Holiday Party Dresses

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

How excited are you for Holiday parties? I am. I have a few to attend this year and I couldn't be happier as last year all of them were cancelled, postponed or so very small. I bought a dress last year only to return it as ours was cancelled. But this year, we have two for Rory's work and one for another thing he is involved in. And that doesn't count the annual Christmas Eve party and whatever we do for NYE (which is usually nothing).

I have one outfit already planned out (sequin skirt and soft sweater) from my closet, but I need one for the party in January...in Colorado. So help me out. Also, I wanted to share what I was looking at in case you have a holiday party to attend as well.

Links go from the top left to right followed by the bottom left to right.

Velvet Wrap Maxi Dress - I have this dress in the hi-low version and I love it. I wore it to family photos and it fits beautifully. It is very well made, comfy, but very elegant.

Champagne Sparkle Maxi Dress - This dress is beautiful. You can wear it to a work party, Christmas dinner (let's be real, we never dress up like this for Christmas dinner) or on NYE.

Midi Sparkle Tank Dress - This dress would be fun for a New Year's Eve party!

Long Sequin Gown - I am not going to lie, this is my favorite dress out of the bunch. If you know me or can gather from my blog handle, I LOVE sparkle and this dress is just stunning.

Gatsby Sparkle Gown - This gown is simple, but so beautiful. And I feel like it would hide any bumps and lumps. Plus the back is beautiful too!

One Shoulder Sparkle Dress - This is another stunner and something I would wear to NYE or a Christmas party.

Blue/Green Metallic Maxi Dress - I bought (and sadly returned) a dress like this for the Gala I attended in September. I LOVED it, but it didn't fit my boobs very well. But it was very beautiful in person and I would have loved if it worked out.

Silver Sequin Slit Dress - I love the print on this dress. Definitely reminds me of a Gatsby dress.

Red Satin One Shoulder Dress - This dress would be perfect for a Winter wedding, a Christmas party or a nice date night. And I tried on a dress like this for the Gala, but I couldn't get my right size. I normally wear a size small, but needed a medium for this dress.

Velvet Off the Shoulder Dress - This dress is beautiful and would be perfect for a holiday party.

Emerald Green Maxi Dress - I love the cut of this dress. It looks like a goddess dress, but in green instead of gold. It hugs your curves and is super flattering.

Champagne Sequin Dress - This one covers you up a little more than the third one on the top row, but it is just as beautiful and probably better suited for a mom like me.

Black Lace Dress - I think I considered this dress for the Gala, but then never ordered it. I love lace and this dress has structure in it, so you don't need a bra or bra cups.

Gold Sequin Mini Dress - This is a perfect NYE dress, but probably too short for me. I am 5'9" and feel like it might be too short for me, but perfect for someone who is shorter to average height. 

So what do you think? Are you going to a holiday party this year? Will you be dressing up?

Thanksgiving Break and Sales

Since it seems like everyone is already out for Thanksgiving, I thought I would take the rest of the week off as well. The girls started their Thanksgiving break today, and we have a very busy few days planned.

Tomorrow morning I am doing pilates with some cousins, then spending Thanksgiving with my sister's in-laws (and my side of the family), followed by tree cutting Friday morning, another Thanksgiving dinner with Rory's family Friday, followed by a third Thanksgiving dinner with Rory's immediate family. Phew.

Oh and online shopping in between it all. I have to get the deals.

And speaking of deals, here are some in preps of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Kiehls - 25% off everything. Spend $150+ and get a free gift. Through Sunday the 28th. 30% off for Cyber Monday.

HydroFlask - 25% off through December 5th.

ShopBop - Up to 50% off through Cyber Monday. Use code HOLIDAY

Tory Burch - Up to 50% off of sale items. 30% off when you spend $250 or more.

J Crew - 40% off now through Thanksgiving.

Macy's - Black Friday sale. Up to 70% off and an additional 20% off using code BLKFRI

Elemis - 30% off, plus if you spend $125+ you get a free 5 piece set with code CELEBRATE

OshKosh - 50% to 60% off of everything, plus free shipping. Valid through 11/30 (Tuesday).

Our Place - 30% off of the Always Pan.

Nordstrom - 50% off many items. Valid until 11/26 (through Friday).

Ann Taylor Loft - 40% off full priced items, plus an extra 10% off with the code INDULGE

American Eagle - 30% off select items. Valid through 11/29 (Cyber Monday).

Tarte - 30% off of everything or 50% off of holiday sets with code CYBERSZN  Valid through Cyber Monday.

Tom's - 30% off of everything through Black Friday.

And if I come across more, I will post them here or on my IG. You can follow me here if you are not already!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Gift Guide: Gifts for Her

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

It is time for another gift guide and this time it is for women. I know my husband has been secretly waiting for this to come out so he can see what is on my Christmas list this year. I thought about adding a few things that I bought for my mom, mother-in-law and sister, but they read here, so I didn't include those. BUT I might post them in my IG stories and block them from seeing those posts. 

So what's on my Christmas wish list and things that I think many women would enjoy?

Apple iWatch - I have been wanting an iWatch for a few months now. My husband got one and it really made me want one. Yes, I still love my Garmin Vivomove, but I can't answer phone calls from it, reply to texts from it and a few other things that I have watched it do. Now I think my Garmin is prettier, but the functionality of the iWatch is top notch. Plus my Garmin Vivomove is almost two years old and we know how that goes as the watches age.

Ugg Cozy Socks - We all know I am a sucker for anything cozy and when you add in the cozy socks, then I love them even more. I live in cozy socks in the winter and these look amazing.

Ugg Scuff Sis Slippers - I love Ugg slippers. I wear them everyday. Mine have seen better days and it is time for a new pair. I get the same type every time.

Ugg Portola Robe - Do you sense that I love all things cozy and Ugg? I have been wanting a new robe for awhile now and I never got one. I love the way the Ugg robes feel in stores, so I added it to my wishlist.

AE Jegging Jogger - Seems simple right? I love these joggers. They are more like a khaki jogger, but AE call them jeggings. I have them in green and love them. I wear a size 2 long and they fit perfectly. They have zippers at the leg to make them wider.

Lush Shower Bomb - Not an affiliated link. I just love these. I used the lemon one when I was in London and I have been hooked ever since. I don't take baths often, so you can use these in the shower. And the sales rep said I can use it in two showers and she was right. I have been wanting to try this one. And it is on my list to get for the girls for their stockings since they take showers now.

Thera Gun Mini - I have been wanting a Thera Gun or massage gun like this for awhile now. I use my shoulder one all the time, but this one targets certain areas. And when I workout, I don't stretch enough so this would help with that.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lipstick - This is the perfect nude lip. I love Charlotte Tilbury products and feel this would be perfect for date night, girls night out or daily wear.

GHD Flat Iron - This was on my Sephora Holiday Sale list and I didn't buy it. I know I should have. I need a new straightener and this gets amazing reviews.

Bright Eyes Eye Mask - These eye masks have collagen in them and help depuff your eyes and make those pesky dark circles go away. And since I get up at 5:30 am for work and go to bed later than I should each night, these would help!

Tumi Voyager Backpack - This is a total splurge, but I work from home sometimes and I would love to have a pretty backpack for my laptop. Like I said, a splurge.

Joules Coast Waterproof Raincoat - I have been wanting an updated raincoat and Joules is a great brand. Would I prefer a not as bright color? Sure, but this is a pretty coat.

Kendra Scott Veronica Hoop Earrings - I love hoop earrings and I wanted some that were circle instead of the diamond style that I have (and love) from Uncommon James. These have jewels in them and are #2 on my wishlist.

Kendra Scott Larissa Band Ring - I love the simplicity of this ring. I would like wear one or a few of these on each hand.

Friday Favorites and Happenings

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Happy Friday all! Can you believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away? I can't. We have a lot planned next week and the several weeks coming up. But first, this weekend we have our last Nevada football home game followed by High Tea with my mom, sister and some friends.

Onto Friday favorites and happenings.

ONE. So we all know that I love my Nespresso, but my office has a community Keurig machine. Well this week one of my co-workers brought in a box of apple cider and said to try one. So I did, and it was soooo good. I love apple cider and rarely have it, but I just purchased another box of these, so I can have them throughout the holidays.

If you have a Keurig, get yourself a box of these.

Apple Cider Keurig Pods 

TWO. It is time to change your sheets to your cozy Winter sheets. BUT my favorite Ugg sheets were thrown out earlier this year. They were the coziest flannel sheets. And now I can only find them at TJ Maxx and Homegood, but only in the size: king. I need California King sheets. 

That made me google best flannel sheets of 2021 and after reviewing three websites, they all agreed that LL Bean's Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheet was the best. So I ordered them and they were right. Ha. Plus they were not as expensive as Boll & Branch or Coyuchi.

So if you are in the market for new Winter sheets, consider getting the LL Bean's Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheet.

LL Bean's Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheet

THREE. In my Halloween recap post, I mentioned that we dress up for Thanksgiving each year. Sometimes it is on Thanksgiving and other times it is the day after. This year it is the day after. And this year's theme is colors. Pick a color for each person or a color for the family and dress up. Example: Blue and dress up at the Blue Man Group.

Well after lots of going back and forth, we decided to go easy on ourselves. We originally wanted to all do a form of Ace Ventura, but that meant we had to buy the tutus for everyone, along with the button up shirt and possibly shorts in order to make them all the same color.

Then we thought about being nurses/doctors, but purchasing scrubs for each person was about $40 each. Ugh.

So we ended up picking bank robbers. I bought the kit (2 of them) below and we will wear black pants, black shirts, and black boots.

Robbers Mask and Bag Kit

FOUR. On Veteran's Day we headed over to our friends house for a painting day and dinner. Our friend set up the painting sets for the kids and instructed them on how to paint turkeys. She did step by step like you do at those paint and wine events except only the parents had wine. Ha. And she plans to do it again for a Christmas themed painting. 

How cute are these?

FIVE. Weekly funnies.

Have a great weekend. I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything. 

Gift Guide: Kids

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

Next up on the gift guide list is: Kids. I added some items that the girls have and love and other items that I am getting for the girls. And so many of these items are for both girls and boys. I will also be doing a stocking stuffer gift guide which will include some smaller gifts.

Porcelain Disney Princess Tea Set - Last year I got the girls a plastic style tea set from PB, but I am really wanting to get them this princess set from PB.

Wood Outdoor Mud Kitchen - The girls have been wanting another kitchen. We got rid of theirs during the pandemic and now they want a new bigger one. This is the one that they are getting. It is made for outdoors and when it is too cold outside, we can bring it into the garage for play.

Kids Vanity - My girls would also love a vanity. They love to pretend to put on makeup and this would be the cutest.

Ice Cream Truck - My girls have this and LOVE it. They play with it all the time. It was given to them by their cousin since they didn't play with it anymore and we have loved on it for about two years now. And it still works! The windshield wipers, headlights and song (it plays an ice cream truck song) all work!

Klee Kids Makeup - I asked a question on IG stories about makeup for kids and I got this set over and over again. So the girls are getting it for Christmas.

Sticker By Letter Book - These seem to be all the rage and I posted on my Amazon Prime Purchases for October that I picked these up for the girls.

Kids Headphones - The kids needed headphones for school, so I got these and thought they would make a great gift as well.

Pottery Barn Backpack - The girls have these backpacks in a smaller version and we love them. It was time for a new size, so we got them new ones for Christmas. We had them personalized with their initials, instead of their names this time. The link to this takes you to all the different ones for boys and girls.

Squishmallow - The girls saw these at a friends birthday party and then again at my sisters house and had wanted one. So I got them one each for Christmas. One got a purple unicorn and the other got a pink unicorn.

Kids Apron - Do you kids like to help in the kitchen? Do they love to bake cookies with you? Then these are such a cute gift for them. They can even double as an art apron.

Slippers - These are the cutest slippers. My mother-in-law has them in the adult size, and loves them.

Kids Fleece Hooded Robe - The girls have these robes and they are personalized. They love them and stay cozy in them.

Scooter with Kickstand - This was also on my Amazon Prime Purchases in October post. We got the girls these scooters so they could keep up with the neighbor kids in having a two wheel scooter.

Adjustable Roller Skates - The girls got some of these when they were visiting my in-laws in Spring Creek and they love them. But they are definitely still learning how to use them. Which brings me to the next item on the list...

Kids Knee and Elbow Pads - As I said above, the girls need some protection when falling down as they are still learning to roller skate.

PB Anywhere Beanbag - Just like the Anywhere Chair, the beanbags are a lot of fun. The girls each have one, in pink and a pretty green and they are personalized. The girls use them in our guest room to watch tv or snuggle up in.

What is on your kids Christmas wish list?

Gift Guide: Men's Gifts

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

It's time for another gift guide, and this time it is a Men's Gift Guide. I feel like men are the hardest to shop for. Either they purchase what they want all year or they just never update things. Either way, I struggle each year. Some of these gifts I have gotten for Rory and father's in the past and others are brand new. 

What does the man in your life want this year?

GrowlerWerks uKeg - If the guy in your life likes beer, this would be right up his alley. Or if he tailgates and wants to bring beer on the go, then this would be a great gift too.

Ember Mug - These have been the rage for years and I can see why. If your guy is in the office and wants to keep his coffee or tea warm, then this would be a great gift.

Olukai Ohana Flip Flop - Rory has these flip flops and loves them. They are pricey, but they last years and are very comfortable. I have them in the ladies version.

Kiehl's Men's Grooming on the Go Kit - Kiehl's makes great products and even better that they make products targeted towards men.

Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones - These headphones are pricey, but if you are looking to splurge, then these are for you. If you work from home, travel or work in the office, then these would be amazing for cancelling out all the noise around you. I know that when I was working from home, these would have been amazing for Zoom meetings and blocking out my dog barking in the background.

Solo Stove - We have friends who have this, we have gifted this item and it is always a hit. I want one. You can have a fire and it stays contained inside the stove. You can put it on grass and it won't burn your grass. It has a bunch of accessories that are great and needed, but this would be an amazing gift.

Icebreaker Sierra Touchscreen Gloves - Rory walks Walter at night and sometimes uses his phone while walking. These gloves allow you to use your phone. Plus they are fleece. So whether you use them at night or just in the Fall/Winter, these will keep your hands warm.

UGG Ascot Leather Slippers - My dad has these, Rory has these, my brother-in-law has these and everyone loves them. They last for years and are very comfortable.

Sugarfina Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels - I love Sugarfina candies and dark chocolate and salted caramel are my favorite.

Whiskey Flight with Glasses - My husband loves bourbon and whiskey. He drinks out of glasses like this that I got him in Scotland, but it would be fun to have a flight to try different ones together.

Sorel Kezar Boots - These boots are stylish, weatherproof, waterproof and good looking. You can wear them with casual outfits or even to work.

Stance Socks - My husband has a bunch of these socks and I know my sister-in-law and brother-in-law love them too. I have a pair of boot ones that I really love in the Winter too.

LL Bean Fleece-Lined Flannel Shirt - Again, Rory has a few of these and wears them all Winter. He says they are comfy, cozy and stylish.

Blackstone 28" Griddle Grill - I got this for Rory for Christmas last year and he loves it. We use it at least once a week. We make pancakes, bacon, fried rice, grilled cheese, smash burgers, etc. This is the ultimate gift.

Allbirds Men's Wool Piper Sneakers - We love the Allbirds brand. I was looking at some new ones for myself and I saw these mid-top sneakers. They are stylish and you can wear them without socks!!

Vuori Ease Performance Half Zip Shirt - Rory loves Vuori and this half zip can be worn to work or for everyday use. 

What are you getting the guy in your life? I need more gift suggestions!!!

Friday Favorites and Happenings

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Happy Friday all! Is anyone else still tired from the time change? Ugh, can we just get rid of daylight savings time? I love the feeling of "sleeping in" longer each work morning, but by the time 9 pm hits, I am tired and ready for bed. Which doesn't allow us to catch up on any of our shows that the girls can't watch...Dexter, Succession, etc. 

Speaking of shows, have you watched Only Murders in the Building with Martin Short and Steve Martin? It is so good. I did predict the killer, but not until the second or third to the last episode. But it still had me guessing the whole time. And if you love Steve Martin and Martin Short as much as I do (hello Father of the Bride), then this show is for you. It is on Hulu, but I feel like someone said you could watch it elsewhere. Google it.

Anyways, onto Friday favorites and happenings.

ONE. I buy advent calendars for the girls from their elf and last year I added one for Rory and I. I got them from World Market and I plan to get the girls one from there again. But in dark chocolate this time. Or even the ones I got for Rory and I last year.

Anyways, I have always wanted to try one of the wine/beer/liquor advent calendars, but never purchased one. I worried that I wouldn't want to have a glass of wine or a finger of scotch each night. But after seeing so many love them last year, I decided to buy one for myself.

I got mine at Total Wine and posted it on IG. I got a ton of responses (some local) saying that this set was so good last year. That everyone loved the wines in them and there was maybe two wines that they just liked and didn't love. I call that a win. 

I grabbed mine in person, but you can see if your local store carries them or they can be shipped to your house. 

Wine Advent Calendar

TWO. Last week, I linked up for the monthly Amazon Prime Purchases and shared the cutest dog sweater. Well after getting Walter groomed, we put on his new sweater and he loves it. And we love it. It is so soft, cozy and fits him so well. Plus the color/pattern we chose is very handsome. 

You decide on the size based on the girth of your dog. Walter is a chiweenie who is about 17 pounds and we got him a size small. It fits him perfectly. He had the green one for two years previously and now owns the blue camo one.

Ruffwear Dog Sweater

THREE. I am calling all Nespresso lovers out there. I want to get some new flavors for the holidays and want your recommendations. I got my Nespresso during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales last year and never tried any of the Fall or Christmas-y flavors. But now that I have had it for a year, I want to get some. What are your favorites?

Did you see that Nespresso has a coffee advent calendar? That might be something to get as an early gift for someone or for yourself.

Nespresso Advent Calendar

And here are some new flavors.

FOUR. This week I posted about two Christmas guides. One for Christmas PJs and a Gift Guide for the Home. Be sure to check them out!

FIVE. Weekly funnies.

Have a great weekend. I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything.

Veteran's Day

I usually don't post on Thursdays, but I wanted to today in honor of Veteran's Day. This day is very special to me as my dad and so many of our family friends have served in the military. 

On Tuesday night, the girls told me that they wrote letters to Veteran's in their classes. And the teachers were taking them to the local VA office. That makes my heart very happy. And then they made me tear up when they talked about their Papa G (my dad) and how he is a veteran and served in the military and how proud they are of him. 

So thank you Veterans. We thank you today and everyday for your service.

And I know I share this every year, but I love these photos.

My dad and I before his last deployment

Gift Guide: Gifts for the Home

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

It is time for holiday gift guides. It is early November and I feel like I am already behind on these. I have been shopping, but I am still putting together what I am buying and what I have been searching for. I have lists for people, but haven't pulled the trigger on some items as I am waiting for some deals. That could definitely end up biting me in the butt. But I have some price watches on items too. 

Anyways, I am sharing my first gift guide: Gifts for the Home

Peak Water Bottle Ice Tray - How cool is this ice tray? I have seen the large cubes and ice balls for cocktails, but one for water bottles is right up my alley. 

Ugg Coastline Plush Blanket - I love Ugg home products. I had sheets from them for about 5 years and we used them every Winter until they got holes in them. They were the best. And I have definitely snuggled up to an Ugg blanket in stores many times. This is the best cozy gift.

Hydro Flask - Who doesn't love their Hydro Flask? Maybe someone who doesn't have one. I use this water bottle when I am at home (since my gallon one is at work). I take this on travel and it is the perfect size.

Serena and Lily Bath Towels - I felt these towels when I went into the Serena and Lily store and they were the softest towels I have ever felt. I soooo want these!

Levoit Air Purifier - I have this purifier and the larger one for living rooms. These are amazing and helped save our air during the massive California fires. Not only are these great for fires, but for common allergies. 

Monogram Mugs - I am a sucker for cute mugs and having one monogrammed means no one take it at work or at home.

Our Place Pan - I have this pan and love it. They came out with a stock pot that I really want as well.

Packing Cubes - These are something I should have invested in awhile ago, but I never did. I only have the laundry bag which I use on each trip. But packing cubes make packing so much easier and I feel like they take up less space.

Hatch Restore Reading Light - This is something that my husband would love. He keeps asking for a reading light and we never get one. This one would also be perfect for me for late night reading which I tend to do before bed most nights.

Nespresso Vertuo Next Espresso/Coffee Machine - Now we all know my love for my Nespresso runs keep. I love this thing. I got it last year during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales and I have not regretted it. I got the bundle pack and use the frother daily. This is my daily coffee machine.

Electronic Candle Lighter - I saw this somewhere and I screen captured it to remind myself to get this. It is rechargeable and wind proof. Sign me up.

Silicone Oven Mitts - I have a version of these that I love. They work very well and are so much smaller than the bulky cotton ones we are all used to.

Moccamaster Coffee Brewer - Now this is a pricier gift, but great for the coffee love. We have this coffee maker at home and use it during the weekend and when we are both working from home. This one lasts for years and doesn't get all gross like other coffee makers we have used.

Bissell SteamShot - I bought this after seeing it on Instagram. I am happy to report that it works and it works so well. My husband cleaned all window sills and even some grout in the kitchen. It has many attachments that allow you to get into small places. So worth it.

Square Wine Glasses - I have seen these square wine glasses everywhere online and the love for them. I have a ton of wine glasses, but these are just so pretty. I love the shape of them.

What is on your Christmas list? Which gift guide should I do next?

Christmas Pajamas for Kids

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes. 

I recently bought Christmas pajamas for my girls from their elf. With shipping delays and wanting to make sure I got things by December 1st, I bought early. And since I did a bunch of browsing, I thought I would share what I found and what I purchased.

When it comes to pajamas, I usually shop at Old Navy, Target, Carters, Hanna Andersson, and Gap. And that is where all of these come from.

Do you get yourself and/or your kids pajamas for the holidays?

Top: Green Trees | Multi Trees | Ornaments | Holiday Houses | Fair Isle Deer | Cindy Loo Who

Middle: Deer and Candy Canes | Holiday Baking | Green and Red Fair Isle | Plaid Nightgown

Bottom: Santa | Truck and Trees | Santa and Reindeer | Green Reindeer | Multi-colored Fair Isle

So which ones did I buy for the girls this year? The Deer and Candy Cane ones (first one in the middle row). I almost got them the baking ones since they love to bake. Also to note: I bought them a size 8 so they would have room to grow in them and just in case they shrink up a bit.

The girls already have the Santa and Reindeer (bottom row, third set) ones which they received last year. I bought those in size 7 last year since they are tall and they were pretty short after washing and drying them for a month. So size up in them.

In the past, we have purchased them through Old Navy and Target. Those are my go-to's, but if I find Hanna Andersson on sale, I grab them.

And here is one for your pet. How cute is this? And it comes in many different prints. I think Walter needs one of these.

Pet Christmas PJs

Happy shopping!

Friday Favorites

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Happy Friday all! This Friday favorites post looks a bit different. The Sephora Holiday Sale starts today for Rouge members and I know I need a few items that I have been holding out on. Here are the details of the sale:

Rouge: 20% off starting today (11/5)
VIB: 15% off starting Tuesday 11/9
Insider: 10% off starting Thursday 11/11
All Members: 30% off all Sephora Collection items starting today (11/5)

The sale goes through Monday November 15th.

Here is what I have my eye on. I get to purchase items on Tuesday.

Kerastase Elixir Ultime Hair Oil  I love this hair oil. It is perfect for dry and damaged hair, but it is also perfect for hair extensions. I use this every single night. It goes on "greasy" but it soaks right in and never leaves oil on my clothes or pillowcase. This stuff is luxurious, but so good for dry Winter hair.

Kerastase Blond Absolu Heat Protecting Leave-in Treatment  Now this isn't just for blondes despite having Blond in the name. You use this to protect your hair before blow drying, straightening or curling your hair. I put it in my hair when it is damp after a shower. Since I have long hair, I use two pumps and this lasts me about 6 to 8 months. 

GHD Max Styler  This is a pricey hair straightener, but it gets great reviews. I need a new straightener after mine has some dings in the plates which pulls on my hair and splits it. Have you used this one? Do you have one to recommend to me?

The MakeUp Eraser Sponge  I need a makeup sponge to put on my concealer since my Artis Concealer Brush broke AGAIN. They replaced it once and it broke within 6 months. My foundation brush has been going strong, but not the concealer brush. So rather than replace it, I am going back to the old school sponge. 

Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Perfume  I used to LOVE this perfume. I got a full size version from Influenster many years ago and used every last drop of it. Then I repurchased the mini version of it and used it all up. And I never got it again. Well I wanted to get a new perfume to wear out on date nights, for the holidays and for girls night out. So I am looking to get another bottle. But in the smallest version since I won't use it everyday and it is so dang expensive. 

This is my favorite perfume other than Versace Pour Femme Signature perfume which has been discontinued for years. The only place I ever find it, is in Europe.

The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream  After posting about wanting a Becca Cosmetics Anti-Fatigue Under Eye Primer dupe, some said they didn't like the Tula one I had found. And since it is more expensive, I thought I would try another brand that was considered a great dupe. And since this one is only $9.99, I figured it would be a better option (for now). 

What is on your makeup shopping list?

And I couldn't have a Friday Favorites post without some funnies, so enjoy!

Have a great weekend. I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything.

Halloween Weekend

I feel like I am still recovering from Halloween weekend. We were on the go most of the weekend and out late each night that this week has been nothing but relaxing after work. But it was so much fun and many memories were made.

Our Halloween weekend started on Thursday night. I attended a mixer for Rory's work. We had to dress up and since I didn't want to dirty up my Halloween costume at a bar, I wore one from year's past. I wore my Snooki costume and Rory wore his Miners/Old Timers costume.

I wish I would have gotten more photos of this bar. They went all out on decorations.

My sister and brother-in-law watched the girls that evening.

Friday was Nevada Day (observed) so we didn't work. Well, I didn't. Rory did some work. We just did things around the house, let the girls do some school work on their computers and then went to lunch. Then around 3 pm, we headed out for the tailgate for the Nevada vs. UNLV game. It was the girls second game of the season and they had a blast. We had bbq food from a local restaurant that catered the tailgate. The girls played some games and then we watched Nevada BEAT UNLV and keep the Fremont Cannon. The girls and I left in the third quarter as it was getting late. Rory stayed and watched the whole game. But I finished the game at home in my pjs cuddling my pup.

Saturday morning we got up, had some coffee and coffee cake and then ran errands. We also took Walter on a long walk and enjoyed the changing leaves.

Then we got ready for the Halloween party that we attended. And this took hours because I had to get myself showered and ready and also get the girls showered and ready. But we all looked cute and had the best time. Here are some highlights from that evening.

Winners of the family costume (Beetlejuice), Best Adult (Pirate) and Best Kids (Metal Beard from Lego Movie)

Sunday we got up and went to breakfast to get us started for the day. We haven't been out to breakfast in awhile, but we made a point to get out on Sunday. Then we came home and took Walter to the groomers. Then while we waited for Walter, Rory mowed the lawn and I washed and cleaned my car. It hadn't been done since before we went to Boise and it was in need of a good wash.

We picked up Walter after we were both done with house chores and came home to get ready for trick or treating. We first went up to see my father-in-law to see how he is recovering and for them to see the girls before they went out trick or treating. Then we headed over to our friends house for dinner and trick or treating. Going with about 14 kids and adults was the way to go. Everyone had such a fun time. Here are some highlights from that evening.

Everything else I captured was videos. I uploaded those on my stories on Sunday night and Monday. Such a great time was had. What did you do for Halloween?