I stood in the doorway with June and just smelled the air. Rain in the desert is the best. I snapped this picture on the fly as I had only a few seconds before June was climbing my legs to be "up" again. I know it is not much of a photo, but it is my proof.
For the last few years in Tucson it has hardly felt like Christmas. Last year was all confusing because I went to Alaska in March, and that felt like Christmas. It was a mini-time warp. This year however, I have suddenly got the holiday spirit and I attribute it to a few small things that have pressed the Christmas switch in my brain: (1) the mandarin oranges we bought at Costco; (2) last week we had to turn on the heater. It went from 85 during the day to topping out at 65 practically overnight, and the evenings are downright cold. [I think this dramatic switch to cold is why Tucsonans are so afraid of winter.] And, (3) the nights are coming on so early now.
And that's it! Citrus + smell of heater + dark = Christmastime.
Suddenly I want a Christmas tree. And now that I am a Mom I want to buy things like this. I have been LOVING the Garnet Hill catalog. Though not the women's clothes - everything else. I have also been missing the way my mom always thoroughly transformed our house at Christmas. She created such beautiful Christmas trees. I really really wish I could be home for Christmas. [Though I do have some incredible plans coming up, I can't help missing the holidays.] I am really excited to start creating our own family traditions. Perhaps next year.
Lastly, thank you everyone for the comments on June and the Raccoon. It certainly encourages me to do more, but I cannot until I am done with finals, so two more weeks at least. I love this kind of stuff and I realize more and more that through this blog I am able to have an outlet for my creative side, and I believe it makes me a more satisfied person.
I hope everyone does something today that makes them feel right at home in their own skin. Bye!
