DECEMBER FOCUS

**original image via wing-ta found via pinterest (link to original broken).

happy first official day of advent! it's officially okay to eat a little chocolate alongside your winter morning oatmeal. of course, it's always been okay in my book. can you believe it's already december? yeah, me neither. especially because it feels like june outside our front door. regardless, I am so excited for the upcoming month. and even though thanksgiving is my favorite, this upcoming twenty-five days comes in a very close second.

there are actually several wonderful, spiritual holidays in december. mitch and I celebrate christmas, but I'd also like to wish you all a happy hanukkah and a happy kwanzaa as your own holidays approach. this time of year is a beautiful one. as we sit down to write our christmas cards and think what others might like to receive under the tree, we literally get the chance to stop and think about others. to go out of our way serving loved ones and even people that we've never met. to forget all of the noise that distracts us constantly and focus on a savior being born into the world and having fun with family. I know I can't wait to see mine later on this month.

so how were your long weekends? are you guys still stuffed as bird. admittedly, I still kind of am. shortly after thursday's thanksgiving meal, I attended my first christmas luncheon and I couldn't believe how full I still was from the night before. I think those sitting around me thought I was on some kind of diet, but that wasn't the case at all. and then we had another thanksgiving meal the night after that. it was a very caloric weekend to say the least and all I want is smoothies for the next seven days. and advent chocolates, duh. speaking of advent. it's finally december first! so I am finally okay with playing my favorite christmas movies on repeat and blasting a little holiday music. and I guess that means it's time to settle down with elf and take a little chunk out of my to-do list. have a wonderful monday, everyone! 

love, arielle