Following fall, the winter season is also a favorite of mine. I love the cold and getting cozy. Plus, it really is the most wonderful time of the year. It's not about the presents and maybe only a little about the food (okay, a lot about the food), but the feeling of the holiday season and winter in general just feels *good*. It's something that's so difficult to really explain, but you probably know what I'm talking about.

Even though it's the time of the year I have the most time off from work, it's one of the busiest times because there's so much I want to do and see. It's also flu season, so it's important to stay well so I don't have to miss out on anything.



Favorite Winter Festivities & What I'm Looking Forward to This Year



Holiday shopping - I don't love that Black Friday shopping has become Thanksgiving shopping, but if I'm being honest, we're still there before the doors open, standing outside in the cold with bellies full of turkey.

Christmas sweaters - yes, plural. I own 13 vintage Christmas sweaters and I wear every single one of them each year (some multiple times). I don't wear them to be ironic. I truly love them and think they're really beautiful. (I also have multiple pairs of Christmas socks and Santa shoes).

Pine scents - I love the smell of pine, though it feels odd to burn it all year long, so I stick to the holiday months for making my home and office totally smell like a pine tree.

Yummy hot drinks - I don't drink tons of hot coffee, hot tea, or hot cocoa when it's still warm outside, but once the weather cools down, I am all for those warm and yummy drinks. You can almost always find me with a warm drink in hand.

Holiday lights - who isn't a fan, am I right? They can get pretty costly for a whole family to go, but we usually end up finding gorgeous lights in local neighborhoods to go check out. There's one fairly close to us that is so amazing and I don't even know how the folks that live there pull it off.

Winter travel - we recently went out to Vegas for some winter travel and it was a blast. It was our first visit for both hubby and I, and our first time flying together, so it was quite the experience. Travel in itself is always a treat, so visiting the Bellagio during the holidays was amazing.

Donate toys - one of the things I do every single year is donate toys to children in need and I don't plan to stop doing that any time soon.

More time to read - I love this time of year because I get days off from work that I can spend reading and catching up on my reading goals.

Hit up the tree farm - I've never visited a tree farm or had a real tree. While I'm fairly certain we'll stick with our artificial tree, I'd still love to visit a tree farm and smell all those wonderful pine smells.

Watch my favorite holiday films - there are some real gems out there and I love everything from the emotional to the goofy.

Go ice skating - will this be the year? I try every year and I always chicken out. I'm honestly so scared I'll fall and someone will run my fingers over.

Holiday parties - hubby's work throws the best holiday shindigs and I cannot wait to see where this year's party will be held!



But here's the thing. When I first moved out of my parent's house to move-in with hubby (who was my boyfriend at 19), I wasn't quiet sure how to take care of myself. I wasn't really proactive in my health, and every winter for about three years, I would get really sick and end up in the hospital. So now I'm much more mindful of how I'm feeling so I don't have to try to fix myself afterward. I also try to be a bit more proactive when it comes to my health, as well.





Instead, I take care of myself right away, and luckily Kroger has everything I need for all my flu season needs. And beginning on 12/9/18 through 1/26/19, you can get $1 Off any Theraflu Product and $2 Off Theraflu Power Pods, 12ct Powders, 40ct Caplets, and Syrups Twinpack. On Robitussin products, you can find a $1.25 off coupon through 1/4/19!







AbrevaⓇ Pump Cold Sore and Fever Blister Treatment is fantastic for getting rid of cold sores and can heal them in as little as 2.5 days*. Keep in mind, Abreva is not a temporary symptom reliever, but can heal cold sores fast**!

One of my biggest issues, not just during flu season but pretty often, is nasal congestion. I really struggle with it, especially during the night - I tend to wake up with my nose fairly stuffy. BreatheⓇ Right Extra Clear Nasal Strips provide relief for nighttime nasal congestion due to colds, allergies, or a deviated septum. The strips even reduce snoring caused by that nighttime congestion, so you're welcome. Breathe Right is drug-free and safe to use with sleep medications. Mostly it works by gently lifting the sides of the nose and opening the nasal passages, making it easier to breathe through your nose! I prefer the clear nasal strips because they're easier to remove, which is easier on my sensitive skin.

When a cough sets in, I try RobitussinⓇ Maximum Strength Honey Cough & Chest Congestion DM. The maximum strength liquid sooths sore throats on contact and provides cough relief for hours. The new Honey formula uses True Source Certified honey with no artificial colors, and it's gluten-free.

Remember, Theraflu Power Pods Daytime Severe Cold and Robitussin® Maximum Strength Honey Cough & Chest Congestion DM should not be used at the same time.

And now, Theraflu is so easy to use with the Theraflu Daytime Power Pods Severe Cold. The pods can pop right into most single-serve coffee makers, making it easy to drink. The pods temporarily relieve multiple cold symptoms and temporarily reduce fevers for a powerful relief without a prescription.

I also use tons of CloroxⓇ Disinfecting Wipes to wipe away 99.9% of the most common allergens***. I use CloroxⓇ Disinfecting Wipes on all my non-porous surfaces at work or home to get rid of the ickies and feel a bit better about my clean space.








I plan to keep myself well this winter so I can see and do all the things I've been looking forward to. And so far, so good.






Theraflu - ©2018 the GSK group of companies or its licensor. Theraflu is for use in adults 12 years and older. Use products only as directed. Read and follow label directions.

Abreva, Breathe Right, Robitussin - Use only as directed. Read label and follow directions.

*When used at the first sign, median healing time was 4.1 days; 25% healed in 2.5 days

**Among OTC cold sore treatments, when used at the fist sign.

***Use Clorox products as directed for removal of non-living allergens like pet dander, dust mite matter and pest matter on hard nonporous surfaces in your home. Keep out of reach of children.