It's Christmastime

This December has been crazy. Between moving, working, and growing a human we've been stressed to our limits. There has been no time to just relax, making this the most stressful and busy December of my life. I've had to work harder than any year before to slow down, and seek moments of quiet peace in order to feel the Christmas spirit. However, as I've done this I've seen more and more that the things of this season do not matter-all that matters are the spirit and the reason for it-our savior Jesus Christ. 

These words have made all the difference to me this year:

"Take time to relax, be at peace, and see this little child in your mind. Do not be too concerned or overwhelmed with what is coming in His life or in yours. Instead, take a peaceful moment to contemplate perhaps the most serene moment in the history of the world-when all of heaven rejoiced with the message 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men' (Luke 2:14)"

-Elder D. Todd Christofferson 

As I've tried to simplify my view of the Savior-focusing only on this miraculous moment in his life, I've been able to simplify my view on the rest of the season-focusing more on what really matters. For that reason, it has been a beautiful Christmas season-and it's not over yet!

Happy Christmas

"Let us make Christmas real. It isn't just tinsel and ribbon, unless we have made it so in our lives. Christmas is in the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values. It is peace because we have found peace in the Savior's teachings. It is the time we realize most deeply that the more love is expended, the more there is of it for others."

-President Thomas S. Monson, Christmas is Love

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas as defined here-one of giving, happiness, selflessness, peace and love.

Love List

This post about bagels. Because I am, in fact, quite the bagel snob.
The best part of this article:

 "Love was finding someone to eat a bagel with."
So true-And speaking of bagels-if you have an Einstein's near your proximity it is imperative for your soul to go there now and get a pumpkin bagel with pumpkin schemer. Don't question just do it.

This coat. Really though I've become obsessed with finding an olive coat ever since I ripped this out of the fall jcrew catalogue and hung it on my wall. It's my fall inspiration:

 At less than half the price though this one is much more likely a reality.

This made me laugh. And we Mormons need to laugh at ourselves a little more.

This is the best purchase I've made in quite awhile. Splurge for the iTunes deluxe version-the extra tracks are more than worth it.

Can we interrupt this post to just say that hey-this has been a good couple months for music! The Imagine Dragons album, the Killers, The Avett Brothers and now Mumford. Good stuff.

These cookies are one my favorites and they are a hit around here. I plan on making plenty this beautiful fall.

This weekend is my very favorite weekend of the entire year. It's Fall General Conference. There is nothing I love more than the crisp fall air, cuddling in my home with good food, family, and the voice of the men I most admire giving me real counsel from a loving Heavenly Father. To prepare I've been reading  a few recent favorites: here, here and here.

Ten Things I'm Terribly Thannkful For: 1

1

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

I could write 1,000s of words about why I am thankful for the gospel. I could write about the atonement, the plan of salvation, temples, prophets and covenants.

But I'm not going to. Their is beauty in simplicity.

And simply put I'm thankful for the gospel because without it I wouldn't have the life I do, or be the person I am. The gospel has given me all the great things I've previously mentioned that I am thankful for. It has given me the great life I have. It has made me the woman I am, and it gives me the tools, peace, hope and joy to continue on to be the woman I am suppose to be.

It gives me everything.

Happy Thanksgiving.