With all of the hustle and bustle of the season, it’s easy to lose some of your holiday spirit. Yesterday, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have my beautiful and healthy family around me. I was reading a fluff piece msnbc.com had posted about your increased chance of getting dumped right before Christmas. It was a poorly written article but it made for decent nap time filler. I have been sort of obsessed with reading the comments left on articles lately.  It’s an extremely entertaining way to burn some time and get your daily dose of crazy. But yesterday I found an exception. While most people were trashing old lovers Jerry Springer-style, one woman left a very sentimental comment and I wanted to share. It made me cry.

Many years ago I lost my husband just before the holidays and nothing could help ease the pain of him not in my life. Having to bury your childhood sweetheart buries a part of you. I voluteered to help a homeless shelter feed the poor and it took me out of the pain for the time but when I got home it was back to the cold pain.

As Christmas drew near unacknowledged by me, a storm hit. It knocked down the little pine tree we had planted in the fall of that year and it seemed to be the final straw for me. I sobbed until I could no longer cry. Suddenly I remembered that the last thing we bought was Christmas ornaments on the weekend before his passing.

I dragged the little tree into the house and grabbed our decorations and decorated that tree. I stood back and smiled at the beauty and knew I was going to survive.

Sometimes we have to reach outside ourselves to find the joy but no matter the situation it waits for you to discover it.

*Have a wonderful week!*

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

H&H’s last giveaway of the year is a BIGGIE! The fabulous Dr. Farrior has kindly offered a completely complimentary Botox treatment valued at $300. Due to geography, this giveaway is limited to Tampa Bay residents as a trip to the office is necessary to receive your anti-aging serum.

Reader Tip: ‘Like’ Dr. Farrior’s Facebook and page stay tuned for more amazing holiday offers for EVERYONE!

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

As H&H prepares to go on holiday next week (I will be re-posting some of my personal favorites) I wanted to bring you 2 days of awesome giveaways. Today it is a $50 gift card to my home-away-from-home, my Mecca – Nordstrom. Use it to buy my trusty Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, or maybe towards these adorable galoshes for a little one or perhaps as a down payment for the skinny jeans from yesterday. Do with it what you may – just enter!

For a chance to win, please send an email through the H&H Contact page. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck!

Update: Congrats to our winner – Laurie Kocanda!

*Disclosure: You may think Nordstrom is paying me for all of this touting. Unfortunately, for myself, my bank account and my husband’s sanity, they are not.*

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Over the weekend, the hubs and I completed our annual Christmas ritual of trying to spend our entire savings at Nordstroms. I have to give it to my man – he outspent me for the second year in a row.  I believe men secretly love shopping. He had that same red-faced giddy look I get whenever I leave Gucci. Unfortunately, due to the state of my stay-at-home mom economy, I haven’t had a shopping orgasm at Gucci for a few years. But I did manage to pick up a couple of super-sexy skinny jeans during our latest excursion. Let me share…

Paige Premium ‘Skyline’ Skinny $158

I already have this pair and was contemplating buying another for this season until I tried on…

Citizens Of Humanity ‘Slick’ Skinny $165

I won the ass lottery with this pair. Absolutely amazing and so comfortable. I was a little nervous when the girl handed them to me because they resembled the size of doll clothes but they stretch perfectly and feel like flannel jammies.

Paige ‘Skyline’ Skinny $158 – inky blue

Yes, these are the same pair of skinny jeans pictured at the top. The difference? These are dark, dark blue. I swear. I LOVE Paige jeans but I thought it would be irresponsible of me to buy two pairs of black skinny jeans so I went with this pair instead.

Do you think my kids would resent me if I went back to work for the sole purpose of getting my Gucci orgasm back?

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment