on to december!

we got back from hawaii late sunday night. monday morning felt pretty lousy - it was especially difficult to get out of bed because our bodies were two hours behind on island time, and we were used to relaxing and adventuring.

we got up a little later than usual but went out for a morning run. and our timing couldn't have been more perfect! the golden early light gilded the edge of puffy clouds and made the wet ground, so thankful for moisture, sheeny and shiny. as we turned down hanover street looking down to stanford's hoover tower, we beheld the most glorious rainbow!




it was like the sky was reminding us that our life here is bright and colorful, like hawaii! but in a different way. we ran down our favorite street, bowdoin street, which had been all aflame with autumn foliage before we left and was just showing off the last of its warm hues before settling in to winter. it was so gorgeous! and made my heart whisper bring on monday! and bring on december!

you know what else made monday and december 1 happy? candy cane joe-joes. i don't have words to describe how much i love them. christmastime! chocolatey minty things! december!

and then there was watching this little video...which coated my heart with the realest magic of christmastime and made me so excited to celebrate the greatest gift especially a lot this month.

hooray for december! so much to look forward to:
chopping down our christmas tree / decorating our tiny little house / holiday parties (my work, @ stanford, our church congregation, with friends) / sf nutcracker! / sleeping under the christmastree with girlfriends / more candy cane joe joes / messiah sing-a-long / reading a few pages of a christmas carol together snuggled in our bed each night / seeing the lights at temple hill / volunteering at our church's creche exhibit / making cookies for neighbors / service opportunities / an epic christmasy day in san francisco / celebrating st. lucia day with tree boughs and breakfast for dinner / christmas music playing non-stop in our studio / sharing traditions with the boy / our grand east coast tour (we are going to columbus on christmas eve, and then driving to pittsburg and then new york city and then taking the bus to boston for new year's!)

i love december!