wear it wednesday...holiday wear

sometimes i look in my closet and think i nothing to wear. if you looked inside my closet you would think i am 100% crazy for thinking that. i wanted to wear something a little more christmassy the other day without looking like christmas tree. i started with the green skirt amd added black and gray. it's festive but not over the top,

photo credit brianna

beauty battle...for the lips

today's beauty battle is all about the lips.

i love chapstick. lipgloss, and sometimes lipstick. my lips are dry..really really dry so i have a constant battle about what to use. one year i thought bath and body works gloss was the answer. last year baby lips medicated seemed to work for a while. something seems to work for a few weeks or even months and then all of a sudden not anymore. things seem to be a lot worse in the winter. right now i don't even know what i like best. i still like medicated baby lips and sometimes mint eos. i can't even pick a winner in the beauty battle so i need your help.

what are your faves? what product(s) win this battle?

9th annual GNO christmas party

i can't believe it's been 9 years since we started having this holiday party, but it really has. every year the party has a theme and the funniest white elephant gift exchange. this year's mexican fiesta was no exception. the party was so much fun. we laughed our heads off. we ate a lot of good food, and we had a great time with friends.
the decorations were fab

kristi walked around all night saying ole

party hats and mustaches

photo booth-kristi

shannon

jess

michelle attempting to pin the tail on the donkey

winners

pinata

white elephant gift exchange.

every year we talk about having a summer party. but then it never happens. we all had so much fun we're determined to have something in the summer.

for the little tykes...enjoying the holidays

'tis the season...

for 

family, work, church, neighborhood parties

shopping and wrapping and delivering

santa visits

treats galore

bright lights

load music

family time (sometimes lots of extended family time)

i love the holidays! there is something so magical about christmas especially with kids

BUT

the holidays can also be really stressful especially with kids.

nights are late, routines are upset, kids are overstimulated, and tantrums are the norm

BUT

it doesn't have to be like that. with a little extra time and effort, the toddler (and sometimes older) meltdowns can be avoided.

1. stick to your routine as much as possible. when the routine changes, give warnings.

2. give warnings anyway (for example-we are going in this store, and there are going to be a lot of people in there. it might be really noisy. if it's too noisy for you, try covering your ears)

3. be consistent (make time for rewards and punishments)

4. if your child seems overwhelmed, they probably are. help them take a break even if it's just for a quick bathroom trip or to run and get something from the car.

5. try a tight squeeze (big hug) to help your child feel more calm and comfortable.

6. avoid empty threats (are you really willing to take away all or even one of the presents)

7. have healthy meals and snacks (all the sugar isn't good for any of us)

8. find ways to de-stress (kids feel our stress and often act out)

9. bring a favorite comfort item to parties, santa, shopping, etc. (blankie, stuffed animal, favorite cup or small toy)

10. enjoy the magic of the season. try to see the holidays through the eyes of a child.

did i miss anything? what works for you?

utah is dry

utah is dry...really really dry... like turning into snakeskin dry. it's even worse in the winter when it's bitter cold. i've tried every lotion, scream, oil, gel over the counter and prescription to deal with it. sometimes i find something that works for a while, but then i guess my body adjusts to it or something. i have major major issues with dry skin and dry lips. it usually gets even worse when i go somewhere humid (like hawaii) and come back. my skin was perfect in hawaii, and i dreaded coming back. enter vaseline intensive care advanced repair...

i'm not even kidding. this stuff is amazing! my skin isn't really even dry. i love smelly lotions and creams, but this stuff tops it all. if you have dry dry skin like i do, go get some today. does anyone have any great tips for dry lips? mine are in bad shape. ***i was sent this product complimentary from influenster for testing. all opinions are my own.

wwyd 15.0

i'm pretty excited that kimberly and i have made it this long. we have some fun things in the works for the new year, and we hope you'll join us. this month we want to know WHAT WOULD YOU DO...with gingerbread? there are the obvious 1. make a gingerbread house 2. or a gingerbread train 3. or a gingerbread man from a kit. nothing wrong with that. i honestly don't think i have ever made any of those things from a kit but maybe. i also had the ideas 1. make homemade gingerbread and use for a pie crust for peppermint ice cream pie 2. make homemade gingerbread shapes (hearts), dip the bottom in white chocolate and dip again in crushed peppermint---this is what i really wanted to do but ran right out of time. and finally

bake gingerbread (make sure to leave a hole in the top), decorate with royal icing. wait until they are completely dry before hanging them on the tree.

thanks to @thesinkingcherry (on insta) for the great idea and photos.

now it's your turn. have you done anything fun with gingerbread this year? link up below.

next month we want to know...

WHAT WOULD YOU DO...with yoga pants/basic black leggings.

PS-i'm over at a litttle too jolley talking about avoiding the comparison trap.

An InLinkz Link-up

jumpstart those health goals

once the new year rolls around, everyone is going to be talking about health goals-work out more, lose weight, eat healthy, etc. we all know the drill. the gym in january is a nightmare, and restaurants are dead as people vow to eat at home more. i'm totally guilty. i generally exercise a lot and eat pretty healthy, but something about a new year feels like a new start with health. those goals are all great, but how many of us think about staying on top of physicals, yearly labs, etc? i don't hear many people resolving to see the doctor in the coming year, but we probably should. it seems like we avoid the doctor because it's a hassle to schedule or we forget or we just don't want to. intermountain healthcare is making it a little easier for us to stay on top of it.

Intermountain Healthcare has developed a free new mobile app, called “Intermountain Health Hub,” which is an all-in-one tool that makes managing healthcare easier. It gives users many different features designed to simplify their entire healthcare experience, including the ability to access their medical records while on the go. The app can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store and Google Play. 

Here are 10 features and benefits the new app provides:

·        GermWatch: Find out how prevalent various germs are in Utah, and see how their activity level is trending. Learn about symptoms, how germs are spread, treatments, vaccinations, and when you should contact your doctor.

·         InstaCare and KidsCare urgent care centers:  Hold your place in line before you arrive and compare wait times by Utah location.  Also find KidsCare after-hours clinics in Utah and information for making appointments.

·       My Health: Users can access the password-protected My Health patient portal, where they can securely message their Intermountain doctor, check lab results and other parts of their medical records with Intermountain Healthcare, and review benefits and claims.

·        First aid: Get first aid tips for common injuries such as sprains, burns, cuts, etc.

·        Prescription refills: Request refills at Intermountain pharmacies and check the status of prescription requests.

·        Symptoms: Search for adult or child/baby symptoms by key word, body area, or alphabetically by topic.  Find out when you should see a doctor or call 911. Learn about self-care options.

·        Doctors: Find doctors by name, specialty, hospital, clinic, location, and save your doctors to your

“favorites” for quick reference later.

·        Locations: Find Intermountain hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies near you and save your favorites for quick reference later.

·        Pay bills: Pay Intermountain Healthcare bills by credit card or eCheck.

·        Send wishes: Send cards with personalized messages directly to patients in Intermountain hospitals. 

For information on other Intermountain Healthcare mobile apps, visit http://www.Intermountain.com/mobile.

it's a pretty cool app. everyone should check it out. to encourage people to test out the app, intermountain healthcare is running several giveaways (over on their facebook page) and here (with rafflecopter below). the app is free so go now and enter to win.

**this post is sponsored. all opinions are my own. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

how we wore it:fashion collaboration

12 bloggers, 1 look. i'm excited today to join some of my fave blogger friends in a fashion collab. we all used the same inspiration photo to create our own look. the rules are pretty simple. take this look and create something of your own.

inspiration photo

via Suburban Faux-Pas

when i got the email with the outfit, i had a little moment of panic. i really love the look but couldn't think of one think to wear. i called looks for lovelies to borrow some pieces and she saved me. if you're looking for fashion advice, style session, or general shopping helps, make sure to check her out.

photo credit brianna

i can't wait to see how everyone else styled their outfits. check out the other ladies and their looks

Brooke at Silver Lining

Kaycie at Redhead Memories

Meghan at King and Ford

Krystle at Krystle, Darling

Sierra at Sierra's View

Alexa at He and I

Deidre at Deidre Emme

Danica at Danican Skywalker

Kyla at Fordology

Bri at Breezy Days

Aubrey at Dreaming About Someday

Megan at And Here's To You, Mrs. Robinson