Christmas Countdown...

It's that time of year again. Only 15 days until Christmas! *SQUEEEE* (Ahem, I get a bit overexcited this time of year.) I cannot believe this will be our sixth Christmas living in California. I still can't get used to the differences in climate. On my daily run I pass the typical Northern California mix of palm, pine, and deciduous trees, but it always catches my breath when I see roses, lemons, and oranges in full winter bloom!

This year we traveled to our hometown for Thanksgiving, where we received a chilly greeting and gorgeous fluffy wet flakes. I participated in a 5k fun run on Thanksgiving morning with my bestie, and it was the first time in years I've had to wear gloves while running. We're staying here for Christmas, so we'll have to forgo a white one. It doesn't snow here. Occasionally it snows in the foothills, but never here, though apparently it did once. Before I was born. And yet, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. (Always hopeful!) It's bound to happen again and this year is our best chance so far since the temperature dipped below freezing at night this week--a very rare occurrence! However, my Oregon-girl-self is ashamed to admit how cold I've been this week, especially since the cold snap at home has left my mom with ice inside her windows--the highs only reached the single digits and the lows went down to about -13F!

Anyway, Christmas preparations are in full swing. We did the decorating last weekend, and now we're finishing our homemade gifts and preparing to wrap and ship! Our place looks like a cross between Santa's workshop and a publishing office what with Christmas crafts covering the table and encroaching my desk along with my scattered books and manuscript pages covering the remainder of the desk and coffee table! Festive and depressing all at once.