Hello December :)

(A snowy scene captured in Rexburg, Idaho :) )

Sitting here in The Crossroads watching big, white snowflakes fall outside the window, I realized that I don't think I've ever been more appreciative and excited for the Christmas season before.

Here's why:

1. The Christmas season is celebrated for one reason alone: Christ. Without Him we wouldn't have a reason to celebrate one of the greatest holiday's of the year

2. Snow. Yes, I said it, snow. Contrary to popular belief here at BYU-Idaho, snow is in fact something to be happy about. I grew up with feet of snow each December in Minnesota and Chicago, and since living in Washington there's nothing I've missed more. I couldn't be happier to be back in sub-zero degree weather with feet of snow piling on the ground :)

3. Hot Chocolate. I'm a lover of hot chocolate and even though I drink it year round, it definitely tastes best this time of year

4. Fires. This is a rare one this year being in an apartment, but it's still something I can miss and appreciate in the future

5. Christmas music. I love it!

6. Sipping hot chocolate by the fire while listening to Christmas music and watching the snow fall. It doesn't get much better than that :)

7. The general spirit of gratitude and optimism. I love that for a month out of the year we don't have to listen to as much complaining as we do the rest of the year. We all have so much to be grateful for and I'm glad that it's realized at least once throughout the year.

8. Friendships. Since September I've developed closer friendships than I've ever had before, and I'm so incredibly grateful for that.

9. I get to fly home to spend Christmas with my parents whom I haven't seen since July! Bonus: They're getting a REAL tree this year, not a fake one :)

10. Yule log, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Egg Nog, Christmas Eve pajamas, and my mom's homemade Christmas treats and dinners

I'm so excited to go home to see my parents for the first time since they dropped me off in Idaho in July!

Since I've been out at school I've grown so appreciative of my parents and all that they've done and still do for me. I can't wait to get home and have insightful conversations with my dad, learn more about baking and cooking from my mom, and do all of those Christmas traditions I grew up with :)

So let the countdown begin...

18 days until we get to celebrate the birth of Christ with family and friends :)