Friday Favorites: Two Week Wrap-Up

This is a two week wrap up featuring my favorite moments from Dec 3-17th.  This month has been flying right by and we are having so much fun keeping busy!  Our weather has been all over the place so we sneak out for hikes whenever it's above freezing and not actually raining.  



We met our friends at Westville Dam and checked out a new hiking trail. It was quite chilly but we had a great time anyway even with mittens, hats, and winter coats.





We ended our night at my husband's company Christmas party at the Black Dog.  It was a lot of fun! I shared all about my holiday outfit yesterday with the Ageless Style group.  




 These past to weeks we've baked up some eggnog snickerdoodle cookies, Zesty Ranch Chex mix,  and banana bread (this recipe without the chocolate chips). 






We got the windshield in for our RZR and my husband and I went for a drive to try it out once he had installed it.  It is so much warmer now; thankfully.  But we really NEED to get the windshield washer kit we ordered to go with the windshield to come in so we can see after going through a muddy puddle. 





We went to dinner at our friends' house; it was the first time we had EVERYONE from both our families together and we all had a lot of fun together. Not to mention some really delicious brownie sundaes.


We woke to snow covering the ground on Thursday morning (December 9th).  Our first of this winter and it was so pretty.  






Thursday we had the BEST time at a holiday party thrown by one of our hiking friends.  The kids decorated cookies, made mini gingerbread houses, ate pizza and had a Nerf gun war in the snow.  She had the cutest little take home bags to go with it and even sent home a plain house and set of cookies for Alec to decorate. 




A gingerbread village that they make every year! 












We went hiking on Friday at Fenton Ridge and had a lovely snowy walk with our friends.  







We enjoyed some really beautiful sunrises this week!  They are pretty hard to photograph since I tend to be in the car while they're happening but I did manage two quick photos; one I stopped in the cemetery for and another I took over my shoulder while stopped at the school for Alec to get out of the car. 






We had such fabulous weather for hiking this week that Evan and I went on an hour and half hike through Pulaski on Monday. We hiked one of the upper trails away from the water/lake in the hopes it would be a bit warmer.




An hour long hike at Purgatory Chasm on Tuesday.








and another hike at the Thompson Dam on Wednesday with my mother-in-law in tow.



We ended our week with an hour and half hike through Bigelow Hollow.  Unfortunately, we got a bit lost as the trail markers faded away but we did pick a new route to try and follow next time.  







Linking up with: 







Comments

  1. HollyDecember 17, 2021 at 7:17 AM

    Oh my gosh that Gingerbread Party looks like so much fun AND I love the way the houses came out. That village is pretty amazing too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Andrea NineDecember 17, 2021 at 7:26 AM

    You have me extra excited because next Wednesday when everyone is here we are having a gingerbread house making contest! I wish I had smaller houses like you did. I bought big already assembled houses at target but everyone’s going to do them as a couple. I love seeing all your favorites this week and I wish you a very happy and festive weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 17, 2021 at 4:05 PM

      I think a larger house will work better for couples anyway! Have fun.

      Delete
  3. Whats Cookin Italian Style CuisineDecember 17, 2021 at 7:48 AM

    Oh how fun that is just perfect for holiday!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tamar SBDecember 17, 2021 at 8:35 AM

    That party sounds so festive and tasty!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lindsay's Sweet WorldDecember 17, 2021 at 8:53 AM

    I love how much fun y'all have squeezed into the season! So many festive things! That gingerbread village is AMAZING! They are so talented!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 17, 2021 at 4:06 PM

      They really are! I guess they used to have a larger area to decorate and would make candy/cookies trees and stuff too.

      Delete
  6. Dara @ Not In JerseyDecember 17, 2021 at 9:04 AM

    The decorating party looks so fun! And I love all the nature pictures as always!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 17, 2021 at 4:07 PM

      The boys had a lot of fun; I thought it was cute that they willingly participated in everything at the party but had refused to do the same activities at home with me.

      Delete
  7. Beautifully CandidDecember 17, 2021 at 9:15 AM

    I'm glad you were still able to get out for some hikes. A nerf gun war in the snow sounds like a lot of fun! The gingerbread houses came out so good! We're planning on doing ours tomorrow. So many fun and festive things you've been up to!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 17, 2021 at 4:07 PM

      Thanks! It has been unusually warm this week and I am loving it!

      Delete
  8. Memphis BridgesDecember 17, 2021 at 9:37 AM

    So many fun things! I'm impressed with the gingerbread houses. We tried that when my girls were young a few years but they never turned out so well. One year, I will try again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 17, 2021 at 4:08 PM

      Ours usually came out pretty well; though they tend to eat a lot of candy along the way.

      Delete
  9. Julie's Creative LifestyleDecember 17, 2021 at 9:58 AM

    I love that you've done some holiday baking. The gingerbread house decorating looks like so much fun. I went to one of those types of parties a few years ago and it was so much fun. I loved looking at the photos of the pretty lake. Have a nice weekend Joanne.

    ReplyDelete
  10. R's RueDecember 17, 2021 at 12:10 PM

    I’m loving all the fun you’re having.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sparkles and LattesDecember 17, 2021 at 12:11 PM

    I love your holiday outfit. So cozy but so very cute. We got some snow this week too. We still need to bake and decorate cookies. Though we did do our gingerbread houses. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kim CarberryDecember 17, 2021 at 3:06 PM

    What a great couple of weeks. It seems like winter has really arrived with you. x

    ReplyDelete
  13. MarshaDecember 17, 2021 at 4:38 PM

    Wow! Your hikes are amazing! What glorious views! And, the gingerbread village looks like everyone had lots of fun!

    http://marshainthemiddle.com/

    ReplyDelete
  14. Jodie's Touch of StyleDecember 17, 2021 at 6:08 PM

    I love that you go out and explore even when it's cold outside. And those gingerbread houses....so much fun!!
    OOXX
    Jodie
    www.jtouchofstyle.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 17, 2021 at 7:37 PM

      Thanks! We do have our limits but winter is much too long to stay inside when it's cold out.

      Delete
  15. JoesetteDecember 18, 2021 at 5:05 AM

    The party looks like so much fun! I love the light snow, just enough to be pretty but not too much disruption!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne December 18, 2021 at 4:13 PM

      Yes, I thought that was the perfect amount of snow.

      Delete
  16. Nancy 's Fashion StyleDecember 18, 2021 at 6:56 AM

    Oh those gingerbreas houses look so delicious. And what a fun time creating them. I always enjoy your walking photos, so gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Amy JohnsonDecember 18, 2021 at 11:25 AM

    You always stay so busy and always have so much good food to eat!

    ReplyDelete

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