Happy to be Alive, Because: Hot Cocoa Bars & Elf.

1. Christmas memories. We went to see the tree lighting last week, but ended up getting caught standing in the rain.While that normally would have been frustrating, it's hard to get mad about something when there's a gorgeous Christmas-tree all lit up like magic in front of you.

2. Hot Cocoa Bars. 

My mom and I set up a hot coco bar for a Christmas party on Tuesday, and it was adorable. And delicious.

3. Elf.

This is how we ended our weekend--with the greatest movie ever. Have you watched it this season yet?!

4. These pens. You need them. You'll love them. Buy them immediately. I got a brand new pack on Tuesday, and I can't stop journaling and making to-do lists, simply because these pens are so fantastic.

5. Christmas in love. I wrote about it yesterday, but MAN...I love spending Christmas with my partner in life. Sneaking around to hide presents from each other, having someone to share the late night drive home from Christmas parties with, and a billion other things that make my heart feel like it's just going to explode with love. Spending Christmas with my best friend is just my favorite thing in the world.

What made you happy to be alive this week?

Happy to be Alive, Because: Good Books & Christmas Trees.

1. CHRISTMAS! We're in full-blown Christmas mode over here, people! The tree is up, some presents are wrapped, Harry Connick Jr. is singing Christmas songs to me, and my penguin mug is full of peppermint mocha coffee. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

via

2. The Downtown Orlando tree lighting ceremony is tonight! Along with food trucks and Christmas music. Excuse me while I find my new happy place.

3. This book. I read Even in Paradise last week (because my library delivered it to my apartment, hollllaaa), and it was SO GOOD. It had a very Great Gatsby-esque feel about it, which we all know I love.

4. The song of the year mashup. I love these! I love hearing what was popular that year, and seeing the music videos all mashed together is SO cool.

5. Christmas shopping. Buying presents is one of my favorite things ever. I love it all--making lists and searching for deals and wrapping them up and trying to keep them a secret until Christmas--I just love it!

What made you happy to be alive this week?

Happy to be Alive, Because: Tiny Pumpkins + High Word Counts.

1. Gatsby has his own tiny pumpkin. He thinks it's the greatest thing that has ever happened to him and is carrying it around with him. I melt.

2. Toy Story 4 is happening. Buzz + Woody forever.

3. I've started planning my Christmas list and there are few things that make me happier than getting to buy other people presents. It's so exciting!

4. We carved pumpkins this week! Fall activities are approximately one billion times better when you're in love with the person you're doing them with.

However, my pumpkin was so incredibly terrible that the internet shall never ever see it.

5. I'm pretty on track with NaNoWriMo so far! I've got a little over 8,000 words done right now. If you're participating, tell me your word count! I want to know how everyone's doing!

Why are you happy to be alive this week?

Why I'm Happy to be Alive This Week.

1. This new blog design. Can we just talk about this for a second? I'm in love. It's perfect. I'm never going to stop looking at it. Sarah is an absolute genius.

2. Photo adventures with Megan.  She was supposed to do a winter-themed photo shoot for a magazine, so we drove around the sunshine state and made it look like it was winter.  So, so fun. So, so hot. I'm so thankful for adventurous friends!

3. Helene opened an Etsy shop...and it has Friday Night Lights Shirts in it. Okay, so it has Texas shirts in it. But I, along with everyone else who has watched fallen in love with FNL knows that Texas is not just a state, it's the home of Jason Street and Matt Saracen and Tami Taylor.

Now you can wear "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose" or "Texas Forever" all day long. Riggins would be proud.

4. Pumpkin carving is happening this weekend. I'm so excited!

5. It's Friday. I'm just going to leave you with this.

H A P P Y F R I D A Y : vacation + new blogs.

1. After today, Chris is off for an entire week! When he normally only takes an hour or two off every day, a whole week feels like an eternity.  I am so excited!

2. I found the picture I was talking about in this post. 

so tiny and snuggly!

3. The new Pretty Lovely Littles goodies will be out in ten days! I've been finishing everything up this week, and let me tell you...I have never been so excited about new products before. These are, hands down, my favorite that have ever been in the shop.  Pssst: keep an eye out, because there may be a few pre-order items listed this weekend!

4.  Megan has started a NEW BLOG in addition to her photography blog.  She is a beautiful writer and I highly recommend following along. If not for her writing, then for the hilarious pictures she posts of her 101 pound dog who thinks he's the size of Gatsby.

5. It's Friday.  I'm drinking a cup of coffee.  The laundry is going and there are candles burning.  Sometimes it's the littlest things that make you happy to be alive.

What made you happy to be alive this week?

Happy to be Alive, Because: The Office & Coconut Coffee.

1.  Holidays that fall on Friday mean days spent on the water.  

If holidays could fall on Fridays all the time, that would be fantastic.

2.  We've started watching The Office again.  This is my first time watching the show all the way through a second time, and I had really forgotten how perfect it was.  And how the whole show is made up of really good one-liners.

3.  My grandparents were talking about what kind of coffee I liked, and my grandpa said, "I bet she likes coconut coffee, because that's the kind of coffee that's in her book."  To know my grandpa actually read my book just warms my heart; the fact that he remembered the coconut coffee detail just melted me.

4.  I mailed out more headbands this week than I've ever mailed in a single week before.  That makes me really happy because it means I have an excuse to keep making more.  {psst...this code is still good.}

5.  For the first time in forever, I have zero plans this weekend.  And I could not be more excited about it.

What made you happy to be alive this week?

Happy to be Alive, Because: Pretty Dresses & Coachella.

Happy to be Alive, Because Fridays are based off of my new novel, Happy to be Alive, Because.   Feel free to join in with #happytobealive2014.

1. I get to get all dressed up and go out with my husband tonight!  He has a fancy pants medical dinner, which means I have a pretty dress and expensive wine that I will pretend to be sophisticated enough to like.  Everyone is happy!

2.  I got this text from two of my friends:

With the caption, "We are happy to be alive, because we have a friend who is a fantastic writer."

My heart. 

3.  This post from my girl Jordyn about the difference between 18 & 22.  "At 18, you think you're a grown up, and wish more people would treat you like you are.  At 22, you know you're supposed to be a grown up, but wish more people would stop treating you like you already are." Amen.

4. "Coachella" by Brooke Fraser.  "I am bright as the sun, you are high as a kite, we are daughters, sons, brothers, and sisters tonight..."  It makes me want to dance around wearing a flower crown.  Aka, every day of my life.

5.  It's Friday.  And sometimes that's just enough.

What makes you happy to be alive this week?

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