Meet the Shaneyfelts

Weekend Recap!

Before I get started with today’s post, I have a question for my readers.  I having been using Mary Kay anti-aging moisturizer and night cream, but I’m looking to use something different. I’ve been trying to research different brands–Clinique, Philosophy, you name it and I’ve probably looked at it.  Do you have any suggestions for something a woman in her late 20s should be using?  (It hurt me to type that last sentence ha!)  I’m also looking for something not too expensive, if possible.


On the last day of school, the cool kids showed up in their tackiest attire.

Saturday we headed out to shop with the rest of Alabama.  I walked out of Bath and Body Works to this people watcher:
Dinner Saturday night was at the Cheesecake Factory–and the only reason we go is for the cheesecake.  (And also why I eat an appetizer off the lighter menu.)

I had the Toasted Marshmallow Smores Cheesecake–not my fav

Ole Shaneyfelt had the caramel something…I can’t think of the name but I liked it a lot better than mine!
Church on Sunday
And then I played around with a new bundt cake flavor and icing.
Today is also officially the first day of my Christmas break–I’ll be working out, wrapping presents, and going to my book club meeting 🙂  Happy Monday!

Linking up with Biana today.

Friday Favorites–Last Day of School THIS YEAR Edition!

TODAY IS FRIDAY AND IT’S ALSO MY LAST DAY TO WORK UNTIL JANUARY 4, 2016!!!

I’m a little excited about today 🙂  Christmas break is so needed, and I can’t wait to spend my days relaxing or just doing what needs to be done.  I’m also on a break from grad school until January 7 and so this Christmas break will be the best ever!

Below are a few of my FAVORITES from this past week!

 My mom won Jacksonville State Teacher of the Year nominee at her school and then for the elementary schools in the school system.  She really is such a great and FAVORITE teacher that I hope to be half as good as her!


 I made this awesome recipe.  It quickly became a FAVORITE and I’ll make it again soon.  Recipe coming on Tuesday!  (Oh, and it’s healthy, too!)


 This outfit was my FAVORITE this week!  I felt so retro in it, and it was so comfortable.  
Jeans and top from Anthropologie–scarf from Nordstrom–boots from Frye


 Quick picture of some ingredients that I bought to make goodies to mail to some of my FAVORITES


 One thing in this picture is a FAVORITE and the other is not.  This is a local radio station that plays Christmas music 24/7–I love it, but notice the temperature by the time…..71 degrees in December?  I’m having issues trying to dress myself appropriately each day.  Thankfully it’s cold today and so I can listen to “Let It Snow” and not be sweating!


 Our Christmas card this year is a FAVORITE!  And my mom took the picture #winning


My students have been bringing me presents this week.  Yesterday one of the gifts I received was a pecan pie that I had to stare at all day and resist the urge to eat it with my fingers.  MyFitnessPal is keeping me accountable….sometimes ha!  It’s hard this holiday season!


 Last night was one of my FAVORITE traditions–the 2nd annual Shaneyfelt Christmas Light Drive By!

 We changed into our comfy clothes and stopped by Starbucks on the way to an old, historic neighborhood to check out their lights.  I’ve been driving through that neighborhood to look at lights since I was a little girl.  (Excuse the horrible lighting and weird shadows in the car.)

This is an example of how that neighborhood decorates–really traditional, and you can’t tell very well, but in the wreaths and garland around the door is a design created out of fruit.  Not every house uses fruit to decorate, but I love the houses that do!


Sense of Sarah: Favorite Blogs to Read

If you’re new to what my Sense of Sarah posts are, just click here for an explanation and past posts.

I love reading blogs–just ask my husband!  I think my love of reading blogs also comes from my love of reading.  And I love how with blog reading, you really get to know the person behind the blog.  (I’ve made lots of friends through blog reading.)  Unlike books, blog characters are real people.  Plus, I’ve gotten great ideas from lots of blogs.

These are just a few of the blogs I really enjoy reading!

I LOVE reading Shay’s blog!  She’s from Texas, just adopted a little girl from China, and her brother was The Bachelor.  I love how her writing is clean and family-oriented, and I think her life is fascinating.  Her family is so cute!  I would really love to get to meet her someday to learn more about her!  (And tour her home haha)

Not only do I love reading Shay’s personal blog, but I love her foodie blog!  If you know me, you know how much I love cooking and baking–it’s such a huge passion of mine and my goal in the next few years is to publish a cookbook.  With that being said, I love taking lots of Shay’s recipes and putting my own spin on them.  I love that her recipes are really easy and healthy (and you can make even healthier).

Andrea is the writer of Momfessionals and she’s a middle school math teacher who loves Anthropologie!  I feel like that makes us soul sisters haha!  Andrea’s blog is filled with the cutest ideas for celebrating holidays because she is all about celebrating and making memories with her three kids.   Plus, I love how she dresses her little girl, Griffin.  #lifegoals

I don’t even remember how I found Elise’s blog, but I started reading when she lived at the beach and then shortly announced that she was pregnant.  It was so fun following her pregnancy and move back to her hometown of Charlotte.  Her daughter Nancy makes the funniest faces, and is always dressed so cute.  I have enjoyed reading about Elise making her new house a home and getting design ideas.

This is another blog that I can’t remember how I found but I love reading it!  Victoria designed my blog and has become a friend in real life.  We have lots in common which has been really fun to find out.  Victoria has a talent for decorating so I love it when she posts pictures of her home (or Thanksgiving dinners) and I can learn from her.  Plus, I think she writes really well.

I just realized this, but Christina’s blog is the only non-Southern blog on this list!  I really enjoy reading about all of the traveling posts that Christina writes about–she and her husband travel constantly and she always writes great posts that I want to bookmark in case I ever visit those places.  She also is a newlywed like I am, so it’s been fun reading about how she’s starting new traditions with her husband like I am.

If you read my blog and know that I read yours daily, don’t feel left out!  I will be doing an updated post later on other blogs I enjoy reading!

Next for Sense of Sarah:  How I Started Blogging