Wandering the Web: have an awesome weekend

We made it! It's Fridayyyyyy! Anyone else as excited as I am? This week has been a little crazy, and it doesn't look like the weekend is going to slow down much for me... I still have so much Christmas shopping to do! Am I the only one procrastinating? I still have no idea what to get for all the men in my life. It's always the hardest part, therefore always the last to be done, haha. What do you have planned this weekend?

1. A neurotic's guide to small talk — the second one is my favorite. (NY Times)

2. Why jackets are the best shirts. (The Cut)

3. Five myths about wine debunked by a sommelier. (Food52)

4. Tips for making and keeping you're NYE resolutions. (My Domaine)

5. "In defense of being average." (Mark Manson)

6. This student made an art project out of telling people they're beautiful. (Lost at E Minor)

7. Why Drew Barrymore believes women' can't have it all — at least at the same time. (Forbes)

8. And for a hilariously true laugh: Instagram Husbands. (YouTube)

holiday traditions

The holiday season has always felt like a magical time to me. Maybe it’s because I’ve watched one (or 20) too many cheesy Christmas love stories on Hallmark, but I just love the sense of excitement and hopefulness that surrounds this time of the year. Seeing holiday lights on the houses and giant Christmas trees set up in the mall, people bundled up in scarfs and hats and powdery snow falling at night… Okay, so this description is about 1000 times more Hallmark movie than Iowa reality (especially since it hasn't snowed in weeks here!), but you get my point, right? The holiday season is beautiful.

delicious (and easy) holiday cookies

Since I was visiting my brothers in Ohio last weekend and seeing the new house they bought for the first time, I decided to do something I rarely ever do and bake some cookies. I know — revolutionary.

I found a recipe for 3-ingredient butter cookies on A Cup of Jo a while back and have been wanting to try them, and since I already had two out of the three ingredients in my kitchen, I decided to give it a shot. The recipe was straightforward and very simple; the only hard part was stirring in the flour using a spatula and my extremely weak arm ;)

I wasn’t sure how I’d like the taste of them since it’s just butter, sugar and flour, but they were rich with just the right amount of sweetness. The only downside? The recipe only made about 20 cookies… So if you’re planning to make these for a holiday party (which I definitely am!), I would recommend doubling or tripling the recipe (they're also bite size). You can have fun adding garnishes for different tastes and looks. I used mint-chocolate chips on my first batch.

Have you made butter cookies before? What are your favorite toppings to garnish them?

P.S. My grandma's apple pie recipe and 7 holiday-themed things to do in Des Moines

7 things to do for the holidays in Des Moines

It’s easy to get lost in all the holiday prep this time of year, and sometimes we forget to actually celebrate. We’re too busy shopping for presents, decorating the house, etc. to take a minute and remember that there is still fun to be had before Christmas hits. Anyone feel me on this? Well, this year I found some fun holiday-themed activities to do before Santa gets here! Some are family-friendly, and some are for the more booze-enthused ;) Whatever you're looking for, here are 7 holiday-themed events and activities to add to your calendar this year:

Wandering the Web: Have a fabulous weekend!

Happy Friday babes! How's your week been? Mine has flown, thanks to work and a busy schedule preparing for my weekend trip to... Ohio! The sis and I are heading out east to visit our brothers for their company Christmas party. We're leaving straight after work at 5 p.m. tonight for a quick 9-hour car ride, which should be super fun ;) But hey, the forecast is calling for unseasonably high temps for December the next few days, so I can't complain about that!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, and here are some fun links I found this week...

1. I really want to watch the Grammy tribute to Frank Sinatra this Sunday. Will you tune in? (Vulture)

2. In LOVE with this metallic blazer from Banana Republic. How great for NYE?! (Refinery 29)

3. Just bought this black matte nail polish, and I can't wait to try it! (Target)

4. Period-proof underwear is apparently a thing now...would you use it? (Women's Health)

5. Hilarious thoughts from a Starbucks barista — lol at 13! (Cosmopolitan)

6. "I was Internet famous." (New York Magazine)

7. How to entertain people who don't drink. (The Cut)

8. How great are these cookie baking essentials for Christmas? (Feast + West)