This and yap 🤍 Don’t forget to create holiday magic for yourself too! I can’t tell you how nice it was to do some gingerbread decorating without having to follow a three year old’s vision (or fight the sugar battle)! It’s fun to do it with kids, too, but sometimes you just need coffee, baked goods, and little bit of kid-free catch up time with your mom friends! Thank you for hosting @blueskyehouse!!
I wrote down a list of things I wanted to do for fun in 2024. I crossed off exactly zero of them (having a baby will do that to ya) and my only hope of accomplishing one would be to host a cookie exchange! I wanted to SO bad but I was also feeling exhausted after a long year (losing a dog, having a baby, running a business, etc.) and I didn’t know if I had hosting a party in me. I sent out the invitations and told myself I’d figure it out. There was no going back! It was SO FUN though and I will be doing this again. I feel like so much of the holidays as a mom is spent making the magic for kids. It’s Santa meet and greets, Christmas shopping, holiday pageants…. And then seeing Santa again (and again and again). THIS party was for us! 🥂
🎧 Five 5-Star Audiobooks I Listened to This Year ✨
Audiobooks have been my secret weapon for fitting reading into a busy life. Whether I’m folding laundry, driving to preschool drop-off, or squeezing in a solo walk, I can dive into a story at the touch of a button—and @Audible makes it so easy. Eligible new subscribers can sign up for a one month free trial of #Audible Premium Plus anytime! #AudiblePartner #amazoninfluencer @amazoninfluencerprogram
This year, I listened to some incredible audiobooks, but these five stood out as absolute favorites:
📚 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith: A beautifully written coming-of-age classic. I didn’t want it to end and could absolutely see myself re-listening in a few years.
📚 None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell: A psychological thriller with unreliable narrators that kept me guessing the whole way through.
📚 Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter: Part mystery, part family drama—flawed characters, a gripping storyline, and a chef’s kiss ending.
📚 All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker: A masterpiece of storytelling that starts as a serial killer mystery and evolves into something much bigger.
📚 Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors: A stunning exploration of sisterhood, grief, and imperfect people. The ending left me in tears (happy ones!).
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Holding on for dear life this December ❤️ I have had SO MANY conversations this week with my friends near and far and we are *all* struggling. I have to say, just knowing it’s not just me feeling the pressure of “end of year-holiday magic- cold/flu/stomach bug season-darkest days of the year,” has made it a little easier to handle. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, too 😮💨 (Telling myself this because I could use the reminder too!)
I've been eyeing that Old Navy bag for awhile and contemplating if I should get it or not… This post may have just confirmed my decision. (;
Blogger Stephanie has this bag and always posts photos with it. Like here! http://www.stephaniesterjovski.com/2013/10/toting-around.html
xo.
Jenny @ Coffee & Honeycomb
Love the old navy version! There are so many great affordable brown totes out there, they are so classic.
-Alex
http://www.monstermisa.blogspot.com/
It's so perfect for school, too!
Love that bag! It does look great for the price! 🙂
daughterofasonofasailor.blogspot.com
Perfect!
Ooh now I'm in love with the Splurge one.
Mana
Fashion and Happy Things
I think the bag is really cute, but I have seen it in person and I think that the synthetic material just doesn't look enough like leather for me to make the purchase. There's something about the way that leather wears beautifully as it ages that would encourage me to save up for the Coach bag instead — an investment that would last me years, for sure!
– AK
I love both of those bags, the Old Navy one is definitely a great save!
Lauren,
http://www.atouchofsoutherngrace.com/
I'm always wary of faux-leather totes. As someone who uses and abuses the heck out of tote bags, I've found that the fake leather isn't usually strong enough to hold up against wear and tear (not to mention the stitching on the straps is usually pretty poorly done). A great option if you don't plan on using it everyday/transporting a lot of items around, but for me it just isn't functional.
Loving those bags! The Old Navy bag is so reasonable, if that gets scratched it is no big deal!
I love the Old Navy tote; definitely a great find 🙂
Hunter
http://www.preponabudget.com
I have a leather tote from Madewell that I use almost every day and it tends to get really scratched up- so I'd go with the Old Navy one! A great hassle-free staple 🙂
Savanna
http://thelittlegreencoat.blogspot.com
I actually really like the Old Navy tote. I think it's a great alternative for the leather totes that are always in style. And since it gets used and abused a lot, having an affordable option is perfect!
Cristina Marie
love the save option! xo jillian – cornflake dreams
I own the Coach Candace Caryall in black. It was a HUGE purchase for me, but I was not disappointed in the craftsmanship of this bag and another Coach tote that I also own. I think that this style that you highlighted is classic enough that it's worth the splurge. I understand some folks are against owning real leather and I do truly respect that, so I'm not trying to change any minds about that; if you are in the market for a good, sturdy leather bag, the Coach is worth the large purchase. After a few years, you'll probably be able to calculate the cost per wear as lower than the synthetic.
I think snagging the old navy tote while it's available. If you find you use it a lot, there are SO many cute camel/cognac totes out there to invest in when the time comes 🙂 including the coach one…they don't abandon classic styles, and that makes them so great. But like others have mentioned, it's hardly ever a waste to invest in a classic style and color, especially when you know you migrate towards totes more often than not.
You should check out Stitch & Hammer (http://stitchandhammer.com/) and Wood & Faulk (http://shop.woodandfaulk.com/collections/bags). I love both of these handmade companies and their bags! Their Insta's are pretty great too!
I think both bags are indeed gorgeous but in my opinion the Old Navy bag is more aesthetically pleasing seeing as it seems to be more structured and the cognac color looks a lot more crisp than Coach. Oh the irony!
Maybe it's because I work at Coach… but the Old Navy one just LOOKS like a cheap knockoff to me. Plus the Legacy collection is my favorite. Coach all the way!
Adore that! Personally as long as it's cute and sturdy for school, I'm beyond happy! I have a Shiraleah now, but I can't get enough of the cute leather bags I keep seeing all over!
I just posted about what to pack in your tote for next semester – at least my arsenal. takenbythelapels.wordpress.com