Christmas in a nutshell...

Christmas has come and gone- I can hardly believe it! This Christmas we decided to stay in Utah, as we have traveled for 6 of the past 7 Christmases together. We were excited to start some traditions of our own and to enjoy a low-key holiday together. 

Of course, things rarely go exactly according to plan. Due to a death in Ben's extended family, we had some visitors arrive at our home on Christmas Eve- Ben's dad, Grandma Janet, and Grandpa Paul. 

The mood in our home has had a somber note, but we have done our best to continue on with our old and new traditions. After all, Christmas isn't about everything going exactly according to plan, it is about celebrating the birth of Christ and spending time with those we love. 

For Christmas Eve dinner we decided on Mexican food, so I made my favorite chicken enchiladas, with apple pie for dessert. We put Dylan in his new Christmas pj's and put him to bed after he was exhausted from play with his grandpa (he pronounces it "Crapaw"). 

Here is a peek of our living room after Dylan went to bed and the gifts came out. I decided to put all of Dylan's gifts inside of his new tepee. The work bench is a gift from my parents. 

When Dylan woke up at 7:30 I had already been awake for almost an hour. I was just so excited for Christmas morning! Apparently Christmas turns me into a 7 year old :)

When we went to the living room Dylan made a beeline to his work bench and started playing immediately. He didn't even notice the tepee or presents!

Soon enough Dylan noticed all the fun on the other side of the room. He took a seat in his tepee and was so excited to start unwrapping presents! It really was precious.

The first present that Dylan opened was a Superhero costume that I had bought for him off of groopdeals way back in August. He started running around the house saying "Supa-hewo!" This picture captures Dylan mid-pose as a Superhero.

Dylan really seemed to love and appreciate each and every one of his gifts, which was very sweet. Here he is admiring the cool placemat that Aunt Sarah had personalized for him. He is really getting into learning colors, so he was pointing to each little skull and saying which color it was.

Dylan with some of his gifts and me with my fabulous new shoes!  Thanks mom!

Christmas night was quite interesting, because my stove and oven completely died in the middle of making Christmas dinner. Luckily, the turkey and ham were both cooked, but making mashed potatoes in the microwave didn't quite work out. After dinner we made a gingerbread tree, which Dylan loved. He was concentrating so hard, which was adorable.

After dinner, Superhero Dylan came back and entertained us all with his antics.

All in all: One memorable Christmas.

This winner is a Christmas miracle!

I think that we can all agree, my dear friend Melissa deserves this one, and the random.org vibes were in her favor last night when I did the drawing. Take note that she really only had two entries (this comment, and another entry for blogging about the contest), not 4 (or 15 as she suggested to me on facebook).  I'm so happy that she is the winner, although even if she didn't win I was planning on begging my dad for another shower head, just so she could escape the sad and scary shower head she is currently using. 

Congratulations, Melissa!

Merry Christmas!

Santa!!! I know him!!!

Tuesday night Ben, Dylan, and I went to the Riverwoods in search of Santa. Last year we went to University Mall for a Santa visit, and lemme tell you- it was kind of a letdown. Standing in line for 45 minutes, paying $20 for a picture (no personal cameras allowed- only the Santa professional one), and a Santa that seemed so over it. 

When we arrived at the Riverwoods we were in awe over the beautiful light displays. Even Ben was impressed, which was saying something. Our first stop was Provo Beach Resort, because Dylan saw the carousel on the way in and kept talking about the horsies. 

{Happy little boy}

We then went over to Santa's cottage in the middle of the mall. There was only a short line and I was thrilled to see that we could take picture with our own cameras, free of charge. Yay!

Dylan was so excited to visit with Santa as soon as he spotted him. He kept pointing and saying hi to Santa as we were waiting in line. 

 Dylan started talking to Santa as soon as it was our turn. This was a fabulous Santa- he had heard me talking to Dylan before we were up, and he remembered Dylan's name. I know that it didn't register to Dylan, but I loved that Santa started talking to Dylan and using his name without me having to tell him. Again, this Santa was excellent!

I know that Dylan looks a little unsure in this picture, but he really was excited to see Santa. I knew that it would go one of two ways with Santa this year- either love or hate. This year was definitely love!

Also, don't forget about entering the Giveaway #4. Click here to enter!

Supermonth Giveaway #4

It's here, friends. The fourth and final giveaway of Supermonth. I've been excited about this giveaway from the very beginning, because I feel like it's such a fabulous luxury that so many people forget about. What luxury do I speak of?

This one:

The Waterpik RainFall+ Rain Shower Head. 

{Also known as heaven} 

8 spray settings. Chrome finish. 8.5 inch diameter head. Retails for $99.

I happen to have a certain loved one (dad) who has generously supplied my home with the best shower heads on the market. Seriously, once you switch to a swanky shower head you will never be able to go back. Fancy shower heads aren't something that people usually go shopping for- you take whatever comes with your house or apartment, and unless it's absolutely awful, you stick with it. In case you didn't know, there are other options! Wonderful shower heads are available! Your showering experience will be utterly transformed with this shower head, I promise. It's just that good. 

So here it is:

One lucky winner will receive their very own Waterpik Rainfall+ Rain Shower Head

To enter, the same rules apply:

Leave a comment for one entry.

Blog about this giveaway for a second entry. 

Giveaway is from now until 9 pm on Sunday.

Winner will be announced on Monday morning!

*Special thanks to my dad for being amazing and donating the lovely shower head. You're the best! No wait, you're the beast!*

Winner, winner!

Comment #11 is the winner of the lovely butter LONDON nail polish! Yay, Emily!

I had the random.org box saved, but it has mysteriously disappeared from my computer. Gah. Just know that this giveaway was a legit, random win. 

Alight, I'm just going to say this :

GET EXCITED FOR THE FOURTH AND FINAL SUPERMONTH GIVEAWAY. 

I'll be giving away one of my very favorite things. It appeals to men and women, young and old. I use this product every single day and each time I think to myself, "Gee, I sure do love this ______." Get excited, people!

A day of yum.

Today marks the first annual Harris Family Christmas Treat Extravaganza. Since being married, I haven't done a holiday treat-making day, and I was excited to make goodies and deliver them to some of our neighbor friends. I remember being a little kid and making cookies with my sister and mom around Christmas time, and it's a memory that I hold dear. I want to give Dylan the opportunity to have similar traditions and memories, and I am so excited that he's finally at the age where he's starting to "get" Christmas, Santa, etc. 

Anyway, here's a peek at our delicious treat plates:

Serious deliciousness, I'm telling you.

Here's what I made:

- Peppermint Topped Fudge

- Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark

- Giant Ginger Cookies

Ben made me promise that I would save some of these treats for us, because he gets really sad when I made treats and then give all of them away. I saved a little bit of everything, and we have been sufficiently sugar-buzzed for the whole day. It's been divine.

Also, don't forget to enter Giveaway #3 for the chance to win two fabulous butter LONDON nail polishes. Click here and leave a comment to enter. Contest ends Sunday night!

Supermonth Giveaway #3

This week's giveaway is something that I've loved since childhood: Nail polish! And not just any nail polish, some swanky swank butter LONDON nail polish. I first learned about butter LONDON polish through beauty and fashion blogs, and then I noticed the line at Nords. The day that I finally picked up some polish for myself was a very happy day. 

Not only does butter LONDON have gorgeous nail colors, but they also have a 3 Free formula, meaning that that all their polishes are free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, and DBP. Fabulous and non-toxic? I'll take it. 

So what exactly is up for grabs? These two colors:

{All Hail the Queen & Chancer}

Here's what butter has to say about All Hail the Queen:

Rock it like royalty in this opaque, holographic beige.

Here's what butter has to say about Chancer:

Wear this deep, "crushed glitter" red when you are feeling particularly out of his league. He doesn't deserve you anyway. 

Rules are the same as the previous two giveaways:

-Leave a comment to enter

-Blog about the giveaway and leave another comment for a second entry. 

I'll pick the winner via random.org on Sunday night, and will announce the winner on Monday morning.

Good luck!

That day when I turned 27.

For the first time since my 18th birthday I spent my birthday at home in Indiana with my parents, sister, and her family. My birthday is December 8, which is also the birthday of Nicki Minaj and Terri Hatcher. I was happy to be with the family when I turned my official "scary age" of 27. For years I have felt that 27 meant that I was no longer young and was a full-fledged adult. When I said to my mom, "Oh dear, 27. Next stop: 40" she said, "Yep, pretty much." Gaaaaaaaah, time is going too fast! Dylan (and Snooki, if you take notice of my hair) helped me blow out the big 2-7 candles. Here's to a great year!

And the winner is...

The winner of Supermonth Giveaway #2 is....

Yayyyy Lindsay! I love that my BYU roommate is the winner! Thanks everyone for entering and start getting excited for giveaway #3, which will be announced on Monday!

Note: There were 26 comments, but one duplicate comment. That means I chose from 25 comments and I adjusted everyone's comment numbers accordingly. 

How the Glitz Stole Christmas Blogger Gift Swap!

Last month two of my favorite bloggers joined together to organize the "How the Glitz Stole Christmas" blogger gift swap. Naturally, I jumped on board, as I love gift swaps and I love blog participation. I was matched up with Paige from The Style Paige. Here she is:

She is a young mama from the South and has amazing style. Her daughter is absolutely darling as well!  I love that through this gift swap I was able to get to know someone from across the country and who I never would have met otherwise. It's so fun that the blogging world can mean new friends!

Anyway, I received her package last week and I am thrilled with what she sent!

First off, isn't this packaging fun? Makes me feel like an underachiever in the wrapping department :)

Here are the goods:

The cuuutest coasters known to man! Seriously, all the animal print = love. Definitely going in the living room! 

A Voluspa candle. I have heard of these so many times, and I've always wanted one! It smells absolutely amazing as well. 

 Paige got her package out a few days later than the designated "send by" date (by no fault of her own, I promise!), and so she sent me a little something extra as well. This was definitely not necessary, but of course much appreciated! I love Sally Hansen's salon effects and I can't wait to use them! 

A big thank you to my sweet gift swap partner Paige! I love all my gifts! Also, thanks to Raven and Lindsey for putting this together!

Supermonth Giveaway #2

It's time for the second giveaway of the month! This giveaway is actually one of my newest beauty finds, and I'm so convinced of it's fabulousness that I'm absolutely delighted to give one away. 

What is it?

A Shiseido Eyelash Curler!

I have always been a huge fan of the eyelash curler. I have always been amazed at how much more awake I look when my eyelashes are curled versus not curled. For years I have used the Shu Uemura eyelash curler, and it did a great job. Recently, I realized that it was time to get a new curler. Nordstrom did not carry Shu Uemura, so I took the recommendation of my pal Allison, as well as a Nordstrom employee and decided to give  Shiseido a whirl. And guess what? I love it! It magically curls each one of my lashes- even the little, tiny short ones. It gets unbelievably close to my lash roots, but never pulls or pinches. Since buying this lash curler I have used it every day, and I have no plans on changing brands. Hooray for pretty eyelashes!

To enter, please leave a comment. You can get a second entry by blogging about this giveaway. Just like last time, this giveaway runs until Sunday night. I'll announce the winner (chosen by random.org) on Monday morning. 

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!

(Can you tell that I'm reading The Hunger Games again?)

Staying sane on a Sunday.

What should you do on a Sunday evening when your two year old is getting antsy and it's too cold and dark to go outside? Consult Pinterest for fun toddler activities, of course. I found a great pin called "25 Things to do with a Wiggly Toddler Boy (Other than get frustrated)"  and found something that I knew Dylan would love- Fill up the sink with soapy water, give him measuring cups, and let him go at it. This activity was an absolute smash for Dylan- he was happy as a clam for an hour! Here is some documentation:

This is going to be a favorite go-to activity when we're cooped up in the house for awhile. It's free, the only mess is wiping up a little water, and it brings my kid absolute joy. I'll take it!

ps- pay no mind to my mix of Thanksgiving and Christmas decor. As soon as I get a new printer cartridge I'm swapping out my Thanksgiving art for Christmas art :)

And the winner is...

Yayyyyyy Kathleen! Please email me at chrissi.harris@gmail.com and I get can your info to send out your new, fabulous DK deodorant!

Supermonth Giveaway #1

Today marks the first giveaway for Supermonth! Hooray!

What am I giving away, you ask?

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant

Not gonna lie, this is the most amazing deodorant there is. 

I've heard good things about it for awhile, and after trying it I can tell you this: It's worth the hype and the price. Seriously, it blows Degree, Dove, and whatever else is on the market out of the water. Also, it smells absolutely amazing- in fact, I'm pretty sure that this is what heaven smells like.

Here's what Nordstrom has to say about DK's deodorant:

The ultimate cult product. Try it to believe it. Totally gentle and effective. Delicately scented with Cashmere Mist, this advanced formula also controls wetness and perspiration, keeping you feeling dry and smelling fresh all day. So gentle it can be used immediately after shaving without irritation. Perfect for even sensitive skin.

Notes: bergamot, jasmine, lily of the valley, suede, cashmere accord, sandalwood, amber, musk, vanilla.

So here are the details:

Winner gets one stick of Donna Karan fabulousness

You have two chances to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post

2. Blog about this giveaway and leave a separate comment

That's it! Good luck, friends!

And to the lurkers/creepers/blogstalkers/people that I actually know, but they've never said that they read my blog:

Seriously, it's not weird if you enter this giveaway. Won't think you're a weirdo, I promise. Do your underarms a favor and feel free to enter!

The Oprah of my blog.

I have a spectacular announcement for you all!

No, I'm not pregnant. I promise.

Announcement on the blog does not mean pregnancy. 

Although in this case, it does mean something amazing. 

Long ago, I came to the conclusion that I am, in fact, the Oprah of my blog. I decide what I want to post about, discuss, etc. I also share some of my favorites. Ok, a lot of my favorites. I feel the need to tell you why my favorite things are so wonderful, in hopes that by sharing my love of said product/service/etc you may learn something, decide to try something new, or just think, "Psh, that girl is craaaazy."

Since December is quickly approaching and it is a supermonth for me (birthday+Christmas+anniversary+New Year's) I decided to do something similar to Miss Winfrey and do my own type of Favorite Things series. 


 For the next four weeks I will feature a product that I know and love, and will be giving away one of each product as part of the December Supermonth Giveaway Spectacular. 


You read correctly! Over the next 4 weeks I will be doing 4 giveaways! All of the giveaways are wonderful products that I love and want to share with you!


Here are the details:
On Thursday December 1, I will announce giveaway #1. You will be able to enter once by leaving a comment on the post, and will be able to enter a second time by blogging about the giveaway. On Monday December 5 I will choose a winner via random.org, and will make the announcement. 


This fabulousness will happen four times during the month of December in honor of Supermonth. 


Get excited, friends! This is a giveaway that you really have a great chance of winning, as I'm pretty positive that I'm not Young House Love, who gets about 5,000 entries for each giveaway :) Aaaaand please don't think that I'm giving away $500 gift cards. Nope, just lovely little treasures. 

A weekend of thanks.

Psssssshhh.

Did Thanksgiving already happen?

Is the weekend over?

Has the countdown to Christmas already begun?

Yes.

Not sure how I feel about the year quickly coming to a close, but I am ok talking about Thanksgiving. 

Ben, Dylan, and I spent the weekend up in Laramie,Wyoming at my mother-in-law's home. The weekend was busy, loud, and fabulous, as 17 of us (11 adults + 6 kiddos) were all together for the first time since last Thanksgiving. 

This weekend was one where I was reminded of what a wonderful, beautiful life I have. Healthy bodies. Strong minds. Wonderful family and friends. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. A warm, lovely home. Stable jobs. Our life is one that is very, very blessed.

Here are a few snaps of the weekend. I'm still getting used to my new camera and am trying to figure out why so many of my pictures are so blurry. Any photo geniuses know why my camera is so quick to blur? Anyway, here are a few of the non-blurry pictures. 

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Highs and lows.

At my work's staff meetings we usually share our weekend highs and lows, and that is exactly what I'm going to do for this post.

Highs:
-Benjamin gave me my birthday present a few weeks early! Hooray! After listening to me complain about my low-quality camera for the past two years, he surprised me with a lovely upgrade. This Nikon Coolpix P500 is my new little friend. 

- I saw Breaking Dawn on Friday night with my pal/geek-out partner in crime, Stacey. All things considered, I loved it. At times it teetered between awesome and awesomely bad (hello, wolf conversation), with a little ridiculousness mixed in, but it definitely met my expectations. I'm trying to get Benjamin to see it with me, which will be a project in and of itself. 

-Dylan continues to become more cute and fun with each day. Here's some proof:

- I found this gorgeous wrapping paper at TJ Maxx:

Hot pink alligator print? Yes, please. 

-I discovered this deliciousness:

Aaaand here's the weekend's low:

-THE NORDSTROM AT UNIVERSITY MALL IS CLOSING. Right after I found out I called the husband. I said to him, "Honey, something terrible happened." He immediately thought that someone had died. When I told him that it was Nordstrom he laughed at me for a long time. He obviously doesn't share my Nordstrom love. The only thing that could make it a little better would be if H&M came and took Nordstrom's empty spot. 

November Birchbox.

Yesterday I received my November Birchbox in the mail. Hooray! I've been looking forward to its arrival for weeks now, so it felt a little like Christmas when I returned home yesterday evening and saw the pink package in my mailbox. 

Here's what I got in my box:

- Lavanila body butter

- Mama Mio Skincare Boob Tube Bust & Neck Firmer

- Tay day moisturizer

- Zoya nail polish

- Chuao Chocolatier chocolate

-Lavanila baby lotion sample

I've tried everything out already, and once again I love it all. The body butter smells like heaven and made my hands feel so smooth. The chocolate was kind of strange- dark chocolate with popping candy and chipotle pepper mixed in. After a few bites I really started to love it... and then it was gone. Boo. 

My only semi-critique about the box was that it was a little moisturizer-heavy. I love me some body butter, face cream, bust and neck firmer, AND baby lotion, but I want a little more diversity, like last month's box. What did I do to remedy this problem? I edited my beauty profile to reflect the desire for a broad spectrum of products. I'm excited to see what next month's box has! 

Can't wait for this one.

Happy weekend.

This weekend held a number things that made me quite happy. For one, I got our photo cd back from Laura Bunker, photographer extraordinaire. Let me tell you, this shoot was quite difficult. Our photographer was great, I was in a great mood (especially since my fab hair stylist made a 6:30 am house call to style my hair that morning), and Ben was tolerating getting his picture taken. The only pain in the rear? Sweet Dylan Danger, of course. Little boy was not having it. I know, I know- he's a toddler, so photoshoot tantrums should be pretty much expected. And yes, there were tantrums. Oy. Here are a few snaps from our shoot:

In preparation for Christmas 2011, I have picked up new tree ornaments for our family. Here are some of the new pretties that will be joining our tree this year:

 For me {Pier 1}

 For Dylan {Disney Store}

For Benjamin {Hobby Lobby}

I also found this adorable wall art at Pier 1. The colors are perfect for my living room and kitchen, and I love the fun that this owl brings to my living room. Ben has yet to have noticed it hanging on our wall. I didn't tell him about it- I'm just waiting to see how long it takes for him to notice something new on the wall :)

Last, but not least, I must mention my new favorite: The green smoothie. Mind you, this smoothie is brown because of the raspberries I mixed in. For the past two mornings, I have had a green (or brown) smoothie for breakfast, and it has been amazing. A huge handful of spinach + one cup of frozen fruit + one banana + some ice and a little water = breakfast of champions. Let's hope that I can stay on this smoothie kick, because it's a super easy way to get my fruits and vegetables in, and it beats the heck out of cereal.