Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - December 1, 2021

Now that Thanksgiving is in the rearview mirror, everyone is rushing around getting ready for Christmas. Every day that goes by the shelves get emptier that were once overflowing with Christmas decorations and trees. Just in case you aren't completely done with your Christmas decor and menu planning, this week's features should help you out!

Join this week’s blog hop to find inspiration from dozens of bloggers for all things home and family including crafts, decor, DIY, fashion, recipes, fitness, gardening, travel, home improvement, and so much more!

A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.  

If you are a blogger then be sure to link up below. You never know when it will be your turn to be our next feature!

Before we get the party started, let's meet the hosts and check out this weeks features.

Meet The Hosts

1. Ahna - HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Anne & AnnMarie - SIMPLY 2 MOMS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
3. Angela - THE SHORT ORDER COOK | FB | IG | PINTEREST
4. Bev - ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
5. Cindy - SIMPLE STEPS FOR LIVING LIFE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
6. Emily - LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
7. Jana - HARVESTING HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
8. Kera - HAUTE HOUSE LOVE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
9. Penny - PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
10. Sinea - DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
11. Tammy - MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST
12. Tara - STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST

Top Viewed

Putting decorations and greenery on your chandeliers is an ever increasingly popular trend. I will admit to doing it myself now and then. Here are some ideas to help you get on board with it!

Very Popular

One of the best places to get ideas to help with your holiday decorating is to check out home tours. You'll love this one!

Editor's Choice

There are some wonderful tips and vintage treasures discussed in this blog post sharing southern charm for Christmas.

Whether you'd walk a few miles in the snow for a slice of cheesecake or not, you have to admit this Christmas Cheesecake looks like a "must try"!

I hope these have inspired you and that you will join us this week in linking up some of your own ideas.

Don't forget...

Be sure to grab our Specially Featured graphic below if your post was featured this week, and hyperlink it to this post on your blog or sidebar. We love showing you off!

Let's Get This Party Started

• Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.
• Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.
• Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.
• Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive.
• Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let's Party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Five on Friday - November 26, 2021

Happy Day After Thanksgiving!  My belly is still full from all the wonderful food we had yesterday.  I'm so thankful that Eric and I are both off work today.  We are going to be getting the Christmas decoration out.  Before I start that, I want to share my five for this week ~

1.  Encanto

Are you looking for something to do with the whole family?  Disney's new movie, Encanto, opened Wednesday and it looks like a beautiful movie.  Here's the plot from Movie Insider:

Tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel. But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.

2.  Fear No Evil
James Patterson fans - you have a new book to read!  Fear No Evil hit the stands this week and it's book 29 of the Alex Cross series.  Here's the summary from Amazon ~

Alex Cross enters the final battle with the all-knowing genius who has stalked him and his family for years.

Dr. Alex Cross and Detective John Sampson venture into the rugged Montana wilderness—where they will be the prey.
 
They’re not on the job, but on a personal mission. 
 
Until they’re attacked by two rival teams of assassins, controlled by the same mastermind who has stalked Alex and his family for years. 
 
Darkness falls. The river churns into rapids. Shots ring out through the forest. 
 
No backup. No way out. Fear no evil. 

3.  Small Business Saturday

Save some of the shopping until Saturday and pop in a small business in your area.  Saturday is officially Small Business Saturday!  Many small businesses have had a rough time managing through the pandemic.  This is our opportunity to show them some love and shop at their establishments on Saturday.  Many times, it's these small businesses we call upon when we need money or items donated for school or charitable auctions and events.  Now it's our turn to give a little something back to them!

4.  Krispy Kreme Holiday Donuts

Krispy Kreme has it going on with their holiday donut collection this year!  They're calling it their "Let It Snow Collection" and it starts today!  The three new donuts are the Poppy Penguin, Snowy Sprinkle, and the Snowman Smile Donuts.  They are adorable and I can't wait to serve them for breakfast when my niece and nephews visit in a few weeks.

5.  I am old...

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.  If you're out shopping today - good luck!  We will be staying close to home until Sunday when we go to visit my side of the family.  I'm excited to start the holiday season and am hoping to get a jump on some things over the next couple of days.  Pop in on Monday to hear all about it!

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - November 24, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you! Wherever you are and whoever you are with for this special holiday, may you be richly blessed and have more things to be thankful for than this time last year.

Join this week’s blog hop to find inspiration from dozens of bloggers for all things home and family including crafts, decor, DIY, fashion, recipes, fitness, gardening, travel, home improvement, and so much more!

A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.  

If you are a blogger then be sure to link up below. You never know when it will be your turn to be our next feature!

Before we get the party started, let's meet the hosts and check out this week's features.

Meet The Hosts

1. Ahna - HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Anne & AnnMarie - SIMPLY 2 MOMS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
3. Angela - THE SHORT ORDER COOK | FB | IG | PINTEREST
4. Bev - ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
5. Cindy - SIMPLE STEPS FOR LIVING LIFE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
6. Emily - LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
7. Jana - HARVESTING HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
8. Kera - HAUTE HOUSE LOVE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
9. Penny - PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
10. Sinea - DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
11. Tammy - MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST
12. Tara - STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST

Top Viewed

This post is a must-read! There are so many fabulous ideas of creative and thoughtful gifts you can make for the people in your life that you want to remember this holiday. Tammy from My Life Abundant thought of everyone!

Very Popular

The moment Thanksgiving dinner is cleared away a lot of people will be breaking out the Christmas bins and thinking about decorating that tree! Check out the fun DIY ornaments Michele from Vintage Home Designs shared.

Editor's Choice

Looking for the perfect drink to service with that holiday meal? Well, look no further. Claire Justine shares Rudolph's Cranberry Mocktail recipe with us.

Cindy from Reinvented Delaware shares a simple Farmhouse style star that would work with your decor all year round but is especially perfect as we enter the Christmas season.

Don't forget...

Be sure to grab our Specially Featured graphic below if your post was featured this week, and hyperlink it to this post on your blog or sidebar. We love showing you off!

Let's Get This Party Started

• Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.
• Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.
• Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.
• Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive.
• Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let's Party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Weekending - November 19, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving holiday week!  The countdown is on to Thanksgiving day.  How many of you spent the weekend getting ready?  We will be going over to our son and daughter-in-law's house which makes for a super easy holiday for us.  I saw this graphic and am adopting it for my to-do list this week ~

This weekend we spent a lot of time just relaxing and enjoying ourselves.  Here's how it broke down ~

Friday night we met our son and daughter-in-law for dinner at a Mexican restaurant that has been around for as long as I can remember.  It's probably been 25 years since I've eaten there.  In all honesty, it will probably be that long before we eat there again.  It didn't measure up to our favorite Mexican restaurant in downtown St. Louis, Rosalita's.  We did have a great time catching up with Ian and Kayla though!

Saturday morning I lounged in bed doing a little work and answering emails.  It was the perfect time to watch some Hallmark Christmas movies and I watched three before getting up.  Three!  I swear when I start watching them I just become transfixed.  

When I finally tore myself away from the Hallmark channel, we went to Sam's to do a stock-up run.  We are definitely set for a while!  

We got cozy on the couch when we got back home and settled in to watch a movie.  We streamed King Richard, the true story of Venus and Serena Williams starring Will Smith.  Eric and I both liked it!  

We met friends for lunch Sunday at Hi Pointe Drive-In, who just got voted best burger in the world at the 2021 World Food Championships!  Guess what we had for lunch.  Burgers!  And they were delicious!

It was wonderful seeing our friend's daughter, who joined us for lunch.  She's a senior this year and we are going to miss her when she's off at college.  

After lunch, we ran by Penzey's Spice shop to grab their Pizza Seasoning spice.  We often throw in a frozen pizza for a quick lunch or dinner.  This spice takes the pizza to a new level!  It's also great on garlic bread.  

The mail delivery on Sunday made me excited.  I had ordered a shimmery silver turtleneck tunic from Ann Taylor for Eric's holiday party.  It was everything I had hoped it would be!  I'm going to wear it with a pair of black velvet pants and boots.  Now I'm on the hunt for some holiday earrings.

Available HERE

We wrapped up the weekend by watching the Kansas City Chiefs game.  It was a low-stress game because the Chiefs took the lead right away and kept it.  A perfect way to end the weekend!

Five on Friday - November 19, 2021

It's Friday!  It's Friday!!  This will be the first weekend in six weeks that we are not traveling and I'm so excited to be spending some time at home!  I'm also excited to share my five for today, so here goes ~

1.  Thanksgiving Can Koozies

How adorable are these can koozies!?!  They would make great favors for your Thanksgiving group and come in so handy on Thanksgiving day while you're waiting for the turkey to get done.  With Amazon Prime, if you order today they should arrive in plenty of time and your guest will love them!

2.  House of Gucci

I've been excited for this movie to be released for a while and the wait is coming to an end.  Hour of Gucci is out on Wednesday, just in time for Thanksgiving.  It has so many of my favorites in it - Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto!  You might want to get your tickets early because my bet is going on a lot of sold-out theaters!  Here's the synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes ~

House of Gucci is inspired by the shocking true story of the family behind the Italian fashion empire. When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately... murder.

3.  Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone

Diana Gabaldon's ninth book in the Outlander series releases on Tuesday!  How many of you will be curled up with this book over the Thanksgiving holiday?  Here's the summary from Amazon ~

Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall were torn apart by the Jacobite Rising in 1746, and it took them twenty years to find each other again. Now the American Revolution threatens to do the same.

It is 1779 and Claire and Jamie are at last reunited with their daughter, Brianna, her husband, Roger, and their children on Fraser’s Ridge. Having the family together is a dream the Frasers had thought impossible.

Yet even in the North Carolina backcountry, the effects of war are being felt. Tensions in the Colonies are great and local feelings run hot enough to boil Hell’s teakettle. Jamie knows loyalties among his tenants are split and it won’t be long until the war is on his doorstep.

Brianna and Roger have their own worry: that the dangers that provoked their escape from the twentieth century might catch up to them. Sometimes they question whether risking the perils of the 1700s—among them disease, starvation, and an impending war—was indeed the safer choice for their family.

Not so far away, young William Ransom is still coming to terms with the discovery of his true father’s identity—and thus his own—and Lord John Grey has reconciliations to make, and dangers to meet . . . on his son’s behalf, and his own.

Meanwhile, the Revolutionary War creeps ever closer to Fraser’s Ridge. And with the family finally together, Jamie and Claire have more at stake than ever before.

4.  Dunkin Donuts Hot Chocolate Bombs

Last year hot chocolate bombs were all the rage and it looks like that trend will continue this year too.  Dunkin Donuts is offering hot chocolate bombs in two flavors, Original and Mint.  They are retailing for $4 each or you can pick up a dozen for $55.  They are only going to be around for a limited time, so stock up early!

5  I'm feeling old...

Enjoy the weekend!  We are going to have lunch with some friends on Sunday.  Other than that, I might not be leaving our house.  I'm excited to have a few days that I can just chill out and not do too much.  Next week things should slow down a bit as more people will be on vacation and getting ready for the holiday.  It will be a great time to get caught up!  See you back next week.

Thinking Out Loud Thursday - November 18, 2021

Happy Thursday friends!  Thanks for stopping by today for Thinking Out Loud Thursday where I share something on my mind and invite you to link up and do the same.

Can you believe we are only a week away from Thanksgiving, which is one of my most favorite holidays?   Life has been happening at what feels like warp speed lately and I'm having a hard time keeping up.  We have emerged from the pandemic where our calendars were empty to now where days are full of activity.  

Today I'm reflecting on last weekend.  After over a year's delay, several of my friends and I gathered for a girls' weekend!

On Friday I traveled to Kansas City knowing that fun was just ahead.  Believe it or not, about halfway across the state of Missouri I ran into snow!  It wasn't sticking on the ground and didn't last long, but it was still a shock to see snow this early in the season.  

As Friday evening unfolded,  one by one we arrived at my friend Linda's house.  We had a lot of catching up to do and did it while munching on appetizers and playing games.  

Saturday morning we leisurely got ready and headed out to do a little shopping.  By mid-day, we were ready for lunch.  We went to the cutest little taco joint in downtown Lee's Summit called Taco Holics Club.

We stayed in the downtown area and ventured to another one of our faves for a cocktail - Hand and Glove.  

More shopping ensued through the afternoon and then we headed back to Linda's to get ready for our dinner out.  The restaurant we were dining at was The Belfry in downtown Kansas City.  Chef Celina Tio puts her touch on bar fare and serves craft beer and cocktails.  To cap off our dinner, we ordered all six desserts on the menu and shared!

Sunday morning we went to The Shack for breakfast and amused ourselves with the adorable names of the menu items.  Have you been to a Shack before?  The coffee drinkers in our bunch raved about their coffee and the food was great.  We feasted on things called Do I Still Look Big in These Pants and Junk in the Trunk.  

All the way home I kept thinking to myself how lucky I am to have friends to share weekends like that with.  We shared books we'd read, television shows we're watching, and recipes we've tried.  These friends definitely make my life better and I'm so thankful for them!

Now it's your turn - what are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - November 17, 2021

 Welcome to another week of the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! We are so glad you're here.

It's the final push to get all your plans together for Thanksgiving whether you're hosting this year or traveling somewhere to visit family. Some of this week's features could definitely help you with all that!

Join this week’s blog hop to find inspiration from dozens of bloggers for all things home and family including crafts, decor, DIY, fashion, recipes, fitness, gardening, travel, home improvement, and so much more!

A friendly reminder to our guests that as a courtesy to the hosts, we ask that you follow every host on at least one social media channel.  

If you are a blogger then be sure to link up below. You never know when it will be your turn to be our next feature!

Before we get the party started, let's meet the hosts and check out this week's features.

Meet The Hosts

1. Ahna - HAMMERS N HUGS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
2. Anne & AnnMarie - SIMPLY 2 MOMS | FB | IG | PINTEREST
3. Angela - THE SHORT ORDER COOK | FB | IG | PINTEREST
4. Bev - ECLECTIC RED BARN | FB | IG | PINTEREST
5. Cindy - SIMPLE STEPS FOR LIVING LIFE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
6. Emily - LeCULTIVATEUR | FB | IG | PINTEREST
7. Jana - HARVESTING HOME | FB | IG | PINTEREST
8. Kera - HAUTE HOUSE LOVE | FB | IG | PINTEREST
9. Penny - PENNY’S PASSION | FB | IG | PINTEREST
10. Sinea - DUCKS ‘N A ROW | FB | IG | PINTEREST | TWITTER
11. Tammy - MY LIFE ABUNDANT | FB | IG | PINTEREST
12. Tara - STILETTOS AND SHIPLAP | IG | PINTEREST

Top Viewed

Christmas is on everyone's mind these days. It will be here before we know it. The most popular post this week was this Christmas Wish List. I think a lot of us are still looking for some ideas for those hard to buy for people.

Very Popular

If you happen to have a good source for free pinecones or a stash of them from previous years that have lost some of their cinnamon scent, then this could be the perfect project for you. Without the use of glue or wire, this pinecone wreath would go together so quickly!

Editor's Choice

I think all of us could handle getting just a little bit more organized and if you find hosting Thanksgiving to be a very stressful time for you then this post is perfect for you! She shares tips and tricks and even a Thanksgiving Planner to help you make this day be so much simpler and stress free!

This time of year most of us do a lot more baking and this Cinnamon Roll Pie that Angela shared looks like a must-try to me!

Be sure to grab our Specially Featured graphic below if your post was featured this week, and hyperlink it to this post on your blog or sidebar. We love showing you off!

Let's Get This Party Started

• Please follow all hosts on AT LEAST 1 of their social channels.
• Add as many family-friendly posts as you would like to. NO Etsy shops, adult sites, or blog parties please.
• Visit others. Caring is sharing. Like, comment, and pin posts.
• Party entries appear in REVERSE. This way your entries will be seen no matter when you arrive.
• Please TWEET our party and invite others to join.

Let's Party!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Five on Friday - November 12, 2021

 Another Friday is here and you know what that means.  It's time for Five on Friday ~

1.  World Kindness Day

Tomorrow is a day we should all get behind - it's World Kindness Day!  It's a day we are encouraged to spread kindness.  There are so, so many ways we can spread kindness around.  Think about helping a neighbor by raking their leaves or taking them some homemade cookies.  Pick up trash in a public park.  There is an endless number of things you can do to show a little kindness.  What are you planning to do?

2. Will

Okay, all you Will Smith fans - this week his book was released and it's getting rave reviews, including Oprah saying it's the best memoir she's ever read.  Here's the summary from Amazon ~

Will Smith’s transformation from a West Philadelphia kid to one of the biggest rap stars of his era, and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, is an epic tale—but it’s only half the story.

Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life: not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way: they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over.

This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, author of the multi-million-copy bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Will is the story of how one person mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Few of us will know the pressure of performing on the world's biggest stages for the highest of stakes, but we can all understand that the fuel that works for one stage of our journey might have to be changed if we want to make it all the way home. The combination of genuine wisdom of universal value and a life story that is preposterously entertaining, even astonishing, puts Will the book, like its author, in a category by itself.

3.  Advent Calendars

We are closing in on the start of the advent season.  Do you have your kids' advent calendar yet?  Now is the time to get one and have it ready to go.  Legos have so many really cool ones.  I spied this Harry Potter one and wish it had been around when my son was little.  Combing his love for Harry Potter and Legos would have been perfect!

4.  Body Restore Shower Steamers

These babies made Oprah's favorite things list this year and I can totally understand why.  Pop one in the shower and let the water do the rest.  The tables release the calming scent of lavender and you will be able to feel the tension in your muscles fade away.  The pack comes with 15 tablets.  Use them all yourself or share some with friends.  Either way, you are going to love these!

5.  I'm getting old...

Have a wonderful weekend!  I'm headed to Kansas City for a girls' weekend.  Can't wait for the fun to begin!