It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

My December routine has become eerily similar each year.
Although, with each passing year, I feel like I am fine tuning the ever-loving shit out of it.
Read: less insanity

Thanksgiving flies by. We swoop in and our of multiple homes for the day, eat til full and drink too much alcohol. #storyofmylife
Shrimp Boil happens.
And it was glorious.

Even if it is a little ghetto and cold and we're all standing in an unfinished garage lit by beer signs, and it's a bit too smokey, and the music is blaring, and the dogs are on the verge of killing each other, and my throat gets sore from yelling over the music... it's nice to see old friends all together again.  #likeoldtimes

And in between these two end of November events?
I decorate.

 I try to put a little something festive in all the rooms (minus our bedroom)...and end up going balls to the walls in the main rooms. Christmas decor is my middle name, y'all.

And then I also rush to get my Christmas cards out the door. Because even though those little pieces of paper more than likely get thrown away on December 26th, I like to imagine they are hanging somewhere prominent for an entire month, and it's worth my effort to rush knowing how long they get on someone's fridge.

But then? When all the lights are strung, and decor is placed and cards are mailed?

We chill.
Each weekend in December brings a little bit of Merry.
I have my annual Christmas party for my side of the family.
We are heading to Chicago to see Straight No Chaser's Holiday Music.
Company Holiday parties, Christmas Eve at Mark's parents, Christmas at my parents.
It'll all be over in a blink of an eye.

And this year, I'm not letting any drama or sad times get me down.
We have a lot to be grateful for, even if some days are rougher than others.
I'm not allowing other people to drag me down.
We all know someone who is going through rough times, and that shit is probably worse off than my problems. So it's nice to take a step back and realize that life's not all that bad, really.

I'm looking forward to topping of this year on a high note.
This year has been really good to us, even if we haven't received every little (or big) thing we wanted.
There is a plan, and I can't wait to see it unfold in the coming months!

Thank you for reading!