Friday, December 5, 2025

It’s Friday and link up day with Andrea and Erika! Let’s share some favorites from the week!

Monday marked December first and it was time to start advent calendars…

This is the tea advent calendar I found at Aldi for like $8 as opposed to $40 from World Market. Mason was so tickled! He gets two tea bags each day. He has had fun opening to see what type it is and then having them that day. He is 23 going on 65. He has always been an old soul. Did I ever tell you that he did a break-dancing routine to a Ray Charles song in kindergarten?

I had my second week of tutoring a high school boy in Spanish this week. We meet at a Starbucks. I get there a bit early, get a coffee in a real mug, and get prepared.

He drives himself so I texted his mom afterward to tell her how it went. Her response made me feel good.

Driving home Monday evening there was brine on the road which only means one thing..

Snow Day! Just kidding – every day is a snow day for me! But this is a significant amount of snow for us and on December first, no less!

Tom came back in the house before he left for work and shut Eddie Otis in the bedroom on accident. I couldn’t find him and opened the door, and little boy was just chilling.

Can you spot Tom’s spine device? He lays on it for back pain. Ouch! Can you spot EO’s alligator? Her name is “Ally-Gator”.

My two Christmas magazines arrived on the snowy day! How fun is that?

All of our labs have loved snow. It’s so fun to see EO frolic in the snow!

I’m weird about snow. I only like it on the first day and then it gets ugly and a pain in the butt. It has been so cold this week that there has been no melting of any kind. We have rain and higher temps in the forecast in a few days so it will be gone soon enough.

Do you remember I found these rolls at Walmart? Why would you? Well, they have them at Kroger now, too. They are so good – too good.

This is really good salmon rub – use it sparingly.

The complete meal:

Good old comfort food – spaghetti:

I also made chicken cordon bleu and then after three nights of a pretty decent meal I was done. I decided to order our favorite mediterranean last night.

Sadly, Tom and I finished A Man on the Inside this week – it was so cute! I think I liked the second season more than the first, but they were both heartwarming.

I went to the mall this week and it looked pretty!

I went in Anthropologie. I usually just look and rarely buy.

I went in Sephora where I easily get overwhelmed. But I found a new fave product. Well, I found two new fave products. The Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon is amazing. I bought it in the color Untitled. It is a liner and a color, I think. I think I will buy an Ilia sharpener (for its bigger size than a standard one could sharpen) and another color. I am very picky about my lip products – texture and smell. I have recently gone through old lip products – I save them way too long – and thrown several old and mediocre ones away.

And this Selena Gomez Rare Beauty gloss has the perfect texture and smells amazing. I am putting mine over a dark lip and you can see it has stained the applicator, but that’s ok. I love buying lip products but… fun fact… Since I started using coconut oil twice a day on my face which encompasses my lips, I don’t need Chapstick of any kind. I don’t even need my Laneige.

While I was in Sephora, I also bought the iconic Clique Black Honey. My cousin Julie, the makeup guru, will be glad I finally got it! It’s a great everyday color and works on everyone apparently and it’s called “Almost Lipstick” so it’s a very light formula.

Here is Black Honey:

Here is Black Honey with Selena Gomez Rare Beauty gloss:

“Honey Gomez”, “Selena Honey”, “Black Beauty”, “Rare Black Honey Beauty”, Rare Selena Honey” – Anyway, Clinique and Selena, call me. By the way, it’s hard to take a lip photo and even harder to look at it.

This all started because I wanted a nice red lip for the holidays. If you give a mouse a cookie…

Did you notice that I purchased nothing red?

Let’s talk Black Friday/Cyber Monday! My kids still haven’t given me their wishlist so I am kind of at a stand still for gift purchasing. I do have a few ideas for each of them, but I’m still thinking.

I have had New Balance 530s on my wishlist for quite a while. I still had some birthday money to use, too. I went to Dick’s and tried them on, but they didn’t have the color I wanted. I went to my car, googled the model I wanted, and a Macy’s ad came up for half off the price of what I thought I would have to pay.

The 90s called!

I’m in love and I’m also loving wearing longer socks. They are so much warmer than the little socks.

I’m still reading this and it’s cute.

Tell me a favorite of yours from the week!

Amy

25 thoughts on “Friday Favorites”

  1. I am the same way with snow; I like it on the first day. I like how pretty it looks and then I really just want it gone. I have never been in a Sephora or a Ulta; I think I’d find them pretty overwhelming too. I haven’t gotten a wish list from Alec yet but I do have some ideas. He’s coming home today so hopefully I’ll get a couple ideas out of him and then that should wrap up my shopping.

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  2. Feel the same exact way about snow-you can leave now! Remi loved frolicking in the snow too- that is one of the only positives 😉 Anthro always has such pretty and unique things but I am just like you- usually just look and not buy- enjoy your weekend!

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  3. Gosh I love a good lip product too! Glad you got your sneakers!

    I cannot believe all that snow! It has been warm here all week and while I don’t want snow I do wish it would be cooler.

    It’s so nice that you are tutoring; I think that will give you a little bit of that part of teaching you loved in just the right dose!

    Also? I have never had an advent calendar. They are so expensive! I just cannot believe it when I see families on social media giving their kids advent calendars from Anthropologie or some make up brand. I should have checked at Aldi. I love that Mason is an old soul; we say the same thing about Nolan!

    xo,

    Kellyann

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    1. I have a lip product problem – an LPP.
      This snow is not normal!
      I think so – maybe I will do more of it.
      I agree – I have never paid more than $2 for the chocolate ones until this year. Mason has enjoyed this tea so much! It makes me happy, too! Aww, Nolan, too!

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  4. What are those tartan plaid pants you’re wearing in the last picture??? I need this information. I love your new tennis shoes, and how funny that we both talked lipstick today? I also need a good red, but I think I found one last night. I have worn some of what I already had this week, but it either comes off too quickly or I don’t love the way it feels. I’m trying another one I found today, a color stay one by Revlon. We’ll see! I like a clear gloss over mine as well, or nearly clear. It’s funny that you mention the coconut oil, because I don’t ever need Chapstick either! I do use Vaseline on my lips while I get dressed each morning, because after brushing my teeth it feels good, but my lips aren’t ever chapped. I’m so glad for this!

    I love the picture of Eddie Otis. He’s the goodest boy! Happy Friday, friend!

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    1. Those are my “Scotch” tape leggings that I think I have had for 10 years from a little boutique that may not even be around anymore! Sorry!
      Finding the perfect red can be like finding the perfect jeans!

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  6. I love that you did an advent calendar! I really wanted to participate in Advent this year but waited too long and can’t find any. The snow is beautiful. I personally have never walked, driven or even seen snow so for me I think it is beautiful. Stay Warm!

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  7. I have Clinique black honey. I forgot I had it until yesterday! I’m bad about buying alot of lip products and not using them!

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  8. I, too, have a lip product problem except mine is MAC lipstick! I just love it. I’ve had that Clinique lipstick and it didn’t do a thing for me. It matched the color of my lips! So, how do you use the coconut oil? My lips aren’t chapped, but they need some g.

    https://marshainthemiddle.com

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  9. That looks like a fab advent calendar! What treat to get 2 tea bags each day!
    That is fantastic feedback from the students mom!
    I do love spotting Eddie Otis’s toys and the names you have for them!
    All your food looks so good, you can’t beat spaghetti!
    My youngest is obsessed with all things lips and has so many lipsticks, glosses and goodness knows what else. She loves the idea Sephora but our nearest one is a good 50 miles away. Eek!
    Those sneakers look fab and they do look like they’re from the 90’s.

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      1. I have it! It’s borderline bubblegum-ish on me, so I don’t wear it often. They just released a nude one, as well. Which will be mine.

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  12. I feel like Advent calendars have made such a resurgence the last few years and I love it! So many fun options! I would have loved to have seen Mason break dance in my kindergarten class – what a fun memory! We got lots of snow and cold here this week and I was so grateful that I’m retired and don’t have to face the morning cold any more! And, I loved the message your tutoring student’s mom sent you – those notes mean so much! Have a great weekend!

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  14. I can’t get on board with those shoes yet. I just can’t. Too 1993ish? On a dad? That’s all I see. Danny Tanner or the guys from 3 Men and a Little Lady lol.

    Tutoring is a great use of your time (every now and then!) and how much more relaxing it must be at a coffee shop!

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    1. I get that but all of a sudden the look grew on me! They are so comfortable! It’s like Dad mowing the lawn shoes.
      I don’t want to schedule/commit myself too much. Tom actually suggested me doing homeschool Spanish classes. I’m not ready for that. But, this has been nice and I will feel good if I can help him get his grade up.

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  15. Whenever we get snow or ice here, people lose their minds and cannot drive properly. Ugh. Put me on the no snow list. I haven’t been in an Anthro store for years and years. They have such neat stuff.

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  16. So awesome that you are tutoring…the student is so lucky to have you. You all definitely got more snow than we did. Homer loves playing in it too. Your meals look delish! Very comforting.

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