The holidays have arrived at the IGE household!
I don’t think it really hit me until very recently that Christmas was so close to Thanksgiving this year. I had barely polished off the last slice of leftover turkey before my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter feeds were blowing up with pictures of people putting up their twinkly lights and holiday decor.
Umm, my tree just went up this Wednesday. So behind the times…!
We do a “collection” tree rather than a themed one, full of meaningful ornaments from events and occasions from years past. Like the Rockette’s ornament my Mom got me when we went to see them a few years ago…
And the Mt Vernon one I picked up on our visit last year.
My little elf was very helpful, telling me where each ornament should go, and I assured him that Santa would put him on the nice list because of it. SANTA?!
Hehe. Anyway, this weekend will be full of taking care of household projects. We’re hosting Christmas Eve this year and, believe it or not, there’s still some boxes and stuff from the move this summer that we have to officially, finally get out of the way. Wish us luck!
Wherever you are, and whatever you do have a wonderful weekend and in the meantime please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites!
Click the blue links to be taken to the original source.
Favorite twist: Cheesy Sweet & Sour Pomegranate Thai Chicken Enchiladas. An enchilada recipe with pomegranate seeds is definitely something I could get into. Can’t wait to make these!
Favorite DIY: DIY Orange Clove Pomanders. What an easy, inexpensive, and yummy smelling centerpiece for the holidays.
Favorite treat: Gingerbread Cookie Cups with White Chocolate & Caramel. White chocolate mousse? Sign me up! These look so decadent.
Favorite fashion. I am loooooving this pale pink coat from J Crew. So cozy and girly. (Says this totally un-girly-girl.) ; )
Favorite plate: Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad. There’s those pomegranate seeds again, adding a sweet burst to this ultra healthy salad featuring all my favorite winter veggies.
Favorite place: Beaver Chief Falls, Glacier National Park, Montana. Uh yeah, my wanderlust is officially back in full force. Who knew this view existed outside of the Alps? Amazing!
Favorite sip: Coconut Fizz Cocktail. Total new years eve perfection.
Favorite baby: Custom Baby Subway Art. I am obsessed with this collage – it’d look perfect above Lincoln’s changing table. So cool, right?
Favorite hack: Microwave Potato Chips. Ben and I attempted these DIY potato chips in the microwave last week and they were amazing. Be sure to slice your potatoes at least 1/8″ thin. We seasoned ours with a spritz of EVOO and a dash of the Ultimate Steak Seasoning (<– obsessed with that stuff.)
Favorite find: Perfect Picturewall. So you know Claire’s picture wall going up the stairs on Modern Family? I’m obsessed. Maybe this company could help me achieve a similar look!
Favorite slurp: Chicken Meatball and Orzo Hearty Soup. YES. This soup looks so perfect for the sub-zero temps we’ve been rocking all week.
Favorite funny: 50 Most WTF Animal Pics of the Year. Ummm high-larious, however don’t click if you’re easily offended. (Clearly I’m not!)
Favorite bite: Fried Brussels Sprouts with Smokey Honey Aioli. THESE!!!! Anyone care if I break my no-frying rule for these crispy bites? No? Great. Done!
Favorite decor: Bon Voyage Print. This handmade canvas print is so cool. Would love to have it hanging in my house.
Favorite sweet: No-Bake Candy Cane Sugar Cookie Bites. Peppermint is one of my favorite flavors of the holidays. These babies look dangerously delicious!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
So many good things! I always love Friday Favorites. Your tree is beautiful!
Your little elf is getting so big!!
It is so crazy how close together Thanksgiving and Christmas are this year. There is just not enough Christmas time if you ask me!! Your tree is so pretty and the photo of “your little elf” in the bumbo is the cutest!
Thanks so much for including my enchiladas this week! I am highly obsessed with pomegranates and cannot get enough! Love the other picks as well. The pink pea coat and Jess’s brussels are both awesome!
Lincoln is getting so big! Just wait until next year you will have a Christmas tree that only has ornaments dangling from the top of your tree. That’s where we are right now ;) Love the list perfect to browse through while slurping hot coffee.
OMG…all of a sudden Lincoln has a very big boy head of hair! I love it!!
Great post as always. Recently, there have been ads on your site that advertise games and play loud sounds and music. I find them very unappealing and distracting, and they don’t really have anything to do with your site’s content. The one today is for “War Thunder” by glispa. Will these be going away anytime soon?
Ack – sorry about that, Em! Ads that play music annoy me to death. I usually keep my computer on mute for that very reason! Do you remember which ad spot was playing music? I will try and get it taken care of right away. Thanks for letting me know!
That’s weird! I didn’t hear anything and my computer wasn’t on mute. I only see the adds on the sidebar that quietly wait for you to pay attention to them.
Thanks for the quick follow up! The ad appeared below your image for your Amazon store link. Interesting that other readers don’t have that ad…I’m visiting the site from Canada, maybe that makes a difference?
LOVE those little tiny bow on the picks for the cookie bites! And I am def trying that coconut drink for our Ugly Sweater party tomorrow night! Have a great weekend!
The idea behind your Christmas Tree is a very nice one. I particularly like that you have Santa hat sitting at the top as opposed to an angel or star – you know the more traditional ornament.
:-)
Bits & Bobs
Christmas really snuck up on me this year too! Your little guy is so cute next to your tree:) Happy holidays. Great list this week!
I echo Sarah’s comment. Glacier National Park is an absolute must. It is indescribably beautiful and there is nothing like it. There is a reason it is called “The Crown of the Continent”. You don’t need Europe for breathtaking beauty!
I love all of your recipes, and your little boy is too cute! Just wanted to vouch that Glacier National Park is one of the most breathtaking places on earth. I spent every summer there growing up and feel so fortunate to have had that opportunity. There is no place like it, and is one of the best kept secrets around. You should visit once in your life. Merry Christmas!
I love your Friday favorites! I cannot believe how big Lincoln is getting. So cute!
I love your Christmas Tree! It looks so beautiful :)