This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Jessica @ The Jessentials!

I do! I really do love y’all! And as a special thank you from me to you in this season of giving, I am happily offering up the chance for one of you to win one of my very favorite things (Oprah style).

John and I have amassed MANY beloved shows over the years, including The Office, 24, The Amazing Race, Downton Abbey, Survivor, and, of course, LOST. The show that has undoubtedly most captured our hearts, though, is Friday Night Lights.

Y’all, this show. From the first episode, I guarantee you’ll fall in love with the residents of Dillon, Texas. And if you’re anything like us, Tami, Coach, Julie, Riggins, Lila, Smash, Matt, and Tyra will practically become members of your family. Seriously — a year after we’ve finished the series, we’re STILL known to have extensive discussions about their respective life choices.

A few more reasons why I love Friday Night Lights…

Tami Taylor. Smart, sassy, always knows what to say, loves her man. Inspired me to buy cowboy boots. As my bio says, I want to be her when I grow up.

Coach. LOVE Coach. I find him hilarious, and tear up any time he has a sensitive scene with one of the players.

Coach and Tami’s relationship. It’s said that Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler insisted it be written into their contracts that Tami and Coach would never have an affair, since they didn’t believe that would be compatible with their characters’, well, characters. Their marriage on the show is not perfect, but it is real, and loving, and inspiring. Tami and Coach are consistently played to perfection and are the show’s anchor and heart, in my opinion.

Emotional realism. Friday Night Lights is very real. It doesn’t try to preach. It just tells the story of these people as their lives intertwine, evolve, and separate again in a way that feels so true.

Riggins. That is all.

The football. Yes, the football! Before this show, I knew next to nothing about the sport, and though I still don’t know that much, I enjoy watching it now, and John and I have even ventured out to some Friday night high school games in our area just for fun :)

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose. This has become a daily saying in our household, usually accompanied by a fist bump.

So yes, we love Friday Night Lights. If you love this show, too, then you know what I’m talking about. And if you’ve yet to be exposed to the wonder that is FNL, I’m excited for you to begin the journey!!

To be entered to win the complete series on DVD, just leave a comment below. If you’ve watched some of the show, then please tell me who your favorite character is and why he or she is your favorite. If you’ve yet to watch an episode, then list a few of your favorite TV shows. Try not to include any spoilers for the benefit of any newbies who might be reading!

I’ll draw a random winner on Friday, December 21.

Much love to you all!

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Jessica @ The Jessentials!

Five gifts on my wish list this year… now that cowboy boots have FINALLY been eliminated! :)

1. Chunky link bracelet | Goes with everything.
2. Basic black ballet flats | I wore my last pair into the ground, so now that they’re no longer acceptable to wear in public (John says so), I need to replace.
3. The book Blog, Inc. | Intrigued to hear what Joy has to say!
4. A classic American flag | To fly proudly off the porch of our future house.
5. A new pair of sunglasses | I think I’ve had my last pair for about eight years

What’s on the top of your wish list this year?

P.S. I would also happily accept nos. 6, 11, and 15 from this gift guide, and no. 1 from this one!

I adore Christmas music — both secular and religious — and have amassed quite the collection over the past few years. Of course, the advent of things like Spotify and Grooveshark has made discovering, curating, and sharing mixes much simpler, which I also love!

For your weekend enjoyment, I present to you my 2012 “jolly” mix – about three hours of music perfect for an upbeat afternoon of wrapping gifts or to accompany an evening open house. I hope you enjoy! Click here to listen. (Fingers crossed that link works — there are supposed to be 44 tracks on the playlist, but only 30 were showing up when I clicked on it… If not, try this one, and then scroll down to “A Jolly Christmas Playlist.”)

P.S. Here’s a link to my 2010 mix!

P.P.S. Why not pick an act of kindness to do this weekend? :)

Day Two of the Em for Marvelous Gift Guide is all about, for lack of a better word, “neutral” gifts. And when I say neutral I’m talking about the color, not the awesome-ness. I hope you’ll find a few goodies on here to give or get this month!

1. Magnolia and flower illustration no. 6688 ($25) | I love Kari Herer’s pieces. This one would be especially fitting for us since it’s emblematic of our adopted homeland, the South.
2. Set of 3 1-liter Weck juice jars ($11.65) | We have these and they’re perfect for toting liquids to picnics!
3. Zinc prize ribbon ($24) | Love that you can customize this with chalk. Would be sweet to hang it in your house and trade superlatives back and forth with roommates or family members!
4. Zinc letters and numbers ($7.25) | I’d buy a friend’s monogram, or maybe a special (short) word.
5. Leopard print lumbar pillow cover ($25) | Every home needs a touch of leopard. Truth.
6. Heart-shaped quiche dishes, set of 4 ($14.99) | Wouldn’t it be neat to serve breakfast or dessert in these on special days for your family? Birthdays, anniversaries, big tests…
7. The Clutch in natural ($48) | Not too fancy for everyday use, but easily dressed up.
8. Rugby stripe bin ($9.99) | Put a little prep in your step! I think these would look great lined up on a shelf storing not-so-aesthetically pleasing belongings.
9. Rhinestone dome studs ($4.80) | Please compare to versions from Kate Spade.
10. Insulated picnic basket ($49) | We received this as a wedding gift, and we LOVE it! I love the classic styling on the outside as much as I appreciate the functionality of keeping things cold.
11. “I think you are magic” letterpress card ($8) | I would put this beauty in a simple frame!
12. Wooden mason jar ornament ($12) | Sweet and sentimental.
13. Sparkly ruched clutch ($59) | An oh-so-glamorous neutral to complement almost any outfit.
14. Monogrammed hemstitch Euro sham ($49) | A great price for this! Tons of colors and styles to choose from. Note: Will NOT arrive in time for Christmas!
15. Initial necklace ($32) | I like the subtlety of this petite style.

Which is your favorite pick?