Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, from my family to yours.

May your days be filled with Peace today and throughout the entire year!

The Perils of Christmas Movies

It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Christmas movies have been playing since the beginning of November. Lifetime, Uplifting network, Hallmark and ABC family to name a few, have all been on a constant rotation of Christmas movies. Everywhere you turn, there is one on.

This can lead to a LOT of begging to watch the rest of a certain movie, or to have a movie night, whatever it may be.

My dearest Husband decided to share his childhood favorite with the boys. Home Alone.
This was not an action that happened while I was home.

Home Alone is a little boy's dream scenario.

Bad guys, bb guns, stunts and many,many ridiculous pranks and lots of slapstick physical humor.

We have had an influx of Home Alone, Elf, The Polar Express and so forth....

So, what's the big deal? It IS the Christmas season.  Yet, how do you know when it is just TOO much?

Well...

~When your 4 year old wants to write "Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal" on his sweet preschool teacher's Christmas card.

~When he goes up the escalator in a split ala Buddy the Elf...every. single. time.

~When that one time at IKEA, he decided to climb up on the mattresses and jump across a solid 5 mattress before I could reach him and pull him down. That venture also goes to out to good ol' Buddy the Elf, as well.

~When you 6 year old almost breaks your bed from jumping on it...like Kevin did in Home Alone.

~While fighting, your boys use words that they learned from Home Alone.  Not so nice words.Wonderful.

~Your 6 and 4 year old boys run around the house with their hands on their cheeks, screaming as if they just slapped aftershave on. This has now prompted their 1 yr old sister to do the same. When she wants a quick laugh, she just holds her chubby little hands to her round, dimpled  checks and smiles. (She usually gets the laugh)

What is a mother to do?

Ban the movies? Waylay the festivities with my cold, grinch heart?!

Probably not.

They are just too cute.

AND it just 5 days till Christmas.

So.

Have a Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!

Favorites

Favorite Things by afedell featuring post earrings



With Christmas shopping in full swing and Gift Guids a plenty all over the internet, I thought I would share some of my tried and true favorites. Things I have bought in multiples and wear almost daily.



Old Navy Mid Rise Rockstar Jeans. These are my favorite jeans. They have a great rise that hold in all my baby "leftovers" and the stretch is comfortable and does not wear out after this first wear. I have a variety of rinses and colors. You can always find a sale at Old Navy and I have bought these for around $15 before. Never pay full price at Old Navy. Their stuff cycles through sales ALL the time. A word of advice. Size up. I wear a full size to two size larger in these. Swallow your pride, get a  larger size and a good fit and enjoy these comfy and flattering inexpensive jeans.

Forever21 Heathered V Neck Tee. These are the perfect tee. Soft, comfy and with just the right amount of drape. For $5.90, you can have a variety of colors and the perfect slouchy tee that can be dressed up with statement necklaces and a blazer or dressed down with distressed jeans. I took a large for a looser, slouchier fit.

Sabine via Piperlime earrings. Unfortunately, these exact earrings have sold out, but any type of fun, sparkly earring is worth grabbing. I get more compliments on these earrings than any other pair. Piperlime always have free shipping and returns and you can find great deals in their sale sections. Most of their sales are final, so double check all our measurement. Here are a few fun options here, here, here and here.

Smith's Rosebud Lip Balm. It is an old school brand that has made a comeback and now these are offered in a convenient tube. I have the Mocha, Strawberry and Mint and I love them all. Super moisturizing and smell fantastic. They are not sticky at all, and that is a huge bonus. I have these linked to Anthropologie, but you can also buy they at Sephora. Burt's Bees lip balms are another favorite, if you are wanting more color.

SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus lotions and body scrubs. I love this stuff. Their body and hand sugar scrub is fantastic. Right now, it is sold out at Target online, so I can't link it, but check your stores. It literally melts into your skin and leaves your hands and body so soft. The lotion smells fantastic and absorbs quickly. I love the story behind the brand, making it just that much better. I have not tried any of the other fragrances, but I want to. These would be perfect stocking stuffers (hint, hint hubby)


If you are interested, I could also do a kid's favorite things post.


What are some of your favorite things? Any tried and true item that you swear by?
Let me know!