I have a serious problem....

I don't know what's wrong with me. But I am on this major DIY Christmas decorating kick. Pinterest has been my main source of entertainment this week as I have looked at pages and pages of DIY Christmas stuff. Everything from wreaths to ornaments to canvases to presents to cookies to candles. Seriously. It's awful. And what's worse is that it's only the 1st of October! Normally, I am among the crowd who says absolutely nothing Christmas related til the day after Thanksgiving. Especially since I worked in a grocery store for 8 years where the day after Halloween we are setting up Christmas displays and within a week the radio station is switched to Christmas. It's awful and has always driven me crazy! But this year it's the complete opposite. Even as I sit here I have Christmas music playing on Pandora... Michael Buble and Frank Sinatra Christmas music to be exact. Seriously. This is a problem.

HELP ME!!

I was talking with a friend of mine tonight (she was in my wedding and got married 2 weeks before Spence and I did) about how bad this current obsession is. She just decorated her house for fall and I told her I have moved way past fall and am heading straight for Christmas. But then we both agreed that part of the extra excitement with all of this is the fact that we have our own houses to decorate however we want. Don't get me wrong... I love decorating for Christmas at my Iowa house with my mom and siblings. It's always a favorite part of Christmas for me. I was actually very upset last year when I came home from Peru and my mom had decided not to decorate our house since we were going to be spending Christmas with my sister in NY. Another reason I have always loved decorating with my family is that we have always done it right around my birthday and so it just added something extra special for me. Cheesy? Probably. But my special love and memories for sure. Don't judge me. But anyway... this year it's exciting that I get to decorate my own house. Not a dorm. Not a section of a tree. 

BUT A WHOLE HOUSE!!

Another thing that is feeding this excitement (I like that word better than problem!) is the fact that I seriously love this time of year. November and December are my favorite months of the year. I don't like the bitter cold temperatures that sometimes come or the crazed crowds trampling people down to get the next best thing as a gift that will be broken, forgotten or given away in a matter of days... But I love the chilly nights, the warm smells, the soothing sounds, the colors, the homemade gifts and the ever constant presence of family, love and joy. I have often written about the love I have for my family and how hard it is for me to be away from them for extended periods of time. And Christmas is the one constant, guaranteed time that we are all together. Now that we are all at the age of moving out and being married and whatnot that is going to change a bit. We will now be together every other year, which will be hard but it'll make the times we are together that much sweeter. But seriously. Christmas is one of my favorite times of year and some of my favorite memories and family craziness happen at Christmas time. 

I JUST LOVE CHRISTMAS SO MUCH!!

The final reason that I love Christmas is the fact that it's the reminder of what my GOD did for me. He sent His Son in the form of a baby to grow up in a sinful, evil world and to then die a criminal's death at the age of 33. All so that I could one day live for eternity with Him. Christmas is the beginning of hope. It's the beginning of a beautiful plan for redemption and renewed relationship. It's the time when things make sense. Are simple. Are good. It's the time when everyone (well maybe not everyone) takes time to slow down and just cherish the time with family, friends, co-workers, etc. while remembering what Christmas is actually about. The birth of a boy who grew up to save the world. Literally the greatest superhero story ever. Just saying. And the best reason to celebrate! 

CHRISTMAS IS IN 84 DAYS!!

Okay. Well that's enough of me going on and on about my current excitement, obsession, problem. Whatever you want to call it. I am just so super excited for Christmas. And I am excited about finishing my craft room and being able to then start making some of the awesome Pinterest projects I have in mind. It's going to be a wonderful 84 days and I am so excited! 

CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!