Happy Holiday Season

This is my favorite time of the year. The end of Fall through New Year's. I love that I get to spend so much time with family and I love the warm smells, cozy surroundings and decorations, and that most everyone's disposition is improved overall this time of year. I think aside from summer vacations it can be the happiest time of the year, and the most relaxing if you're fortunate and great with time management.

I start thinking about Christmas shopping months in advance and hardly ever find myself in a bind with just a few days left until Christmas and I like to keep decorations simple and organized - easy to pull out, easy to put back. I'm most excited about our family Christmas card this year and our anniversary. My family has done a family photo card every year since I was born, making us officially a family. I've actually looked forward to this since we got engaged, getting to send out a card of our own. Dumb, maybe, but a milestone for sure.

They say the first year of marriage is the hardest for a number of reasons. Michael and I still find that we're just so grateful not to be long distance anymore (after four LONG years of it) that we don't waste a lot of time being stubborn or unyielding when we do argue, but it has been so busy moving to a big city with full time jobs and school and no time or money for vacations. So it's been good but I would agree it's been hard, just finding balance. We're going away for our anniversary, for the first time since our honeymoon, and it will be nice to have quiet and peace, and just time.






Michael carving the Thanksgiving Turkey. My cousin is tickled.




All the cousins. It's so crazy how old we've all gotten. I remember being the oldest when all the others were still "just kids." That sure has changed.




I hope you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving and the good times continue through the holiday season!



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