the best gifts come from the heart.

This is officially my first post of 2014...how strange. I hope that you have been enjoying the holiday season. It's difficult to get back on track after all of the festivities, though. Well, speaking of the holidays....I thought that I would show you some of the gifts I received this year. I was certainly very spoiled by my family and my boyfriend!

Ready to take a peek? Here goes!

 From My Boyfriend: 

Perfume galore!! I have been wanting the Katy Perry perfume for ages, 

so that was super exciting. Extra points for the cute Hillfiger bottle 

and a new fragrance. Love, love, love!

 

Loads of goodies from Bath & Bodyworks...yay! 

 

Books, scarves, a Mockingjay pin, and an Avril Lavigne compact! 

 

   Cute stuffed things! I love Disney and I loved plush things...perfect!

 

And my favourite gift from my boyfriend this Christmas? Records! 

The Bruno Mars one is my favourite...because it has our song on it.

This gift was so sweet and thoughtful.

 

 

From My Family:

Lots and lots of makeup to try out - including the 

Little Mermaid palette from Sephora.

 Super cute (and fluffy!) unicorn slippers from my sister!

 Betsey Johnson necklace and earrings. LOVE THEM!

Betsey Johnson perfume and body lotion.

(I absolutely love that bottle!)

  Celine Dion perfume (oh my gosh, I have so 

many new perfumes to try out this year!)

Odds and ends - notebooks, CDs, a brush holder that looks

like a shoe....amazing.

 A gorgeous new pair of earrings.

A super glittery purse - perfect for going out.

  Michael Kors wallet to match my favourite purse! Love!

Annnd lastly, a gorgeous Christian Dior purse. I adore it. It's so

pink and pretty!  

What gifts did you receive for Christmas this year?

xo Shannon

it is never too late to start over.

There is something beautiful about celebrating the New Year. It is one of the rare times that we slow down and really stop to think about our lives. Yes, this is the perfect time to reflect on the past year - and focus on our goals moving forward.

This year, I plan on celebrating the event with a close friend...and my wonderful boyfriend, of course! So, here is my little New Year's confession: I have never actually gone out to celebrate before. Usually, I stay in and watch Ryan Seacrest on TV. This year, I wanted to change things up a bit and ring in the New Year in style. I am super excited. So, fingers crossed it'll be a night to remember!

Wherever you're going - and whoever you are celebrating with - I hope that you have a great time doing it. Put on your dancing shoes, be safe, and have fun!

Wishing you all the very best in the coming year.

What are your New Year's Eve plans? 

xo Shannon

the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

I know, I know, everyone is always super critical of New Year's Resolutions. I get it. I mean, how many resolutions have I made in my life that haven't...quite panned out? Despite this, I always look forward to making them. Why? It gives me a reason to really think back on the last year and ask myself: what did I do right? What things do I still need to work on? What do I hope to achieve in the coming year? I think it's important to take the time for that reflection.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the past year. It has been filled with an awful lot of work - and even a little bit of travel. I definitely tried to make some incredible memories with my loved ones despite my hectic schedule. Unfortunately, as I look back at this year, I realize just how much of it I spent stressed out, frazzled, and writing out to-do lists. Which brings me to my list of resolutions for this year!

- To spend more time on myself (relaxing, working out more, and being social)
- To focus more energy on building my writing career (and less on the full-time job that pays the bills)
- To have a more positive attitude in my day-to-day life (aka get more sleep and stop being so crabby!)

Maybe these resolutions will stick and maybe they won't. One thing is for certain though: I'm going to give them my all!

"Sometimes we know the best thing to do, but fail to do it. 

New year's resolutions are often like that."

So, those are my New Year's Resolutions. What are yours? 

xo Shannon

one of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on christmas day.

Well, Christmas is over. It's amazing how quickly the day always seems to pass. (I hate that part. I always wish that I could rewind and do it all over again!) This year, my Christmas was lovely. I really needed the break from work, even though I am paying for it now. Christmas was also great because I was able to spend the day with the people I love most...what could be better?

It started off very early in the morning, as it always seems to. My brother and I opened up our stockings, ate tons of chocolate and waited for my sister to arrive. Then my family and I spent the rest of the morning opening up presents and eating way too much food. Later on, my lovely boyfriend came over before dinner. We exchanged gifts, watched Christmas movies, and spent time with the family. Needless to say, it was a wonderful Christmas.

While I try to recover from the holidays (and catch up on my work. Ack!), I thought that I would share a few pictures from the last week or so. From Christmas dinners to baking, and of course, Christmas Day...it's all here. Enjoy!

What do you think of these pictures? How did you celebrate the holidays?

xo Shannon

christmas, children, is not a date. it is a state of mind.

Hi all! I know that things have been a little quiet on here for the last few days. In case you were wondering why, I'll sum it up in one word: Christmas! This has been such a hectic year - trying to balance my work and all of the wonderful traditions I have with my family. Thankfully, it all managed to work out and now I am full of Christmas spirit.

On that note, I wanted to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas. I hope that you have an incredible holiday season this year. Spend time with your loved ones, appreciate the little things, and make the most of every moment. I know that I will be trying to do the same.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

xo Shannon

top 5 favourite: christmas specials

Some people like Christmas. As for me, I love Christmas. One thing I love most of all? Christmas movies and TV specials. I could watch them all year round....that is if everyone else I know wouldn't judge me for it! There is just something about them. They remind you of what is truly important in life (family, loved ones, and being grateful) and make you feel good.

When it comes to Christmas specials, I'm not too picky. I will literally watch just about anything. With so many that I love, it was hard to narrow them down to my all-time favourites. But, for the sake of this blog post, I did my best! Here are my top 5 favourite Christmas specials:

1) Doug's Secret Christmas

Okay, you may not have seen this one...but it is my favourite Christmas special ever. This is an episode of the cartoon Doug that was released individually on VHS. (Yes, VHS...remember those?) It's all about Doug's family not really caring about the holiday season. So, he decides to celebrate all on his own. Something about this story really resonated with me. There are moments when my family isn't as enthusastic as I am about Christmastime, so I completely understand where he is coming from. I watch this at least a couple of times each Christmas and it never gets old.

2) Miracle on 34th Street

Who could ever get tired of Miracle on 34th Street? I know that some people prefer the original, but I am all about the Mara Wilson version! There is just something about it - the character growth, the emotions, and of course, the holiday spirit it inspires. I usually watch this several times throughout the holidays....but I always like it the best when my Dad sits and watches it with me.

3) Christmas With the Kranks

Watching this next Christmas movie is one of the highlights of the entire season. Why? My mom and I will make some hot chocolate, grab some gingerbread cookies, and watch the movie together. No laptops, no phones, no work. It's just about spending time together and appreciating the magic of Christmastime. Even thinking about it now, I can't wait to watch it this year.

4) A Christmas Story

I think I have seen this movie more than any other. I could recite every line! In my house, we have a leg lamp, a Christmas Story village, and ornaments galore. We just love this movie. Each year, my family and I put A Christmas Story on during breakfast and while we open presents. In fact, it plays all day on Christmas. (We were inspired by TBS's 24 hours of a Christmas Story.) To me, this movie just represents my family on Christmas Day. It will always be special to me for that reason.

5) The Santa Clause

Who doesn't love The Santa Clause? I mean, really! It is just so funny and equally heartwarming. I love all three of the movies in this series, but the first one has to be my favourite. Watching the relationship with his son evolve is truly beautiful. I just cannot get enough of this Christmas movie. (Which is probably why I've watched it three times already. Oops!)

Choosing a top 5 was ridiculously hard, so I had to do a few honourable mentions. They are: Christmas Vacation, anything and everything Rankin and Bass, Elf, I'll Be Home For Christmas, and the Fresh Prince Christmas episode.


Those are my favourites....what are yours?

xo Shannon

gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry christmas.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is less than a week away. By this point each year, I usually have the tree set up and decorated, the gifts wrapped, and just about every holiday movie and TV special watched. Not this year, though.

Things have been...hectic, to say the least. I am absolutely swamped with work right now. And I have been for the last year. Don't get me wrong - it's a good thing. In the past year, I have been able to write more than ever. Unfortunately, I am still juggling all of my freelance writing work with a full-time job. Normally, I just push through it. I keep my head down and I refuse to give up or admit defeat. Now that it is Christmastime, though, I feel like everything is weighing on me.  

I love Christmas. In my family, it is the biggest event of the year. For me, it's so much more than the presents under the tree. I love the build up to Christmas more than the actual day itself. I love curling up on the couch and watching movies together. I love listening to Christmas CDs with my Mom. I love decorating every inch of our home with festive odds and ends.

With so much on my plate right now, I feel like I haven't had time to truly enjoy the spirit of the season. The tree still isn't up and our Christmas movies are sitting unwatched. The reality is that I've been spending most of my time either at work or locked up in my room, typing away madly. It's just a little depressing, to be honest.

I am hoping that in the next couple of days, I can somehow get caught up. Because I am ready to spend time with my loved ones. I am ready for all of our beautiful holiday traditions. Basically, I am ready to celebrate! Here is hoping....

Are you ready for Christmas? How do you balance work and celebrating the holidays?

xo Shannon