Holiday Hiatus

Hi guys,

I didn't plan on total radio silence around here over the holidays but I will admit its been nice to take advantage of quiet time. Jason only had Christmas Day off so we completely unplugged and stayed in our pajamas all day watching Christmas movies on the couch, it was PERFECT! We had a wonderful Christmas, and were completely spoiled... we are so grateful.

Post Christmas Jason went back to work, meaning the next day which is so sad to me. At home we have boxing day and it at least allows Christmas to last one more day, it just came and went so quickly. Jason and I have also both gotten post Christmas colds which totally sucks, I don't know what the deal is but 2014 brought more sickness for me than I have had since I was a kid, I am hoping to turn that around in 2015.

Today I am laying around watching Christmas movies hoping to feel better before tomorrow nights festivities. We are heading into the city with a bunch of friends, we got tickets to Beer Authority NYC for New Years Eve and then Jason will have New Years Day off, although I am excited for that I am definitely not planning much as I can imagine the shape he will be in!

Once the holidays are over and things are back to normal I have posts ready to go, I thought I would stop in and chat a bit today but I didn't want to start with regular posts as I doubt I will have anything for tomorrow and New Years Day, and you all have better things to do on those days than to stop in and read! The blogsphere as a whole has been quite quiet as everyone has been enjoying the holidays, as they should.

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday, I wont lie I am really sad to see the holidays go but I guess its time to get back to reality. I am really interested in all the things 2015 will bring to our lives and although I don't believe in New Years resolutions I definitely have some plans for the new year ahead.

Again I hope you all had a great holiday, I plan on leaving the tree up until March haha! Jason would totally let me though, he loves it more than I do.

Happy New Year from our house to yours, wishing you and yours all the very best in 2015!!

Be Safe!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Hi Guys,

So I didn't get a post up about our weekend with the Seavey's but you can look for that next week! I really just wanted to stop in and wish you all a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours! We are planning a really low key Christmas which is perfectly fine with me!

I hope you all enjoy your family, eat delicious treats and make the most of this exciting holiday!

All the best! :)

Monday Morning Excuses

Good Morning,

It has been a really long weekend, which seems odd to say because at the same time I feel like it totally flew by! The Seavey's were up and out super early this morning as they have a long drive back to Maine, thankfully their travels have yet to include any bad weather or anything and we are super thankful for that!

We had a great weekend, and I cant wait to tell you all about it here but its just not going to be today! You know what its like when you have friends in town that you haven't seen in a long time and on top of that you want to show them the entire city and attend an NFL game.. you really don't get much sleep. Not to mention I got up this morning at 4:30am to see them off and instead of going back to sleep I decided to start the mounds of laundry awaiting me and all the cleaning the will need to be done.. you know what comes after guests and before Christmas.

I have started in on the 50 cups of coffee I plan to drink today and will get as much done as I can before meeting Tanya to head into the city this morning to check out a few things! Lets just bet I will be going to bed at 6:00pm if I can.

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! Today or tomorrow I plan to upload all my pictures from the weekend and write a post covering our weekend I just don't know when I will actually do it. I am off right now to get some coffee ready for my hubby as I am sure he will need it having to work today on little sleep!

I hope you all had a great weekend, I suspect that blogland is going to be really quiet this week with the holidays her and I honestly don't know how much I will post but we will just wait and see how it goes!

If you have plans and won't be around much than I wish you and your family and safe and happy holiday! Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year ahead!!!!

High Five for Friday 12.19.14

Good Morning,

I am ANXIOUSLY awaiting the arrival of the Seavey's! I do believe if they get here early enough Tanya and I are going to tour them over around World Trade and stuff for the afternoon! I am super excited for them to arrive, we planned this trip months ago and have been anxiously awaiting it ever since. When we were all in North Carolina we spent so much time together, but when we came to New Jersey the Seavey's moved back to Maine permanently and we really haven't seen each other since, so I cannot wait to spend the weekend with them!

Anyways I had a great week and I am excited to share the top 5 things with you, so lets dive in!!

1. Mirenesse: Mattfinity Lip Rouge in Sydney: 

I've been really into red lipstick these last few months and what better time to utilize it than over the holiday season! I received this in my December Birch Box, which I posted about HERE and I absolutely LOVE it. This is a really creamy lip stain but it lasts a really long time. I really like the color, its deep but bright.. if you are not a lover of red lips this might be something worth checking out! 

2.  Tribe - Lemon Rosemary Focaccia Hummus

So for the last couple of weeks Tanya has been talking about this hummus that she found and LOVED but was never able to find it again. We were randomly in Shop Rite this week and Tanya wanted to get hummus and when we went over to the hummus section there was a huge selection which just happened to have the one Tanya was looking for. Turns out the brand has a HUGE variety and I decided to get the lemon rosemary focaccia.. I honestly don't know how to describe it, its absolutely amazing!! I love anything fresh and lemony and this stuff takes the cake! I will definitely be buying this AGAIN and AGAIN!! I suggest you do the same. 

3. Christmas is less than a week away!!

Christmas is less than a week away and not only am I super excited for it but I have finished all my wrapping, basic grocery shopping for Christmas.. all that good stuff! I literally have nothing left to do but enjoy and I cant remember the last season I had it play out like this! I struggle every year with my Christmas shopping, I am generally a last minute shopper and avoiding that made things all the better!! I hope you are all enjoying the season as well!!

4. The amazing sights and scenes of Christmas in NYC

Tanya and I spent Wednesday walking around New York and taking in all the beautiful sights and scenes and visiting the many Christmas markets!! We had a really great day, and beautiful weather for it! I shared a bunch of pictures in yesterdays post HERE, wander over if you missed it and take a look!

5. The Seavey's are coming!!!

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post the Seavey's are due to arrive this morning and I honestly cant wait. Tanya and I are going to take them to World Trade and stuff this afternoon I believe and then tomorrow Jason and I will tour them around the city tomorrow and Sunday we will be attending the Patriots game! I cant wait to tell you all about it next week!!!

I hope you guys have a fantastic weekend as well, get all that last minute shopping done and are ready for the exciting week ahead! I know this week will be busy for everyone so if you don't get back here this week I will wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS right now! All the best!

Today I am linking up with:

Tanya @ Prairie Girl in the Big Scary World

Lauren @ Lauren Elizabeth

Tif @ Bright on a Budget

Samantha @ The Samantha Life

Christmas in NYC - Daytime Addition

Hi guys!!

What my day was going to look like today kind of got turned around so today's post is going to be a little different as well, my apologies.

Yesterday Tanya and I spent the day in the city wandering around just checking out the beautiful store front displays, and the magic of Christmas in New York! It definitely looks different during the day, but somehow no less magical. We visited a few holiday markets around the city, drank the beloved and so missed Eggnog lattes that Starbucks finally brought back! We had a really great day, the weather was absolutely beautiful for most of the day and although I had intended to write more I am going to photo dump with minimal explanation.. not that it needs it!

Do you believe it is one week today until Christmas? I seriously cant.. where did this month go?

So here are some pictures, I hope you enjoy and get a little taste of what Christmas is like in NYC, because its absolutely magical. We plan to spend a night in the city this weekend and I will try to take as many pictures in the dark so you can see it from that prospective as well!

Enjoy!!

Inside and outside of Macy's is absolutely amazing!

This is one of the store front windows.. there are hundreds but I only took a few. Tanya will be posting as similar blog as well and when she does I will link over to that so you can check out her pictures as well. 

Its amazing how creative people get!

Thank you Tanya for this picture! I think this is my favorite display in the city, its just incredible!

New York Library! Probably my favorite place in the whole city!

The tree inside the library. Don't you just want this in your house?

Oh the churches in this city.. the architecture is absolutely amazing! 

Rockefeller Center! 

Tiffany displays their diamonds inside and out! This was one of the most impressive displays!

The plaza hotel! I will forever relate this to Home Alone 2, Lost in New York!

This was one of the booths at the Columbus Circle Market, you can also find them in the Union Square Market as well as Bryant Park! These are all line maps, you can view their products HERE as well. 

HELLO! La Sonrisa Empanadas! I swear guys.. these things are absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!

Radio City Music Hall

Bryant Park Market.

The decorated tree at Bryant Park! The trees around the city are amazing, of course nothing tops Rockefeller Center whose tree is meticulously picked and groomed in preparation. 

This amazing snow globe like decoration in Macy's! 

I took a TON of pictures, I selected what seems like more than a few to share with you all today! Again it is our intention to spend the day in the city on Saturday and hopefully I will manage to get pictures Saturday night of the tree at Rockfeller Center, etc! If you are interested in seeing more pictures from yesterday please let me know and as I mentioned I will link y'all to Tanya's blog once she has posted it. 

I hope you guys are having a fantastic week! As always thanks for reading along! I am off to work on my blog for tomorrow as well as avoid cleaning the apartment. 

Brianne and Evan arrive tomorrow and we are absolutely thrilled to see them and show them around New York!!! 

Have a great evening!

If We Were Out for a Hot Chocolate Date....

In the spirit of Christmas and hot chocolate I thought I would stop buy and talk about a few things I may mention if we were out for hot chocolate this week. I like these little posts, they are a great way to relay a lot of information in a less boring format.

I have been thinking a lot about hot chocolate as well lately, this year I really fell in love with regular Swiss Miss hot chocolate with a little Girl Scouts Thin Mint Coffee Creamer in it and whipped cream on top! However last week Tanya sent me a list of all the best hot chocolate in the city and one of them was PB&J hot chocolate and its sparked my interest!

Anyways.. lets set the scene. We have just met for hot chocolate and naturally we ordered different kinds so we can try each others. We grab a table at said establishment and start to chit chat...

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... I cannot believe how fast the Christmas season has flown by, Christmas is next week and I honestly cannot believe it!

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... I have officially finished all my Christmas shopping and didn't feel any of the stress I usually feel at this time of year and that's a win in my book.

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... Although I really hate the cold in the North I thought we would have snow for Christmas this year and it doesn't look like that will be the case unless a storm comes through in the next week or so. I don't know if I'm disappointed or not.

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... I really thought this Christmas would be super hard not being able to be at home with our big tree and all our special ornaments, by the fire and cooking Christmas dinner in our amazing kitchen but somehow like always I have fallen into being fine with the little tree we have, and all our travel stuff, as much as I wish we could be home this is the way it always is and so it kind of brings back memories of past years.

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... the Seavey's are coming this week and we are all going to the Patriots game this week and I am sooo EXCITED!

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... I am running out of Bath & Body Works candles and panic is setting in.

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... I am really sick of cooking dinners, I feel like I never know what to make and its a sore spot in my day. I don't know why but I am just not enjoying cooking lately, maybe you would share some recipes with me?

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... I am still in desperate need of a haircut and I am just going to have to give in and pay the big bucks in the new year because I look like a red headed Diana Ross.

If we were out for hot chocolate I would tell you... I am excited to see you, its been awhile!

If we were out for hot chocolate I would ask you... How things have been with you lately and if you're finished your Christmas shopping?

If we were out for hot chocolate I would ask you... what you have planned for the holiday this year?

If we were out for hot chocolate I would... Thank you for taking the time our of your schedule to visit!

I think that about covers it for now, we would probably talk about a million other things because lets be honest I am a chatter box on a good day! I hope you are all having a great week and have finished all your Christmas shopping, or at least have a plan if you haven't! Sadly at this point I think less people are enjoy the season than those who are panicking about their last minute shopping!

December Birch Box

Good Morning!

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, as you can tell I am back up and running with my laptop! I swear this thing gives us nothing but trouble but we are really trying to get as much use out of it as we can because apparently although the prices haven't changed a ton laptops just don't have a very long life anymore. It honestly works out well for me because Jason refuses to jump on the Apple bandwagon and therefore is morbidly against getting a Mac.. I will not get anything but after this.. so I still have some time to work on him I guess.

Anyways I got my December Birch Box last week and let me tell you how much I love that day of the month! I couldn't wait to share what I got with ya'll although I haven't tried anything yet. I try to come back every once in awhile and review some of the products I have received. Stay tuned this week for one of those posts!

Shall we?

The fact that I cannot rotate photos and what not is enough to make me want to transfer to word press lately. Get it together blogger, get it together! 

As you can see this months actual box was really festive, I assume going for a snow like theme and I quite like it!

(this is just a bad picture.. sorry.)

Jelly Soft Curl Cream, run through damp hair to bust frizz and accentuate curls! Retails for $14.00, this months Birch Box Bonus! I will say the fact that you will not use all of this product in one use makes me dislike the way its package because if you open it then what do you do with the remaining until you want to use it again? I have never used any of these products but by the sounds of it I think it may just be perfect for my hair! 

Mirenesse: Mattfinity Lip Rouge in Sydney: Velvety color with a modern matte finish. No need for lip liner, this stuff stays put! Retails in full size for $29.00. 

This is something I am super excited to try, I have really been digging the red lip but I find red lips can (depending on the product) fade quickly and I will often forget to reapply. The reviews for this product are fantastic and with the holiday season in full force I hope to get good use out of it. 

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo: Weightless spray in the brands signature obliphica scent that refreshes hair sans residue. Retails in full size for $21.00. 

As you know I absolutely LOVE the Amika products, I reviewed their Bombshell Blowout Spray HERE and am always hoping to receive more of their products in each months box. I am always trying out different dry shampoos and looking for one that works perfectly for me hair, I have high hopes this one will be it. $21.00 is a little pricey for dry shampoo but I don't feel that I use it in access so if it was absolutely amazing I think I would totally stick with it.  

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream: This all over hydrator heals and softens everything from rough heels to chapped lips. Apply a think layer to dry skin, and massage in until cream disappears. 

I have never heard of this brand but at this time of year a good hydrating cream is an absolutely must! I go through a lot of lotion in hopes of avoiding dry itchy skin from the harsh winter weather and am looking forward to giving this stuff a try!

Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm: The Korean brands tinted cream brightens, blocks UV rays and calms blemish-prone skin. Smooth a think layer onto face and blend. Layer as needed. 

I wont lie I am super anxious about trying new products as my skin is super sensitive and I am always anxious that something will irritate my skin. I have recently started using a BB Cream by Maybelline and I have mixed feelings. I really like that its a tinted moisturizer because its by no means full coverage but evens out my skin tone while moisturizing. However I find as the day goes on it cakes up a little.. anyways this is not a review of that. I will definitely give this a try. 

(Again with the pictures. -insert angry face-)

SeaRX - Anti Wrinkle Facial Lift Treatment Serum. With Dead Sea minerals and potent hydrators, this formula fights wrinkles and fine lines. Smooth a think layer onto skin, wear alone or follow with moisturizer. 

I'm not going to lie I don't know if I will try this or not, I know that everyone is all into this Dead Sea stuff but I think its a little strange and again with sensitive skin the idea of trying new products makes me extremely anxious. If I don't choose to use this I will give it to Tanya and let you all know what she thinks. 

So that is what I got this month in my Birch Box and I am excited to try all the new products and report back! 

I hope you all had a great weekend, again my apologies for basically missing last weeks High Five for Friday! 

Computer Malfunction!

I know, I know this whole "my computer is a joke" is getting old but I kid you not it is screwed up and sadly Jason was in no shape last night to try and fix it! Hopefully this weekend I'll get it sorted out and be back next week!!

My apologies for missing High Five for Friday!! But I hate trying to post from my phone (which I'm doing now) and posting pictures this way is just not an option! 

But... So I don't totally miss out on this week I will quickly highlight my top five things of the week!

1. Sunday holiday baking! Last Sunday I baked a ton of cupcakes for Jason to take to work! I made them Christmas themed and although it took a long day I'm loving all things Christmas themed right now! Less than two weeks now!

2. Tanya and I went into the city Monday to do a little shopping and visit the Union Square Market and it was a cold but fantastic day!

3. Tuesday there was horrific weather here and it was nice to just stay cozy and get some things done around the apartment, last minute wrapping with Christmas movies, coffee and candles! This time of year can be stressful for people, take some time to recoup!

4. Wednesday night was Jason's Christmas party for work and we went and had a good time! Sadly that was basically the exact time it decided to snow for the first time here and we were all dressed up. By the time we got to the subway my hair and makeup was ruined but it sure looked pretty! We had a great time!

5. I'm looking forward to the warm up this weekend, this week has been freezing and I honestly hate that! I don't do the cold and it's been really making it hard to want to go outside!

So that's it guys, please visit my last weeks High Five for Friday post to see who I'm linking up with and visit their blog!!

Also before I go I just want to wish Josh and Tanya a Happy second wedding Anniversary today!!

I hope y'all have a fantastic weekend!!

Bloggers I'm enjoying & Why

Good Morning,

This weeks posts have been a lot of "hey look what I'm doing" and such.. I generally started to blog for that exact purpose to make a long story short but for awhile because our life is really actually pretty boring I got to posting about a variety of things and I really enjoy that as well. The great thing about the blog world is there is a million different blogs about a million different things, I personally tend to follow more of the lifestyle blogs because that is generally what I enjoy reading but still the great thing about most Lifestyle blogs is you tend to get more than just info about their lives, because they have kids, hobbies, interests, etc.

I would hate to think that people didn't come around here as often because they got bored with the content and although I know I could be better about posting at time and better about the content at times I do make the effort to provide a variety.

I have a post in mind about my feelings on the blog world and putting it all out there, but that's for a different time.

If you follow my blog, multiple blogs or are interested in the blog world I cannot recommend the site Bloglovin' enough. It is a great way to have all the blogs you follow in one place and keep up with them, and as a blogger its a great way to get your blog out there and obtain followers. I use Bloglovin' religiously as my blog is linked, therefore every time I hit publish my blog is automatically posted to Bloglovin' and to the feed of every person that follows me. I have a link over there on the right if you do not already follow me on Bloglovin' please do so, it is a free sight! Not only for following my blog but do some research, I bet you could find a TON of blogs that are of interest to you!

I currently follow 125 blogs which probably seems like a lot, I will say since opening a Bloglovin' account the blogs I follow has changed frequently and the bloggers I have stuck with have changed their blog content and post amount as well. I often apologize for my crap content or lack of posting but all bloggers do it, life happens and life changes and depending on the purpose of your blog it can often be pushed to the back burner. Heck there have been bloggers that I absolutely love and read religiously who randomly fall off the face of the earth, I actually really hate when that happens... but none the less it does!

I follow a variety of blogs, some super popular (the blog world is huge but sometimes seemingly very small and everyone follows the same people) and some blogs that have few followers but relate to me or an interest I hate in some way! There really is something out there for everyone. So there has been a lot of rambling but I thought I would stop in here today and share a few of the blogs I follow and tell y'all why! Lets get crackin' shall we?

• The Life of Bon

Bonnie is absolutely HILARIOUS! She is a married high school English teacher and new mom who tells fantastic stories and more so than anything else tells it straight about whatever it is that she posts. I like people who are matter of fact, say it like it is good or bad, regardless of the judgement they may face and that is totally her. Her content has a great variety, she tells hilarious stories about her students, shares the highs and low of being a new mother, advertises wonderful products and every once and awhile posts about whatever is going on that she just needs to get out there. Her blog has become extremely successful but she stays true to what she believes her content should be and represent and I love it. Bonnie posts regularly, generally 3-5 times a week and I look forward to every single post. Although our lives are completely different I find that I can relate to things that happen in her life often which I think is great and is probably a lot of what keeps me back to read more. I believe right now if I could recommend any blog this would be the one!! Check her out on Bloglovin' or clicking the link above!

• Lauren Elizabeth

I have followed Lauren since the beginning and absolutely love her and her blog, I also link up with a blog link up she started every Friday "High Five for Friday". Lauren's blog is a lifestyle and fashion blog combo which I really like, she shops at stores that your everyday person would stop in at while out, she post beauty tutorials which is great and than talks about every day life that a lot of us can relate to. Lauren lives in Chicago, is in a serious relationship and owns her own business which you should definitely check out called Elizabeth Ashlie which is handmade jewelry! Lauren's content is fantastic and she posts on a regular basis, although her blog has an extremely large following her content is not based on advertising and she very rarely if ever has guest posts (I don't think its a bad thing if people do). I really enjoy Lauren's blog and feel that if you are a female 20 or older you would really enjoy Lauren's content! Check her out by clicking the link above or find her on Bloglovin'.

• Notes from Nessa

I started following Janessa almost two years ago when I came across her story on Instagram! At the time Janessa has recently become a new Mom to baby Penelope who was facing open heart surgery. Her story was heart wrenching but reading her blog was so inspiring, I couldn't imagine dealing with something so awful and she was nothing but hopeful and graceful. She documented their journey as a family and Penelope is now a happy and healthy toddler. Janessa is married and recently had another baby (Lucy), she teaches Zumba and has her own photography business - Janessa Parker Photography. I love Janessa's blog, the variety of content, and the fact that shes absolutely hilarious. She keeps it real, good days, bad days she tells it like it is but always has a sunny disposition. Her blog is refreshing and sometimes downright sweet as her love for baking shines through and the yummy recipes she shares as well as her absolutely precious girls. Although she is a busy Mom her blog has regular content, as well as her photography blog and she is always a breath of fresh air! Check out Janessa by clicking on the link above or find her on Bloglovin'.

• The Laurel Gazette

Are you a candy lover who enjoys reading the most outrageous tales of drunken escapades and fantastic adventures? If so than this is the blog for you! I look so forward to The Laurel Gazette popping up on my Bloglovin' feed as I know I am in for a laugh, this girl holds nothing back and makes no apologies for it.. she is a total card and I love it! I think if you read her blog for awhile and didn't know she was a law student in Washington, DC you would probably be shocked, girlfriend drives the hot mess express and I think she takes pride in it, and so she should.. shes fantastic! Laurel is always on an amazing adventures, with her friends, Husband Jake (they are currently in Scotland for his new hobby, pheasant hunting) or her dog Kobe. Her blog content is all over the place and truly I feel like that's the best part, I never know what she is going to write about and therefore I can always look forward to reading, If you are offended easily I probably would recommend this blog to you, but if you have a fantastic sense of humor and need a little excitement in your life..this is where you are going to find it! Hop on over to the Laurel Gazette for a good laugh, or raging debate or check her out on Bloglovin'. 

I am telling you at the end of every recommendation to check them out on Bloglovin' but I will just state for the record every recommendation I am making they can all be found there because I follow them all... Just so you know and I can stop repeating myself!

• The Small Things Blog

Kate is another favorite.. oh how I absolutely LOVE her blog! She just happens to live in Raleigh as well and it kills me that I have never run into her because I would love to get my fan girl on.. probably lucky for her though. Kate's blog is EXTREMELY popular because her content is amazing, she writes article for different magazines all the time, as well as online magazines.. yes, she is that good! Kate is a hair dresser who is recently on extended maternity leave as she has a soon to be one year old and a new baby due in February (brave girl!). Kate tends to talk about this and that, all kinds of real life stuff pertaining to her life, motherhood, etc as well as makeup and hair! She does the most raved about hair tutorials which I am sure if you have ever searched Pinterest you will have come across, she does monthly favorites videos religiously to talk about the products shes been loving. When you read her blog or watch her videos you automatically want to be friends with Kate (who is also the real life sister of Lauren Elizabeth who you read about above, they actually started Elizabeth Ashlie Jewelry together), she has a great sense of humor, she tells it like it is with impeccable poise and grace and when she had David (soon to be 1) I was terrified she would blog less and never make videos but girlfriend has drive! Kate has made it a priority to keep her blog full of variety as she did not want it to become a mommy blog and I will say she has done a fantastic job of keeping her usual content but including David and new motherhood. If you are a women, a mother, a fan of makeup, looking for simplified hair tutorials or need a laugh, check Kate out over on The Small Things Blog, over there you can find a link to her Youtube channel as well. 

• Princess Burlap

Dayna is an amazing writer with an amazing stories who bares it in the most beautiful way and somehow reading her blog just makes me feel smarter. She inspires me to want to write better, be better and look at the things I feel I am struggling with and put them into perspective. Dayna's blog bares all, to the good and bad of life with an Autistic husband, the struggles of infertility, the pain of tattoo removal, the joy of a fairy tale wedding, the struggles of a writer and the peacefulness of a photographer. I cant say enough about what an amazing write both Dayna and her husband are (check out her blog to see her husbands recently released novel) and no matter what she writes she does it eloquently. Dayna's blog is a lifestyle blog but unlike any other I follow and I very much enjoy it. I really wish I could describe it with all the grace that it deserves but I really feel like I am not doing her justify, whoever you are.. if you are reading this go check her out!! 

So those are just a few of the blogs that I am loving with now, the ones that I would most recommend at the moment but here are a few honorable mentions...

• A Perfect Lily - Patti Rice, the Mom of 11 kids, her 10th having Down Syndrome. She home schools all her children, she is an amazing women and I highly recommend not only checking out her blog but her instagram (link can be found on her blog), if you find nothing more in her blog you will find a smile from the pictures she shares. 
• Baby Boy Bakery - Jacqui and her husband Dan suffered the most unimaginable loss or their 3 year old son. She has documented their journey of grief and healing in a very raw and in depth way. She is an inspiration, a true trooper to cope with this unbelievable loss. 
• Essie Button -  I love her! I am addicted to Estee's Youtube channel as well as vlog channel which you can find links to both on her blog as well. Estee is Canadian but living with her boyfriend in England, she is beyond hilarious and I learned about her via Kate from The Smal things blog. If you are interested in hair and makeup and all the products associated check her out! Often her blog posts are associated with videos she has made and posted on Youtube. 
• Lil Blue Boo - I promise you she is not at all what you are thinking by the name, if you are thinking anything at all by the name. The theme of her blog and life this year is "Year of the Hemlock" as her little family recently left their California life for a little piece of heaven in the middle of the mountains in North Carolina. Check out Ashley for amazing writing, tales of simplistic adventures and the story of finding glory in the little things. 
• Skinny Meg - Meg is inspiring as hell! Her weight loss journey is nothing short of inspiring and let me tell you she has the cutest kids ever! If you have any interest in fashion and weight loss than you need to be reading Meg's blog! She goes in depth about weight loss, proper eating for the workouts you are doing, she shares recipes, fashion details and so much more. 

So there ya have it.. blog I am enjoying! What blogs are you reading, please do share!! 

NYC & The Union Square Christmas Market

Good Morning,

How is everyone holding up after the Nor'easter yesterday? We got a ton of rain and wind and had a coastal flood advisory that I believe is still in effect but hey it could have been snow and that would have been way worse. Its funny though I really thought living in the North we would have definitely seen snow by now but a few flakes here and there, not enough for me to consider that we have had a real 'first snow'. I will tell you as much as I am relieved Jason is beyond upset about it, he was so looking forward to getting a ton of snow here this year as last year really didn't work out to well for him last year and no dice. Oh well.

Anyways Monday Tanya and I ventured into the city I was on the hunt for a last minute Christmas gift and Tanya really wanted to check out the Union Square Market! I woke up in the morning and wasn't totally excited to go as it was absolutely freezing out but was excited for a change of scenery and the opportunity to say all my Christmas shopping was completely finished. We toured around the city a little and checked out stores that we don't have around here and then hit up the one store I was really looking for that last gift at. Turned out to be a bust and then I didn't know what the hell I was going to do, I had a back up plan of sorts but I was really hoping not to resort to it.. but in the end it worked out.

We totally did freeze while walking around, I swear mid day we started going into stores not because we actually cared to shop at them but more so because we were freezing and looking for any excuse to warm up for a minutes, thankfully New York is full or stores worth warming up in!

We eventually made it to the Union Square Market and let me tell you the Christmas part was fantastic! The market is at East 14th St and Union Square West, you cant miss it.. just look for all the little stands with the candy cane striped roofs!! They had a great mixtures of photos, hand crafted goods, food stations, etc. Surrounding the market was also a farmers market with fresh vegetables, breads, cheeses, etc.

I only purchased something from The Filling Station which was the best decision ever, to be honest I regret not buying more. Have you ever heard of the Oil & Vinegar? They have them all over the US and Canada and they are absolutely AMAZING! We had one in Alaska of all places and I absolutely loved it, this is basically a local Oil & Vinegar where you can buy infused oils and vinegar's and they are absolutely amazing! I purchased the garlic infused oil and Tanya got the Tuscan herb oil, lemongrass and mint white balsamic which all on its own would be absolutely INCREDIBLE on salad and I believe the white truffle salt! Their stuff is just incredible, they have a few locations around the city but will be at the market until Christmas Eve... I might have to go back.

They had a ton of cute little shops! If we weren't absolutely FROZEN to the point of fearing finger loss we may have walked around longer. We are however planning on heading back. 

This is Spices & Tease... this places smelled absolutely INCREDIBLE!

We debated what to have for lunch and ended up deciding on empanadas.. because, obviously! Honestly they were INCREDIBLE.. I wish I would have got a million to go! They were from La Sonrisa Empanadas and they were freshly cooked there and super reasonably priced. I was so excited to eat these bad boys! They have a few locations in the city therefore I'm sure I will run into them again! 

See this guy above? He was quite a brazen little bugger! After getting our empanadas we decided to sit on a bench to eat before planning our next move. WELL. We sat down and were immediately attacked by this guy! I kid you not, if I didn't jump up and proceed to run he would have been on my lap, he nearly was on Tanya's!!!! He's that fat for a reason, clearly people feed him all the time and he didn't see why we should be any different. Well buy your own empanadas fat guy, because I wasn't sharing. He was picky too, a guy a few benches down who was enjoying watching this little jerk harass us tried to give him a piece of his broccoli and he basically scoffed and trotted off! He eventually grabbed a napkin someone had dropped, stuffed the entire thing in his mouth and took off to take it to his nest! Unreal! 

After leaving the market we toured back into Soho and went to the Birch Box store and Benefit Cosmetics store, then home! It was a really long day but really great! I was so happy to get home and warm up though, it really was absolutely freezing out! 

If you have a chance and are in New York city between now and Christmas Eve I highly recommend checking out the market, its a great place to purchase unique Christmas gifts or New York souvenirs! 

As I said yesterday was absolutely miserable and so there is not much to report! I hope everyone is keeping warm and not stuck without power or in their homes because of the bad weather from yesterday!! I suppose it is winter, however you wouldn't know it hear just yet. Again though, I'm not complaining, you can keep the cold because I want no part of it! Bring on a green Christmas baby!!