December: 5 Things I'm Loving

Hey everyone! I hope your Christmas was spectacular and that you're having a little bit of time to rest in between all the holiday craziness. And...most importantly,  enjoying time with friends and family. Before December comes to a close, I wanted to do my monthly round-up of the five things I'm really loving lately. So without further ado...here we go!

1. Christmas Decor!

Starting with the obvious here. John and I really don't go too crazy decorating for the season, but I do have a few cherished things that I absolutely love, and look forward to seeing every year. We don't put up a tree, because a certain non-human member of our household likes to consider it his own personal jungle gym. I would love to have a tree. I have a fabulous vintage silver aluminum one from the 40's (color wheel and everything!), but we can't put it in a room were Furry Lewis will be. We've put it in another part of the house before, but then we don't end up seeing it very much either.  Here's just a sampling of how we decorate. The nutcrackers are a new addition. I got two of them and they are pretty tall. You'll never believe where I found them. Walgreens! Even better, they were on sale for $14. Score!

Glitter Deer! I have 2 of these and I just think they are so sweet. Purchased at Home Goods.

Sparkly Trees! Made these myself! 

 

It isn't Christmas without Snoopy.

 

The Tree Assassin's personal stocking.

 

Lazy girl tip: just throw a whole bunch of ornaments into a giant glass urn!

 

Walgreen's, I heart you.

 

Our mini tree...high up on a shelf. ;) Planet of the Apes lunchbox....not so Christmassy. :)

 

 

2. Starbucks Venti Iced Coffee.

 

I'm just going to admit it. I'm a complete Starbucks addict. There is a Starbucks very near my gym, and I've gotten into the habit lately every rewarding myself with a coffee after an especially hard work out. But what's cool is I've gotten my Starbucks drink down to about 20 calories. I get a Venti iced coffee with no classic syrup. Completely unsweetened. You have to be especially careful when you order this, because they automatically put classic syrup and all iced coffee drinks. I take it home and doctor it up with a little bit of fat-free half-and-half and about four packets of equal. Delicious.

3. Sandwich Bros. Pita Cheeseburgers and Chicken Melts

These are really the food find of the month. I've mentioned that I've been really enjoying being in what I think is the Green Zone. These little sandwiches are absolutely perfect for lunch. You just have to pop it in the microwave for about 45 seconds. I got them at my local Walmart, but I'm sure they can be found other places. The nutrition stats are pretty good. The chicken version has 160 calories and 11 g of protein. The cheeseburger has 160 calories and 10 g of protein. They make a really great light lunch.

4. Bath and Body Works Three Wick Candle: Marshmallow Fireside

Another thing that I've been really loving this month is this candle from Bath and Body Works. The scent is kind of hard to explain, but I think it is simply out of this world. It has an outdoor campfire smell, but also the delicious scent of something baking. It might not appeal to everyone, but I can't get enough of it. B&B Works is one of those places where I never buy anything without a coupon. There's always one available. I went a little crazy and stocked up on these during the 2 for $22 sale. If I'm home for any length of time, this is burning. I love the way it makes my house smell.

5. The Body Shop Body Butter in Vineyard Peach

 

 

And one last thing I wanted to mention is this fabulous body butter from The Body Shop. It's getting to be the time of the year when I notice my skin becoming drier by the day. I love to put this on after I shower and the scent is just amazing. I want to put my whole face in the jar and just inhale it. It's super hydrating, and it would probably be a little bit rich for warmer weather, but in the winter time it's just perfect.

John and I are leaving for our Treehouse Get-away soon, so I won't be back until next week. I hope you have enjoyed 2013 as much as I have. I have a feeling that 2014 is going to be even better. Thanks so much for reading and I will see you all soon!