Holiday Season is in Full Swing

It's no secret, I LOVE Christmas and everything about it...actually I take that back...the one thing I don't love is the Christmas Shoes song. If the options in a game of "Would you Rather" were to listen to Christmas Shoes on repeat OR listen to nails on chalkboard for an hour - I'd pick the latter. Is that mean to say I don't like a Chistmas song? Hopefully, this comment doesn't prevent Santa from showing up at my house this year. As I've mentioned before, I have my Pandora set to Christmas music, all day, everyday so it was of no surprise to me when an email appeared from Pandora today asking me to take a Christmas music survey. I thought the questions were kinda cute and figured I'd share...so here you go...(if you're bored, I'd love to see what your answers are - I've put an * next to mine)

What song would you most like to hear while being kissed under a Mistletoe?
Santa Baby
*All I Want for Christmas is You
I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
A Holly Jolly Christmas

What song would send you running out of the mall store the quickest?
Anything sung by a Muppet
*Anything sung by a Chipmunk
All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth

What song is most likely to make you book tickets home for Christmas?
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Wonderful Christmastime
*It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Orinoco Flow by Enya

Where do you most like hearing holiday music?
*At home in front of a fire
In the car
In the mall
While shopping for gifts online
Outside, Christmas tree shopping

What holiday song are you most likely to sing along to?
Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer
Frosty the Snowman
*It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Silver Bells
Hells Bells by AC/DC

Overall, holiday music makes you feel:
Jolly
*Merry
Cozy
Eggnoggy
Full of Good Cheer

After recomendations from a couple of friends, I finally make the trek out to Trader Joes in Kirkland (Higher-ups of TJ's: if you're reading this, PLEASE bring one to Kent!!) and bought the Chewy Eggnog Cookies - honestly, the most chewy delicious-ness ever...the box needs to be taken away from me, but I think baby is really enjoying them and who steals from a baby? I also caved and bought the Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel Butter Cookies and I'll be giving those a taste test tonight...the name alone scares me, but I can't pass up a new treat.

Each year we add new ornaments to our collection from trips we've gone on throughout the year. This year we added about four different boat ornaments bought during our trip back east - any sailboat or fishing boat we come across is usually purchased. BUT the coolest ornament on our tree this year was a gift from my brother-in-laws girlfriend Chelsea - how cute and thoughtful is this??

*tis the Season

For dark chocolates and peppermint candies...

I was motivated, after reading JOAT's recommendation for the Peppermint Crunch Junior Mints, to share a few of my personal favorite holiday treats. I love any treat that includes peppermint bark.

In my mind, Williams-Sonoma peppermint bark is probably the most famous and I'd take a lucky guess to assume that it's one of their most popular sold holiday candies of the season. Excellent stocking stuffer or hostess gift.

William Sonoma Peppermint Bark

My mother-in-law keeps a candy dish in the kitchen so whenever we stop by, we usually come home with a few treats. The other night Steve came home with a few of these - DEEEE-LICIOUS!

Dove Peppermint Bark Dark Chocolate Promises

Pretzels are one of my very favorite snack foods, especially when they're flavored, so last week, I found this tasty morsel at Whole Foods and figured it was a must have - zero regrets...other than not buying more than one bag. As with most peppermint flavored treats, they're a limited edition product so be sure to stock up.

Snack Factory - White Chocolate and Peppermint Pretzel crackers

Ghiradelli chocolates are some of the most famous chocolates around - of course they would have a peppermint chocolate and of course it would be wonderful Something I did not know is that they also make an eggnog chocolate { Lynds - me.you.must.try } and pecan pie chocolate, which is included in the assortment of holiday chocolates, available at Amazon.com

Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares Limited Edition Holiday Assortment

And...for those of you in Seattle, there are the famous Frango Candy Cane Chocolates available at Macys...however, I checked their website today and they are not currently available - hopefully they've got them in the stores, as they're a treat not to miss.

* Hope your stockings include a few peppermint bark chocolates *

* Happy Thanksgiving *

I feel blessed with all that I am thankful for in my life this year. Here are just a few of those things...

♦ My wonderful husband { 9 months today }

♦ My loving family - old and new

♦ My A-M-A-Z-I-N-G friends that have always inspired me ☺

♦ My adorable kitten, Boots-with-the-Fur, and his unconditional love for us.

♦ My cute little home

♦ My job - as busy and stressed out as I've been lately, I truly enjoy the people I work with and the job I do

♦ My cameras and lens' for allowing me to fulfil my passion of photography to a whole new level this year

Cheers to a day of celebrating all that you're thankful for with your family and friends. I'm off to watch the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade (a tradition from as far back as I can remember), brunch at my in-laws and then on to my parents house for dinner. Happy Thanksgiving!