here. You won't be sad you did! :)

Five- Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff 

Buy it here. 

I just finished Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff and holy moly it was so good! I don't even know where to begin when describing this novel. It's unlike anything I've ever read. It was very serious and sad, a little disturbing, but so incredibly intriguing. I found myself wanting to read it any chance I got even though this is not my typical kind of novel. I'm going to do a book "over" review on it next week because I really need to think this one through before I give my full opinion. It's definitely a must read though!

Healthy Habits for the Holidays

Did you overindulge this past weekend or know that you will in the upcoming weeks? I definitely ate too many bad things and I know that this will most likely for sure continue throughout December unless I make a plan. I am trying to find some balance so I can still have a few treats without busting out of my jeans. Let's be real, they are feeling quite tight already! Here's my plan to bounce back from my overindulgence from Halloween- Thanksgiving (yikes!).

Starting the Day with Lemon Water

There are so many positives to starting your day this way. Lemon water helps with digestion, weight loss, balances pH levels, boosts brain activity, reduces inflammation, and SO much more. Read this article to find out more ways you can benefit from lemon water. I am also up-ing my water intake in general. I drink so slowly throughout the day that sometimes I only have one or two glasses of water by the end of the day which is terrible.

Scheduling Workouts in Advance

This week I scheduled all my workouts in advance and I am trying going to stick to them. I even wrote them in my planner (in pen lol) and I hate crossing things out! I'm trying to treat them like an appointment instead of an option. I have to be up for work super early so working out in the AM is out of the question. I usually schedule a workout at Orange Theory Fitness for the 5:10 class or later if I have something to do right after work. Lately, I've found myself canceling classes when I am tired after work. My goal this week is to stay on top of all my workouts, even if that means working out at home instead of OTF.

Change Up Workouts

I love going to Orange Theory Fitness because the workouts are always different. Plus someone is there to tell me what to do and keep me accountable lol. When I go to the gym by myself I find that I tend to do the same kind of workouts. I recently downloaded some new Tone It Up workouts onto my phone so I can do a different routine when I'm at the gym. Like I said I love to go to Orange Theory but sometimes I can't make the class times for that day. Having workouts right in my phone makes it easy to follow at any time and adds some much needed variety to my workout.

Meal Plan

I plan out most of our meals on Sunday before I go to the grocery store. This gives me a good idea of what I'll need to buy and also helps me to stay organized during the week. Lately I've found that I'm not making my Paleo/ healthy meals as much as I normally do. So this week I decided to find some crockpot meals that I can throw together quickly in the morning and they will be ready when I get home from work. I love to cook but after a long day at work, then working out, the last thing I want to do is cook and then clean it all up. A crock pot makes it pretty easy because it cooks while you're at work and most of the mess is contained to the pot. Meal planning is a game changer when it comes to eating healthy!

Cutting Out Sugary Drinks

This one might kill me. I love my Starbucks and Coffee Bean drinks but I've found myself getting one almost every single day. This is just adding to the other sugary treats that seem to be everywhere this time of year. I'm trying to cut down so that when I do have one it's more of a treat and not an everyday necessity. 

Eat Raw Food

With all the processed deliciousness junk that seems to be everywhere right now adding in more raw food helps with your digestion. I'm not for eating ALL raw food but just adding it in when I can. I added sugar snap peas, bell peppers, and cucumbers to my lunches this week. I've also included more fresh fruit to my diet to help me feel more recharged and energized. I know that when I cut out processed food I feel SOOO much better!

These are the small healthy habits I'm trying to stick to during the holidays. What changes are you making to ensure you don't fall off the wagon?? I would love to hear your suggestions below!

Gift Guide: for her

1. Clarisonic Mia 2 Starry Night Set  2. Glitter Happy Brush Set  3.  Petra Collar  4. Beanie 

5. Sole Society Bucket Bag  6.  Samsung Galaxy Nook

7. Faux- Leather clutch 8. Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime  9. Nespresso 10. Instax Camera

I have another fun roundup of gift ideas for you. This one is for your best friend, sister, mom... whoever! I have a wide variety of gifts from inexpensive to the pricier items. I personally would love all these gifts!

1- The Clarisonic set is an awesome gift for the beauty-lover in your life. I got the Mia 2 a couple years ago for my birthday and I LOVE it. I use it almost every day and it truly has changed my skin for the better.

2- This Sephora brush set is ultra girly and fun! Sephora has great brushes and this set is an awesome deal for only $85 with a $225 value!

3- I love this Bauble Bar collar necklace. It's definitely a statement piece but not too crazy and overwhelming. I think this would be the perfect addition to any holiday outfit.

4- The pom on this beanie is seriously adorable. I am on the hunt for the perfect pom-pom beanie and I think I've found it. I love that the texture of the beanie is cable knit as well. So cute!

5- I have been loving Bucket bags and this Sole Society one is making me swoon. The cognac color is perfect and seriously goes with everything. The under $60 price tag is pretty nice too!

6- One of my favorite gifts I've ever gotten is my Nook. Mark gave it to me a couple years ago for Christmas and I use it ALL the time. I am an avid reader and it makes it so easily to always have a book on hand. I was always a firm believer that actual  books were  the only way to go but I've been changed by this little guy. They have a ton of different options but this seems to be the latest and greatest!

7- This burgundy clutch is great for the fall/ winter. I love the texture on the top flap and the gold zipper. This is a great inexpensive gift (only $19!!) for any of the woman on your list! Old Navy always has cute clutches and I've had mine for several years.

8- The Pioneer Woman makes great cookbooks with funny anecdotes and lots of yummy recipes. I have two of her cookbooks and I can't wait to add her new one, Dinnertime to my collection. This is a wonderful gift for the cook in your life.

9- This is definitely more of a luxury item but will be a much-loved present for the coffee lover on your list. Plus it's over 50% off on Sur La Table's website! I've heard so many great things about the Nespresso machines and this one even includes a milk frother. I feel like this would drastically cut my Starbucks tab lol.

10- This Instax mini camera is probably my favorite item on this gift guide. I think this is such a fun gift for kids to adults. If you haven't seen these yet it's basically a polaroid camera but it's made by Fuji film and the pictures are smaller. It comes in all different colors, is super easy to use, and it even  has different settings for a softer focus on the pictures. Best Buy has it on sale for $69.99 right now.

I am linking up with Jessica, Amy, and Alisha for the Bits of Cheer holiday linkup. I'm also linking up with Katie, Pinky, and Sara for their Countdown to Christmas.  Check out their blogs for more holiday goodness!