Thanksgiving in Ohio

We just returned home yesterday after our weekend in Ohio for the holiday!  It was such a great time visiting with my husband's side of the family.  I couldn't wait to share these fun pictures from our visit.  Hope you and your family had a beautiful holiday as well!  

   

Thanks to our dear friends who flew out to Peru for the holiday, we were able to rent their car from them, and make the 9 hour treck on Wednesday last week.  Zion did amazing the entire car ride, snoozing a couple of times.

 

Zion enjoyed the company of her cousins.

Thanksgiving at the Baxtron's is always a memorable experience - my favorite foods this year were Dad's collard greens and hubs' cheesy green bean casserole.  Mom also spoiled us with candied sweet potatoes! Yummy!

All the brothers were reunited for the Christmas holiday which meant a lot of laughter, loud discussion and trash talking - all in love of course!

   

After filling her tummy to the full, little miss Zion enjoyed apple pie ala mode while the adults played a bit of Pokeno.

 

Zion's favorite thing to do over the weekend was grab the house phone and tell us she was having an important conversation or "just busyin'" as she liked to put it.  We also did some searching for new Ohio State gear.

 

I got some new Ohio State socks (which will be great for crossfit ;) and we dressed Zion in her cheer gear for The Game.

 

Jerry took me out to a couple of new places this trip - the first being Adriatico's pizza.  We had the deep dish pizza with beef and pepperoni...a big hit!

   

Game day was a blast - every one in the house was decked out in Scarlet and Gray as we cheered on The Ohio State Buckeyes to another victory completing their perfect season.

 

We finished our trip by having a late evening date at Jeni's - seriously the best ice cream I've ever had in my life, and that is saying a lot!  Then we stopped by the place where Jerry proposed to me 5 years ago on Thanksgiving.  

How was your holiday?  Did you travel?  What was your favorite part of your holiday?

Burts Bees Intense Hydration

Just finished trying out the Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Skincare line thanks to BzzAgent!  I loved trying the Cream Cleanser, Treatment Mask and the Night Cream.

My favorite was the cleanser - which smells like a sunrise - a refreshing citrus scent.

The Treatment Mask was also really interesting - you don't rinse it off, instead you wipe it off and then massage the remaining into your skin.

The Night Cream was a little heavy for my skin, but perfect for protecting dry skin in the Winter.


I received complimentary product for this review via BzzAgent, however; all opinions expressed are my own!!

XSRE Casting Call! Albany, NY Saturday November 24th 2-4pm

via XSRE Pinterest

If you are like me and saving your shopping for after the craziness of Black Friday - then let me suggest you put XSRE on your schedule tomorrow!  XSRE is not just one of the best accessory stores ever -they carry shoes, handbags and apparel too!  

Check out some of their gorgeous burgundy items just in time for the holidays:

via XSRE Facebook

If you are in the tri-state area this weekend, you won't want to miss their Open Casting Call from 2-4pm at Crossgates Mall!  Not only will you have the chance to check out their latest items - you'll get to play dress-up, get your picture taken by a professional and have a chance to be featured as an XSRE Girl on their website and ads!  This is the perfect opportunity for your fashionistas out there!

Let me know if you make it out there!! I'll most certainly vote for your picture!!

This post was compensated by The Blogger Connection, all opinions expressed are my own.

Simple Fall Wreath Tutorial

I had a moment this week to finally put together a Fall wreath, and I know you will love this simple DIY!  For the supplies, I found them at Target of all places in the dollar spot!  I think I spent $6 on the vine wreath and silk flowers, the rest of the items were leftovers from last year.  To copy this you'll need some yarn and ribbon.  I chose colors that were warm and rich, reminding me of the last days of warm sunshine before Winter.

1.  Begin the wreath by winding some yarn around it.  You can start the yarn by tying it directly on the wreath, then cut a decent length of yarn so you can go around the wreath twice in a spiral pattern.  Once you have it how you want it, tie the end piece on as well and trim any excess yarn.

2.  Next, twist some ribbon around the wreath, also in a diagonal/spiral manner.  I used ribbon that had a bit of wire molding to it so it stayed in place, but you can glue the beginning piece with the hot glue to keep it where you want it.  After you get it placed how you like it, trim it and glue down the ends so it stays in place.

 3.  Next, you'll want to add your silk flowers and other plants.  For this part, I clipped the stems of the sunflowers so they were only an inch or two from the base of the flower.  With vine wreath you can weave the stems easily into the wreath.  I would recommend you experiment first with the placement of your flowers until you are satisfied with its look, then put some hot glue directly on the stem, and slide the stem back into place.  I was able to pull apart the branches of my berries and weave them throughout the vine wreath without needing hot glue at all.  And finally, I took the leaves and put a bit of hot glue on the stems and placed them where I wanted them.

4.  I chose to use a coordinating ribbon for a bow - and then I couldn't figure out where I wanted to place the bow.  There is really nothing to this bow, and its quite simple to create using ribbon that has a bit of wire molding to it.  You pretty much just loop the ends around and tie a small not, then play with it until it looks pretty.  ;)  Once you figure out where you want your bow - top or bottom, or even if you want the bow I should say, then glue it in place.

5.  Voila!  Simple Fall Wreath - inexpensive, festive, Fall!  After the glue is dry - simply hang it on your door using a wreath hanger.  Thanks for sticking around to check this out!

 I'd love to hear your simple Fall decor ideas, so please feel free to leave links in your comments below!

Spreading the Merry... plus Holiday Gift Ideas for the Family

It all kicked off this week, after an amazing community Thanksgiving dinner with my church family on Saturday evening, the Holidays are here - and our hearts are filled with gladness.  Never in the almost 5 years my husband and I have been married has he ever been the first one to put on Christmas music, but Sunday morning I woke to the smell of hot coffee brewing, and classic Christmas music (plus he was doing the dishes...huge indicator that he was in a great mood).

There is something beautiful about collective thankfulness.  When you hear the stories of what God has done and is doing in people's lives all around you - you catch a greater glimpse of His wonder and beauty and faithfulness.  And then, no matter what struggles or challenges you are currently facing, you recognize that He is good, and He is working for good in all of our lives.  We've been pretty much enjoying elevated moods and hearts full of joy as we look forward to our holiday season.

Tomorrow we take a road trip to Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with my in-laws, it will be the first time in 2 years that Zion has been there to see the whole family.  She is so excited to go on a road trip and to visit Grandma & Grandpa at their house.  Jerry and I are equally thrilled.  We anticipate bellies full of the Mom & Dad's good cooking, lots of movie watching, tons of laughter and cheer and warm reunions with family we don't see as much as we'd like.  Saturday will be spent cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes as they demolish their rival that shall not be named or given mention on my blog.  Finally, Monday we will depart early to return to our home.

But the holiday cheer will just continue to build as I host my first Ladies Christmas Social over the weekend.  I've invited my favorite ladies to come spend a couple hours enjoying warm drinks and sweet and savory treats while socializing one last time before I leave NYC to head home.  And that brings me to my big travel adventure - Zion and I will be heading to Seattle to stay with my family the first week of December, through New Year's!  I can't even begin to tell you the excitement and anticipation there.  Over three weeks of time spent enjoying my family and visiting with my sisters who I miss like crazy.  Of course Jerry will join us a couple weeks later, for Christmas and the rest of the fun.  Yep, my heart has so much to look forward to in the coming weeks, and yet so much I'm already incredibly grateful for in the present moment.  I love this time of year!!

Now onto this year's gift wish lists as well as a fun chance to win some Amazon giftcodes to help you in your holiday shopping!

1.  Parka 2. WurkinStiffs Power Stays 3. New Shoes 4. Gaming System

1. Gloves 2. Puffy Coat 3. Boots 4. Makeup 5. Polish 6. Small Purse

1. Wood Educational Toys 2. Play Kitchen 3. Basketball Hoop 4. Music Instruments 5. Doctor Set

And now for your chance to win some Amazon giftcodes for your holiday purchases via BabyHuddle!

To win some extra holiday cash to use via Amazon - simply do the following:

1. Create a profile on Babyhuddle US and make sure you include a profile picture.
2. Create at least one list with a list description and 7 products in the list with product annotations (note on what you like about the product).  You can see my examples here and here!
3. Share your lists with your friends & networks to get "helpful" votes.

Participants will have the chance to win one of three Amazon vouchers for creating the best list. A list must include a description and at least 7 products with product annotations. The list with the most helpful votes will win the prizes:

1. List with the most helpful votes wins $50
2. List with the 2nd most helpful votes wins $30
3. LIst with the 3rd most helpful votes wins $10

Also there is the added bonus that the user who creates the first list automatically wins a $10 Amazon voucher.

ENTER HERE!

Good Luck & Happy Entering!! Share your list with me in the comments below and I'll visit and give you a helpful vote!!

Terms and Conditions:

• Contest will last for 2 weeks only and end on December 4, 2012.
• Winners will be chosen in order of participants with most helpful votes. In a tie situation the winner will be determined by Babyhuddle.
• All participants must create a profile on Babyhuddle US using this unique link (http://us.babyhuddle.com/account/signup/?cid=Baxtron) and include a profile picture. They must create at least one list with a list description and 7 products in the list with product annotations.
• Participants must be based in the United States of America.
• First participant to create an account on Babyhuddle US with a profile picture and create a list with a list description and inclusive of at least 7 products with product annotations will automatically win a $10 Amazon voucher.
• All Amazon vouchers cannot be traded for cash.

Coming soon!

Join the list to be notified for the kick-off.

Beauty Blogger #VoxBox Thanks @Influenster!

Well, I think I've finally used and abused just about everything in my Influenster Beauty Blogger Voxbox! So I'm ready to share "the good, the so-so, and the I think I'll pass" with you lovelies.

1.  Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit ($5.99) - This was my FAVORITE product that came in the box.  Not only are the lashes lightweight and easy to apply, they are made from human hair so they look and feel natural.  The adhesive is latex-free and holds for 24 hours!  Falsies were never easier to wear!

2. Bath & Body Works Mini Candles ($3.50) - The candle I received came in the Nutmeg & Spice scent and I seriously wanted to eat it.  I mean, totally delicious smelling.  I've used the candle 5-6 times for several hours and its still not used up.  The scent is perfect for a small space like the bathroom.  I've seen a few sales on the web for these mini candles - but even better you can get a big version of the same scent!

3. Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream ($6.00) - This product I would pass on. I tried it both on my hair which is naturally wavy but fine, as well as my daughter's spiral curls - it didn't really control frizz or define curls for either of us.

4.  Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion ($8.49) & Night Cream ($13.49) - I thought the lightness of the product was a welcome change compared to most night creams.  It was interesting using the cleanser which is a lotion that you wipe off without ever using water.  I think I'm still on the fence but would likely try more of their product.

5.  NYC New York Color IndividualEyes Custom Compact ($4.99) - I love the portability of having all that you need for a single look in one compact, but I didn't necessarily love the color scheme of mine.  I think the best part of this is the included eyeshadow primer and highlighter.

6.  Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin ($7.29) - These pins are really neat, I just don't have enough hair to really play around with them.  I did use them in Zion's hair but found it to be difficult to get them to hold her hair - she has so much of it.  I think if you have a lot of hair, and reasonably long you might love these!

Overall, I really enjoyed the Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox.  I received the products totally free to try but all of these opinions are my own.