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On Saturday afternoon Sophie and I decided it might be a good idea to record a Christmas podcast. And so we did.

I don’t remember everything we talked about, but I know we discussed our eyelashes for at least five minutes. So, you know, we stuck with our normal, hard-hitting podcast fare.

You can click here to listen. Or here. Or, as always, you can subscribe on iTunes.

And I don’t know how much I’ll be around in the next week or so and I’m giving myself the freedom to not commit to anything. I have big plans to read a lot of books, watch a lot of movies, eat a lot of sugar cookies and do all of those things with the people I love. I hope you do the same.

Merry Christmas!

I think I officially finished all my pre-Christmas errands yesterday. At least the ones I remembered.

I’ll still have to make one last trip to HEB at some point but I choose to think about that another day. Right now I’m just living for 3:05 this afternoon when Caroline is officially out of school for the holidays and we can commence with all the festivities.

Anyway, here are a few things I found this week:

1. gap fit training hoodie

I bought one of these hoodies early in the fall and I might wear it three times a week. It’s so soft and I love to wear it to work out or just to look like I’ve worked out. Either way.

And, best of all, Gap is having big sales right now. Yesterday everything online and in stores was 40% off. That’s a steal.

2. comete cardigan

I love this. It’s on sale at Anthropologie and it comes in a really pretty dark green color.

3. ellesmere tunic

I’ve been waiting for this top to go on sale and it finally did. I tried it on in Anthropologie about a month ago and fell in love, but didn’t want to pay full price.

It’s the perfect length to throw on with leggings.

4. lodge down parka

I’ve been looking for a good winter coat with a fur-lined hood. I really like this one and several others at Eddie Bauer right now. And they’re all 40-50% off. It’s a good time to buy a new coat.

5. hooded long sweater

Speaking of sales, I’ve had my eye on this sweater for a while now and was so excited to see that it’s finally marked down to $47.40.

6. life’s a beach tunic sweater

This isn’t on sale. But I really like it.

7. canyon edge hooded duster cardigan

This reminds me a lot of my Free People sweater coat I bought last year. It’s almost exactly the same but in different colors. And I’ll just tell you that you won’t regret owning it. I love mine.

8. all is calm cape cardigan

I am so intrigued by this. A cape. A cardigan. And look how cute it is from the back. I think I’m in love.

9. oversized sheer knit cardigan

Gulley and I saw these in Nordstrom last week and thought they were so cute. Lightweight and easy to just throw on, plus it comes in a ton of colors and a striped version.

10. hunter tall gloss rainboots

I love my Hunter rain boots. Granted, it hardly rains in San Antonio but when it does, I’m ready. And this deep purple color is on sale.

And now writing deep purple has led me to this.

Donnie Osmond. My first love. This was at a time in my life when I thought he could see me sitting on the other side of our RCA console television. And so I wore my purple socks every time I watched.

If only I’d known then about purple rain boots.

(They also come in a ton of other colors, but the purple are on sale and I happen to think they’re pretty. I bet Donnie Osmond would too.)

And that’s it for today.

Have a great Friday.

First of all, thank you for being excited about the new book. There will be more to come in the future as we get closer to the official release date, including a giveaway that I’m so excited about. Sadly, it doesn’t involve you getting your very own antelope. I apologize in advance.

Secondly, I need to clear up that I do not actually have a house in my wall that has frames arranged in the shape of a heart. I’m so sorry to disappoint those of you that thought that was a real thing, but so appreciate that you thought somewhere in me I had the capacity to take the time to meticulously arrange frames in the shape of a heart.

(Also, a few of you didn’t realize it was a heart and thought it was supposed to be an antelope head. To you I say, SO DID I. P was actually the one that pointed out it was the shape of a heart. Whatever. So I lack an artistic eye.)

But there is some good news. Several of you asked to see a better picture of my wall of plates from Monday’s post. And that is a real thing. Granted, I didn’t come up with it myself. I had help from Holly Mathis of Holly Mathis Interiors. And when I say I had help, I mean she did the whole thing.

But isn’t it so cute? We used a mix of plates that we found at Anthropologie, World Market, Pier One and some antique stores.

And while I’m showing pictures, I figured I would go ahead and show some of my Christmas decor. Here’s a better shot of the tree.

And the deer behind the tree.

Normally he’d have a Santa hat on but I have been unable to locate said hat.

Then there’s the mantle. I especially love it this year because I have a new personalized canvas from The Canvas Boutique, plus I ordered new stockings and a felt ball garland from Etsy.

Here’s a close up of the canvas. It’s a mix of all our family Christmas sayings and traditions.

In the kitchen I just hung wreaths in the windows with the red chevron ribbon I bought from Hob Lob and was worried I’d regret. As it turns out, I’m so glad I bought it and the only thing I regret is my poor photography skills.

And I hung some festive dish towels on the oven because I am fancy.

Why, yes. That is a bunny dressed like Santa. Thank you for asking.

I filled my dough bowl on the dining room table with ornaments, greenery and a few deer antlers for good measure.

And then decided to use this little tree made of cardboard that I bought a few years ago as our Jesse Tree where we hang our ornaments from The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp.

I added a Christmas pillow to our couch because I am like Martha Stewart except not. Gulley bought me this pillow last Christmas and it’s one of my favorites.

And, finally, my favorite decoration every year.

The flowerpot nativity that Caroline made when she was three. I feel of all the nativity scenes you see, this one most accurately depicts Mary’s emotional state. Those eyes and that hair make her look just a wee bit frazzled. As is understandable when you’ve traveled many miles on a donkey only to be told you’re giving birth in a stable.

And that’s pretty much it. I ended up leaving at least half of my Christmas decorations packed away this year, but I’m liking things a little cleaner and a little simpler.

Speaking of, the other day Caroline was having some friends over for Bible study and wanted to make a Christmas dessert. And I didn’t want to have to make a trip to the store. So we made Edie’s best ever brownies because I had all the ingredients and then just crushed candy canes to sprinkle all over the top. They were divine.

I would have taken a picture but they didn’t last long enough.

We also spent some time making snowflakes and it was probably my favorite moment of the Christmas season so far. We taped them up on the wall in her playroom and have decided our goal is to cover the wall before Christmas is here.

It’s so much prettier than that photo conveys and every time I see it I think of the lyrics to Audrey Assad’s song Winter Snow.

You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Here’s the whole song if you want to listen.

For me, it’s a reminder that the best moments of Christmas are often the ones that come without any fanfare or planning. They just show up and surprise you in their own sweet way.

Like cutting out snowflakes with a sweet ten-year-old girl who won’t be ten forever.

Here’s a little question for you. Do you know what will wake you and your husband up in the dead of night with the certainty that your home is about to explode?

Your Clarisonic face brush going off on its own accord at 2 a.m. as it rests on your sink and then crashes to the floor. It was disconcerting to say the least. And by disconcerting, I mean I could have lifted a Volkswagen with the adrenaline in my body. If I were a cat I’d have been holding onto the ceiling with my claws.

I wasn’t sure what to do with it and I couldn’t shut it off. And so I ended up burying it in the clothes hamper with my dirty clothes. In hindsight that probably wasn’t the best choice, but no one has ever accused me of having clarity at 2 a.m.

Needless to say, I’ll be calling Clarisonic customer service to report this issue.

Now for some cute things I’ve found this week:

**Quick note: A few of you have mentioned that you want to click on things and being able to open it in a new window on your computer. You should be able to right click on these things and have that option.**

1. toms nepal boots

Nordstrom has marked down more merchandise in time for Christmas including all Toms shoes and boots. That means these Nepal boots are 20% off along with the Toms desert booties.

I suggest you buy a pair of these and put them under the tree for yourself.

2. plus size pleated tunic hoodie

I know I’m not great about including plus size items, but I saw this on the Nordstrom site and fell in love with it. It comes in a few different colors, including a gorgeous cobalt. This totally reminds me of my Free People jacket I bought earlier this fall.

3. max & mia wrinkled maxi skirt

I have loved this maxi skirt for a long time because it’s not as fitted as some others. In fact, I ordered it for myself at the end of the summer and Nordstrom eventually emailed to let me know it was sold out.

But apparently it’s back and it’s 35% off.

4. splendid stripe sleeve baseball tee

Another sale item. I love a cute sweater to throw on with jeans.

5. geek chic cowl scarf

This is the first winter in forever where it’s been cold enough to consistently wear scarves. This comes in several color options, but I think this is my favorite.

6. chance cable knit cardigan

Love the length of this cardigan. Perfect to throw on with leggings or skinny jeans.

7. bixby bridge knitted cardigan

I really like this one, too. I’m telling you, this cold weather has made me realize I have a sweater gap in my life. As opposed to a Gap sweater.

8. pull me over poncho sweater

Love this to throw on over a long sleeve shirt with jeans and boots. I can totally see it paired with all black.

9. striped jersey hoodies

These are great hoodies from Old Navy. A great thing to wear with yoga pants on the weekend. Or on the weekdays. No judgement here.

10. j.crew crystal pinwheel necklace

J.Crew Factory currently has everything marked 50% off plus free shipping with code 12DAYS. There are a lot of cute things, but I really liked this necklace for the holidays. It would be great for a New Year’s Eve party.

However, I’ll spend my New Year’s Eve watching the Aggies in the Chick-Fil-A bowl so this necklace might be overkill for that occasion. But maybe not. I mean we might order Chick-Fil-A nuggets which automatically ratchets up the fancy factor.

And that’s it for today.

Hope you have a great Friday.

This weekend is the annual Christmas shopping weekend for Gulley and me. For those who may not know, Gulley and I have a tradition that is now over twenty years old. We turn the first or second weekend of each December into a girls’ weekend that is solely devoted to getting all our Christmas shopping finished.

It also includes a two night sleepover, lots of chips and queso and possibly wine.

We shop all day Friday and Saturday and then Saturday night we stay up until all our presents are wrapped and ready to go under the tree. I have to tell you, it’s a highly civilized way to make the most of the Christmas season.

So I’ve been making lists of where I need to go and what I need to get done. Which has made me think about Christmas gifts. And that made me think it might be fun to make a little holiday gift guide of things that might be fun to give or receive.

Next week I think I’ll see if I can get P to make us a gift guide for the men in our lives. I’m not making any promises that it will actually happen though. Especially since he has no idea I’m even thinking about this until he just read this sentence.

But, for now, here are a few things that the girls in your life might enjoy.

1. Hummingbird Farms lotion

This lotion. I can’t even explain. It is a staple in our house, especially during winter months when your skin can get so dry. It’s made with an aloe base and scented with natural lavender oil which smells so much better than the synthetic lavender smell that most products use.

And just this year they came out with a new one that is my other new favorite. It’s the Julia hand cream and is a blend of patchouli, rosemary and green tea. At first I thought I still liked the lavender the best, but now I just don’t know.

Truth be told, I use the Julia during the day and the lavender at night. I have a split lotion personality.

But I promise that you can’t go wrong. All other lotions and body washes are inferior. It probably helps that it’s made in the Texas Hill Country.

2. Smashbox Full Exposure Eye Palette

I have never actually owned this palette, but I’ve always wanted to have one. People go crazy for it and vow that putting on their eyeshadow has never been so much fun.

3. North Face glacier quarter zip fleece pullover

I bought myself one of these fleeces in October and have worn it almost every day since. Except when it’s 80 degrees outside because that would be weird. It’s the softest fleece ever and so warm even though it feels lightweight.

4. capri blue mercury glass candle

These are the best candles ever. The container is gorgeous and the smell is even better. This would make a great hostess gift for any holiday parties.

5. polaroid z2300 instant digital camera kit

This is a little random, but I couldn’t resist. And you might have a person in your life who would go crazy for it.

Remember the old Polaroid cameras that instantly printed out a picture that you had to fan for five minutes to get an image to appear? And they made that schmusshaakglk sound as it spit out the picture?

This is like that, but an updated version. You can still instantly print out pictures from the camera and/or you can save them on your computer just like a normal digital camera. How fun is that?

6. knee high slipper socks

Maybe you think you aren’t interested in socks. But you should be interested in these because they will keep the feet of someone you love toasty warm. And they are only $4 at Target. They’re my favorites.

If I were Oprah I would yell really loudly right now “AND YOU’RE ALL GETTING SOCKS!!!” Except I’m not Oprah. And, sadly, I’m not getting you all socks. Although I wish I could.

7. gap flannel pajama pants

I think pajama pants are an underrated gift. Who doesn’t like a new pair of pj pants?

8. john wind initial necklace with pearl

I love these initial necklaces and they’re only $42.95. Which I think is a great deal for a piece that will become a wardrobe staple.

9. Janet Hill Studio prints

I realize you’re probably not going to buy someone else a piece of art since art is totally subjective and a personal decision. But I had to show you this anyway because I think it’s darling. I am such a fan of Janet Hill and her holiday prints are adorable.

10. Handmade Holidays from Ruth at Living Well, Spending Less

Last but not least, my friend Ruth has a great series going on her blog right now with all sorts of ideas and instructions for handmade gifts. It’s such a great resource if you’re looking to spend less money and make gifts as opposed to buying them.

I think we all know that after yesterday’s post, I’d like to give everyone a pom pom wreath made out of yarn and obnoxiously announce that I made it myself from yarn I bought at Michael’s. Clearly some people aren’t cut out to make gifts with their own two hands for fear of alienating everyone in their life with all the bragging about it and need for praise.

Hopefully all of you are bigger people than I am.

So there’s a little gift guide in case you needed ideas. And I’ll start working on P now to see if I can get him to help us out next week.

Well. The weather has taken a turn and, after being in the 80’s all week, there is even talk of a wintry mix of precipitation on Saturday morning. If this wintry mix does in fact happen, it will shut down the entire city of San Antonio. People here lose their minds when it’s 36 degrees and rainy because the water on the roads is so cold and we all know there is nothing more dangerous than very cold water.

But I plan to enjoy a cold, wet weekend. We have big plans to decorate our Christmas tree and now we can actually drink hot chocolate while we do it instead of Gatorade. It’s all so festive.

And now for some things I’ve found this week:

1. paisley flannel loungers

My friend Carol left a comment about possible pajama options for Christmas and so I decided to share a few. We always let Caroline open one present on Christmas Eve and it’s always a new pair of pajamas. For whatever reason, she still acts surprised every year. Maybe she hasn’t picked up on our theme.

Here are a few pajama options for women that I really like:

nesting doll flannel loungers

osaka loungers

jane & bleecker flannel pants

PJ Salvage flannel pajamas

DKNY wishlist pjs

gap printed poplin set

old navy fleece pj pants

And here are some options for men:

men’s Gap flannel pajama bottoms

Ralph Lauren flannel pants

P will be so festive in these on Christmas morning.

Christmas pattern pajamas

Can you even imagine?

And then I always love Gap pajamas for kids.

This ruffle trim pj set for girls is darling.

And these boys’ pajama pants come in several different patterns.

And everyone can open up their pajamas on Christmas Eve and act surprised.

2. grand saloon moto jacket

Love the color of this jacket.

3. willow creek plaid scarf

Thought this looked festive for Christmas.

4. lucky brand leather hobo bag

I really like this bag. Love the brown leather.

And in case you’ve been really good this year and have money to burn, there’s always this tory burch thea leather tote.

5. mossimo mixed media cable sweater

I ran in Target the other day for a few things like dog food and toilet paper and accidentally ended up in the clothing section and accidentally ended up trying on this sweater and accidentally ended up buying it because it is the softest thing ever.

6. essential henley

I love these henleys from Anthropologie. They come in a bunch of great colors.

7. free people stripe long cardigan

I’ve had my eye on this for a while and Nordstrom has finally put it on sale. It also comes in a gorgeous blue and black combination.

8. feather in the wind tunic

This is another top I think I’ve mentioned before except now it’s on sale.

9. cable cowl scarf

Love these scarves from Gap. Super warm and so cute.

10. color bright aztec cardigan

Altar’d State is currently offering buy one, get one 50% off regular-priced apparel. So why are you still here?

That’s it for today.

Have a great Friday and be careful if you go out in the wintry mix.