Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Friday, December 23, 2016
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 16, 2016
Blogger Christmas Cheer Exchange Reveal and Linkup 2016
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I just love doing the Blogger Christmas Cheer Exchange with Mattie. It’s so fun to get to know other bloggers and to shop for blogger friends! This year, I gave my gift to Ashley at The Wandering Weekenders, and my Secret Santa was Alexandra at Simply Alexandra!
Alexandra did such a wonderful job wrapping the gift! I’m always impressed with people who are good at wrapping because I don’t have that gift (Chris actually wraps everything at our house. He’s super good at it). Isn’t the fox wrapping paper just adorable?
I love the gifts she picked out for me! The gold and black sketch pad and pencils are super cute. I am so excited to read Heartless by Marissa Meyer after loving The Lunar Chronicles (though I never finished them! Oops). She also included a Hershey’s Kiss and a book called The Dry by Jane Harper. Thank you so much for the fun gifts, Alexandra!
If you participated in the exchange, link up with us below. I can’t wait to see what everyone received. Merry Christmas, friends!
Alexandra did such a wonderful job wrapping the gift! I’m always impressed with people who are good at wrapping because I don’t have that gift (Chris actually wraps everything at our house. He’s super good at it). Isn’t the fox wrapping paper just adorable?
I love the gifts she picked out for me! The gold and black sketch pad and pencils are super cute. I am so excited to read Heartless by Marissa Meyer after loving The Lunar Chronicles (though I never finished them! Oops). She also included a Hershey’s Kiss and a book called The Dry by Jane Harper. Thank you so much for the fun gifts, Alexandra!
If you participated in the exchange, link up with us below. I can’t wait to see what everyone received. Merry Christmas, friends!
Monday, November 28, 2016
Seven Things You Must Do in Chicago During the Holiday Season
During our year in Chicago, one of the things I was most looking forward to is spending the holidays in the city. It didn’t disappoint. I am always in love with Chicago, but it’s absolutely magical during the holiday season. I made it a goal to experience the season to the fullest, and today, I’m sharing my list, so you can, too!
Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival kicks off the holiday season in Chicago and is similar to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City. The difference is the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is held the weekend before Thanksgiving. The parade, which ends in a tree-lighting ceremony, is in the evening, followed by a stunning fireworks show over the Chicago River. The festival has plenty of fun activities for the kids and great shopping for adults!
Christkindlmarket
I have always wanted to visit Germany during the holiday season to see the Christmas markets, but Christkindlmarket in Chicago is the next best thing! I’ve been told by Germans that Christkindlmarket is exactly like the markets in Germany. Most of the vendors actually fly in from Germany for the market. I love the unique, hand-crafted items, amazing German food, and, of course, the mulled wine.
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
I love visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo any time of the year because it’s free, but it’s even better during ZooLights. Just like on regular days, the entrance is free. It’s so fun to look at all the gorgeous lights and enjoy the light shows while drinking some delicious mulled wine. One of my favorite parts was watching sculptors make amazing ice sculptures. Don’t forget to stop by the gorilla house on the way home to watch them go to sleep!
See the windows at Macy’s on State Street
The Macy’s on State Street is famous for its gorgeous Christmas displays, and they are worth seeing. My favorite last year was the blue mythological window.
Eat at the Walnut Room
Eating at the Walnut Room with the giant Christmas tree was high on my holiday season list, and it turned out to be one of my favorite things we did during the holiday season in Chicago. Click here for a full guide to the Walnut Room.
Go Ice Skating
Ice Skating at the rink in Millennium Park is a perfect holiday season activity. The park is gorgeous during the holidays and has a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink opens the same day as the tree lighting ceremony.
Christmas Around the World at The Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry is always worth visiting, but it is even better during the holiday season when they have their “Christmas Around the World” exhibit. It features over 50 Christmas trees, each one decorated with holiday traditions from a different country. The trees were beautiful, and I loved seeing all the traditions from other countries.
Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival kicks off the holiday season in Chicago and is similar to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City. The difference is the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is held the weekend before Thanksgiving. The parade, which ends in a tree-lighting ceremony, is in the evening, followed by a stunning fireworks show over the Chicago River. The festival has plenty of fun activities for the kids and great shopping for adults!
Christkindlmarket
I have always wanted to visit Germany during the holiday season to see the Christmas markets, but Christkindlmarket in Chicago is the next best thing! I’ve been told by Germans that Christkindlmarket is exactly like the markets in Germany. Most of the vendors actually fly in from Germany for the market. I love the unique, hand-crafted items, amazing German food, and, of course, the mulled wine.
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
I love visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo any time of the year because it’s free, but it’s even better during ZooLights. Just like on regular days, the entrance is free. It’s so fun to look at all the gorgeous lights and enjoy the light shows while drinking some delicious mulled wine. One of my favorite parts was watching sculptors make amazing ice sculptures. Don’t forget to stop by the gorilla house on the way home to watch them go to sleep!
See the windows at Macy’s on State Street
The Macy’s on State Street is famous for its gorgeous Christmas displays, and they are worth seeing. My favorite last year was the blue mythological window.
Eat at the Walnut Room
Eating at the Walnut Room with the giant Christmas tree was high on my holiday season list, and it turned out to be one of my favorite things we did during the holiday season in Chicago. Click here for a full guide to the Walnut Room.
Go Ice Skating
Ice Skating at the rink in Millennium Park is a perfect holiday season activity. The park is gorgeous during the holidays and has a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink opens the same day as the tree lighting ceremony.
Christmas Around the World at The Museum of Science and Industry
The Museum of Science and Industry is always worth visiting, but it is even better during the holiday season when they have their “Christmas Around the World” exhibit. It features over 50 Christmas trees, each one decorated with holiday traditions from a different country. The trees were beautiful, and I loved seeing all the traditions from other countries.
Have you ever been to Chicago during the holiday season?
Monday, November 21, 2016
ICE! at the Gaylord Texan: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
Usually, I’m a strict no Christmas before Thanksgiving person, but there is one thing I love more than rules: bargains. When I heard that ICE! at the Gaylord was 50 percent off if you go before Thanksgiving, I knew we had to make an exception.
This year, the theme was “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” based on a classic TV special from the 1970s that none of us had actually seen. Still, the story and the characters carved out of the ice were adorable. I actually liked it better than ICE! exhibits from previous years. Usually, it’s characters from an animated movie (Shrek, Ice Age, etc.) dressed up in Christmas outfits, so it was nice to see a Christmas story this time.
One of my favorite parts of ICE! is the video at the beginning that explains how the exhibit is made. They use over two million blocks of ice, and amazing artisans come from Harbin, China to carve the designs. I am always amazed by how detailed each sculpture is.
It’s nine degrees inside the exhibit, so everyone is required to wear blue parkas to enter the exhibit. Gloves and hats are recommended, but they’re not required. I decided to skip the gloves for the sake of taking photos, but my hands were definitely frozen by the end.
ICE! is showcased at the four Gaylord hotels (Washington, D.C., Nashville, Tennessee, Grapevine, Texas, and Kissimmee, Florida), though the theme is different at each hotel. All exhibits are open now and run through January 1, 2017. If you are interesting in going, I suggest searching for a Groupon before you go.
Have you ever been to ICE! or any other ice sculpture exhibit?
This year, the theme was “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” based on a classic TV special from the 1970s that none of us had actually seen. Still, the story and the characters carved out of the ice were adorable. I actually liked it better than ICE! exhibits from previous years. Usually, it’s characters from an animated movie (Shrek, Ice Age, etc.) dressed up in Christmas outfits, so it was nice to see a Christmas story this time.
One of my favorite parts of ICE! is the video at the beginning that explains how the exhibit is made. They use over two million blocks of ice, and amazing artisans come from Harbin, China to carve the designs. I am always amazed by how detailed each sculpture is.
It’s nine degrees inside the exhibit, so everyone is required to wear blue parkas to enter the exhibit. Gloves and hats are recommended, but they’re not required. I decided to skip the gloves for the sake of taking photos, but my hands were definitely frozen by the end.
ICE! is showcased at the four Gaylord hotels (Washington, D.C., Nashville, Tennessee, Grapevine, Texas, and Kissimmee, Florida), though the theme is different at each hotel. All exhibits are open now and run through January 1, 2017. If you are interesting in going, I suggest searching for a Groupon before you go.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Announcing the Second Annual Blogger Christmas Cheer Exchange
We all need a little bit of happiness this week, so I am so excited to announce that Mattie from Northwest Native and I are hosting our second annual blogger Christmas exchange! We would love for you to join us as we get to know other bloggers and spread the holiday cheer!
The Details:
What:
Our Blogger Christmas Cheer Exchange is a fun opportunity to get to know another blogger! We will also be having a linkup, so everyone can see the great gifts you picked out.
When:
11/18: Signups close
12/2 Deadline to ship your package
12/16: Show off your gift by linking up with us!
How much will it cost me?
We have set a minimum of $20. If you would like to spend more, we don’t mind, but please don’t expect anyone to spend more than that.
Am I sending to/receiving from the same person?
No, this is a Secret Santa exchange. This way, you get to know two people!
Should I contact the blogger who is my partner?
If you need to contact your blogger, please do it through the Elfster site. We want your identity to be a surprise!
How can I let my Secret Santa know what I want/don't want?
Elfster has a great wish list option, where you can add anything you want! Please update this! It's so helpful to your Secret Santa.
Is this open to international bloggers?
Yes! If you are a US blogger willing to ship internationally, please let us know when you sign up. :)
We would love to have as many people as possible participate, so please share our button:
The Details:
What:
Our Blogger Christmas Cheer Exchange is a fun opportunity to get to know another blogger! We will also be having a linkup, so everyone can see the great gifts you picked out.
When:
11/18: Signups close
12/2 Deadline to ship your package
12/16: Show off your gift by linking up with us!
How much will it cost me?
We have set a minimum of $20. If you would like to spend more, we don’t mind, but please don’t expect anyone to spend more than that.
Am I sending to/receiving from the same person?
No, this is a Secret Santa exchange. This way, you get to know two people!
Should I contact the blogger who is my partner?
If you need to contact your blogger, please do it through the Elfster site. We want your identity to be a surprise!
How can I let my Secret Santa know what I want/don't want?
Elfster has a great wish list option, where you can add anything you want! Please update this! It's so helpful to your Secret Santa.
Is this open to international bloggers?
Yes! If you are a US blogger willing to ship internationally, please let us know when you sign up. :)
We would love to have as many people as possible participate, so please share our button:
Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!
Thursday, January 7, 2016
CG Swaps 12 Days of Christmas Swap Reveal
I'm a little late on this because I decided to stay in Milwaukee a little longer than expected, but today, I am excited to show y'all my fun gifts from the 12 Days of Christmas Swap from CG Swaps! My partner was Mistle from Sweet Tea and Hydrangeas, and I had so much fun getting to know her. I could quickly tell we had a lot in common, which made it even more fun to shop for her!
Starbucks Via Instant Peppermint Mocha Latte: I was so excited when I opened this because I love peppermint mochas from Starbucks.
Teavana Passion Tango Tea: This tea smells amazing, and I can't wait to try it.
Wintertime Hot Chocolate Collection: I was so excited to see red velvet hot chocolate as part of this trio. I love anything red velvet, and I have never tried red velvet hot chocolate.
Clint's Texas Salsa: When Mistle and I were getting to know each other, I told her I miss Texas salsa, so I asked her to send me some of her favorite salsa! I loved what she picked out!
Mint Target scarf: This scarf is so soft, and I love the color!
Sugar Paper planner: I love that this planner has so much space for each day. I'm using it as a blog planner this year.
Burt's Bees Cucumber & Sage Facial Cleansing Towelettes: I love facial cleansing wipes, and I can't wait to try out the Burt's Bees ones!
Essie Bahama Mama: I love this color! So pretty and fun.
Que Bella Masks: I love trying new brands, so I was excited to see these!
Colourpop Matte Gloss: This is such a great color, and Colourpop is a new brand to me.
Colourpop Eyeshadow: The color she picked out for me is so pretty!
Snowman ornament: I put the cute little guy on our tree as soon as we got him! He really dressed up our Chicago Christmas tree.
Thank you so much for the great gifts, Mistle! If you want to see what I got Mistle, click here!
Starbucks Via Instant Peppermint Mocha Latte: I was so excited when I opened this because I love peppermint mochas from Starbucks.
Teavana Passion Tango Tea: This tea smells amazing, and I can't wait to try it.
Wintertime Hot Chocolate Collection: I was so excited to see red velvet hot chocolate as part of this trio. I love anything red velvet, and I have never tried red velvet hot chocolate.
Clint's Texas Salsa: When Mistle and I were getting to know each other, I told her I miss Texas salsa, so I asked her to send me some of her favorite salsa! I loved what she picked out!
Mint Target scarf: This scarf is so soft, and I love the color!
Sugar Paper planner: I love that this planner has so much space for each day. I'm using it as a blog planner this year.
Burt's Bees Cucumber & Sage Facial Cleansing Towelettes: I love facial cleansing wipes, and I can't wait to try out the Burt's Bees ones!
Essie Bahama Mama: I love this color! So pretty and fun.
Que Bella Masks: I love trying new brands, so I was excited to see these!
Colourpop Matte Gloss: This is such a great color, and Colourpop is a new brand to me.
Colourpop Eyeshadow: The color she picked out for me is so pretty!
Snowman ornament: I put the cute little guy on our tree as soon as we got him! He really dressed up our Chicago Christmas tree.
Thank you so much for the great gifts, Mistle! If you want to see what I got Mistle, click here!
Friday, December 25, 2015
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and your family! Hope you have a wonderful day celebrating with friends and family. Christ is born!
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Currently: December 2015
I haven’t done a “Currently” post since I was waiting for Match Day, so I thought I would do one more this year.
Anticipating:
My in-laws coming into town on Christmas Eve. I am so thankful they will be spending Christmas with us.
Thinking:
I am so bummed Christopher has to work on Christmas Eve all of a sudden. I was prepared for him to work, but then they told us he had the day off, and we were super excited. It stinks to think you get to spend time together and then have it taken away.
Feeling:
Excited that Christmas is on Friday, and I still get three full days with my love and his family!
Reading:
Angels Burning by Tawni O’Dell (c/o NetGalley). It’s an interesting book about how the violent death of a teenager shook a town and brought out parallels between this killing and the police chief’s mother’s murder. It comes out in early January, so I will be writing more about it when it comes out, but I am really liking it so far.
Watching:
Skyler eat her Nutro Moist-N-Chewy Bites she received from Chewy. The treats are all-natural, and you can smell the hickory barbecue flavor as soon as you open the bag. I love the size, and Skyler wouldn’t mind eating the whole bag.
Loving:
All the Christmas decorations around Chicago! It’s so easy to get into the Christmas spirit with how beautiful it is here.
Hoping:
To clean up our place and finish wrapping all the gifts before my in-laws arrive!
Anticipating:
My in-laws coming into town on Christmas Eve. I am so thankful they will be spending Christmas with us.
Thinking:
I am so bummed Christopher has to work on Christmas Eve all of a sudden. I was prepared for him to work, but then they told us he had the day off, and we were super excited. It stinks to think you get to spend time together and then have it taken away.
Feeling:
Excited that Christmas is on Friday, and I still get three full days with my love and his family!
Reading:
Angels Burning by Tawni O’Dell (c/o NetGalley). It’s an interesting book about how the violent death of a teenager shook a town and brought out parallels between this killing and the police chief’s mother’s murder. It comes out in early January, so I will be writing more about it when it comes out, but I am really liking it so far.
Watching:
Skyler eat her Nutro Moist-N-Chewy Bites she received from Chewy. The treats are all-natural, and you can smell the hickory barbecue flavor as soon as you open the bag. I love the size, and Skyler wouldn’t mind eating the whole bag.
I received these treats courtesy of Chewy, but all opinions are my own.
Loving:
All the Christmas decorations around Chicago! It’s so easy to get into the Christmas spirit with how beautiful it is here.
Hoping:
To clean up our place and finish wrapping all the gifts before my in-laws arrive!
Monday, December 21, 2015
A Chicago Christmas: Lunch at The Walnut Room
Several friends and bloggers have mentioned the Chicago tradition of having lunch at The Walnut Room, so we thought it would be fun to do while we are living here this year. The Walnut Room is located on the seventh floor of Macy’s on State Street and has one of the prettiest Christmas trees in Chicago.
Lunch starts at 11 a.m., but the line opens at 10 a.m. We ended up being a little delayed and got to The Walnut Room around 11 a.m. By the time we went through the line to get a pager, we were told our pager would go off between 2:30 and 3 p.m. We knew we would probably have to wait a long time since it was the last weekend before Christmas, but it was the only time we could go.
I’ve mentioned before there is no way that I would wait four hours for food, and I still stand by that. In this case, we didn’t care much about the food and wanted to do it for the experience. We killed time by exploring Macy’s—There are nine stories, and each floor is massive. I’m glad we were finished with our Christmas shopping because it was so tempting to buy everything, especially the Frango chocolates.
By the time 3 p.m. rolled around, our pager still hadn’t gone off, so we headed over to the pager drop off area, and they let us get into another line to wait for a table. We were finally seated around 3:30 p.m.
Even though we had to wait forever, we still had fun. Our seats were right by the tree, and we enjoyed our late lunch and holiday cocktails. Christopher loved trying the chicken pot pie, and I had a peach nest chicken salad.
Would I come back and make this a tradition if we lived here? Only if we could go during a weekday and have a much shorter wait. Even so, I don’t regret the time we spent waiting because we got to spend the whole day together laughing and enjoying each other's company.
Lunch starts at 11 a.m., but the line opens at 10 a.m. We ended up being a little delayed and got to The Walnut Room around 11 a.m. By the time we went through the line to get a pager, we were told our pager would go off between 2:30 and 3 p.m. We knew we would probably have to wait a long time since it was the last weekend before Christmas, but it was the only time we could go.
I’ve mentioned before there is no way that I would wait four hours for food, and I still stand by that. In this case, we didn’t care much about the food and wanted to do it for the experience. We killed time by exploring Macy’s—There are nine stories, and each floor is massive. I’m glad we were finished with our Christmas shopping because it was so tempting to buy everything, especially the Frango chocolates.
By the time 3 p.m. rolled around, our pager still hadn’t gone off, so we headed over to the pager drop off area, and they let us get into another line to wait for a table. We were finally seated around 3:30 p.m.
Even though we had to wait forever, we still had fun. Our seats were right by the tree, and we enjoyed our late lunch and holiday cocktails. Christopher loved trying the chicken pot pie, and I had a peach nest chicken salad.
Would I come back and make this a tradition if we lived here? Only if we could go during a weekday and have a much shorter wait. Even so, I don’t regret the time we spent waiting because we got to spend the whole day together laughing and enjoying each other's company.
Linking up with Biana for Weekending.
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