Friday Favorites

It's almost the weekend and this week seemed to drag on. Maybe that is because we have had so many short weeks lately that a full week seems so long.

For once we don't have a packed weekend. I am not even sure what that means anymore, but I will take it. I really hope to go snowboarding this weekend if we can get some more snow. I have got to get my days in. Other than that, I hope to bake some cookies in our new oven with my sweet toddlers.

ONE. As you all probably know by now, I cut my hair (about 6 inches off) and I am really having fun with it. Though I was having a hard time figuring out how to style my hair. When you have the same-ish hairstyle for 10 years, you do the same thing over and over.

So I took to Pinterest for a little help and I have been using this guide to help me style my lob and it has helped me so much. #hairstyleproblems

What also has helped is my new wand that I am finally getting used to. Some of you asked which one I got and this is the one. I got it in the 1 to 1 1/2 inch as I wanted the looser beach waves and it works like a charm. It comes with a glove so you won't burn your fingers (total life saver for me).

Curling Wand

TWO. During the month of December, my work does the Fabulous Month of Food. You don't have to participate, but if you do, you sign up for a day and bring in food. Some people go all out and others take the easy way out (I am looking at you $5 chips and salsa). Most of the time it is breakfast style foods, but it can be others too. So this is where you all come in. What should I make? Do you have amazing breakfast recipes that can travel to work and I can make ahead?

THREE. I drink A LOT of coffee and I wouldn't have it any other way. Except maybe for the fact that my teeth could be a little more white. Ok, a lot more white. I am looking into whitening my teeth. Do you all have a favorite whitening kit? Do you even whiten your teeth?

FOUR. I have talked about these before, but Glassybabies make the best gifts. I have gotten them as gifts and have given them as gift. I loved when I would visit NYC and go to their shop to hand pick them for my friends, but sadly they closed that store and are in the Seattle area.

They offered their traditional ones which hold candles and now drinkers. I don't have any of the drinkers, but (I have about 10 of the candle holders. And I am in love.

I wanted to share these with you (I wasn't paid for this. I just LOVE them) as the perfect stocking stuffer or gift for a loved one.

Here are some of my favorites:

CANDLES

 Home Glassybaby

 Jolly Glassybaby

Triumph Glassybaby

DRINKERS

 Bellini Drinker

Nightcap Drinker

FIVE. Have any of you done the genetic testing? There is a research company that has paired up with our local hospital (one of them) and they are doing free genetic testing. It tests for diseases, genetic disorders, your origins and some other stuff. I signed up for their wait list awhile ago and was contacted this week about participating. 

My worry is that I want to get life insurance and I don't want anything hindering that. From the results that I see from the test (my friend did it), I most likely wouldn't be excluded from insurance, but it is a risk. 

Have any of you done one similar? Thoughts?

SIX. Yesterday my co-worker gave me a Peppermint Oreo and it was seriously the best Oreo. Game changer and bad for my thighs because I need a package or three.

I am linking up withApril, A Little Bit of Everything, Karli, Meet @ the Barre and Cup of Tea.

Thoughts on Thursday

I don't really have any confessions today, mostly just thoughts, random thoughts. So if you have any confessions or Thursday thoughts, link up below.

- My girls daycare bill goes down this month because we pay a month in advance. Since the girls turn two this month, it means their tuition goes down and that just makes me so happy. It isn't a ton of money, but definitely the most tuition reduction we have seen so far.

- I wish my work would heat this beotch up. It is seriously so cold in my office. Everyone complains. Everyone wears jackets or blankets and the administration still won't raise the temperature. Maybe I should get a heated blanket. I wonder if those are allowed since space heaters are not.

- I made vegetable fried rice using my wok burner (it is removable) and it made it soooo much easier to use a wok. I didn't constantly worry about my wok falling off the range. Such a good take out fake out.

- Do any of you have kids who are clumsy and fall a lot? Sutton is constantly running around and she falls down but bounces right back up. I picked her up from daycare a few days ago and she had a rug burn on her chin from you guessed it, falling down on the carpet. Every time we see or hear that one of our girls fell, we know it is Sutton. Ha.

- The girls and I watched A Charlie Brown Christmas last weekend and I want to keep introducing them to Christmas movies. Which should the next one be? The girls didn't want the whole Charlie Brown Christmas, but they did watch a good portion of it.

- I am having a facial and massage tonight and I am extremely happy about it. It is a package I get every so often and my esthetician has been out of commission for a long time. He was run over while riding his bike and had surgery from it. He is finally back and taking clients again. I can't wait!!

- I finally downloaded Snapchat this week, but mainly for the filters. I had a lot of fun taking selfies with my girls Tuesday night. We were trying all of the filters and even got Rory in on it. I can see how addicting it can be, but don't expect any snapchats from me.

- Has the gym kicked anyone else's butt this week? Nope? Ok, just mine.

Have a great Thursday all!

Christmas Bucket List

I am always seeing bucket lists for the holidays or seasons and I never participate....well I do, but only in my head. But this time, I wanted to sit down and write out my Christmas bucket list in hopes of tackling all of it. But let's be real, I am sure we will only tackle half of it. Twin toddler problems.

1. Decorate the Tree and Our House (inside and out)

This one is simple and pretty easy and something we do yearly. Gotta start small, right>

2. Santa Train or the Polar Express Train

Growing up, my parents would always take me on the Santa Train. My mom and I were featured in the local newspaper one year while riding the train. Now that my girls are almost 2, I think they would enjoy this. Plus I haven't been in years.

3. Go Tree Hunting and Find the Perfect Christmas Tree

Every year we try to go out with family and friends to cut down our Christmas tree. It has been a tradition for years and something I want my girls to love as they get older. We even went when I was 7 months pregnant with the girls. That was a tough year.

4. Go Christmas Light Looking

Another tradition growing up, was to go for a car ride and look at Christmas lights. We did this usually twice during the Christmas holidays. My mom would make some hot chocolate and we would drive around admiring all the lights. There is a special house in Reno that does an amazing light show every year and I can't wait to see it this year. They didn't do it last year, so I can't wait to introduce my girls to it this year.

5. Send Out Christmas Cards

I love receiving Christmas cards from our family and friends. I love seeing how much everyone has changed and grown over the year. And I also love sending our own card out. I search through our family photos for the perfect one and then I always make a card. I have used Minted, Tiny Prints, Simply to Impress and more. They always have great sales around Thanksgiving and this year was no different. Our Christmas cards should be sent out very soon!

6. Get Santa Photos Taken

Last year was the first year that we participated in Santa photos since I was a child and I love how they came out. We are getting Santa photos taken this year and I hope to get a few of them if my girls don't freak out. But those photos are just as fun as the sweet ones.

7. Elf on the Shelf

My in-laws got the girls an Elf on the Shelf last year and I want to bring it out this year. I know I can't do it daily, but hoping for a few times a week.

8. New PJs on Christmas Eve

This is another tradition I see a lot in the blogland and something I would love to participate in. We have one set of Christmas pjs for the girls and then another more wintery set. I am on the search for another set for the girls to open and wear on Christmas Eve.

9. Watch as Many Christmas Movies as I Can

I love Christmas movies and I have several saved to my DVR. I can't wait to start watching them and having my girls watch them too. I really hope my girls love The Christmas Story since I binge watch it every Christmas Eve. And I hope they love Christmas Vacation when they get older.

10. New Christmas Ornaments

Every year my mom and dad would get us a new Christmas ornament. Sometimes we picked our own out and sometimes we were surprised with them. We did this last year with the girls and I am on the search for one for the girls this year.

Over the years, I have collected so many ornaments that I can't fit them on all on our tree. But I do take them all out every year and admire them. I cycle through them yearly, but always have certain ones that must go on the tree yearly.

11. Christmas Eve Party

My parents best friends host a Christmas Eve party every year. It is soooo much fun. They make homemade egg nog (spiced up and non), his amazing chili, homemade clam chowder, so many appetizers, desserts and a ton of alcohol.

They moved since last year's party and I really hope the girls are good and can stay up late so we can go to the party. Fingers crossed. It is a tradition that I hate to miss.

12. Advent Calendar

Growing up, my mom would get us a chocolate advent calendar every year and then we had one where you move the mouse each day. My sister and I would always fight over who got to move the mouse. This year my mom got us an advent calendar since I never got one for myself. I can't wait to move the snowflake each day. And I am still on the search for a really good chocolate calendar. If you know of one (preferably dark chocolate), let me know.

This is the one we grew up with.

Target

13. Homemade Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas Morning

Another tradition we had growing up was eating homemade cinnamon roll for breakfast on Christmas morning. Every Christmas Eve, we would help my mom make the dough and filling for cinnamon rolls and then roll them out and let them rise. 

I have continued on this tradition and have made them several times for my office at Christmas time and for our family Christmases. But you know how it goes, no one's is as good as moms. That is why last year, my sweet mom made us a batch of them and I am hoping she will do it again. Otherwise, I will take a stab at it again. And I will post the recipe. It is simple, but heavenly.

14. Host Christmas Dinner

We have been hosting Christmas dinner for many years now. We even hosted it when I was about to pop (4 days later). I may have sat in a chair while everyone cooked and cleaned, but we had it at our house. This year will be no different. We are hosting Christmas dinner and hoping it goes off without a hitch.

What is on your Christmas Bucket List?

Linking up with Jenn.

Our 2016 Christmas Card

We had our family photos done in early November and once we received them, I picked out the best photo. I had a tough time deciding which card to choose, but ultimately went with one that was simple, but beautiful.

This year we used Tiny Prints for Christmas Card.

And since our cards have been sent out and most should have received them, I present to you, the 2016 Butler Christmas Card.

Obsessed with this photo is an understatement!

And here is our Christmas Card from 2015 (just for fun).

Look how much my girls have changed over the last year!!!

So let me see your Christmas cards (leave a link below if you have one).

Weekending

We are back from another great weekend. This post is coming at you late as I am battling Amazon for a price adjustment. One of the girls Christmas gifts is over half off and as a prime member they are supposed to honor that price adjustment. I hate dealing with Amazon customer service.

Anyways, back to the weekend.

Friday after work, I took the girls to lunch and then we headed home to see the kitchen progress. I am happy to say that our kitchen is 95% finished. We have a few cabinet items that need to be fixed and done, but otherwise it is almost there.

I put the girls down for a nap and got to working on putting our kitchen back together as much as I could.

My mother in law came over around 2 pm and I headed out to get my hair done. I have been tossing around the idea of cutting my hair and doing something fresh. After talking to my hairstylist, we decided to chop my hair off. I am really liking it, but it is definitely something to get used to. I did a long bob and it is about an inch shorter than I thought it would be (which makes it harder to have some curl in it), but I really like it so far.

After getting my hair done, I ran a few errands and hoped my dear friend would get out of surgery so I could go see her in the hospital. No such luck. Her surgery went a very long time. But she is ok and out of the hospital now.

I went home and Rory had just got home from his work trip. We hung out for a bit and then headed out to our work Christmas party. We had some margaritas, lots of food and then headed to a bar for more drinks.

We got home around 11 pm and headed to bed not long later.

Saturday morning we got some coffee and pastries and hung out while waiting for Direct TV to come set up our new tv plan. We changed from Uverse to Direct TV after way too much thought and spending way too much money. But at least we are saving about $60 per month. I will take it.

They were supposed to show up between 8 and 12, but they didn't come over until 1:30. That meant we just sat home waiting and waiting. The girls were getting ansy, so after the guy finished, we took them on a walk. Once we got home, I headed to Apple to drop off my phone to get the battery replacement taken care of. I was told it would be an hour, but it took an hour and forty minutes.

I made some returns to Old Navy, ran to Target to get replacement tights (since Old Navy only sent one pair), picked up a curling wand and headed back to Apple for my phone.

After I got my phone, I ordered pizza and wings and picked those up before heading home. I made it home just after the girls went to bed. So we had dinner, watched some tv and crashed out early.

Sunday morning we went out to breakfast and then back home to get ready for Santa pictures. As I mentioned before, we set up an appointment for photos at a local small store so we didn't have the hassle of the mall.

We went to our appointment and the girls were all dolled up. We waited a few minutes and the girls played with some toys. Then it was our turn and the girls lost it. Full blown tears and meltdowns. I am sure the pictures are going to be awesome. Ha. It seems like all my friends who have 2 year olds or almost 2 have had crying Santa photos. I have seen them everywhere. And if you were a lucky one who had happy kids at 2 with Santa, good for you. I have a crying photo coming to me in the next day or so. I can't wait to share it.

After photos, we headed home for naps. I took the opportunity to go grocery shopping and picked up a crazy headache along the way.

We spent the rest of the day hanging out by the fire, playing, taming crazy girls and getting everything ready for the week ahead.

Avery in part of her Santa/Christmas dress (missing her tights, dress shoes and bow)

I made dinner last night and it felt good to cook a full meal and have a dishwasher for my dishes. It's the simple things.

After dinner, we gave the girls baths and relaxed by the fire.

How was your weekend?

I am linking up with Biana.

Friday Favorites and Happenings

I am so glad the weekend is here. I have a lot on my plate this weekend (don't I always), but so much of it is fun stuff. So let's get right down to it.

ONE. Today I get my hair done. That is enough to make this day great. I remember telling my girls a couple weeks back when they were getting their first haircut that one day they would love getting their hair done and they should only cry when they get a botched haircut. They didn't listen. 

But I always go back and forth on should I change my hair? Leave it? I still want that long bob or to make my hair more of the same length, but always fear that I would hate it. It has taken me a long time to get my hair the length it is. Choices.

TWO. Tonight is also my work Christmas party. No it is not hosted or anything done by the bosses. Nope. One of our co-workers sets it up each year and we have to pay for it, but we usually have a great time. 

I even bought an "ugly" Christmas sweater for it. It was originally $49 and I got it for $19.

Ugly Christmas Sweater

THREE. Tomorrow is my friends 30th birthday party. Two parties in one weekend? Yes. And I am sure I will be exhausted come Sunday. But my friend Jess is turning 30 and I am going to a party animal party. I need to figure out my outfit....I need it to be an animal, but I can't wait. I am sure my liver will hate me after this weekend. #oldmomstatus

FOUR. Sunday morning we are taking the girls to meet Santa. I set up pictures at a local small business and I can't wait to see their set up. You pay $25 for up to a 30 minute session and they send you the best photo of the bunch. You can include as many people you want to and it is done by a local professional photographer. Here is to hoping for the best Santa photo. 

This was last year's photo.

Sorry for the photo of a photo

I would call last year a success, so hopefully this one is just as good or even better.

FIVE. I got this text message on Wednesday and it made my heart happy.

I feel so good knowing my blood went to someone in need. Go donate blood if you can.

I am linking up withApril, A Little Bit of Everything, Karli, Meet @ the Barre and Cup of Tea.

Confessional Thursday

Happy first day of December. I can't believe December and Thursday are already here. It feels like November went by in a flash. I am very excited for this month. Not only do we have the holidays to celebrate, but we have my girls second birthday to celebrate. It is a big month for us.

I digress, we are here for Confessional Thursday. Last week was Thanksgiving, so I have a lot on my chest this week.

If you want to join along, grab the button, write your confessions or thoughts and come back here to link up.

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I CONFESS...

/ that my kitchen still isn't done. Seriously. What was supposed to be a 3 week project has taken 7 weeks. We did have a one week break in there, but still. This is ridiculous. I can tell you that I would not want to go through this again. Too much stress and heartache.

/ that my cabinets were refinished, my drawers replaced and my doors, knobs and pulls were also replaced on Monday. That is the good news. The bad news is that the guy who measured it, measured one drawer wrong and two cabinet pull out drawers wrong. So they have to come back next week to finish those plus fix some stuff from the first install. Ugh. Will this ever end?

/ that I am over painting. I have whitewashed the brick wall, painted the pizza oven, painted the new cabinet were my old oven used to be, touched things up three times, painted inside the cabinet under the sink, painted the corbels and painted the mudroom wall. No more painting please.

/ that I had a hard time coming up with any sort of Christmas list to share with family this year. Sure there are things that I want, but I don't really need them.

/ that Sutton gave us a scare Tuesday afternoon. Rory picked up the girls late on Tuesday and about 10 minutes before he got there, Sutton had choked on a toy. I guess she stuck said toy in her mouth and started choking. Her teacher stuck her finger in her mouth to get it out and in the process she threw up. But at least the teacher got it out and didn't have to use the heimlich on her. So scary.

/ that we are 80% done Christmas shopping. We have two people left to buy for and two others need something small to go with their gift. Plus stocking for the girls. Thank you Cyber Monday.

/ that I am praying my kitchen gets done soon, so we can host Christmas dinner. Yes, Christmas is still 24 days away, but with our luck in this renovation, it won't be done.

/ that I am still reeling over Gilmore Girls: Year in the Life Of. The last four words. Wow. Just wow. I won't spoil it for anyone, but please oh please let there be another season. And I hated the Summer episode. Anyone else?

/ that I hate and love my new battery case for my phone. I love that it keeps my phone charged almost all the time, but I hate that I can't put my headphones in it. Small problems, yes I know, but when I workout (run), I watch Netflix and I have to take the case off and risk my phone falling. I don't need my phone breaking.