December Favorites

Hey friends,

I know it has been a bit since I last posted. And quite frankly I should have known better than to expect that I could actually hop right back into my usual two week posting schedule after blogging for the entire month of October and then working on my first ever NaNoWriMo project all throughout November. See more on this HERE.

Don’t get me wrong, I definitely miss blogging! But since NaNo wrapped I kind of just threw myself into holiday mode with the determination to actually get things done earlier this year and not have to rush all over on December 23rd.. I have to say, of course there were some hiccups and there are a few last minute things to take care of this weekend, but for the most part I did pretty good. And just in case you were wondering, I was able to cross quite a few of my Winter Bucket List items off my list! 

Normally around this time I would have posted way more holiday related content. And I can’t believe I haven’t yet. Christmas Eve is literally only 2 days away! I haven’t even started to plan out my 2019 goals yet either! And my full experience with #NaNoWriMo has yet to be written. I’ve gotten ahead of some things, but remain behind on others! You know what they say, life happens! Lol.

So I thought that for today’s random Saturday post that I could maybe do a little bit of a December Favorites. Show you some things I’ve been loving this December. This is such a festive time, and there are so many things I am loving lately. 

Holiday Favorites

Christmas mug with some hot chocolate or festive tea

My aunt bought me this mug from Burlington, and it has become my favorite for this holiday season. I love the hippie camper truck vibes, how adorable is it?

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Christmas music

These are the songs I have to listen to every year! They just put me in the best spirit. And it never fails, O Holy Night by Celine Dion makes me cry every time. Gets me EVERY time. 

Christmas movies- Lifetime

Now I haven’t seen them all, but this channel has been on my tv non-stop. All the feel good, romantic Christmas vibes. I am here for it! So here are some of my favorites…

Noel- I cannot say enough good about this movie. It is incredible. 

The Christmas Contract

Poinsettias for Christmas

Snowed Inn Christmas 

Love at the Christmas Table 

Four Christmases and A Wedding

Hometown Christmas 

Christmas Pen Pals

A Christmas Arrangement

A Star for Christmas 

Christmas on the Bayou

The Spirit of Christmas 

All About Christmas Eve

A Christmas Wedding Date 

A Gift Wrapped Christmas 

…and the list goes on, because there are SO many!

 

Check your local listings!

 

Favorite scent

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My best friend was burning this in her house when I visited her and I fell in love with the scent from Bath & Body Works. I had ordered this mini one and burned it so quickly, that I just had to go out and buy the big size. It smells like a Christmas tree and it is perfect for anyone who has a fake tree, and misses that pine scent. I know I love it! And it’s made with essential oils so the scent is just so crisp and clean. 

Favorite treats

Every holiday season Entenmann’s has it’s holiday gourmet cookies with the chocolate coated bottoms and sprinkled pop’ems. So anytime I see them, I have to pick them up, because they are my favorites! 

Yes I was drinking tea in my new Christmas camper mug, eating my festive cookies, while watching a Lifetime Christmas movie. #LOVE 

 

So there you have it, my December Favorites!

*All images are my own.*

Have a Very Merry Christmas and  Happy Healthy New Year!

-<3-

 

 

Lifetime is stepping up their game

It’s been a minute, I know! After BLOGTOBER, the plan was to get back to my regular Monday, Thursday post schedule, but then NaNoWriMo started and that’s where all of my energy has been going. So please forgive me. I will be more on target once the NaNo craziness dies down. [More updates on that coming soon!]

With that being said, today’s post is a fun one!

You guys know, I’m definitely a Hallmark girl. I love the romantic movies and I love that everything some how magically ends up perfectly perfect at the end of every movie, bringing us that jolly holiday spirit movie after movie. But considering I no longer get the Hallmark channel. I have turned to Lifetime to fill that void.

Now yes, Lifetime is a bit different. It is known for it’s psycho stalker, terribly named “scary” films. But this holiday season they are seriously stepping up their game. In fact over the past few weeks I’ve watched so many of their Christmas movies and some of them I really loved!  4 Christmases and a Wedding is one of my favs, super cute! These movies kinda give me those holiday feels. 

There is also this other film, I don’t think it’s a Lifetime original- but it’s called Noel it was made in 2004 and stars quite a few big names like Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Paul Walker, Penelope Cruz, and Alan Arkin. It is an absolutely beautiful film. There are so many levels to it. And Paul Walker really is just so swoon worthy. RIP sweet Paul and  sweet Robin. 

NOEL

Lifetime also has some big holiday plans coming up in the next few weeks!

Take a look.

First up…The Christmas Contract Starring some of the OTH fam- Hilarie Burton, Robert Buckley, Antwon Tanner, Daneel Ackles, and Tyler Hilton!

The Christmas Contract Premieres this Thursday/Thanksgiving Day- November 22nd, @ 8 PM on Lifetime. Followed by a special talk show event- ‘Tis the Season- A One Tree Hill Cast Reunion @ 10 PM. Check your Local Listings! (Since, I couldn’t find the promo for the OTH special, I found this behind the scenes-compilation.) 

 

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Then next up, my favorite OTH girl- Bethany Joy Lenz starring in Poinsettias for Christmas! Also shout out to Julian’s mom from OTH too- Sharon Lawrence.

Poinsettias for Christmas Premieres this Friday, November 23rd @ 8 PM on Lifetime. Check your local listings!

For the full It’s A Wonderful Lifetime Movie Preview visit their site HERE!

I don’t know about you guys, but I am ready for the OTH love, and the Christmas vibes!

 

Happy Watching!

And Happy Thanksgiving Folks!

-<3-

*I do not take credit for any footage used.* 

 

#BLOGTOBER Day 16- TV Shows to Binge watch in the Fall Season that will give you a little spook…

Fall is a time for cozy nights in with jack-o-lanterns flickering  and shows that give you that eerie feeling. Need a show to binge this Fall season, look no further! 

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Stranger Things (Netflix) 

2017-Present [2 Seasons, filming Season 3]

When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.- Via Netflix Original site.

How To Get Away With Murder (ABC)

2014-Present [Currently airing it’s 5th Season]

A group of ambitious law students and their brilliant criminal defense professor become involved in a twisted murder plot that promises to change the course of their lives. – Via IMDb

Riverdale (The CW)

2017- Present [Currently airing it’s 3rd Season]

A subversive take on Archie and his friends, exploring small town life, the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome façade.- Via IMDb

YOU (Lifetime) 

2018 [Airing it’s first season on Sunday nights]

A clever bookstore manager relies on his savvy Internet know-how to make the woman of his dreams fall in love with him. -Via IMDb

The Vampire Diaries (Netflix, Hulu)

2009-2017 [8 Seasons]

The lives, loves, dangers and disasters in the town, Mystic Falls, Virginia. Creatures of unspeakable horror lurk beneath this town as a teenage girl is suddenly torn between two vampire brothers.  -Via IMDb

The Bates Motel (Netflix)

2013-2017 [5 Seasons]

A contemporary prequel to Psycho, giving a portrayal of how Norman Bates’ psyche unravels through his teenage years, and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma, truly is.- Via IMDb

Scream (the MTV series) (Netflix, Amazon Prime)

2015-2018 [2 Seasons]

A serialized anthology series that follows a group of teenagers being targeted by a masked serial killer. – Via IMDb

*Season 3 is said to be coming soon.

Eye Candy (MTV.com, Amazon Prime)

2015 [1 Season]

A New York woman suspects that one of her online dates is a serial killer.- Via IMDb

Pretty Little Liars (Netflix) 

2010-2017 [7 Seasons]

Four friends band together against an anonymous foe who threatens to reveal their darkest secrets, while also investigating the disappearance of their best friend. – Via IMDb

Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Hulu, YouTube)

1996-2003 [7 Seasons]

When a 16-year-old high school student finds out she’s a witch, her two aunts offer guidance on how to control her newly-discovered magical powers. -Via IMDb

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hulu, YouTube)

1996-2003 [7 Seasons]

A young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends. -Via IMDb

Roswell (Hulu)

1999-2002 [3 Seasons]

Follows the lives of three young alien/human hybrids with extraordinary gifts in Roswell.- Via IMDb

Charmed (90’s original) (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube)

1998-2006 [8 Seasons]

Three sisters discover their destiny, to battle against the forces of evil, using their witchcraft. They are the Charmed Ones. – Via IMDb

The X Files (Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime)

1993-2018/present (on and off) [11 Seasons]

Two F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.-Via IMDb 

Tales from the Crypt (YouTube, Amazon Prime, HBO)

1989-1996 [7 Seasons]

Tales of horror based on the gruesome E.C. comic books of the 1950s presented by the legendary Crypt Keeper, a sinister ghoul obsessed with gallows humor and horrific puns.-Via IMDb 

Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (YouTube/Amazon Prime)

1997-2002 [4 Seasons]

Within the course of one hour 5 stories are shown. None of these stories have any logical explanation, and some of them actually occurred. You are left to decide which of these stories, if any are fact, and which are fiction.- Via IMDb

The Walking Dead- Watch at your own risk. (Netflix)

2010-2018 [Currently airing it’s 9th Season on AMC]

Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins [#ZombieApocalyse], and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive. – Via IMDb

^I am including this last one, because I have such great memories of it, that is before they killed off certain favorites of mine. Now I feel like the show has gone down hill, and I haven’t watched in a few seasons. But there is something about it that just screams Fall to me. So if you can stomach losing precious characters, have at it! 

As you may have noticed some of these shows are throwbacks and no longer on tv.  They can be found on Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, etc. Others are very new or currently still airing, and can be found on those same sites, as well as their networks/free on demand. In any case each of these paired with a cozy, cold, fall night in, would be perfect to get your Halloween spook fix. So pop your pop-corn, grab some tea or apple cider and pick your poison. Happy Binging friends! 

Enjoy!

And let me know if I missed any of your favorites! 

* I do not take credit for any summaries/images/videos used.*

-<3-

 

 

#BLOGTOBER Day 7- Where to find the best Halloween Movie Marathons Part 2

So I recently posted a Part 1 to this, but in my research for all the fall things, I came across a few more I had to share! Check out Part 1 HERE.

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TCM- Turner Classic Movies

A few  films included in their line up are- Phantom of the Opera, Dracula Prince of Darkness, The Walking Dead, The Mummy, Night of the Living Dead, The Curse of Frankenstein, House of Wax, and so many more! So if you are craving some black and white screams, TCM is the place for you!

To view the weekly schedule for the whole month of October, visit- TCM.com
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I couldn’t find a full schedule but it does mention, SYFY will be premiering 5 original films.

Read more information HERE.

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Hulu is doing something kind of sick! 

ABOUT HULUWEEN FILM FEST
Hulu’s hosting our first ever Film Fest competition with 8 up-and-coming filmmakers making spooky shorts that you can watch right here! The short with the most views as well as a vote from a surprise celebrity judge will win 10k and will be featured on all Hulu social media on October 31st. Watch if you dare! –[Via Hulu’s YouTube Page]

The film fest is streaming on the official site/app and is also available in a Huluween playlist on their YouTube channel. This is super cool, I’m definitely going to check it out! Support aspiring filmmakers people!

And just in case all else fails there is always something creepy on the Lifetime Movie Network…haha #PsychoStalkersBabysittersNeighbors
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Check out their TV schedule HERE

And movies airing soon HERE

 

On a lighter more love like note…we have…

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NEW movie premieres 5 Saturdays in a row all October!

Click HERE to see more about each film!

Oh man if I had Hallmark channel still, I would totally be watching these! Love my romance!

 

***Check your cable providers for all your local channel listings!

 

Happy Watching!

*I do not take credit for any images, video clips, or trailers used.*

 

-<3-

 

#BLOGTOBER Day 3- My Fall 2018 TV Schedule


tv

Fall is the time where all the returning shows start their season premieres, or when the new shows have their series premieres. And it is seriously like Christmas morning to me.  This year there are a few newbies and some good oldies that I’ve invested a few seasons in already. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Warning…I watch ALOT of tv, it’s my favorite form of storytelling. I love getting to know characters and having them be there every week with new adventures. Hey it’s research! One day I’m going to have my own TV show, that’s the dream!

day 2 sneak peek

I try to watch live as much as I can, because I hate spoilers and I like the sense of community. #Livetweeting for the win! But sometimes I just can’t, because life and well sometimes I have to actually #Adult. But I usually catch up when I can, thanks to free on demand, and the internet. Here’s a peek at what I’m watching this fall season…

MONDAYS

The Resident @ 8 PM FOX *New for me [On it’s 2nd Season]

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Oh man oh man, so this show just started it’s second season and I had seen a bunch of promos for it. Of course it peeked my interest because Matt Czuchry (Logan from Gilmore Girls) and Emily VanCamp (Amy from Everwood & Emily/Amanda from Revenge) are in it! But I figured it was a hospital drama and it would break my heart just like Grey’s Anatomy did. So I kind of strayed away. And then one day YouTube happened, and I started to watch a few clips and I quickly realized that I was going to be in LOVE with Czuchry’s character, Conrad Hawkins. He’s basically a younger/sexy version of Dr. House. He uses unconventional methods to save his patients lives, and he’s lovably arrogant. He’s a third year resident supervising new first years, and he has one rule “He is always right.”  Very rough around the edges because he had a rough go at childhood and served in the marine corps as a medic. I love how he doesn’t even wear full scrubs he just wears the shirt and black jeans and combat boots, with his beaded and leather bracelets and chains and bolt like rings, and tattoos. He’s just so damn cool, I can’t take it. 

However he really cares about his patients and will break any hospital rule (especially when it involves billing and insurance) to help save them. Just the way he walks is amazing. It’s like a strut.

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I LOVE him, and even more so, I love his relationship with VanCamp’s character Nurse Nicolette “Nic” Nevin. You know if there’s a love story, complexities and all…I am ALL IN!

Thanks to hulu I just finished Season 1 and caught up on the first two episodes of Season 2. I will admit it’s my current obsession. This happens when I find a new tv show, I just can’t stop thinking about it. LOL. Season 1 was really strong and I am so happy I gave in and watched it. 

The show takes place in Chastain Park Memorial Hospital in Atlanta Georgia, and it drops us in the middle of these character’s lives, so there is a lot of backstory still left to uncover. Especially when it comes to Conrad and Nic’s relationship. It’s really interesting because I’m used to seeing these relationship stables play out- when did they meet? Who asked who out? What’d they do on their first date? When did they first say I love you? When did they have their first love scene? SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!! But I kind of like how they are showing their relationship unfold. It’s very cool. 

In college I had a college writing professor who used to always tell us to “tell it later,” I would always get so frustrated, because I felt like I wanted to tell it now, from the beginning. But as I grow older and watch tv shows and see how they differ in their storytelling, I totally see the appeal of dropping your audience smack dab in the middle of a couple’s complex relationship. For instance in the pilot, the first scene we see between Nic and Conrad is him pulling her into a room and kissing her, telling her he’ll do “whatever it takes to get her back.”

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SWOON! It leaves us wanting more. Nicely played FOX. I’m hooked. 

I don’t mean to go off on a tangent on this one show, but it’s a new one for me, so I have to get the obsession feels out! I also really like the way the show is shot. Very  hand held, snory cam- at times first person shots. The music they use is pretty dope too. For instance in Season 2, they used these two songs and I am obsessed!

I think I may need to do a full on review of this show so I will just stop rambling here and move on… 

TUESDAYS

New Amsterdam @ 10 PM NBC *NEW Series [1st Season]

All these doctor shows coming in and taking over…another doctor who is not a fan of billing or the medical system and is trying the fight for patients, you may think it’s the same as every other doctor show but…there is a mega twist at the end of the pilot…watch and wait for it…

This Is Us @ 9 PM NBC [3rd Season]

You guys…come on now, do I even have to explain how good this show is. I would just like to meet these writers and directors and creators and just give them a standing ovation because, the way they let these stories unfold is just brilliant. I cry almost every week, but it’s still just such moving television. 

WEDNESDAYS

Riverdale @ 8 PM The CW [3rd Season]

Chicago PD @ 10 PM NBC [6th Season] 

THURSDAYS

Will & Grace @ 9 PM NBC [2nd Season Reboot]

How To Get Away With Murder @ 10 PM ABC [5th Season]

FRIDAYS

Dynasty @ 8 PM The CW [2nd Season] 

SATURDAYS

FREE DAY! (Catch up day?) haha

SUNDAYS

Supergirl @ 8 PM The CW [4th Season]

Charmed @ 9 PM The CW [*New Series Reboot]

We shall see how this holds up to the original…I loved the original!

YOU @ 10 PM Lifetime [*New Series]

This show is so good, and is so creepy you just can’t help but be intrigued by what’s going to happen next. It takes stalker to a whole new level. 

 

Happy Watching…what are you guys watching this fall? 

 

* I do not take credit for any images used in my edit (or otherwise)

or any videos/music used.* 

 

-<3-

 

 

 

 

BLOGMAS -Day 12- Snowed Inn Christmas

Hallmark is usually the place I go to get my Christmas love, fix. Romantic movies full of Christmas cheer. But since I no longer get the Hallmark Channel, I’ve turned to Lifetime. I love Hallmark way more, but this year Lifetime is stepping up their game. Their new Christmas Movie, stars one of my absolute favorites- Bethany Joy Lenz. And it looks adorable, I for one, can’t wait! 😀 (I may even do a Movie Review later on!)

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Movie description: Jenna Hudson (Bethany Joy Lenz, “Colony”) and Kevin Jenner (Andrew Walker, “A Bride for Christmas”) are polar opposites, working for the same online publication in New York City. With both having nowhere they want to be for Christmas, they volunteer for a special writing assignment. After a snowstorm forces their plane to land in none other than Santa Claus, Indiana, the two are placed in a Christmas Wonderland and the focus of their story shifts to saving the historic town inn run by Carol and Christopher Winters. As the two overcome their differences, they also rediscover the magic of Christmas. But with the inn’s fate in jeopardy and the return of someone from Jenna’s past, Carol and Christopher lend a helping hand to bring Jenna and Kevin together. The film also stars Tasha Smith. 

Check out the trailer:

Joy and her oh so handsome co-star Andrew Walker even filmed a little music video performing a duet to promote the movie. Take a look- It’s perfect! Joy is really in her element with the polka dot dress and the bluesy song. 

 

“Snowed Inn Christmas” Premieres this Saturday, December 16th @ 8pm.

Follow Joy on instagram @joylenz to catch behind the scenes sneak peeks all week!

 

-<3-