So, I took a bit of a break from the blog. The biggest reason was November is NANOWRIMO! It's one of my favorite times of the year. Nanowrimo stands for National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I've participated 3 years in a row and accomplished my goal.

I love the challenge but by the time I'm done writing, I hate writing so much I have to take a break. So, even though I finished on the 18th or so (new record even for me), I wasn't ready to write yet. But, now we are in my favorite season, Christmas season.

Christmas is my favorite holiday and surprisingly or not, has nothing to do with presents. Although I do love them. As a child, Christmas would always mean going to my grandparents' (mom's side) where grandpa would have set up the fake fire place. We all have handmade stockings, courtesy of my grandmother, and a little drummer boy mechanic set. We would make Xmas cookies and go to bed early so that we could wake up early. My family takes stocking stuffers to a whole new level with a grocery bag full of stocking stuffers as well as the stockings. Breakfast is always pastries and egg strada and dinner was always standing rib roast, yorkshire puddings, twice baked potatoes and broccoli or asparagus with holindaise sauce, delish! I adore this season.

Although those grandparents have passed on, my love for Christmas and tradition remain the same. I've made stockings for my husband, nephew and sister's boyfriend so that they all match. We still have the same dinner and breakfast, still have ridiculous stocking stuffers and still have a great time together as a family. Now that I'm married, I've gotten to add on to those traditions with more family. Typically we get together on Christmas eve with Joe's mom and that side of his family and sporadically through the month we will visit his dad. Since I actually LIKE my in laws (lucky girl, woot), it really only enhances my awesome Christmas because I love getting to spend time with the family I love.

And Christmas lights only make it all better.