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Did you get your nails done for the holidays yet? If you’re looking for cute Christmas nails ideas, I’ve got good ones for you. I’m sharing 10 holiday nails that I think are so fun for the holidays.

When I think about the holidays, cranberries are definitely a flavor that comes to mind. I’m always looking for new Italian cookie recipes, so when I found the orange cranberry biscotti recipe I knew I wanted to give it a try. If you’ve never made biscotti, you need to try! It is seriously one of the easiest types of cookies to make. Plus, its so perfect this time of year to serve with a hot toddy, coffee, tea or hot cocoa.

I’ve hardly worn jeans since before the pandemic. In the last couple of months, I’ve been searching all over for jeans I love. I did find some 90s style jeans I loved, but I also do prefer a more tapered leg. But tapered is not just as in right now, so I’m trying to venture into wider leg jeans. I recently found these black asymmetric jeans and I love them!

Are you looking for gift ideas that also make a difference? All of the brands below allow you to also have a positive impact with your purchasing power. I like to look at these gift choices as gifts that give back. I personally feel so good when I can not only get a great gift for someone on my list while also knowing that a portion of my dollars spent on the purchase will go to help a good cause. If you’re looking for socially conscious gift ideas, check out some of my favorites below.

If you’re looking for a really easy gift idea, you can make this Christmas candy jar in minutes. I made this specifically as a cuter way to give someone a gift card. Instead of just giving them a gift card, I put it inside of the Christmas mason jar so it’s a bit of a gift with a surprise inside. Plus, who doesn’t love some candy?

Especially every holiday season, I love to make Italian-inspired dishes. I’ve made several Italian cookies in the past, so I searched for a new one for this year. These Sicilian S cookies are the perfect cookie to enjoy with your coffee or tea. They are crunchy, sweet, but not too sweet, and you can dress them up with a glaze and sprinkles, or keep them plain. If it’s not super obvious, the S stands for Sicily.

It’s officially the holiday season, so it’s time for a beauty giveaway. I will give one lucky winner over $500 worth of beauty, wellness and skincare products! Entering is simple. Click below to enter via Rafflecopter. There are several ways to enter. No purchase necessary and open to U.S. Residents only. Winner will be selected at random and notified via the email address provided.

To kick off our Thanksgiving break, our friends at Hyatt Regency Indian Wells hosted us. Although we’ve visited Palm Springs before, this is our first time staying here and we’ll definitely be back. This hotel is the ideal destination for families and anyone who wants a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. If you’re looking for the best Palm Springs hotels for kids, you definitely need to read about our experience at the Hyatt Regency.

One of my favorite flavors is the lemon lime combination. I absolutely love the tart flavor. It’s even better if it’s sweet and tart, which is why these lemon lime cookie bars are one of my new favorite recipes. The best part is that this is literally such a simple recipe. Even if you’re not much of a baker, I’m sure these will turn out perfectly for you.

I recently got this gorgeous red and black bodycon dress and I think it’s perfect for a holiday party. I chose this dress because I love the bodycon fit and also the ruffle bottom that flares out. It’s also really fun that it has ruffles right at the sleeve.

I’m normally a red or pink manicure kinda gal. Lately, I’ve been stepping outside of my comfort zone and recently tried a green color. The color is somewhere between army green and forest green nails. It did take me some getting used to, but I actually really loved the whole vibe of the fall green nails. If you’re interested in trying out something new, I’m here to share some green nail ideas you might want to try.

On Veterans Day, my kids and I attended the first night of Disney Merriest Nites. This is a special after-hours event featuring 6 separate holiday parties. Tickets for this year are sold out, but if you were lucky enough to snag a ticket, here is what you can expect!

What is your favorite Thanksgiving pie? I like sweet potato, pumpkin, and apple too. But honestly, I do love pecan pie. I love how sweet it is and I love the texture combinations. I’ve made homemade pecan pie a few times, but never tried bite-sized ones or muffin-tin-sized ones. I decided to try both this past week. The mini-sized ones in the muffin-tin were the winners in my family. The normal muffin-tin-sized ones were my favorite for serving guests because they are so much prettier than the tiny ones. Either way, these mini pecan pies are so good and literally bite-sized.

My kids love doing crafts, especially to celebrate upcoming holidays. The other day after school, I asked the kids if they wanted to try this simple handprint turkey craft and they answered with a resounding yes. There is something about kids and handprints that are so endearing. It’s also fun to see their handprints grow over time. (We did this turkey handprint drawing way back in 2013 – Gigi wasn’t even around yet. Look at little Rocco’s hand!)

For my day job as a university administrator, I used to dress in professional clothes every day. Blazers were a wardrobe staple for me. I recently purged a lot of the items in my closet. I realized I don’t have much workwear left that I actually like. Given how long its been since I wore most of the items (I’ve been working from home since 2018), I figured it was time for a refresher.

If you know me well, you know I love peanut butter. Did you know it’s National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month? We get a whole month. So in honor of that, I decided to try making the ultimate peanut butter rice Krispie treats. Although I didn’t think I could ever top my beloved Special K bars, I have to say, these treats are really great too. I personally adore the chocolate peanut butter combination. But, if you’re not as much of a chocolate lover, then I think this recipe is for you.

Have you experienced a time where you needed to advocate for your child? I think a lot of us have been raised to respect authority and not really questions decisions that affect our kids. However, I recently had an experience at my daughter’s gymnastics that got me thinking about how parents can advocate for their child. If you’ve ever wondered about how to advocate for your child, keep reading about my recent experience.

This past weekend, I was pleasantly surprised to find a very festive street decorated for Diá de los Muertos. It was the perfect backdrop to share my new favorite cotton biker jacket. Biker jackets are one of my favorite things to wear in the fall and winter. I recently got this knit moto jacket and I am seriously so excited about it. I love how flexible and comfortable it is.

Do you like pesto? If so, I have a really easy homemade basil walnut pesto recipe that I love to serve with store-bought gnocchi. This is such an easy meal to make any night of the week and I just love pesto gnocchi. I have made homemade gnocchi in the past, but it is very time-consuming. However, making fresh basil pesto is actually really easy to do. It’s the perfect way to make an easy meal that still tastes super fresh.

Do you change up your nail design and colors depending on the season? I definitely do. Although, I always wear classic red and beige colors year-round. During the fall, I like to explore different fall colors. I love doing less obvious designs, but still like to try different fall nails.

In Los Angeles, I don’t often need heavy coats. Even in the dead of winter, it doesn’t get all that cold here. However, I do like to have a few winter coats on hand for the rare trip to wintery climates. I recently found this yellow drop shoulder overcoat and I love it! If you’re interested in considering long overcoats this winter, read on to see why you might just want one.