Ladies Christmas Party + {Last Day to Enter My Giveaway!!}

 

Last week I hosted a Christmas party for my monthly girls night group. There is a group of us girls that I went to high school with that get together every month. December I volunteered to host and had the girls over for a Christmas scarf exchange party. With December being such a busy month not everyone was able to attend but it was still a lot of fun! I'll just let the pictures show the party.

 

 

 Hot Chocolate Bar  

I course forgot to take a pic of the complete spread  

 

     

 

 

HoHo Punch, this was delicious! Its so easy and tasty! 1 bottle of champagne, 1 bag of frozen strawberries and 1 bottle of Ginger Ale.

 

Bottled Water

 

 

We had a scarf exchange, which we are pretty nice girls cause not one time did a scarf get stolen in dirty Santa! This obviously isn't the best pic but making the camera timer work!

 

This is the second year I've gotten to host a Christmas party for the group and I absolutely adore having all the ladies at my house. I hope everyone had a great time! Also, today is the LAST day to enter to WIN the blanket scarf I'm giving away! Enter here!!!

 

Weekend Recap + Blanket Scarf Giveaway!

With only a few more shopping days until Christmas this weekend was packed with shopping, however I managed to do a lot of other things as well! Friday evening Kyle and I did some Christmas shopping and then I continued to do more shopping when we got home that night. Gotta love Amazon Prime!

Saturday morning my sister's work was a sponsor for the Jingle Bell Run in downtown Tulsa so she asked if I wanted to join her and my niece for the 5k. The weather was a little dreary and misting but it was so warm out for a December morning. The run was so much fun! For having a nine year old with us I thought we did well on our time. 

Afterwards the three of us went out for breakfast and did some Christmas shopping. My niece Jada couldn't wait for Christmas and ended up buying herself another Lululemon headband, yes she's nine!! I swooned over a plush robe from Restoration Hardware that I resisted buying and picked up a few more gifts. It was a successful trip! 

 

 

 

Jada enjoyed a Sprite and a sugar cookie while my sister and I enjoyed mimosas. I tell you, that is definitely the way to Christmas shop! Thanks On a Whim!

 

 

That afternoon Jada also had basketball, she was a worn out girl that evening! Third grade basketball completely stresses me out!! Go Jenks!I finished Saturday evening off with a little more Christmas shopping then resting away a migraine on the couch watching Christmas movies.

 

Yesterday, Kyle and I went to church, out to lunch and did yet again more Christmas shopping. You'd think I would be done by now, nope. I was really proud of myself for starting to wrap presents last night. I usually wait until right before Christmas and try to wrap it all in one evening, not this year woohoo!

 

 

I hope y'all and a wonderful festive weekend! Don't forget I am giving away a blanket scarf, enter to win here in this post! The giveaway ends tomorrow!

Five on Friday: Holiday Edition! {Giveaway}

It is no secret how much I love this time of the year. All the magic in the air makes me feel like my mind is a snow globe! So, surprise surprise my five on Friday favorites is a holiday edition.

 

ONE:  Christmas Cards

 

 

Everyday I cant wait to get home and open the mail to see all the beautiful Christmas cards we've been receiving. I love Christmas cards! I leave them up way longer than probably is considered typical and I don't throw them away. Each year I just punch a hole in them and add them to a large medal ring that holds every years cards. I cant wait for our cards to come in the mail so I can hopefully get them sent before Christmas! Frustration. Last year our cards didn't arrive until the middle of January so I will freak out if that happens again! Currently also on hold with the company finding out where my cards are!!!!

 

TWO:  Candle Sale!

 

 

Bath & Body Works is having their sale on eight dollar 3-whick candles today! It is a one time a year and one day only sale, so don't miss it! I'm definitely planning on picking some up this evening. They make such great small gifts and they even package them all cute for you.

 

THREE:  Our Cozy Festive Home

 

 

I really love our house but I really LOVE it during the holidays! Every evening I cant wait to get home and turn on all our lights, light the candles and Christmas music or movies. Its like the perfect cozy cottage, but not a cottage at all haha Soaking it all up because before we know it will be time to box it all back up.

 

FOUR:  Warm Stovetop Spice

 

 

I tried out a new stovetop spice mixture the other night for a Christmas party I hosted. At first I couldn't smell it much but realized I had the heat too low. I just used about a cup of fresh cranberries, one cutie sized orange and two cinnamon sticks. Simmer on low but not too low. It smells pretty amazing!

 

FIVE:  Blanket Scarf Giveaway

 

 

Did you miss my post yesterday? I'm spreading Christmas joy and giving away a blanket scarf! Visit my post to enter! Good luck everyone and Merry Christmas Y'all!

 

Linking up with these wonderful ladies today, thanks for the link up!

 

 

 

 

     

11th Day of Christmas: WIN a Blanket Scarf! {Giveaway}

If you have been around a little while you know that I love my blanket scarf and went on a mad search to find one this fall! I really absolutely love my scarf. It is so warm while also so cute! I wanted to share some Christmas joy so I've decided to giveaway a Marley Lilly Blanket Scarf today!

 

Whether you are hoping to snag the blanket scarf for yourself or to gift it this holiday season, good luck! And remember, you can tweet everyday for more chances! Merry Christmas y'all!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

9th Day of Christmas...Christmas Bucket List

Since we don't have kids I don't do an advent calendar but I do like to create a list of things I want to do this holiday season. I love spreading Christmas joy and anything that is considered festive so, I pack in as much as I can into the month of December. I thought I would share my festive bucket list for the season. Some I've already done and many items still left to complete.

 

 

1.  Visit the tree farm and get our Christmas tree

2.  Attend a Christmas parade

3.  Make cinnamon butter and give some away

4.  Decorate the house

5.  Visit my grandma and her friends in the nursing home and bring them homemade goodies

6.  Create a yummy holiday cocktail

7.  Visit Santa- I do realize I don't have kids haha

8.  Make lots of homemade treats and give all of it away

9. Order and send Christmas cards - They've been ordered and are on the way to my house then will be shipped out

10.  Pay it forward at Starbucks

11.  Invite others to our Christmas eve service at church

12.  Host  a Christmas get-together at my house.

13.  Watch Christmas movies - still many more to be watched!

14.  Christmas shopping - partially completed, still lots to do

15.  Donate to the less fortunate

16.  Attend Christmas parties- we have a few coming up

17.  Do a Christmas surprise giveaway here on the blog- coming up tomorrow guys, stop back by tomorrow!

18.  A random act of kindness, Christmas style

19.  Go look at Christmas lights

20.  Spend lots of quality family time

 

What I would really like to add to my list I'm not sure is really doable. I recently read an article about how locally in Oklahoma DHS is looking for families to host children in DHS custody at their house over Christmas. I would LOVE to bring these babies home and give them a special loving Christmas experience. However, we don't have kids and I just feel like that might be awkward for them. Has anyone ever done something like this? Also, I'd like to hear some festive things you are doing this holiday season, please share your ideas with me! Cheers to a festive month!

     

Recapping the Weekend & Memories Made in Norman

The sun is shinning here in Oklahoma today for the first time this month and it sure is helping with the Monday blues. This weekend was a great weekend spent in Edmond. I got a little bit of Christmas shopping done, got to see one of my best friends and puppy and ended the regular OU season at a home game. Unfortunately we fell short and lost to our state rival, Oklahoma State. Such a disappointment to lose to not only OSU but at home. The weather for the game was very dreary. It was a cold, misty and foggy afternoon and evening, especially after the loss. Being such a big fan of course I was upset but since we have a had such an awful season this year it wasn't that bad. It would have stung way more if we would've been ending a great season. Anyways, we lost and it sucked and here we come Russell Athletic bowl....HA!

 We happened to run into my friend Jennifer at the game, so good to see you girl! Still love her even if she is a Pokes fan.

The season might be over but all the memories of this season are still lingering. I had a lot of fun at all the games this year and on campus corner in Norman. I love to share my tickets with friends and family and let everyone enjoy it with me. Despite being an 8-4 team (Ah that sounds so bad) it was still a lot of fun! Boomer Sooner and see you again in August, Norman!

Of course I can't not share at least one picture of Bleeker. He is the most adorable dog ever! Ignore the awful no makeup part of me and focus on his cuteness!

Now, that it is Monday I am starting to prepare for a Christmas get together at my house that I'm hosting on Wednesday evening. I'm putting together my to-do list for the party and trying to think of fun and festive appetizers. Do you guys have any fun app ideas? Have a great week y'all!

 

Decking the Halls

It sure is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! I’ve been decking the halls around our home these past few days and it definitely looks like Santa’s elves have taken over. The stockings are hung, the halls have been decked! One of my favorite parts of decorating for Christmas is when we get the boxes down from the attic and I discover all the new decorations and wrapping supplies I bought on after Christmas sale the year before. That alone is like Christmas to me!

It took me a little longer than it normally does to get the house and tree completely decorated but I can officially say, both are done! And both are so beautiful… at least to me!  I had mentioned in my post yesterday about our trip to the tree farm that we accidentally bought a larger tree than normal. Ok, way larger. It did not look that big at the farm with all the other trees around! We knew it was a little taller than normal at ten foot but I didn’t realize how tall it really was until we got it home. Once Kyle brought it into the house I immediately thought oh gosh how am I going to decorate it? I realize ten foot might not be too tall to some of you but ours was touching the ceiling and allowed no room for the topper. I was literally throwing ornaments to the top in hopes that they stuck! Luckily, Kyle brought home a ladder the next day for me to finish the top. After realizing the tree was so large, not only tall but wide, I didn’t have enough ribbon to do garland and just had to be OK with it because I was not buying more! Scrooge? Maybe a little but just about garland!

 

I stocked up on ninety-nine cent poinsettias this year on Black Friday and they have been the perfect touch. I also picked one up to say Merry Christmas and Thank You to my little sister for taking some Christmas snap shots for our Christmas card. I also purchased a fresh wreath for our house and for my parents' house. Even with a real tree I love all the fresh greenery and how wonderful our home smells. That is why I also bought fresh garland and the deer loves it...not so much my husband though!

I thought I would share a few of my favorite parts of our home right now with y'all...I apologize for the horrible pictures. I have not mastered capturing the beauty of Christmas lights and it doesn't help that I took these at seven PM. But, here is our home!

My OU mini tree, BOOMER SOONER!

I made this tree for my husband when we were just dating since I was sad he didn't put up his own Christmas tree. So, this is his mini hunting and fishing tree.

 

  I love this time of the year so much! I hope that y'all are having an amazing December so far!