The other day, my best friend Hannah whose visiting from North Carolina for a conference and I went to Old Town Alexandria to discover its Christmas tree already lit up, despite seeing tree lighting posts for it happening just a day later. Needless to say, we both felt as if we had hit the lottery. Currently, it’s beginning to *officially* look a lot like CHRISTMAS!!! If you follow me on Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), then you probably have seen ALL the Christmas content on my page. I am a BIG Christmas fanatic and am so so so excited for the holiday season and that it has already begun!
*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*
Shop VitaCup’s Black Friday Sale! – As we ALL know, Black Friday is the BEST time to get the BEST deals on everything and anything. Case in point: VitaCup’s Black Friday sale includes the brand’s steepest discounts of the ENTIRE YEAR! VitaCup is a farm to cup beverage brand that uses the highest quality ingredients to make every sip energizing and empowering. Their products help you stay awake AND still achieve your health goals – two of my FAVORITE THINGS! Use discount code 35FORYOU at checkout to get 35% off your purchase during their Black Friday sale when you shop here: https://www.vitacup.com/
***A special thanks to VitaCup for treating me to some high-quality beverages this to stay awake holiday season!
Life recently has been a bit crazy over here. With the holidays in full swing, it has gotten even crazier but I couldn’t be MORE happy that they are here to stay! Unfortunately, my family and I have had some loss during Fall 2022, injuries, surgeries, and I even experienced a flat tire the other day. With that all being said, the holiday season is a GREAT refresher from all of the crazy things going on during Fall 2022 and a time to be with family, friends, and other loved ones. The holiday season is ALL about giving to those that we love and spreading some Christmas cheer and singing it loud for all to hear *cues the notable quote from Elf*. Now, for some updates into the life of Katie!
- My best friend Hannah coming to visit! – This past week, my best friend from college, Hannah, came to visit me as she was attending a conference up here in Washington, DC. I have LOVED getting to play hostess again as I haven’t had guests over for the night since the summer. It was also pretty nice to be able to enjoy Hannah’s company and have someone to hang with in my apartment in the evenings as it’s usually just me, Rosie, and the TV – LOL! Hannah and I also explored the Downtown Holiday Market in Washington, DC’s Penn Quarter and the well-known King Street in Old Town Alexandria (where we spotted the lit Christmas tree!). Needless to say, I have LOVED every minute of having Hannah here with me AND have found it to be such a great way to kick off the holly jolly holiday season.
- Cancelling two December trips – Trust me when I say this, but I am RELIEVED to have cancelled the two trips that I had initially planned to New York City and Philadelphia this December. Instead, I will be visiting my Dad in Delaware for one of the weekends and the other weekend I will be enjoying the local Washington, DC area Christmas things potentially with one of my best friends who may be in town then. The conflicts that came up were due to scheduling things which became more important in the end. And, while a bit upsetting, I am happy it all worked out and relieved to be able to save a bit of money this holiday season that I’d instead have to spend on travel. My best friend Amanda and I are going to reschedule our planned Philadelphia trip for her birthday which I’m psyched for. I ALSO got a full refund on all tickets (thanks to ticket insurance!) to use to visit Amanda in the new year. While a hard decision, I am happy with the changes in plans and excited for what is to come then and in 2023!
- Celebrating Shivani’s Birthday! – My best friend from college, Shivani, celebrated her birthday earlier this month. I was REALLY excited when she invited me to come out to celebrate with her and some of her graduate school friends at a local bar in Washington, DC’s neighborhood of Georgetown. It was great to get to know some of her friends from her Master’s program that she’s talked so highly of and *finally* put a face to a name. While I am definitely not a bar-goer by any means, I really enjoyed getting to celebrate Shivani and had a GREAT time! You can read more about my early 20-something lack of interest in night life here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/10/25/im-23-and-have-no-interest-in-night-life/#/
- My first flat tire – The other day, I had my first-ever flat tire while picking up Hannah from my local Metro station. I ended up hitting a sharp edge on a sewer alongside a curb and had to get a new tire (YAY for #adulting I guess!). Luckily, I was able to pull over at a nearby high school parking lot which was well-lit, find my spare tire in the trunk, and call my Mom and Step-Dad who both graciously came over to replace my tire without hesitation. Neither my Mom nor I have ANY experience with tires or replacing them; I also struggle with certain mechanical things due to having low muscle tone in my hands/fingers. Friday, my car Daisy got a new tire via Papa’s local tire place (which he graciously took care of for me without me even asking!). But, through it all, I am EXTREMELY grateful, thankful, and blessed for my family who came to help me and the fact that it wasn’t raining or super windy when it all happened and the fact that I remained calm and collect the entire time.
- Visiting my FAVORITE exhibit! – My favorite exhibit over the years has been the First Ladies exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The first time I went to see this exhibit was when I was 11 with my Mom and brother. I was in AWE when I went and it has been my favorite ever since! Needless to say, I’ve taken friends over the years whenever they’ve come to visit, including Alanna and Hannah back in 2021 and Shivani earlier this week. The First Ladies exhibit was founded by former First Lady Helen Taft (who ALSO helped establish the National Cherry Blossom Festival – a major symbol of the United States’ and Japan’s relationship – and plant cherry blossom trees across the Tidal Basin) and features the First Lady’s Inaugural gowns and china and much more AND is worth a visit when in Washington, DC if you love fashion!!
Treat your loved one’s or yourself to The Inspiration Co’s gorgeous bracelets! – I am a HUGE fan of The Inspiration Co! I worked with them back in August and I still wear my bracelet from them just about every day. The brand designs unique bracelets with empowering slogans engraved on them. Their bracelets serve as empowering reminders that I think we all need on a day-to-day basis. They make for excellent gifts for those in your life! Use my discount code KATIE30 for 30% off your purchase when you shop here: https://glnk.io/nrnxj/thepinkchickadee
***A special thanks to The Inspiration Co for treating me to a gorgeous bracelet to sport this holiday season with a much-needed reminder!
Happy Thanksgiving Week, everyone!
XOXO – Katie <3