Good morning! Mine started a little later than I expected today. Have you ever slept through three alarms? That just happened. I guess my body needed the rest? Wow. Sorry guys.
It’s a good thing we are still celebrating the holidays this week!
Let’s get right to this week’s edition of Friday Favorites. Below you will find a collection of things I have been enjoying, seeing, using, reading, wearing, watching (etc.) over the course of the week.
As always, I encourage you all to join in on the #FFavorites party by sharing your favs from the week in the comments and link up sections!
Friday Favorites #70: Week of 1/2
• customized return address stamp
I ordered this customized return address stamp on Etsy mid-December. Looking back, I should have gotten that bright idea months ago to be able to use the stamp over the holidays!
(I blurred out our address for obvious reasons.)
There are tons of them out there! Some are rubber stamps with handles and others are self-inking like the one I have. Although mine came a couple of weeks late to use for holiday cards, I look forward to using it in the future.
A return address stamp would make a great gift to newlyweds or a housewarming present to someone who just bought a house!
• TOMS beanie (one for one)
I received this one as a gift along with some other goodies from a reader, now friend. Thank you so much, Olga!
She remembered me posting about the TOMS for Target promotion going on over the holidays and was so sweet to think of me when purchasing this TOMS beanie! I can’t seem to find it online, but I know that’s exactly where she purchased it. Good ‘ol Target. I know I’ll wear it often.
• sushi
Until this week, I hadn’t eaten sushi in months. I forgot how much Scott and I love to go out and order it!
I’m not usually too keen on the rolls with raw seafood on top, so I mostly enjoyed the lobster roll you see below.
That was amazing! I look forward to going back for more sushi I really love in the near future.
• Ringing in the New Year
I guess I should also mention what brought us out to a sushi dinner. Scott and I joined a couple of our dear friends in Rochester for dinner at Sumo Sushi & Seafood on New Years Eve.
We were so happy to see the Christmas lights still up and twinkling!
After a wonderful dinner, Scott, Alex, and her fiance, Alex, and I all went back to our place to celebrate a super low-key turning of the new year. They came with their adorable pup, red wine, and pints of ice cream for all!
That sounded absolutely perfect to us this year.
We spent a couple of hours playing board games while watching the Rockin’ New Years Eve countdown live from New York on television. We had a champagne toast at midnight, and made sure to pour a special glass of Mountain Dew for Scott.
Exactly a year ago, Scott vowed to give up soda for an entire calendar year. This was a huge deal coming from someone I would have considered to be addicted to Mountain Dew, often throwing back multiple cans a day, every day. It was like water to him.
I am so proud of him! He went an entire year without any type of soda, so he celebrated by drinking one full glass at midnight. When I asked him how it tasted, he said “flat” and that he wasn’t planning on going back to drinking it any time soon. Woo hoo!
See? Resolutions can be game changers!
•
Speaking of games, I was vague in mentioning what kind above because I think this one deserves it’s own highlight. Have y’all ever heard of Quelf?
Scott and I never had when Alex mentioned bringing it over. I was intrigued! Quelf is the definition of random. You move through the spaces in hopes of reaching the finish, and have to act out and perform ridiculous stunts along the way. There’s only one rule – and that’s to obey the card. If you draw a card and refuse to do what it says, you move back and someone else can act it out to move forward.
At one point, Scott had to “rearrange” the living room as a very into-character “interior designer”. I’m pretty sure I was crying from laughing so hard. We will definitely be playing it again!
• working out at home
Ever since my membership at a large gym ended, I have been utilizing the small amount of equipment I have at home to complete a portion of my workouts and cardio. Since it’s freezing (literally) outside, it takes a lot of motivation to lace up a pair of running shoes these days.
I know I’ll get out there and run in the cold again, eventually, but I have really been enjoying putting together and doing cardio workouts at home for now.
Last night I went through the 25 Min. Cardio Core Tabata Workout I posted yesterday, and I added an extra Tabata set of jumpropes and arms by switching between biceps curls and lateral raises. I finished right under thirty minutes and felt like I squatted and ran for miles afterwards. It was great!
• soup and salad
When I wasn’t loving sushi this week, I was most likely enjoying some kind of soup and salad combo.
My body craves hot soup and stews during the cold winter months. I would guess that I have a soup and salad combo at least four times a week this time of year. Above is Amy’s Organic Split Pea soup with the leftover salad Scott put together the other night.
I usually top it off with a handful of crackers or a slice of toast to dip in my soup. I could literally eat something similar to what you see above every single day! (And… I probably do.)
• favorite HWG posts
» Most Popular Food and Fitness Posts of 2014
» Most Popular (Non-Food/Fitness) Posts of 2014
» 7 Quick Tips For a Healthier 2015
» 25 Min. Cardio Core Tabata Workout
• Friday funnies
Just one today because it’s long… but SO true. Ha!
Story of my life, folks.
Your Turn
Have a great weekend!
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The Friday Favorites series features items I genuinely want to share with you. Please understand, however, that affiliate links may be included. Thank you for your support! <3
![[in our elementary school era] 🚌😭
Skyler did great walking into KINDERGARTEN with a big smile on his face this morning. I, however, was a bit of a mess on our walk home. 🥹
It’s wild how fast these 5 years with him have gone … 7 since we moved to NYC and into our apartment, dreaming of the day our kids would someday go to the *awesome* school right down our block. 🏫
That day is today, and I still don’t believe it — feeling allll of the emotions and thanking God for placing us here and for being able to trust His timing through the journey. 🫶🏼 #hbshinnyc
SO proud of you, SK - you are going to rock your first year at your “big boy school” - WE LOVE YOU !! 🩵👑](https://lifeinleggings.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
happy new year!!!! ice cream is always a good idea.. esp BEN & JERRYS!!!! xo
Couldn’t agree more. <3
Beanies! I love them so much. I am obsessed with my grey slouchy Silence + Noise one my mom got me for Christmas!
I do too! Especially on very cold days in Michigan. Love slouchy ones as well!
I have absolutely slept through 3 alarms! You must be exhausted. Love that Scott gave up the dew….good for him. Looks like you have a fun NYE! Best wishes for a wonderfu 2015 and enjoy the weekend!
Glad to hear it happens to the best of us 😉 Happy New Year to you, Lauren!
Mmmm sushi and Ben & Jerry’s! Looks like a yummy time 😉
You guys are so cute-Happy NY!
Aw, thank you, Happy New Year to you!!
Omg!!! How to Pet a Kitty…….that is my cat! Most the time she shows me her belly, and murder is in her eyes hahahahahahaha
Haha, right? That cat IS Aspen. Cali, on the other hand (the calico, which you probably figured out) is very chill. Fits the name. 😉
I am totally not a cat person but this is so true!! I have said for years that I am getting a return address stamp and I still haven’t done it… but I love them.
Me too! I finally got us one, two years later. 😉
Happy New Year Heather! Your NYE sounds like the right way to celebrate 🙂 Congrats to Scott for giving up soda for a year! That must have taken serious commitment.. I’m not personally a soda fan, but if I had to give something up for a whole year that I consumed daily (like nut butter or Wawa Coffee) I’d find it equally as hard.
Oh for sure. It would probably be equal to me giving up coffee… which… will never happen. 😉
I LOVE that plate you have with room for a salad but also holds a soup bowl! That’s genius! I hope you are having a happy new year so far!
Thank you, it was a wedding gift! I need to find a similar one to link to because I have gotten that comment several times before! It really is a genius idea 🙂
I will be purchasing Quelf. I LOVE board games and am always down to find new ones. Thank you, Alex! 🙂 Happy Friday!
Ha, I know right? It’s a great one I’m sure you will enjoy!
I just got a kitten so that funny makes me giggle! Also I can’t imagine giving up soda for a whole year! Good for Scott!
Happy New Years! 🙂
Happy New Year to you!
I Love the how to pet a kitty cartoon. It’s SO true. Describes my little fur ball to a “T.” Thanks for the LOL.
Have a great weekend!
Happy Weekend to you too!
What a cute beanie!! I don’t own any since I was living in LA the past few yrs but now that I am in Dallas and actually experiencing a winter, I need something to keep me warm!
Beanies are my favorite hats in the winter!
I love that cat infographic! When our kitty rolls over, we always laugh that “you get three rubs, then you die.” He starts biting after three belly rubs every time and it always makes us crack up haha
Haha, that sounds pretty accurate. 😉
OMG that lobster rolls is incredible!!! Sushi can get so adventurous, right? I have never heard of Quelf but now I am dying to get myself one! By the way your tiaras were on point 😉
Ha, thank you! I have a feeling you would love the game 🙂
Quelf looks like fun! I feel like we watch a lot of tv in the winter since it’s so cold–we need to update our board games!
Same! Scott and I have watched more Netflix in the last couple of months than in the whole year! I blame the cold weather.
Love the glass of mountain dew for New Years. But great to hear he didn’t like it anymore! I’m not a big fan of soda, I’ll have a glass on a craving every once in a blue moon so it amazes me when people drink it like water.
I’m the same way! I used to drink Diet Coke a lot, but now it’s really only every once in a while with alcohol. Not too often!
Yay for sushi! I miss that so much. <3 Those lights outside the restaurant are super pretty too!
I've been way too cold to be outside any more than I absolutely have to be lately, and the gym tends to be closed by the time I get out these days–I really need to start doing workouts at home!
Can’t beat the convenience 😉
I recently tried sushi for the first time. I had always been afraid of the idea of raw fish, but I found out that you can get cooked fish!! haha. Not as authentic, but much less scary. I got a “champagne roll.” It was SO good. Also, that return address stamp is great! Since I moved from TX to NYC, I have really grown to love snail mail for keeping up with friends back home. This would be such a cute addition to my mailing stuff supplies!
I didn’t like sushi until I met Scott. He has a way of getting me to try anything at least once. Now I love and crave it!
That sushi looks amazing! If I had not already had dinner I guarantee I would totally be heading to grab some to go. Found your linkup through another blogger and I’m excited to follow along!
Woo hoo! Welcome, Shelly!
Return address stamps are the best. We used them for all of our save the dates/wedding thank you cards and it saved so much time. It ran out of ink, so I’ll have to check out the Etsy shop for a new one! Mmm that sushi looks amazing, now I’m totally craving it!
Wow, so many great things I feel the need to comment on and don’t even know where to begin! First of all, I”m stunned that Scott took that commitment if he is as addicted (or formerly addicted) to soda as my gentleman, Wade. Oh jeez, that boy loves Dr. Pepper AND Mtn. Dew. I will tell him about this commitment that your husband made. Maybe he’d consider it in the future!
I need to check out those customized return address labels. Definitely would be great to put on a wedding registry. Which might be happening to me sooner than I anticipated…*hint hint*. 😉
Never heard of Quelf, but it kinda sounds like Cranium to me! I love board games, so I gotta check it out. Oh, and the kitty photos…so dang funny. Cats are hilarious.