Christmas spirit

Today I really got in the Christmas spirit!

I spent most of the day with my grandma listening to Christmas music, drinking hot tea and eating date cookies, window shopping, and admiring Christmas lights. We also stopped at Sebastian Joe's because after my long semester abroad, I was desperately craving good ice cream.



When I saw Candy Cane, Apple Crisp, Pumpkin, and Eggnog flavored ice cream, I knew I was really back in Minnesota! I chose a scoop of Eggnog and ate it on the closed-in patio with the fireplace.



This Eggnog ice cream is almost as good as the ever-famous Raspberry Chocolate Chip...and I really mean that! I don't remember the last time I walked into Sebastian Joe's and got something besides Raspberry Chocolate Chip, but I can honestly say I'm glad I did this time. I didn't walk out of Sebastian Joe's without having a taste of my all-time favorite Raspberry Chocolate Chip though - my grandma and I share our love for the flavor, so although she tasted the Grand Marnier ice cream, she went with the good old classic. It was just as good as I remember it!

After our day out, we headed back to her house to sip one more mug of hot tea and admire the Christmas tree while listening to Pandora Christmas radio.



And when I started to get too cozy on the couch, I decided it was time to stop by my future apartment for a date with my friends Jenna and Jessi who I'll be living with starting in January. When I walked in, this is what I was greeted with:



Now you can see why I'm in the Christmas spirit! The apartment was beautifully decorated and I was met at the door with smothering hugs and smiling faces. I LOVE my friends. I finally tore myself away to let them finish their homework and drove home in the bitter cold. I had completely forgotten about scraping ice off of windshields, waiting for the car to warm up, slippery roads, and snow emergencies, so today was a little rough for me car-wise. I'll get used to it though, even if it takes me a little while...80 degrees, sun, and palm trees to 20 degrees, ice, and snow is a big adjustment!

I made it home and headed up to my bedroom in search of a warm sweatshirt, where I found this.



Which one doesn't belong?

She loves to sleep there, but sometimes I don't notice her right away because she blends right in. This is exactly where I am as I'm typing this, sitting on my bed next to my adorable Christmas kitty, enjoying the smell of a burning candle on my bedside table, listening to Christmas music, and drinking a steaming cup of green tea. Life is good, and the Christmas spirit is here with me to stay!