Things I Love Thursday // 12.10.20

Here we are again, taking a few moments to escape the harsh reality of our times and think about some small pleasures. I hope you enjoy this week's list of the Things I Love...

zoom happy hour with "professor baker"

Greg's team from across the country "met" last night in zoom for a virtual gathering to celebrate the season. We all wore ridiculous holiday sweaters and accessories and learned to make two themed cocktails with Professor Baker who was warm, funny, and knowledgable. The drinks were festive and as we consumed them, the gathering became more and more festive as well ;). Featured here is the "Christmas Morning Old Fashioned" and if I ever actually drink one of these in the morning, you can rest assured that I will accomplish absolutely zero for the rest of the day. This recipe makes one cocktail: 1/2 oz real maple syrup, 3-4 dashes of bitters, 1 tsp vanilla extract (I know, but it's so good!), 2.5 oz Cognac. Build in a glass and stir. Add ice and stir for another 15 seconds. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and a candy cane.

lap warmers

Listen, it's chilly outside.  It's also chilly inside. Our house still boasts original windows in many of the rooms --so it's fairly drafty. This is a great reason to celebrate lap warmers. The two best lap warmers in our house are Richard Parker and Avery Piper, but I won't rank them because I don't want to hurt Piper's feelings.

camellia cream

There's a reason why this item was featured in my Holiday Gift Guide post! With the chillier weather, comes dry skin for me. While I do use this amazing body cream year-round, I am especially grateful for it in the winter months. It's texture cannot be beat. It glides on in a velvety finish that is not "wet" or sticky feeling. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the ONLY lotion I can apply and NOT feel like I have to wash my hands immediately. Plus, it smells insanely good. Get you some: Japanese Camellia Cream from The Body Shop (not to be confused with bathandbodyworks). 

"the amazon coat"

People have strong feelings about this zippered coat. I feel strongly that it's very cute, has held up incredibly well, and keeps me toasty all winter long. This year, it comes with a faux fur collar option and I recently found out that it now comes in kid sizes too! Just look how adorable my friends are on the soccer sidelines!

holiday treats

My favorite treats, of course, are the ones that friends and family make for ME. The very best of all-time has always been my mom's homemade peanut brittle. Many of you know that we lost my mom this fall in a swift and brutal battle with cancer. She has passed the recipe and the skills to my sister, Felicity, so there's still hope. If you have some littles around, these reindeer cookies are fun to assemble. (Even if you're not planning to make them, you should visit that link and check out the Jonesies when they were wee.) Santa Hat Brownie Bites are a fun treat for all the holiday parties we won't be hosting or going to this year too! No recipe needed: Add a dollop of stiff whipped cream or white frosting to a pre-made brownie bite, top with a trimmed strawberry. Add a small "topper" of cream for the pom. Know that if you try to use "loose" whipped cream, that wet strawberry is going to slide right off!

advent calendars

I mentioned my love for advent calendars last week. The 99¢ ones from Trader Joe's that feature small pieces of milk chocolate are a yearly tradition. (I'm also very happy to be indulging in the Godiva one that my friend, Tracie, gifted me this year.) Tracie also found one from Aldi that features CHEESE. Can't wait to get my hands on one of those next year. When the girls were tiny, I found a great wooden advent calendar in the shape of a house. As with all advent calendars, this one has doors and cubbies. For most of the days, I put two pieces of candy inside; however, I will also scatter about 5-8 clues (in the form of very poorly written poem/riddles) behind some doors that point the girls in the direction of a small gift hidden in the house (chapstick, ornaments, their annual nutcracker, etc.). I think I might love this tradition more than they do. Advent "calendars" like our house can be found it lots of places. Try Marshalls, TJ Max, or Home Goods for a deal. Amazon has some great options too. I LOVE this white house one with tiny drawers! It comes in two sizes. The same (highly rated) company makes one that looks like a gingerbread house too. This ornate, light-up option has amazing reviews! The drawers appear to be on the small side --but the sweet details might make up for that! AND in case you're still considering getting the "12 Days of Beauty" installment from Trader Joe's, you have until this weekend to gift it in the hopes of starting on time for an accurate countdown.

this makes me laugh

Thank you to my friend, Brad, for sending me this funny. I laughed out loud. It's completely accurate. I do love my air fryer!