The Ten List: A Collected Christmas Home

and The 30/30/30 Method for Weight Loss, The Best Movies of the 2000s, a New Book Inspired by Little Women and MORE

Today’s Ten List is a special edition open to all our subscribers. 

I spent the weekend pulling out our Christmas decorations, a collection of special pieces we've gathered as a family over the last 20+ years.

Thanksgiving morning, the boxes come down from the attic, and I unwrap each treasure. I love pulling each piece out, remembering how we got it, and nestling it into the corners of our home.

Some pieces are expensive, but most are simple but wonderfully sentimental.

There's the Irish Santa on our bookshelf, a gift from my late Aunt, stockings with the girls' names embroidered on them, Nutcrackers we buy at the Christmas store in Bucks County every year, and the Advent Calendar my crafty best friend made for the girls.

My favorite is the ornaments I bought at Target 20 years ago for our first married Christmas. I was 24 and spent $500 (a ton of money I did not have) on decorations, and I think Bri died a little inside when he saw the receipt.

We still have them; they make us laugh every year and symbolize how far we've come.

This time of year, our home becomes a collection of happy memories filled with the symbols of the life we're building.

But my socials are filled with content creators unveiling their decorated homes, featuring a new theme every season. They're buying ALL NEW items and showing off all kinds of hauls with hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of decorations.

It's wild to me. Consumerism has gone entirely off the rails.

So this is a friendly reminder that if you celebrate Christmas, real-life people like me collect items throughout their lives. 

Take it from this content creator; you don't need to spend money. You don't need something new unless, of course, you love it.  

Congress Hall, Cape May, NJ

2. The 30/30/30 Method is the easiest way I’ve found to lose and maintain my weight. “The goal is to eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning, followed by engaging in 30 minutes of steady-state cardiovascular exercise (think: low-intensity exercises like walking), ensuring that your heart rate is at or below 135 BPM." Start today, and you'll see a difference by the New Year.

3. Speaking of walking, I walk and work on my treadmill every day. It's an easy way to get in your steps and, at least for me, puts my brain in super-focus mode. We have a Peloton Tread in our gym, but if I didn't, I would pick up this simple walking pad, available on a lighting deal on Amazon. It's usually $299, currently marked down to $199.

4. After a brief stint in college as possibly the worst waitress ever, I firmly believe in tipping well, especially around the holidays. This Holiday Tipping Guide from Emily Post is super helpful. 

5. 41 Best Movies of the 2000s That Are Due for a Rewatch This is a fun and nostalgic list I found while looking for movie night options with my girls. My oldest now ranks Little Miss Sunshine as one of her all time favorites.

6. Check out The Best Christmas Towns in America You Should Visit at Least Once if you are local and looking for a Hallmark Movie-inspired day out. I HIGHLY recommend at least a day trip or even an overnight in Cape May, NJ. It’s magical year-round, but the holidays are something special.

7. I am THIS close to buying an LED Facemask. They are stupid expensive, but I’m wondering if anyone already has one? Thoughts?

8. Currently Reading: Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano. I just started this but was sold when it was described as an “exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, Little Women.”

9. Recipe:Not a recipe this week, BUT we host a big party on Christmas day/night, so our tradition is to have an easy breakfast of warm croissants, fruit, and coffee. I order these from William-Sonoma every year. They come frozen, so take them out the night before to let them rise, then bake them in the morning for 20 minutes. With some homemade honey butter, they are heaven.

10. Quote:

ICYMI