Reason Number Nine

Here's a short post with the next reason...

9. Christmas treats. My dear friend Elise brought some yummy treats to college group tonight. She's made them before, but this time, she made them with mint oreo cookies. I don't know what else to call them, so I'm going to call them "Oreo cookie balls". She puts chocolate on top and they are just amazing, gooey, and sweet. I love the creative treats people think of during Christmas.

Only 16 more days until Christmas! And, 16 more reasons to love it!!

Bucket List

There are a few things I want to accomplish in my life.
I was having a conversation with Josh yesterday and something came up that I was like, "Oh yeah. I totally want to do that before I die". So, it got me thinking about creating a bucket list. I know it's kind of a popular thing to do nowadays, but I think it's important to have dreams and goals. So, I am going to start writing mine...and I'm sure I will be adding to it eventually. Here goes:

1. Have a baby.
2. Write a book.
3. Take up ballroom dancing.
4. Go swimming with dolphins.
5. Fly first class.
6. Go on a cruise.
7. Drive along Route 66.
8. Visit New York during Christmas.
9. Go to Disney World.
10. Take a trip to Italy.
11. Attend a movie premiere.
12. See a show on Broadway.
13. Tour Alcatraz.
14. Tour Pearl Harbor.
15. Tour the historical sites back east.
16. Go to the San Diego Zoo.
17. Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
18. Lead someone to Christ.
19. Read 100 books of Classic Literature.
20. Earn my Bachelor's degree.
21. Go on a second honeymoon to Maui.
22. Celebrate New Year's Eve in Times Square.
23. Teach my children to follow the Lord.
24. Learn how to sew something more than just a button or fixing a hole in a shirt.
25. Plant a garden.
26. Spend a day at a spa.
27. Learn to whistle.
28. Own a Mustang convertible.
29. Learn how to play the piano better, so I can sing and play at the same time.
30. Kiss my husband on top of the Eiffel Tower.
31. Journey to Israel to see where Jesus walked.
32. Attend a NBA Finals game.
33. Attend the Olympics.
34. Visit Disneyland on Christmas Day.
35. Visit all 50 states.
36. Go on vacation in Seattle.
37. Buy a house.
38. Celebrate my 50th anniversary with my husband.
39. Visit the Grand Canyon.
40. Knit a blanket for my children.

That is the start right now. I will add to it as time goes on. I like having goals and things I want to accomplish.

Reason Number Eight

I am having a not quite full-blown migraine, so this reason is going to be short and to the point.

8. The weather. I know that weather really doesn't have a lot to do with Christmas itself, but I love when it is rainy and wet during the month of December. It makes me happy.

More reasons to come...sorry for the short post.

Reason Number Seven

So this reason actually has more to do with how I spent my evening last night after I wrote Reason Number Six. But, here it is anyway...

7. Christmas lights. There is a family in our city that decorates their house to the nines every year. Their Facebook fan page says it takes them three months to get everything ready...and that they improve their decorations every year. I have gone to this house every year since discovering it...and every year I am amazed. It is beautiful. It's gorgeous. It's so detailed. It's bright and cheerful...and oh so Christmasy.


It may be hard to tell from that picture...but yes, there is a house under there. And the picture doesn't even do it justice. The whole other side of the house isn't even seen here.
My favorite part, by far, is the fact that the 'Christ' in Christmas is made of different colored lights then the rest of the phrase...and I don't think it's a coincidence. It makes me so happy to see that there are still many people in the world who celebrate Christmas...and aren't afraid to use the phrase "Merry Christmas". There's no "Happy Holidays" coming from this girl. It is all about Christmas...and most importantly, all about Christ.
I love the way Christmas lights look on houses. They brighten up neighborhoods and make the world seem like a much brighter place...literally! Of course, I love to think of Christmas lights as being symbolic to Jesus being the Light of the World, as I mentioned in Reason Number One when I blogged about Christmas trees.

More reasons coming soon!

Reason Number Six

Here is my 6th reason for why I love Christmas.

6. The smells of Christmas. To me, this is a combo of many different things.
The smell of...
Real Christmas trees
Peppermint from candy canes
Fresh baked cookies
Hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows
My Christmas scents from Scentsy (and I have LOTS. My favorites right now are Christmas Cottage and Winter Wonderland. I am excited to use the others soon!)
The hint of fireplaces in use (I can only handle a hint of that smell, as I am allergic to the smell of smoke, and get horrible headaches if it's really strong. I wish this wasn't the case, as I'd love to use our fireplace this Christmas)

I have always associated certain smells with people or places. I remember walking into the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln building in Disneyland for the first time in probably 5 years...and instantly being brought back to the first time I'd set foot in there. To this day, I step into that building to catch a whiff of that smell...because I know at that moment that I am truly in Disneyland. It's amazing how powerful smells can be for me...which is why I love the smells of Christmas so much.

More reasons to come!