My dear foodie friends, I have some news. This is the LAST Friday Finisher of 2015!? Next week, Christmas falls on a Friday and obviously there will be no Friday Finisher that day, the following week, Friday will be New Year's Day, January 1st, 2016! (Although, I may do a special "Saturday" edition of the Finisher next week, not sure...) I'll probably want to do a little recapping of the Christmas festivities anyway! We shall see! Anyway, I'm just so so excited for the holidays! Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year, I just love everything about it. All my gifts are done and now the only thing left for me to figure out by the end of next week is what I'm planning on cooking!!! Not sure what I want to make for Christmas Eve/Christmas dinner yet this year. Thanksgiving I have my stand-bys, but Christmas is usually on a whim! I'll see what catches my eye at the grocery this weekend and go from there 😉
Now, have a lovely weekend finishing up any last minute holiday preparations, watch Christmas movies, blast Christmas music, drink warm cozy things, and bake some more cookies! Happy Friday!
Monday: Tummy Healing Soup For One
Tuesday: DIY Marbled Nail Polish Mugs
Wednesday: Purple Sweet Potato Sugar Cookies
Blog Posts and Links I loved this week:
Life, Mind, Body, Spirit:
I think these can help, yes, but nothing will ever totally destroy it.
+ Just Keep Doing You, Because The Clock Is Ticking
Be excited about life!
+ 10 Ways Creativity Can Completely Change Your Life
Everyone is creative in some aspect of life. Remember that one too!
+ How To Tell What You Want To Do From What You "Need" To Do
There is a difference to distinguish.
That's right! The hardest part, but once you do...
+ Embrace Simple Holiday Traditions
These are the best moments to savor.
Haha, yea, gotta say, some of those are pretty perfect!
+ 20 Reasons Life Gets Way Too Complicated
So that's why!
+ Weekly Challenges For A Better You
I'm so excited about this! Gotta love Kenzie!
+ Healthy New Years Resolutions: Using Your Extra Oxygen
How are you utilizing that oxygen?
Fitness:
+ Would Our World Be Different If Everyone Ran?
I think it would!
+ Injury Prevention: Pain And Discomfort In Training
Do you know the difference?
+ 5 Common Misalignments In Plank Pose
Don't mess up one of my favorites!
Food:
+ The Cold, Hard Truth About Running A Healthy Restaurant
It's not all green juices and activated charcoal.
This is fabulous! A little guide on making your own digestive tea!
+ Christmas Cookie Party: 68 Vegan Recipes!
ALL THE COOKIES!
Health:
+ 4 Steps For Reducing Anxiety Attacks
Your 4-step panic plan!
+ 7 Natural Remedies That Actually Work
Sometimes there is magic in the natural way!
+ I Had An Anxiety Attack While Meditating, And I'm So Glad I Did
Sometimes it's scary to feel the emotions, but necessary.
+ On Doing What's Best For You
Well said, Monique! Well said!
Celiac Disease & Food Allergies:
+ The Gluten-Free Craze Is Making Celiacs Like Me Sick
Yes, and now apparently Bob's isn't safe (for true celiacs). (Not their oats anyway).
Blogging, Social Media, Tech & Photography:
+ How Content Overload Holds You Back
I need to stop with the overload. For the amount of reading and commenting I do, I don't get much in return.
+ Being Successful vs. Being Known
I'd much rather be successful (which I define!)
Have you ever felt this way?
+ How To Do An End Of 2015 Blog Audit
A massive list, covering everything, of question to ask yourself.
+ 8 Ways To Stay Focused + Stop Procrastinating
Great tips here!
+ 7 Nifty Online Tools That Will Change The Way You Blog
Some fun tools you may have never heard about!
Other:
+ How I decided To Work Less And You Might Too
I've fully embraced "lazy time" this year.
+ The 58 Most Commonly Misused Words And Phrases
Read and learn, friends!
+ 10 Things You'll See In Hallmark Christmas Movies
I cry the day they go back to normal programming!
+ A Different Kind Of Christmas Story
This isn't a "joyful" story.
Favorite Pins:
(Follow me on Pinterest – RebeccaGF666)
Roasted Parsnip & Butter Bean Soup with Walnut Pesto & Caramelized Cabbage. That's one fancy winter soup!
Coffee Blondies with Homemade Nutella. These blondies are tainted with goodness 😉
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn. Did I tell you I love chocolate mint...and popcorn?
Vegan Cacao Crunch Smoothie with Peppermint Beet Swirl. Maybe the best Christmas smoothie yet? Although, this is more than a simple smoothie!
Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew with Kale. If you need something a tag more savory 😉
Peppermint Mocha Brownies. Well these just caught my soft chewy chocolate mint loving eye!
Toasted Pistachio Rice Pudding with Candied Cranberries. This is one festive spectacular rice pudding!
30 Minute Vegan Pho. I've never had pho, vegan or not, but I need to!
A few things I loved about my week or am grateful for:
+ A final tomorrow and them I'm free! Woooo!!!!! (No more math!!!)
So tell me:
+ Did you do any fun gift exchanges with friends that aren't so close by? Natalie is still waiting to get mine 😛
+ What do you usually eat for Christmas Eve/Christmas dinner? Years ago my Uncle would always make pizza on Christmas Eve, but otherwise, my family just eats a bunch of Italian food.
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Farrah
haha, the "what you want to do vs. what you need to do" can be such a struggle sometimes.
I love Susie's post on using that extra oxygen! :]!
I'd wayyyy rather be more successful vs. "known" too!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Mmmm, yea, I agree!
That was such a great one!!! She wrote about it perfectly!
And I agree again!!!
gigi
ooh! This is full of great links! I'm checking out "I'm an Imposter" and "How Content Overload Holds You Back" and more. I discovered some new sites thanks to you! Thank you!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Happy reading!
sue
I can’t believe the year has flown by Rebecca. I have enjoyed your posts and recipes and look forward to more next year. Have a wonderful Christmas and may 2016 be filled with peace, love and happiness.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks and same to you!
Beth Willis miller
What great ideas! Everything looks so yummy! Many Christmas blessings to you ❤️
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You too!
Danielle
This is a great list of links. Thanks for including my productivity and focus tips!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks Danielle!
Kat
Oh my goodness, how INSANE is it that this was the LAST Friday of 2015?! Such craziness...I swear the years just fly by now that I'm out of high school!
And that chocolate peppermint popcorn is seriously calling out to me...I can only imagine chocolate covered fingers would result 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I feel the same way!!! Maybe that's it! Once you're out of HS...life just zooms!
I want to bathe in that popcorn 😛
Emily
I have done more than my fair share of Christmas baking. Really...I must stop. 😉 But the Coffee Blondies with Homemade Nutella recipe looks amazing! I will have to save it for January.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I don't know if I can stop!!! Hahaha! Baking is addicting 😉
genevieve @ gratitude & greens
Oh my gosh this year has gone by so fast!!! I hope you've had a lovely 2015 and have an even better 2016. The only gift swap I've done this year is with my boyfriend's family, no other ones... yet. I imagine my sisters and I will do some gift swapping and cookie baking when we're all reunited! I've got my eye on that cacao crunch smoothie... looks just like my cup of tea (or glass or smoothie?!) xo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It's just crazy!!!
Cookie baking with the loved ones 😉 Always good!
That smoothie is just insane!!
Allie
That popcorn and the blondies. So many great links this week. Thanks for sharing
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Perfect for a christmas movie night 😉
Michele @ paleorunningmomma
We are obsessed with Puffins over here but I haven't seen the pumpkin! I think those coffee blondies have stolen my heart 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The pumpkin ones were exclusive to Whole Foods for the season!!! (That's why I couldn't buy any myself!)
Sarah
I love when I scroll through and I'm like that looks good, oh no I want that, oh my yum, delicious, and basically by the end my keyboard is full of drool! 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Bahahaha 😉 And all the links you opened are looking up your browser...that happens to me 😛
tianna
so many amazing links - that popcorn looks AMAZING! and must try that smoothie 😀 thanks for sharing - have a great weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I would devour that entire bowl of pop!
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
I am waiting!!! So impatiently waiting! But that's okay, I have some baking to do today to distract me. I totally feel ya on the content overload thing. And I need to add to that nifty blog tool list Thesaurus.com, don't know what I'd do without it...use boring words, that's what I'd do I guess. Thank you for my new title as BFFFF, I am honored to have that many Fs 🙂 You are so very sweet <3 xoxo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I haven't baked anything all week :O
So much content....but that's my mind-numbing thing to do to. So I guess I enjoy reading and looking at so many things, but I think it has gotten to be way to much now.
I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE looking up synonyms and weird words! Girl...Thesaurus are my jam (you could probably tell by some of the weird words I use 😛 )
We need to add BFFFF to the dictionary...and thesaurus with Natalie being a synonym 😉
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf
I know, isn't it crazy? When I was putting together my Friday Round-Up post, I realized that it's the last one for 2015! So many great links here. Can't wait to read them. Happy weekend!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I can not believe it still! The year FLEW!
Have a great weekend yourself, dear! xoxo
GiGi Eats
WOO WOO to procrastinating! LOL! SO much to read 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, and this was a bit shorter than most!
Linda @ Veganosity
That not so joyful Christmas story needed to be written and read. It put every other link that I read in perspective. Thanks so much!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Totally! It was really good. I wish more people would take that to heart.
Melanie @ Nutritious Eats
I am totally undecided about Xmas food too. I will just have to figure it out next week as finishing my gift shopping is priority this weekend. Off to go check out those online tools for blogging. If I don't make my way back here next week, Merry Christmas Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Mmm, I don't know. I think gifts should come second to food 😉 Bahahaha!
Thanks dear! Merry Christmas to you! xoxo
rachel @ Athletic Avocado
Good luck on your last final, I'm so happy to be done!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Feels good!
Susie @ SuzLyfe
That vegan pho, doh. I need it. Thank you for sharing my post! And there are so many others that I need to check out, especially those blogging ones.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Your post(s) 😉 You're just rockin' it Susie!!! xoxo