Simple Ways To Celebrate Your First Christmas As A Parent

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Becoming a parent is the most amazing feeling in the world. It is a time in your life when you will change the way you think, find a new perspective, and finally, find your real place in the world. The first time you become a parent is the most daunting, exciting, and exhilarating time of your life. Having a baby is a wonder, and you will soon be wrapped up in all of those parent cliches. The first Christmas you spend with a baby is a special occasion. Here are some of the ways you can make the most of your baby's first Christmas.

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Life Lately: Christmas in NYC

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is a visit to New York City to admire the department store windows, to gaze up at the Rockefeller Center tree, and to take in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

On Saturday we took our annual holiday trip to NYC. It was an early day for us. Our tickets to the Radio City show were for 9 am. We were up and out of the house by 5:45. Whew!

Our first stop was the Today Show. Yeah, it was that early.

We then headed to Bouchon Bakery for some pastries and hot chocolate. It was so cold. But it was perfect weather for our Christmas visit. Armed with our hot chocolate, we headed for the tree.

Always a beauty...

If you're looking to capture the spirit of Christmas, head to New York City. It always does the trick for me. The city takes on a magical quality this time of year.

It was getting close to showtime, so we briskly walked over to Radio City Music Hall and settled into our seats.

This show continues to amaze me year after year. If you've never seen it, put it on your bucket list because it is definitely not to be missed.

My favorite part is the march of the toy soldiers.

The Rockettes' 12 days of Christmas is always a treat!

The show ends with a live nativity scene, complete with sheep and a camel.

After the show, we continue with tradition by visiting the American Girl store. It's always mass chaos at this store during Christmas, but the girls love to browse all the floors.

Each year we end our NYC visit with lunch at Rosa Mexicano. We love the guacamole prepared tableside. So tasty!

Do you have any holiday traditions that you look forward to each year?

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Happy Holidays!

From our home to yours, we wish you the happiest of holidays and the best new year ever!

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How To Dress for Christmas on a Budget

When it comes to outfits for Christmas, it can be easy to assume that you need to spend a fortune. This is especially true if you have a family that you need to dress for the holidays. This time of year tends to bring a whole host of social occasions with it. This is great but it can be hard to know what to wear for these occasions.

The first thing to remember is that even if you have next to no budget, there will be something to suit you. This time of year is about spending time with our loved ones and appreciating our friends and family. If you have to do this in an old dress or something bought on a budget, then so be it!

Shop Consignment Shops

Whether you are shopping for yourself or for someone in your family, make sure you don't rule out buying second hand. Remember that the overall trend for clothing over the past few year includes vintage and retro clothing. This gives you the perfect excuse to buy clothes that have been pre-owned and gently worn by someone else.

Shop on a Budget

We are in a lucky position to have plenty of cut-price retailers to choose from. Make sure you check all of these and see what is being offered that might suit you and your family.  There are also loads of sales to keep an eye on which can also help to save you money. If you are shopping online, then make sure you search for online discount vouchers. You can Google these easily and see what is offered first. Cashback websites are also great ways to spend a little less on your Christmas clothing.

Shop Your Closet

We tend to put rules upon ourselves which means that we have to buy new clothes to attend a social occasion. I am guilty of this. I usually use any opportunity to buy a new top or a new accessory. While this is nice, it is important to remember that it's not essential. Take a look through your closet (and those of any family members) to see what you have that may be suitable. Chances are that you have something you haven't worn very much at all that can be used for a Christmas party without any hassle at all.

If you are partying in clothes you have worn before and you are worried about what you are wearing, you can easily change up an item. Dig through your accessories drawer and you are sure to find something that will help. You'll be surprised at just how different an outfit can look if you just style it a little differently.

However the most important thing to remember is that you need to wear something you are comfortable and happy with. If this means wearing a brand new dress or something that you have worn before, don't worry. Either way, as long as you are partying with the people you are closest to, you can be sure you'll have a good time.

Happy Holidays, friends!

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Friday's Fresh Picks: My Favorite Christmas Cookies

Baking has always been a huge part of the holidays for me. My mom would make dozens upon dozens of cookies every Christmas. This year, I'll be scaling back my baking efforts a bit since we need to curb the sweets for Harper, but I'm still planning to bake a few dozen of my all-time favorite Christmas cookies. And even better than baking them is eating them!

{Vanilla Bean Snickerdoodles}

{Sugar Cookie Cutouts}

{Spritz Cookies}

{Chocolate Chip Cookies}

{Sand Tarts}

{Chocolate Crinkle Cookies}

{White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies}

Friday Fresh Picks are hand-picked favorite items, reviews and highlights from the amazing women you see above.

Visit their websites to learn about other amazing picks from this week!

Sarah from Finnegan & The Hughes

Hilary from A Fancy Girl Must

Tina from Life Without Pink

To view all of my Friday Fresh Picks posts, click here.

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Four Holiday Outfits for Girls #FashionFriday

The holiday season offers plenty of occasions to don our best looks. Little girls get especially excited about dressing up for school events and family parties. My girls go crazy for fancy dresses and fun graphic tees.

Whether it's a casual, dressy, or a fun occasion, I've created four different looks that any girl will love this holiday season.

TRADITIONAL - You'll never go wrong in plaid for the holidays. Little girls will love this plaid dress adorned with a satin red bow. A red sweater, ballet flats, and a purse with lots of bling round out the outfit.

Dress | Sweater | Purse | Shoes

TRENDY DRESSY - For the more daring little fashionista, this lace dress is a perfect choice for holiday parties. She'll be the belle of the ball!

Dress | Shoes | Tights | Purse

DRESSY CASUAL - This outfit is perfect for a party hosted in someone's home. It's casual yet dressy. It's pretty without being too fancy.

Dress | Tights | Shoes

AROUND THE HOUSE - Who needs a party as an occasion to wear festive clothes? Sometimes just lounging around the house and kicking back calls for comfy yet festive clothing.

Pants | Graphic Tee | Shoes | Wristlet

I'm linking up with #FashionFriday. For all the latest in fashion, be sure to check out the other participants.

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Merry Christmas

From our home to yours, best wishes for a glorious holiday season!

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The Radio City Christmas Spectacular

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. We've been going since before Emma was born. We missed the show last year, so this year we were beyond excited to see the one and only show.

If you have never been, I highly recommend it. It is truly a spectacle for children and adults.

The day started off with a train ride into NYC. Can you tell that the girls were beyond thrilled?

10 minutes into our train ride the snow began to fall. And it kept falling. And falling. And falling. Although it was beautiful, I did not want to traipse around the city in snow.

By the time we arrived in New York, the snow has just about stopped. There were still a few flakes falling, and it was C-O-L-D! We headed straight to Starbucks to grab some warm drinks.

We walked a few short blocks to our lunch destination, Rosa Mexicano. We skipped breakfast because we were rushing to get to the train station. We were starving and couldn't wait to have our guacamole and chips. The guac is prepared table-side and is prepared to your liking (spicy, extra cilantro, etc.). And it's totally delicious.

After lunch we took a cab to Radio City Music Hall.

We headed inside and took our seats. We were in the 2nd row...up close and personal with the Rockettes!

I turned around and looked at the venue from our seats. Look at all those people! I'm telling you. There's a reason why this show is wildly popular.

It was showtime! My favorite part of the show is the parade of the wooden soldiers. The sheer precision never ceases to amaze me.

Another favorite part of the show is the live nativity scene, complete with live sheep and camels.

Put this show on your bucket list if you've never seen it!

After the show we walked around Rockefeller Center for a bit and then went to American Girl Place and Sephora, two of our favorite places.

I love NYC at Christmas. The decorations, the shopping, the department store windows, the people bustling about. It's so festive!

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What To Wear To Casual Holiday Gatherings #FashionFriday

'Tis the season to party! But not all holiday parties are black-tie affairs.  We've been invited to several small, informal and open house-type of gatherings this holiday season.

And, well, all those invitations have gotten me to thinking about what I will wear!

Before I rush out and make a quick decision on an outfit, I decided to do some homework and put together a few outfits that are perfect for casual holiday gatherings.

Dress Up a Pair of Jeans

Casual Holiday Gathering by sheila-coleman-hill featuring crystal earrings

Lola red shirt, $130 / Etro blouse / Ted Baker jeans / Rihanna For River Island black sandals / Calvin Klein Collection suede boots / Moyna clutch / Black purse / Sara Designs wrap bracelet / Eddie Borgo dangle earrings, $270 / KENNETH JAY LANE bracelet / La Vie Parisienne crystal earrings / Hunter green nail polish / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics nail polish

The key to dressing up denim is the shoes. Add heels and you've stepped up your game (no pun intended!)

And here are a few more blouses that would pair perfectly with dark denim.

Giorgio Armani Sleeveless Tops · Nordstrom Sleeveless Tops · Elie Tahari Tops

Black Pants Are Always A Good Choice

Black Pants for a Casual Holiday Gathering by sheila-coleman-hill featuring 3.1 Phillip Lim

Diane Von Furstenberg blouse / Roland Mouret cashmere sweater / Monsoon black pants / Giuseppe Zanotti leather boots, $1,155 / Tory Burch leather boots / 3.1 Phillip Lim shoes, $295 / GUESS by Marciano green patent leather purse / Ten Thousand Things sterling silver jewelry / Ben Amun statement necklace / J by Jasper Conran stud earrings, $42 / KENNETH JAY LANE earrings

Dresses for Casual Gatherings

You can't go wrong with a wrap dress. They are perfect for just about any occasion, especially a casual, chic one. Here are a few festive ones.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Day Dresses · Diane von Furstenberg Day Dresses · Ann Taylor Petite Dresses

What will you wear to your next holiday gathering?

Are you still in the throes of holiday shopping? Check out Mommies With Style's fashionable gift suggestions from Lands' End.

I'm joining in on the Fashion Friday link up this week! Be sure to visit other participants for fashion inspiration.

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2013 Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Gifts for Little Girls

If you are looking for the perfect gift for a little girl, you've come to the right place! With 2 of them running around this house, I've become adept at knowing exactly what they want and more importantly, what they need.

Clothing, Shoes, & Accessories

I've spent a lot of time choosing the perfect gifts for my girls. From accessories to jeans to shoes, girls like what they like. There is no room for negotiating. Any one of these items is perfect the little diva in your life.

Benetton Girls' Shirts & Blouses · DKNY Girls' Tees · Ella Moss Girls' Shirts & Blouses

American Girl Dolls

The doll of the year is always a safe bet. This year it's Saige.

The basic package includes a doll and a book. $110.

Other outfits and accessories are available at www.americangirl.com.






Books

My daughters share my love of reading. They love a trip to the library or the book store. Here are some of their current favorite books.






Jewelry

Little girls love jewelry. Let her sparkle and shine with a new necklace or charm bracelet. Top it off with a special jewelry box for her new treasures.

Saks Fifth Avenue Girls' Jewelry · JewelryWeb Girls' Jewelry · Disney Girls' Jewelry

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Black Friday Sales and Deals {online offers} #blackfriday

Didn't have time to make it out today? Stuck at work all day with no reprieve? No worries!

Hop online and grab some of these hot offers before the day is over!

OFFERS FROM AMAZON.COM





A FEW OF MY FAVES:

GAP - Save 50% entire store and site wide. Some exclusions apply. Use code BLKFRIDAY at checkout.

J.CREW - 30% off site wide. Some exclusions apply. Use code HOLIDAY.


SO MANY MORE GREAT OFFERS...

All Offers...

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