How is December already? I can’t believe the time is flying this fast. I have a lot of posts to catch up on this week, but I wanted to share my recap blog before I get too far behind. I’m in full Christmas mode this year, and I’ve been enjoying all the baking, Christmas movies, and decorating. We took photos with Santa this weekend, visited a tree farm, and decorated outside!
I will try to fly through this recap post since I only have a few more minutes left of nap time! I try to find little windows to get some blog work done, but it’s been tough!
While Kyle’s mom was visiting, we headed to the Union Exchange to grab a coffee and walk the farm. We also took our Christmas photos!
This is one of my favorite spots.
They just opened up a Naf Naf by my house, and I’m so excited! Kyle and I are obsessed and have already been there three times. I get half salad/half rice with chicken, cabbage, falafel (the best falafel I’ve ever had), and a side of amazing garlic sauce!
After trying Naf Naf, we headed to Knowledge Perk for cappuccinos!
He’s still my little Mozart and obsessed with the piano!
We did lunch at Living Kitchen with Kyle’s mom. I had been craving LK for months! We had oat milk cappuccinos, the bruschetta, a fire and brimstone burger wrapped in collard greens, and a kale salad. Everything was delicious! 
After lunch, we shopped at Anthropologie, grabbed sweets at Suarez bakery, and headed out on a walk with bugs.
Bugs and I made the yummiest frosted gingerbread cookies together! I tried to do that cute baking photo set up but all he wanted to do was eat the bowl. Most of the photos on my camera roll are him licking the bowl and grabbing the cookie dough. It was so funny!
One of our favorite things to do in the afternoon is swing. After lunch, we always hit a hyper wall, and swinging (or going on a walk) is the best solution! 
So I am in full crazy tulip lady mode this year. I planted over 400 tulips and hyacinths around my front tree last week. Well, I just ordered 1500 more bulbs on black Friday for the rest of the garden beds. I cannot wait to see what it looks like this spring! Luckily, we can plant later in South Carolina, so I took advantage of the black Friday sales. I’ll keep you posted on the tulips! They were so pretty last year! 
I love my new reindeer! I added it to my amazon shop. I needed something by the fireplace to hide the cord and even the look. And the stockings are from Anthropologie.
We had to set up our playpen because the Bug is on the crawl and repeatedly rolling to get across the room. It’s crazy! It takes up a lot of space, but it’s worth it. He can play around safely without bumping into anything and without the dogs running around him. I have the links to the playmat and the playpen in my amazon shop.
Chicken noodle soup night! Here’s the recipe! 
Finally started decorating the porch! ♥️ 
On Saturday, I had my friends over for a cookie-decorating lunch party. I am doing a separate post with all the details and photos from the day. We had so much fun, and we are making this a yearly tradition! 
We took photos with Santa on Sunday. I thought Bugs was going to cry, but he LOVED it. I will put his photo on a tree ornament for this year. He was so cute with Santa! I hear it’s when they are over a year it becomes scary for them. 
We did a brunch date in Belmont with my mom and dad after Santa photos. 
We ate at Honeycomb Cafe. I had the avocado toast with the BEST BACON EVER (i want to go there just for the bacon) and eggs on top. I shared my grits with Bugs, and he loved them. It’s fun watching him try new foods.
After our meal, we headed to The Everyday Market for cappuccinos and pastries. 
I finally get the “this is the best we could do” comments parents say when posting photos. 😆
I ended my Sunday with a bowl of soup, Swoon lemonade, and we watched White Lotus!
Thanks for stopping by to catch up! ♥️ Hoping to have my cookie party posted tomorrow!
Questions for you!
- What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
- Do you have a tradition you do every Christmas with your friends?
- Favorite Christmas movie?
So much fun! Love the Christmas cookie decorating party – may have to try that!
My favorite cookies are snowballs – nothing to them but man I love them! I use toasted pecan sometimes or walnuts (traditional) and can eat a whole back regardless.
My tradition with my friends is we get together at someone’s house and look at/rate the People’s Sexiest Man Alive issue hahahaha – silly but fun!
Christmas movie — very classic-type taste, A Christmas Story (But I’ll only watch it during the 24 hours they show it on Christmas Eve/Christmas on TBS), Christmas Vacation, and Elf.
Oh and I am 100% trying your Gingerbread cookies this year! I always want to make them but never feel like doing cutouts, so this is happening!
You have to do it! It was a blast. oh gotta agree! Snowballs are amazing.
HAHAHAHA, THAT IS HILARIOUS! How did that even start 😂
That is why I love that recipe! quick and easy without the cutouts!
Cream cheese sugar cookies are my favorite! Not only are they so tasty, but they’re fun to decorate, too. Great for any holidays/occasions depending on the cookie cutter!
I do – a friend and I always go to an occasional shop that opens once/month this time of year, and we always have fun and find some fun goodies!
I’d have to go with the Grinch. It’s such a classic and I enjoy it so much. Elf is a close second!
OHHHH i bet that is good! I make a cream cheese pie crust! lol
I love that tradition! ♥️
Grinch is my #1
I loved this recap! Little Bugs is so adorable, especially with trying to eat the mixing bowl, haha! Your decorations are beautiful and I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying the holiday season! 🙂 Excited for the Christmas cookie party post!
My favorite Christmas movie is Christmas with the Kranks. I always laugh through it!
Make Life Marvelous
Thanks, Ashley!
OMG most of the photos i have of him he’s licking the bowl. It’s so funny! I am totally making them into ornaments.
I LOVE LOVE that movie. Tim Allen is Christmas to me!
Tara! I love seeing these christmas photos, it’s totally put me in the spirit. It’s so heartwarming seeing your journey and now where you are with your son. Been reading since the first blog days and it feels like reading a message from an old friend. Thanks for this lovely update 🙂
Thank you so much, Naomi!!!
Hi Taralynn,
Your home looks so beautiful and cozy with Christmas decorations! 🙂 And I love Bug´s clothes, he always looks so cute!
I do have tradition with my best friend, we always go for a Xmas coffee and give ourself small gifts 🙂
Now I am totally ino Xmas movies and it´s hard to choose one, but I absolutely love Home Alone and Love Actually!
And btw, I am watching The White Lotus as well. Do you like the second season as much as the first one?
Kisses from Barcelona for your beutiful family 🙂
Awww thank you, Milena!!!
I love that tradition ♥️ I need to watch Love Actually. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it!
ahhh im still in the second season but I do!!! I think they are so different. I think we are going to book a trip to italy just because of season two! lol
I’m Myriam from Barcelona, Spain, and I’ve been following you for years and years! Since you had your old blog… Probably 10 years at least! Anyway, I wanted to say congrats on your lovely baby/family, and thank you for sharing moments of your beautiful life with us.
In answer to your questions…
1) I don’t have a favorite Christmas cookie… maybe just anything with ginger on it.
2) No, I’m afraid I’m very boring xD
3) Love actually <3 I watch it almost every year. I also loved Last Christmas (with Emilia Clarke aka Daenerys) and The Holiday. Have you watched them?
Awwww thank you, Myriam!!!!
OMG the Holiday is one of my favorites!!!
Bugs is so adorable and so blonde! You take the best photos. I must confess that I take coffee mug destination pictures because of you. 🙂
I’m a cookie monster and love them all, but if I had to pick just one it would be a chunky peanut butter cookie – yum.
Before the pandemic I shared a quad in the office with the best gals that I never see because we all work from home now. We recently started a weekend lunch/brunch tradition to catch up in person and it’s always a good time.
My favorite holiday movies are Love Actually, Just Friends and The Family Stone.
I love that!!! Coffee pictures are my favorite and you can never have too many!
ohhh yes a delicious cookie for sure!
That is so great you ladies get together!! The Family Stone is one of my favorites. I may have to watch that tonight!
I’d have to say my favorite cookie is gingerbread (so I can’t wait to make yours!) but the one that people always want me to make for them is pumpkin chocolate chip. It’s definitely my specialty. My favorite Christmas movie… that is just too hard to pick but I love Elf and just watched Spirited with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds which I thought was so funny and I also love watching the first Harry Potter, I love all the Christmas scenes in it, and I actually have a Harry Potter Tree. I usually exchange cookies with friends, and we have an annual ugly sweater party.
Also, i just have to say I love all the little cute eateries you have around you! The coffee shops and food always look amazing, you really make me want to move to the south.