Winter is Upon Us!

Hello! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and did not suffer from a case of the "mondays"! It is official, winter is coming. There are definite pros and cons to these frosty days.
I like to end on positive notes so here come the cons.
- dry skin
- dry hair
- slushy/ dirty snow
- lack of motivation to go to the gym
- over-crowded malls
- people without christmas spirit
There are a few things on that list that can be fixed. The first is dry skin. Ladies the winter is harsh on skin. Moisturize with anything you can get your hands on. I prefer the Vaseline body lotion with shea butter. It works wonders and smells great. For delicate areas like hands and feet I slather on aquafor. Once a week I will wear crummy socks to bed and slather my feet in aquafor. For the face, my dermatologist recommends neutrogena daily facial moisturizer for sensitive skin. It comes with an spf of 15 and lasts all day. The next con to be fixed is dry hair. I love my flat iron and it's usage grows in the winter. I use aveda smooth infusion to protect my hair from heat damage. At night I use L'Oreal EverStrong overnight hair repair treatment. This product is only to be used on dry hair, but going to sleep with wet hair in the winter is asking for an instant cold. The next item that can be fixed is the lack of motivation for the gym. Just think of how you will look compared to someone who did not work out, you will be less bloated, you will feel better and your skin will glow. Also, we are seen more often by people we want to look good in front of during the holidays... that should be motivation enough. The final thing on the con list that can be remedied is people without Christmas spirit. All you have to do is give a smile and be polite to everyone around you. Remember the holidays are stressful for everyone and a smile can brighten someone's day!

On to the pros!
- christmas music
- family gatherings
- christmas decorations
- thanksgiving pies
- christmas eve mass
- snow
- snow boots and winter coats!
- seeing santa at the mall
- the salvation army santas
This list could go on forever because there are so many amazing reasons to be happy during this time of the year!
I love this time of the year, everything just sparkles and even though its cloudy and gray there is something nostalgic and calming about it. Finals end on the 21st this year which sucks, my usual routine is to avoid anything Christmas or holiday related until all my school work is complete. Because they are so late that will not be happening this year. I am slowly starting to think about what I want from Santa (mom and dad) and I cannot get inspired. When I was a kid, my list could be pages long and now I prefer to be surprised. Anyone have any ideas?

Happy Tuesday! I promise to be better this week!
Affectionately,
Annie