Date Night Essentials | Fail-Proof Planning

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For my husband and I, date night is something like a big deal. Date night is that coveted time when we are able to decompress and enjoy each other simply as husband and wife.  And while the idea of date night is a beautiful thing, the reality is that date night has become a rare occasion.

Currently | 11.20.15

We Are Booked Holiday Swap Sign-Up (Closed)

Bookish friends and family, the time is here! Tracie and I are now doing sign-ups on our blogs for the We Are Booked Holiday Swap. And we couldn't be more excited! But before you click the form, here are just a few things to make note of about the We Are Booked Holiday Swap:

Beauty | Fall Faves Tag

Now that it's officially Fall in the Carolinas, I've done a bit of switching up my beauty routine. I've traded bright, vibrant hues of lipstick and polishes to darker, muted shades. I've pulled out skincare items that combat my fall/winter dryness as opposed to treating my skin's summer oiliness. And I've actually used up quite a few products before going out to splurge on new items for the seasonal change. While I was planning to post some of the products I've been grabbing for lately, I was given an extra push to post when my blogger boo Jay of Relaxed Thairapy tagged me to do a Fall Faves post. So without further adieu, read more about my current beauty favorites of the season after the jump!

Just to Get By | A Playlist for the Hopeful

Hello friends! Have you ever had a string of never-ending, not-so-good, kinda-bad days? Not so terribly bad that you couldn't function, but just days where you felt like you couldn't get right? You know, those blah types of days when you get out of bed feeling like something is missing but you aren't sure what. You have a hope and a dream for something greater, but have no clue how to get to that something. Or it seems like no matter what you try to do, nothing works out in your favor. You might even feel yourself giving up on your hopes and dreams. But then one morning, things turn around for you.

We Are Booked Holiday Swap

Happy November, loves! If you have been following along with the We Are Booked Photo Challenge on Instagram, you may know Tracie and I just wrapped up the second installment of the challenge. Thanks to you guys, these book challenges have been so much fun! We have met so many new book buddies and found so many great books along the way. And what better way to celebrate that success than keeping the good times rolling, right? So for the holiday season, we will be hosting the first ever We Are Booked Holiday Swap!

So how does the We Are Booked Holiday Swap work?
On November 8, Tracie and I will both be posting a sign-up form on our blogs for all that are interested in participating in the holiday swap. Once everyone is signed up, each participant will receive information about another participant, anonymously. No one will know who has his or her name until the day he or she receives the package---just like the Secret Santa gift exchange. Sounds like fun, right? The form will be only be active from the 8th until the 18th, so make sure you sign up and tell your friends to do so as soon as possible. This way, everyone's packages can be mailed out by December 1st.

Who can participate?
This swap is open to all of our readers! One does not have to be on Instagram to participate. If you have been following along with the challenges and know someone who loves to read and receive bookish mail just as much as we do-- feel free to share this message with them! Tag them in this post if they are on IG and tag them here if they are on Facebook--the more the merrier!

Exactly what is included in each "swap?" 
The idea of the swap is to give the gift of happy reading for the holidays. As we learned from the book photo challenge, there is a large community of fellow book lovers. Participating in this swap is an awesome way to share the love of reading with another. In the swap, each person will receive information about another participant's taste in books (ie, favorite genres, books, etc). They will also receive a list with a few books on that participant's wish list. You will use that information to purchase a book for them and/or a few other bookish items (bookmarks, or stocking stuffers) if you should choose to do so. But please keep in mind: bookish mail + gifts are not to exceed $25.

Tracie and I really hope you will join in on the fun! If you have any questions, please feel free to email or contact us on any of our social media accounts.

Will you be participating? 

Let me know what you think in the comments!