Hi Friends! Christmas is coming, and there is a thrill in the air! Can you feel it?

Goodness I love this time of year! We think about our Christmas of our youth, and we see families preparing with such hope and expectation! It’s such a beautiful holiday, focusing on sharing love, a meal and giving a gift or greetings to others! Our neighbors across the street always have these amazing displays in their yard for Christmas, and it seems like it gets a little grander each year! And their display includes Christmas music! So when I come home from work at night it is like a Christmas party welcoming me home! It really is a delightful time of year! So I have a million things to do and will probably only accomplish half that… but everything about it wells up in your heart that beautiful feeling of love that just wants to gush right out and hug the whole entire world!

Once again, I want to thank my son Jake Kennedy for the photos this week. Wednesday was our photo day this week. We went to a park we had never been to before, and also took a trip to a local florist. It really was fun and the weather cooperated beautifully!  If you would like to follow my son Jake, you can find him on Instagram @jacob.kennedy21.

Sizzler Challenge Facebook Group:

Calling all women who want to get healthy and have some fun and a whole bunch of girlfriends cheering you on! I have a Facebook group just for that purpose! Trust me, I need it! 

We are every kind of fitness level, we each have seasons of doing great and some slip ups along the way. But our hearts are true and we all share the desire to stay on a healthy lifestyle. This group has really helped me make some changes I never thought I would make. Just seeing all these women wanting to do better makes me think I can do it too!

And you are cordially invited! 

Come join us! Click here if interested: December Sizzlers Challenge

Here are some Sales to get your Holiday Shopping Game on!

Ann Taylor – 40% off full price items, use code WRAPITUP;

Banana Republic – 50%  off Your Purchase, no code needed. 20% off Just In styles (not combinable with other offers)

Bloomingdales – Take 15% off no matter how you pay on items labeled “Holiday Savings”

Chicos – 40% off everything! Use code 96081

Clarks  Take an extra 20% off select styles. Use code SAVE20

Dick’s Sporting Goods – Today only save $10 with a $50+ purchase order online and pick up in store.

DSW – 20% off everything online! Use code GETITDONE

Gap – IN Stores- 50% off; Online 51% off today only… use code SERIOUSLY

Gap Factory – 50%- 75% off almost everything! Extra 15% off use code FLURRY

JC Penney – Extra 25% off $100 +, or 20% off purchases under $100. Use Code 88GOSHOP

JCrew – 40% off 4 styles or more, 30% off 3 styles, 20% off 2 styles;                                   online only use code MOREISMORE

JJill – extra 30% off all sale styles

Kate Spade – Extra 40% off Sale styles, use code MOREEXTRA

Kohls – 20% off when you spend $100 or 15% off use code: USAVEMORE

Loft – 60% off dresses, tops, Plus and jewelry

Lord & Taylor – 20% off regular priced and sale items. Use Code HOLIDAY; 15% off almost all beauty and fragrance! 

Luckybrand – 50% off everything or 60% off $200 or more- use code GIVEME60

Macy’s – Holiday Countdown, extra 20% off. 15% off select departments, promo code GIFT

Nine West -extra 30% off sale boots and booties. Use code NEWBOOTS

Pier 1  – 50% off all dinnerware and drink ware. Use code PARTY

Talbots – 40% off entire purchase! Sale will show in cart.

Target – sale on Apple products! Oh yeah!

White House Black Market – 40% off entire purchase! Use Code 45905

And now lets share some fun fashion!

First up, I have a really fun bright pink sweater from Anthropologie. It is available in lots of colors (I have my eye on the red one, hah!)

The scarf is by Verloop, the same company that did the scarf I wore in the blog 2 weeks ago. They make gorgeous scarves!

Its so fun to mix the red and the pink… two of my favorite colors! A bright, cheerful scarf makes a fantastic gift, too! No worries about the size! And they are just such fun!

I carried my red bag as well! Currently this is the bag I carry most of the time. 

Next up is a long open front cardi by Topshop. 

It has a beautiful cable pattern woven into it, and its absolutely luscious! And it comes in some gorgeous colors including this mustard yellow, and for you blush pink wearers, it is gorgeous in that color!

And it’s currently on sale for $45, that is 40% off! Woohoo! 

And my necklace is one I have been really enjoying this year! It’s the Textured Disk Pendant Necklace by Halogen, and only $35! This is another great gift idea, and it is available in both gold and silver.

Next up is a red crewneck sweater by Treasure and Bond, regularly $79, on sale for $47.40

Look below. Steady…. yes those are icy waters in front and behind me! Jake asked me if I would try the shot and at first I said no, and then I said, “Well, Maybe”. He took my hand and held me steady as I stepped out on the piece of wood. I was frozen. I was imagining what I would do if I ended up going into the drink. Only Jake… it was thrilling and it made for an interesting shot and an interesting moment! My son daring me to step out of my comfort zone! What a thrill it is for someone to believe in me enough to nudge me to take a step in faith! He took what seemed like 100 shots. And I thought, “Will he come back and help me back on to the sturdy shore?” And he came back with a big grin on his face and said, “Come on Mom, You got this!” And with those words of encouragement I took that step! And I was not only fine, but it was thrilling!

Safe on the solid ground, we took a few more shots. Jake loves taking shots where there are interesting long natural lines that lead your eye from one place to another.

This bag is by Ted Baker London, it is the Small Margey Narnnia Print Tote.

It has butterflies and Hydrangea blossoms on black. One of the butterflies is a brilliant red, my favorite part of the bag! It really is a stunning tote bag! Gaspworthy!

And finally I’m sharing a floral blazer by Daniel Rainn. It’s $88, and it’s the kind of piece you can keep very casual or dress it up.

Jake said, “Mom, we have to shoot this jacket in Sparr’s Greenhouse in Plymouth! It would be perfect! The lady running the shop agreed, and of course we bought some flowers! Aren’t the poinsettias beautiful? It got the name of the Christmas Flower because the petals resemble the Christmas Star. Isn’t that lovely?

Jake was getting such a kick out of the fact that the flowers on my jacket looked just like the flowers we were walking through!

I was carrying my red bag and I have to say it is really fun to carry a nice red bag! Mine is sold out, but here is one that is similar from Macy’s, at a great price of $77.70 (use code GIFT)

How can you not smile being around such pretty flowers? I struck up a conversation with the manager or owner of the store who was probably about my age. We talked holiday plans and as she spoke of her son, her face began to beam and her eyes danced as she shared stories of him making her laugh, and you could just see how much she loved him! We really love our kids, don’t we? Do they have any clue what joy they bring us?

Well, we now go into those final days until Christmas, with so much to be done. It is a mix of happiness and stress, exhilaration and exhaustion. Christmas can be such an emotional time, too! For all sorts of reasons, for those of us becoming empty nesters, Christmas may have a different flavor. For some, they are experiencing the highest of highs as kids are getting married and grandbabies are coming! For some going through difficult seasons of life, it can seem almost like a party going on while you are going through something so hard, you cannot fathom how people can celebrate.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas, my friend!

Love Always,

Amy

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

From the hymn, O Holy Night  written by Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure in 1847.