Friday Favorites: Top Five Posts of 2018

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Wow! It's the last Friday of 2018. This has been such an interesting year for me and I definitely did not end the year where I began. This year gave me the opportunity to explore what I really want to do and also opened my eyes to the kind of people I want to surround myself with. Today, I am linking up with ErikaAndreaNarci and The Blended Blog reflecting on my top five posts of 2018.

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Friday Favorites: It's Almost Christmas

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It's the Friday before Christmas. I cannot believe it and I cannot wait. Today I am linking up with ErikaAndreaNarci and The Blended Blog to talk a few last minute holiday favorites and then I literally need to get back to wrapping gifts. AKA my least favorite holiday task.

1) Amazon Echo Dot



Ok, if you have been around this blog for a even a minute, you probably know that we never buy the latest technology when it first comes out. One of my Besties bought us an Amazon Echo Dot as a family gift. We got it last Friday, and we really love it. We love asking Alexa to play random Christmas songs that we haven't heard in a long time like A Christmas to Remember by Dolly Parton and also playing Jeopardy and Price it Right. Alexa can also tell you what's on the Hallmark Channel. It's also a Good way to set reminders for Hockey Guy. It's always Better to have Alexa nag him than me. I am sure almost everyone reading has one but if you don't, they are at such a Good price now you might want to check one out.  

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Better Way to Gift Your Coffee Gift Cards



We are getting so close to Christmas! I am sprinting to the finish and was working on my gift cards this weekend. Like all of us, I give coffee gifts cards this time of year. I am one of those people who doesn't think that a coffee gift card is a boring gift. I for one always need a $10 coffee card...right!  Over the years I have created a Better way to dress up the gifting part of the gift card. Since every year when I get the supplies for the gift cards the barista tells me "that is such a Good idea" I decided to share it with you all today.

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Friday Favorites: Good Hostess Gifts


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This week seemed a little slow but Friday is finally here. Today I am linking up with  The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea to share some ideas for Good hostess gifts. These ideas would also work for teachers, co-workers, neighbors, secret Santa and friends. Basically anyone that you would like to share a little bit of Joy with this holiday season. The Best part--these will not break the bank.

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Friday Favorites: Goodbye Mr. President






It's time for Friday Friday Favorites so I am linking up with ErikaNarci and Andrea and The Blended Blog but today's post is going to be a little different. It is a post that is not about holiday shopping (more to come on that) or my favorite hot drink, there is only one Friday Favorite and this post is very personal to me. My Friday Favorite is dedicated to President George H.W. Bush who had a very big impact on my career and my life. Indulge me for a moment as I take a moment to put down into words the memories that have been in my head and on my heart of how this President impacted my career and life.

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The Blended Blog Asks: Holiday Edition



It's the first Monday of December...whose excited? I am! I am joining up with the lovely ladies of The Blended Blog to talk all things holiday. Let's get to this...shall we?
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What's Up Wednesday--November 2018



November has been a really Good month. It's the last Wednesday of the month, I am linking up with MelShaeffer, and Shay to talk about what I have been up to in November. 

1) What We're Eating This Week

Sunday-grilled pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes and salad
Monday-grilled pork chops, brown rice and pesto zucchini noodles
Tuesday-baked chicken tacos, black beans, and broccoli
Wednesday-probably grilled cheese or ham and cheese wraps as it will be a busy night.
Thursday-either pesto pasta or pancakes, bacon and fruit
Friday-I have my wine swap so it will probably be boys pizza night

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Cyber Monday: Shopping Game Plan



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Happy Cyber Monday everyone. I like to use Cyber Monday and Black Friday as a way to get a jump start on my shopping because my time is limited (like all of us) and I really love to buy people gifts. I love to take time to pick out the perfect thing for each person that I love. I have pulled some of the Best deals that I have seen so far to share with  you all.


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Friday Favorite: J Crew Sale, Good Sweats, Better Friends, Cute Mugs and Perfect Soup Mix

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It's the end of a long but Good week. We had book reports, projects, tests, board meetings and snow days. Yes, a snow day and a delay in November. I am enjoying a glass of chardonnay after a really Good meal with the fire going and the Hallmark Channel on ready to share with you some very simple Friday Favorites. Today I am linking up with  The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea to share my simple Joys this week. 

1) Pioneer Woman Dazzling Dahlia Soup Mug

We had a hockey game about an hour from the house last Sunday. I needed to run some errands and I remembered that there was a brand new Walmart right across the street from the rink. There is no shame in the Walmart game but the ones near our house are not that Good. This one because it is almost brand new and huge was so much Better and I got all of my errands done there.

One thing that I needed was a big soup mug for work. I love to bring homemade soup for lunch in the winter and it will be Good to lighten up at lunch during the holiday season. 


I found this super sweet soup mug with lid from the Pioneer Woman collection. The Best part, it was about $5. This mug will be getting a lot of use over the next few months.

2) Frontier Soup

I have been a fan of Frontier Soups for more than a decade. I first bought them at the Junior League Holiday Shops and then have also ordered online. I was so happy to find them at my local Harris Teeter recently.


The Best thing about these soups is that you can make them quickly on the stove top or most of them also offer directions for the slow cooker as well. Many of their soups are also gluten free including the chicken noodle above. I will be making the tortilla soup this weekend to have on hand with the upcoming busy week. It will be a light, wholesome meal to have on hand. These soups can also be found at many Whole Foods stores. 

3) J Crew Factory Buy One/Get One

Online only, right now...J Crew Factory is having buy one/get one on clearance items. Time to get a jump start on your holiday shopping or grab a bargain for your holiday travel wear.

The deals are really Good including a couple of items I have and have shown on this very blog. I wear this woven collar sweater all the time. It can be casual or dressed up with a black skirt. The Teddie sweater is a perfect staple and comes in a ton of colors. 

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4) The Magnificent Seven

On Monday I linked up with The Blended Blog to talk all things gratitude. I wrote about the Best group of women I know in my industry. We have been getting together for lunch for about 6 years, although I have known most of them for well over a decade. We are each others first line when we have questions in our industry. But the Best part is all of us support each other, cheer for each other and no one is competitive in this group. To learn more about these amazing ladies check out this post

5) 32 Degrees Tech Jogger Pants

If you are in Costco and you see these pants, buy them. They are light but super warm. I am always cold and have had them on all afternoon. They were a really Good option for walking Stormy in the sleet and rain this afternoon. 


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Dancing Granny and I are big fans of the 32 Degrees brand that you can get at Costco. Since I spend so much time in ice rinks, I have found that these are the Best option for long underwear. When I saw these sweatpants on Saturday for $12.99 they went right in my cart. They are super warm without being bulky. I am probably going to pick up another pair if I head to Costco again this weekend.  I think they run a little small so I chose the medium. I am probably going to live in these this winter during my downtime.

That's a wrap for this week lovelies. I hope you all have a really Good weekend getting ready for Thanksgiving!





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Tasty Tuesday--All Things Thanksgiving Round Up 2018

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It's Tasty Tuesday and I hate to break it to you but you have about a week to figure out what you are making for Thanksgiving. One week. Never fear...Good Better Best is here to help you with all of your planning needs for the big day. From Good soup to sides to the Best wine at every price and helpful prep ideas, Good Better Best will walk you through what you need to know to help make this thanksgiving the Best yet.

First Course

Instead of a salad why not try my Butternut Squash and Pear soup as a first course. You can serve as an appetizer in mini shot glasses or demi tasse cups. For a switch up from the formal soup bowl, you could keep warm in your crock pot and serve in a fun selection of coffee mugs. This soup is also very light for those wanting to ease into the holiday eating. Frankly, it's one of the Best things I make. Once you add pear to your butternut squash soup, you will never use apple again.

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Gratitude: The Magnificent Seven

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November is the month of being thankful and today I am linking up with the ladies of The Blended Blog to talk about what we are grateful for. Of course I am grateful for my family, a man I waited my whole life for who is unbelievably kind to me, for the child I never thought I would have, my girlfriends and a school community that truly loves my child. I had a revelation on Election Day, and the days leading up to it, that I am unbelievably grateful for a group of women in what we call "Lunch Without An Agenda."

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Friday Favorites: Best $8 Wine, Christmas Joy, Comfy Cute Shoes and Downtime

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Oh weekend, glad you are here. It's been a busy week so I am looking forward to a little fun this weekend. I am linking up with The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea for Friday Favorites for what is bringing me Joy on this fall Friday.

1) Downtime

This past weekend, we had very few things on our calendar. No hockey games just practice and our big cross country meet that was actually only about 10 minutes from our house. I slept 9-8 hours each night for three nights straight. I took a nap with my dog on Saturday afternoon. I did some cooking and baking and read my Southern Living magazine. As my crazy work season is hopefully coming to an end, I really needed this downtime. It also made me stop and realize now I have not been getting enough downtime lately and how Good it is for me. 

Are you all getting enough downtime and focusing on self care?

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TBB Asks: Giving Thanks



Ah sweet November. When I was driving home the other night it occurred to me how much I really like November. I love the stillness of this month. It seems less busy than October and is a nice entry into the holiday season. I feel like things are a little slower this month at least for us. Today I am linking up with the lovely ladies of The Blended Blog for TBB Asks--Giving Thanks Edition.  

1) Have you ever kept a gratitude journal?

Yes. I definitely work on a gratitude journal from time to time. I find it really helpful when I am struggling. The things I have been grateful for have been as significant as friends who have my back when I need it to things as simple as a Good pumpkin spice latte. It's definitely a Good thing to do especially in seasons that are hard. 

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Friday Favorites: Southern Living, Hallmark Channel Fun, New Cardigan and Red Sox Win!

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Hey hey Friday! I cannot believe it is the first of November but I a glad to see November. It's actually a month I really love.  I am linking up with The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea for Friday Favorites for a quick list of what is bringing me Joy.

1) Red Sox Win


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In case you missed it, the Red Sox won the World Series. It has been so fun to watch them this year. It's a little hard for me to bond with this team. You see, David Ortiz aka Big Papi is probably my favorite Red Sox of all time and he retired last year. Big Papi and I had a Good thing going for about 15 years and now it's time for me to find a favorite new Red Sox. Regardless after so many years growing up of having the Red Sox break our collective Boston hearts, it's so much Better to see them win.

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What's Up Wednesday: All About October 2018



Wow October. What a month. It seems like it took forever for the fall weather to get here but it is finally here. Better late than never.  Since it is the last Wednesday of the month, otherwise known as Halloween, I am linking up with MelShaeffer, and Shay to talk about what I have been up to in October. 

What We're Eating This Week

Monday-Smoked paprika chicken breasts, roasted sweet potatoes and salad.

Tuesday-Sausage, fingerling potatoes, and roasted vegetable sheet pan meal.

Wednesday-It's Halloween, so probably a sandwich or maybe leftover lasagna.

Thursday-Chicken tostadas, black beans, salad.

Friday-Pizza night.

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Friday Favorites: Fall Sweaters, Hot Drinks and the World Series



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Oh Friday, sweet sweet Friday. I am so glad you are here. It's been a long week. We are supposed to have quite a storm out there but I get to work from home today. So I am going to settle in with a hot drink with some reports with my unhelpful four-legged assistant, while Hockey Guy works on some reading for a book report. On this chilly and rainy Friday, I am linking up with The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea for Friday Favorites for a quick list of what is bringing me Joy.

1) Bite Lipstick in Chai


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Since I am busting out my fall wardrobe (yippee) it is also time to bring back the fall lip colors. I have always been more of a lipstick girl than eye makeup for the record. I received two samples of Bite lipstick from Sephora in my birthday box last spring, both of which I love. Chai is a perfect brownish mauve for me. If you have been around this blog for a minute you know that I love a Good brownish pink lip. This lipstick has really Good staying power and only has organic, Good for you ingredients. What could be Better than that?

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Friday Favorites: New Hair, Fall Fashion, Best Charity and Go Red Sox



Wow! It finally feels like fall. It might even feel like late fall out there. On this lovely autumn week, I am linking up with The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea for Friday Favorites for a quick list of what is bringing me Joy.

1) New Hair

I feel like I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about my hair lately. The truth is, I was not born with Good hair so I really need to work at it with a Good cut with Good products. Last Saturday was time to go in and get some maintenance done on the melon, and I decided to go a little shorter. The back of my hair was past my shoulders when I went in and while it looked Good, when you have fine hair it can start to look a little stringy. 

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Gluten Free 101






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If you have been around Good Better Best for any amount of time you probably know that I am gluten free as part of my regimen for my health challenges. Being gluten free just helps by body function Better with my autoimmune disorders. I am truly gluten free, not for a month, not to loose weight, not just during the week but completely gluten free. I am talking gluten free for over 8 1/2 years. No bread, no beer, no donuts, no gluten. Nada.  Because I am linking up with The Blended Blog today and we are talking about health, I wanted to give some Gluten Free 101 tips in case anyone was interested in exploring the gluten free lifestyle.

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Friday Favorites: Fall Shoes, Good Skin, Pumpkin Bread, Hockey and Good Hair



Ahhh Friday! This week ended Better than it started and today even finally feels like fall. Today I am linking up with The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea for Friday Favorites for a quick list of what is bringing me Joy this week.


1) Franco Sarto Shoes


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How awesome are these shoes? They are a little pointier than I typically like but I so love a plaid and wool shoe for the cooler months. The come in other colors and also an animal print. They look really Good with pants and I am looking forward to trying them with tights and a skirt. Most of all, they are actually really comfortable. Cute and comfy? Yes please. 

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Friday Favorites: Fall Flavors, #Last90Days, Best Nail Polish, New Lilly, and Ways to Help the Carolinas



Wow, what a week around here. We some big deadlines at work because the campaign season is in full swing. Friday, Good to see you! Today I am linking up with The Blended BlogErikaNarci and Andrea for Friday Favorites for a quick list of what is bringing me Joy this week.

1) Fall Flavors

At Trader Joe's , all the fall flavors went in my cart. I broke the pumpkin spice seal a few weeks before. I picked up the autumn mix (candy corn, Indian corn and the pumpkins) as that is Hockey Guy's favorite and the International Delight Pumpkin Spice. I am trying to wean myself off of that pumpkin spice creamer right now. Ahhhh.



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World of caution, grocery shopping after Barre 3 can be a little dangerous. I was making my way around the store and spied the Terra Chips Pumpkin Spice Sweet chips. I kept thinking...weird? or Good

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I decided to give this a try and I can tell you, they are Good.  It makes sense, because they are sweet potato chips seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg. These might be making their way into my cart again this season.

At Trader Joe's I was all pumpkin in! Three boxes of the gluten free pumpkin bread mix and I added the white chocolate chips. I also grabbed the gluten free pumpkin pancake mix the pumpkin spice tortilla chips. The tortilla chips are Good but the Terra chips above are way Better.

2) Simply Southern Hurricane Relief

Simply Southern, which is is headquartered in North Carolina designed a shirt to help support the hurricane relief efforts. I bought it the day it was released.

HURRICANE FLORENCE RELIEF DONATION TEE: 'Together We Will Rise Above the Waters' Turtle Tee by Simply Southern (PREORDER)



HURRICANE FLORENCE RELIEF DONATION TEE: 'Together We Will Rise Above the Waters' Turtle Tee by Simply Southern (PREORDER)
Here is my shirt that arrived over the weekend.



This week, they also released a design with Tervis Tumblers. How cute is this?

Simply Southern - Rise Above the Waters


I am thinking I may need one of these too. I mean it's for charity!

3) #Last90Days

I am going to preface this with... all of those pumpkin spice flavors above went in my cart before I decided to do the Last 90 Days challenge by Rachel Hollis. I am one of those people, who thinks Rachel Hollis is pretty darn amazing. In addition to her best selling book Girl Wash Your Face Rachel has a challenge for the end of the year called the Last 90 Days. The premise is pretty awesome in that what would your new year in Better shape than you started 2018? What if you made Better eating and health choices between now and the end of the year? What if you focused on what you are grateful for? Pretty amazing huh? 


Healthy snacks from this week 

To find out how I am taking steps over the next 90 days to Better my life, read my post from yesterday here.

4) Lilly Pulitzer Skipper Popover


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My last item from the Lilly Pulitzer After Party arrived this week. I love the Skipper popovers and they are a weekend staple in my wardrobe. I am looking forward to busting my new one out in the High Tide print this weekend.


Skipper Popover//Wit & Wisdom Jeans (sold out) but I also own these//
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5) Sally Hansen Miracle Gel 

I mentioned a few weeks ago  that I was loving the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polish. I liked the look of salon gel nails but didn't love how they wrecked my nails and the who upkeep process. Enter Sally Hansen!  I am really loving this polish and it does stay on nicely for a full 7-10 days. I have tried a mauve color as well as navy. I so love a navy nail!


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The Best part, it dries really quickly which is totally key for me.

Hope you all have a really Good fall weekend!


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The Last 90 Days with Rachel Hollis





If you have been around Good Better Best this summer you know that I have joined the "I love Rachel Hollis club." I read Girl Wash Your Face this summer on the way back from a work trip on a very long flight and it was simply life changing. Not kidding. I believe that every woman should read this book. When I say that it is life changing, it changed the way I talk to myself, which before was not always Good or nice. For the record, that part was very hard for me to just admit. Not every part of Girl Wash Your Face applied to me and every part will not apply to you, but the parts that do, will hit you where you live and make you take a Good hard look at your life.  Rachel has a way of doing this, with such honesty, care and such love that her book is truly unlike anything I have ever read.

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The Blended Blog Asks: Fall 2.0


It's actually, kinda starting to feel like fall around here. The days are warm but not crazy warm and the nights are cool enough to open the windows.  Running Daddy calls my need to open the windows are soon as I think the temperatures have dropped enough my "Yankee Sensibility." Since it's the first Monday of the month I am linking up with The Blended Blog to talk Fall 2.0. Feel free to leave any of your Good thoughts about fall in the comments below.

1) Favorite Fall Color

I absolutely love a Good burgundy color. It's really one of my Best colors and always one I reach for both in clothing and beauty.
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What's Up Wednesday: Sept 2018 Falling into New Routines




Hello end of September! September you were such a big month with school and activities starting back up and a whole lot of work deadlines. Since it is the last Wednesday of the month, I am linking up with MelShaeffer, and Shay to talk about what I have been up to this month. Let's get to it.

What We are Eating This Week

Monday-Smoked paprika chicken thighs with roasted vegetables and rosemary potatoes.

Tuesday-Running Daddy has marathon training so Hockey Guy and I will do something easy like burgers and dogs.

Wednesday-Chicken pesto pasta with salad.

Thursday-Parmesan roasted shrimp, jasmine rice, roasted vegetables.

Friday-Pizza night...always.

What I am Reminiscing About

With the start of school, I have all the school feels. I cannot believe that Hockey Guy only has two years, this year and next, left at our school. He started as such a little kindergartner and now is a big middle schooler. 

I am also reminiscing about my old apartment as my friend went by the building today and said it was for sale. Let's put it this way, that while this place needed some renovations to say the least, if I never moved in there, I would never have had the life I have now. I moved into a friend's apartment when she bought a house and we became even Better friends because of this. I became friends with the girl across the hall from me and through her I met Running Daddy. It will be interesting to see what they do with this place when someone buys it. It was built in the 1800s and while priced well, it needs a crazy amount of work.
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Friday Favorites: Carolina in My Mind and on My Heart



It's Friday so I am linking up with ErikaNarci and Andrea and The Blended Blog to talk about what brings me Joy.  What brings me Joy is the beautiful Hilton Head where we spent our vacation last week. I have been wanting to do a travel post about our trip, but with the impending hurricane about to hit the area this weekend, I decided to take this Friday to talk about how special this place is. Carolina is truly in my mind and on my heart.

For about ten years, we went to Bethany Beach, DE. We really loved it and we had a lot of fun there. With a my new job, we decided to travel in August instead of July and we also decided to look to go to a different destination. Earlier this year, we started to talk about Hilton Head. Running Daddy said he didn't mind the drive, it's about 8 hours from here. I found the sweetest little house in Sea Pines that was renovated last year and we were off.

This was honestly the Best vacation that we have had as a family--probably tied with Disney and Atlantis. I was completely relaxed on day two and got a feel very quickly why Travel + Leisure named Hilton Head the Best island in the Continental U.S.  It is definitely now our favorite beach destination and Running Daddy and I are even talking about retiring there. What makes Hilton Head so special? So many things.

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Ten Things
You Didn’t
Know About Me


I have been having such fun linking up with The Blended Blog lately. Today, we are talking Ten Things You Didn't Know About Me.

If you have been around my blog for a little bit, you know that I am a hockey and lacrosse mom, I am from New England, I love fashion and cooking, I love the Hallmark Channel, have lupus and I am gluten free. I really like this topic because it kinda forced me to stop and think of some fun things that maybe my readers and even people I know didn't know about me. Hockey Guy and Running Daddy helped with this list becaues there were a few things I didn't even realize until Running Daddy mentioned them.


One
I have broken my leg...twice...two years in row. Same bone, same leg. I broke my tibia ice skating in kindergarten and missed almost  the entire second half of the year. I then broke my leg again in first grade skiing. Let's just say that you probably won't see me in the winter Olympics any time soon...or ever.

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Friday Favorites: Cute Comfy Shoes, Batch Cooking, fall make up and New Favorite Housewives


While parts of this week flew by, it did seem like Thursday aka Friday Eve kinda dragged on. Even though it is supposed to rain again this weekend, I am actually looking forward to it to get things done. It's a little late when I am writing this but I am happy to be linking up with ErikaNarci and Andrea for Friday Favorites. Here's what I am finding Joy in this week.

1) Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken 




If you stopped by yesterday you learned all about the batch of pulled chicken I made in the slow cooker. This recipe is so Good and makes enough to freeze for several meals.  I am trying so hard to make our evenings easier so I think this chicken is going to be on hand at all times. If you missed it, you can read more about how to make this chicken here.

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Batch Cooking: Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken





About eighteen months ago I started making chicken in the slow cooker for things like baked chicken tacos following Mix and Match Mama's guidance. In my new goal of not driving myself crazy and trying to make our lives easier, today I decided to kick it up a notch by adding some additional seasoning and cooking a big batch of pulled chicken for future meals. 

I don't mean to brag but this is pretty much how I feel after seasoning a big batch of this chicken and bagging it up for future dinners.

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This chicken is so Good and versatile that I had to share it with you here.

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The Blended Blog Asks: How Do You Cozy?



September is here and while we had a Good summer, I do find Joy in the upcoming cooler weather. Today I am linking up with The Blended Blog to talk all things cozy as we head into fall.

1) Slippers--Yes or No?

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Big yes. I love slippers because some of my health challenges mean that I my hands and feet get really cold. I am totally into slippers and slipper socks when it is not quite cold enough to wear actual slippers.

The two slippers that are currently in my rotation are Uggs and Land's End. I really think that Uggs in general are the Best in winter foot wear when it comes to warmth. I was able to pick up the Ugg bootie style on sale about two years ago and they are doing a really Good job holding up. I also really love the pink slippers from Land's End that I was gifted last year at a blogger conference. We all had the choice of light or hot pink and of course I chose the hot pink. The Land's End slippers do a really Good job of keeping the toes warm if your your budget needs something at a lower price point. Both make really Good gifts too, so remember that if you are already starting your holiday shopping.  Yes---I just said holiday shopping in early September, don't hate me.
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