Happy Monday! As silly as it sounds, I wish I could know how each and every one of you is feeling on this post-holiday Monday. Are you sad the holiday is over? Relieved? Anxious to get to the end of the week for a different holiday? Feeling completely stuffed from so many Christmas cookies? Happy with how everything went? Taking a poll now.

Usually I don't like the week in between Christmas and New Year's...In the past I have spent it bumming around and wishing that my favorite holiday wasn't almost a year away now. Last year I even wrote a post on shaking those "post-holiday blues" and even reading it back now, I am not really feeling it.  Even though we are only a few days post-Christmas, I think I can say that I have managed to evade those feelings...probably because December was such a frazzled month for me that I didn't have time to have all the build up to the holidays like I have in the past. Its kind of a catch-22 because if I am super excited/ready for Christmas, then I get really bummed out when its over, but if I haven't built up Christmas, then I am okay when its over. So I guess its either a win-lose or lose-win situation. Please tell me someone else feels like this or understand at all.

I don't mean to put you to sleep with my ramblings, so I guess I will do a quick recap of my holiday weekend! 

Thursday //

Christmas Eve was a typical one, with cleaning the house and finishing up the baking of the cookies in the morning, and John's family's Christmas Eve party in the evening. This was mine and John's 6th Christmas together, and the 5th year that I had been to his family's Eve party. Even though I have been going for the past few years, this year was the first that it really felt like it was my tradition too. Sounds weird, but I think I am just slow to adapt to holiday tradition changes! My favorite part of the day though, had to be when I got home from the party and sat with my parents and uncle around the tree, laughing and reminiscing. 

Friday //

Christmas Day was a good one...We hosted our extended family and had the best meal I think we had ever managed to make on Christmas. The day went by so fast and all I kept thinking about was how I would probably have to work next Christmas because I'll be a new nurse (and new nurses usually get the not so fun shifts!) I think my family and John were happy with their gifts...I was beyond thrilled with mine!

Saturday //

Like last year, John and I went to the House of Blues in Boston to see one of my favorite bands, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. We drove down a little early and had a great dinner before the show, which was so fun. I liked that we had been before so we knew where we were going and what to expect at the show..aka lots of crazy dancing and to watch out for some people that dance a little too aggressively (pushing and shoving)! The concert was also the perfect occasion to wear my new cross body bag...I feel so stylish with it! 

Sunday //

Just worked a shift at work. Not as a nurse yet...but as a tech (like a CNA or PCA or whatever you know nursing assistants as!) Can't wait to pass my boards so that I can start working as a nurse!

I hope you all had amazing weekend and easy weeks planned ahead. This week, I have nothing extra special planned except to unpack everything and do a massive clean out of my room. Good times! 

Linking up here today!

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Monthly Favorites | August 2015

I haven't done a monthly favorites post since last OCTOBER! Almost a year...which is crazy because I love reading/watching other people's monthly favorites posts/video. I was super excited to do an August favorites post because I tried out a ton of new products and had a couple new ideas of what categories to include in my post!

Favorite Beauty

I bought these products towards the beginning of the month and they were quickly integrated into my beauty routine! The mascara and the foundation have been used every single day since I have bought them and I am obsessed. Also, I find myself wearing the silver powder as a mask about twice a week! I will probably have a more in depth review of these things coming up as a post later because they are well loved and I want to share!

Favorite Memory

For John's birthday back in June, I bought us tickets to go see the Beach Boys play in downtown Portland on the waterfront! He is in love with the beachy and carefree vibe of their music, and I am in love with all music pre-2005...The concert was amazing and although I was nervous that they wouldn't sound like they used to, since they are getting up there in age, the Beach Boys were awesome performers. They whipped through almost 40 songs and I sang along to so many of them (as did everyone else in the audience!). This is one of my favorite memories of the summer because it was a beautiful night, we were right on the water and we were so happy to be enjoying such a classic American band! 

One of my all time favorite songs from The Beach Boys...they were great performers and are so lucky to have been doing what they love for so many years!

A video posted by Meghan Farrell (@mfarrelll14) on Aug 13, 2015 at 7:49pm PDT

Favorite Place

The beach! Although I didn't get to go as much as I would have liked (thanks to the rain on my off days), the beach was absolutely my happy place for the month of August. Whenever I went, I felt so relaxed and carefree and on those days I felt so much better about everything that was going on. 

Favorite Blogger/Vlogger

Jaclyn Hill videos played on my YouTube app nonstop through the month of August! She is such a talented makeup artist and hilarious as well. She just released a highlighter at Sephora and I just can't even imagine how surreal it must be for her to walk into the store and have her own product there. She is absolutely an inspiration for me because she is so positive with all things in her life and has achieved so much at a young age. 

What were some things you loved in the month of August?

Spring 2015 Playlist

I don't know if I have ever mentioned this before on this blog, but I really love listening to music...and I know, who doesn't right? I never mention it though because I tend to stick to music that isn't really played on the radio anymore so I just figured no one would be interested in a playlist. BUT in the past few weeks, I have caught the bug of a few catchy, pop hits so I felt excused to share my playlist for this spring! I included a mix of some new favorites and some old reliable songs that I can always be caught listening to. Enjoy!

Sugar // Maroon 5

Young Americans // David Bowie

Shut Up and Dance // Walk the Moon

Rascal King // Mighty Mighty Bosstones

Thinking Out Loud // Ed Sheeran

Dreams // Fleetwood Mac

Riptide // Vance Joy

Night Changes // One Direction

You're So Vain // Carly Simon

Let me know if you've been jamming to any of these songs lately (or ever!)