Friday Favorites, 12.22.2023.

 

Merry Friday, friends! I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for today's favorite festive blog post of the week. I'll jump right in! 

I have a new favorite cup for my morning coffee! This was one of my birthday presents from my in-love's that I opened last Friday. I love my new Swig mug! I've had these before, and I usually end up tossing them out after a few years of nonstop use. I will not wash this one in the dishwasher like I did my others, though. Even though it says "dishwasher safe" for the cup and the lid, I think handwashing will preserve its life. 

Chloe is seriously going to miss this tree when I take it down next week! She loves laying underneath it, it's her favorite.

This is my favorite meme that I've seen online all week. I'm so glad I can say that I've never experienced this! However, before you're impressed over the good behavior of all six dogs we've had (one is deceased), there was the one year where Callie the German Shepherd ate everything in sight. She ate her bed, all the heads off of my Nativity people (except for Baby Jesus), my stepmom's gift of peppermint scented handsoaps, and all of my peppermint Chapsticks. I am not kidding! She also used to jump onto the dining room table and then cry because she was stuck. 

This was a favorite memory! My mom and stepdad had traveled to Denver one year for Christmas, and this was us meeting them at the airport the day they came back. We missed them! We used to go to the airport to pick up people, wait so the boys could watch the planes from up close, and treat ourselves to Starbucks. That year we celebrated Christmas with them on the 26th. 

This is my other favorite meme from this week. Am I right, or what? Does anyone else feel this way?

The dogs all got new blankets this week, and they're their favorites! These beautiful faux fur blankets came from Costco; they're for pets, water resistant, and thick in order to protect furniture. They were $13 each! Todd bought three, and we have plans for buying a fourth.  

I mentioned yesterday that I spent Monday with Mom. We hit up Marshall's for some birthday shopping for me, and look at this adorable top that Mom picked out  for me! I love it so much, especially the details like the big buttons, and the gather in the back. I also picked out a new pair of jeans in a smaller size! I'm so excited about this little detail. They fit perfectly, and I can't wait to show them to you. They're a tiny bit cropped, with a cute little kick pleat thing at the bottom. I love the dark wash on them too! I also picked out a new pair of black pants from the Jones of New York brand that I love. I desperately needed new black pants! 

While I was there, I took this picture of my favorite cozy pullover from two years ago that I bought from Old Navy. Also, did I mention my new boots that I treated myself to for my birthday? They're the Sorel brand and I love them. They are so, so comfortable and perfect for long days at work on a tile floor. 

Mom bought me this sweater one or two years ago for my birthday, and it's still a favorite, even if it's a little too big. I just wear it with very slim fitting pants. 

This vest has been a favorite staple that I've worn for years! Here's the proof below.

I don't know what this says about me, but I don't mind! I'm proud to still fit into (and have them be big) clothes that I wore that long ago. The boys were so little! 

Chloe had a new favorite toy this week. I thought it was precious when she brought it up to me to sleep with while she cuddled in my lap during the five o'clock hour. 

I wouldn't say that Chloe is Oakley's favorite furry friend, but she definitely tolerates her more now!

This podcast has been a favorite thing that I've been listening to this week! 

Stocking the coolers at work isn't necessarily my favorite activity to do while I'm working, but having labels all matching and turned the same way is. When my friend Kelly was training me to take over, she mentioned doing this and I mentioned the movie Sleeping with the Enemy with Julia Roberts. Do you know what I'm talking about with that movie reference? We go through a ton of drinks each week! I had just gotten a shipment from Coca Cola when I stocked the coolers.

This is my favorite view at work! I'll miss the church being decked out for Christmas after the new year. 

I can't remember if I've shown you the inside of the bookstore lately. Come on in! 

I loved this that I saw online this week, about facing a holiday after the loss of a loved one. Most of you know that my sister Terri died this year in March, very close to my dad's birthday. While we weren't the type of sisters who talked and visited often, we were still close and I miss her right now. Her Christmas card was always my favorite to receive! I've missed it this year, and I've been seeing comments she made on Facebook recently, on different posts or pictures that I shared. 

I don't know that I ever really took the time to grieve her death. It was in the middle of my new full time job that I had at that moment in time, and I had to be strong for other people. This dawned on me recently when I broke down and cried over the loss of her, along with the more recent change in one of my other close relationships. 

This was a text from her five years ago. If I can say one thing to you involving time and complicated relationships: don't let another minute go by without making amends with a loved one. Life is too short for petty arguments and hurtful words. I've learned this the hard way the last few months. 

On a much lighter note, I'm sharing a new favorite trick that I learned on TikTok! Go into YouTube (NOT YTTV) on your television. Sign in, and search for "framed Christmas art" and this is what pops up! It turns your tv into a framed art piece!  

You're welcome. 

Lastly, beautiful, fiery sunrises are my favorite.

This was my view when I was outside with the dogs yesterday morning as the sun was making its peak. 

Did you happen to read my other blog posts this week?

Monday was a weekending recap.

Tuesday was a post that I titled Tuesday Talking.

On Wednesday I shared my favorite Christmas songs.

Thursday was Thankful Thursday.

Catch me up on your Christmas to-do lists! What do you have left to do? I need to grocery shop, I need to buy five more gifts, and I need to get stocking stuffers for my boys. Are you done yet? I've not been able to balance work with all the things and getting home to take care of a newer puppy after I get off of work, so here I am. I just may finish all of this tonight and early tomorrow! Tell me something good about your week, I'd love to hear from you! I won't be posting on Monday, because duh, but I'll be around for the rest of next week, so I hope you come back to visit! The last two weeks of the year are my favorites for blogging, and I have all the posts already planned in advance. 

If I haven't mentioned it lately, I am so thankful for all of you! So many of you read and encourage me everyday, and I so appreciate your words of kindness and support. I'm continuing on with blogging in 2024, which will put me into year number seventeen, if I'm right. I'll have to double check that and will get back to you for sure, but it's been a minute since I started doing this! (If you'd like to read my very first ever blog post, here it is!) These last two years have felt wonderful in the blogging world, and it feels like the way it was when all of us first started doing this together. I've loved every minute I've spent with you! May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and be gracious to you, may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Thanks for reading my blog, friends. Love to all!