Why I might be from Whoville

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It may sound contradictory, but it just wouldn't be Christmas without the Grinch!
This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and it will never get old. Mom and I have always watched it over and over every year, but this year I went all the way to December 23rd and hadn't seen it through once! So that day, I watched it twice. The first time was on my own downstairs wrapping Christmas presents--one of my favorite days of the whole year. "It's joyful and triumphant" for me! The second time was that night on the 25 days of Christmas with Mom and Dad. This year I realized that I can basically quote the entire movie.

While I may love the Christmas season with all my heart and could be a fellow citizen of Whoville, even I have ways that I can relate to the Grinch.

 I love to dance, and Christmas just brings it out more. (At my future Christmas parties, you bet we will have dancing.)

 That's why I am naturally so festive.

 Ahh, pudding...

 Bargain shopping is basically like a hobby.

 More partying!

 Where the majority of my money goes every year. I save up all year and even buy Christmas presents if I find something in the middle of summer.

 Every year I get more sentimental! It's bittersweet. I love it, but I feel ya, Cindy Lou, "my world is changing" and it means so much more!

This is the picture of my favorite day of the year--full of holiday cheer.

It truly is the simple things in life that fill my heart with the most joy, and that is a joy that I know comes from the Lord. It is not from things, but from Him. There would be no Christmas without Him, so there is no way to feel the true Christmas spirit only celebrating from a worldly view. There would be something missing. People long for meaning in life and in the everyday tasks they do, and this fulfillment is only found in Christ. It doesn't matter how many gifts you buy, wrap, give, receive, parties you host or attend, or family members you visit, etc., if there is no Christ in it. Who wants to celebrate "mas"?

"For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever, Amen!" Romans 11:36

All Things Fall

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Time has gotten away once again, but I've snapped some pictures of some seasonal things that caught my eye and, in some cases, my wallet. 

Candy corn takes over. Even the other candies know who's boss in the fall. 

Combinations of pumpkin and marshmallow are heavenly...

Bath and Body Works is best this time of year!  The combinations involving pumpkin are too many to count. 

It's a shame they don't make some of their candles into lotion and spray scents!

Also shout out to Katie for buying pumpkin granola bars for the snack box.

Fall is a great time to sit outside and take in God's beautiful creations. 

Limited editions in every brand.

Some of these I've tried, but others I have yet to find!

  Not limited edition, but still very fall flavorful!

Cracker Barrel is always an awesome place to shop around Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!  They have some of the cutest items, usually including some kind of Charlie Brown.
One kind of coffee mug that I didn't have yet was Halloween, so I got one of the monster mugs to use this time of year!

Target is my favorite place to seasonal shop.  I can look around in there and not even have to buy anything and be so happy.  The reason I love Target so much is because they always are caught up on the seasonal items.  Here in Morristown we get some seasonal stuff, but it's few and far between.  I went there this day with a few certain products in mind, so when I found them, I racked up as you can see with the 3 boxes of Pumpkin Puffins cereal.

Long car rides home are one of my dessert times.  I have decided now that we don't even have to go in an actual ice cream or yogurt shop to get some tasty treats, but I am just as satisfied if not more with what I can find in a Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, or even gas station.  This day I used some of my recent purchases right away.

My on-the-go dessert pieces together from Target!

Candles, courtesy of Walmart.

I don't like donuts (or I guess I should say my blood sugar doesn't like donuts), but Dunkin made some cute Halloween boxes.  This is now a decoration in my room!

Panther Creek held its 4th annual heritage day festival in the campground the day of my birthday!  I picked up one of my friends to go with me, and we had a great time exploring the different activities.  I also got extra credit in my literature class for writing about it, so I killed about 4 birds with 1 stone.

Pumpkin + Goats
Can it get any better!?
This lotion was another Cracker Barrel buy.

Although I made this wallpaper last year, it contains things that never get old: that verse, joy, and candy corn.

This box was displayed at the office of my school. I'm not sure if anyone really knew about it, but I just happened to see it. (The peanuts characters are what caught my eye.) The Peanuts movie and UNICEF had a partnership raising money "to help kids who need more than candy."

Pumpkins everywhere!  After my visit to Lipscomb, I got mom and dad to take me back to Whole Foods to show them around, shop, and buy some stuff to take  home. They had tons of pumpkins on display and for sale, also making a good photo op!

Thanks to my friends and family, I have a plethora of Charlie Brown Halloween socks.

During homecoming week, one of the theme days was superhero day. I don't own anything "superhero," so I created my own: Super Snoopy. Our outfits were actually fall-themed, too!  Snoopy socks, orange shirt, hat, shorts, ribbon, bracelet sunglasses, and a cape with a glow-in-the-dark ghost

When my aunt and uncle visit, we always go out to eat at least once. This time we went to ihop for breakfast after early service at church!  I usually don't buy fancy coffees, but I decided to go all out this morning!  The pumpkin spice flavored coffee was great!  And pretty!  It was also pretty strong, so with refills from the regular they leave on the table, the flavor lasted all meal.

Fall starts the season of celebrations!

My monster mug from Cracker Barrel!

Dark chocolate and marshmallow!?  Yessss

This isn't what I ordered, but it is definitely something that I would do.

Ingles's seasonal candy isle also had giant Halloween Peanuts stuffed animals. 

I would love to have this cute little zombear!

Added to my recipe list, as well as this new blog!

Another one of my favorite combinations!  I can't wait to try it next at Jeni's fall when I'm in Nashville for college!

New cider mix I bought thanks to the free samples at Food City

A throwback photo made out of the only candy I like, candy corn

Inspired by some other turkey-themed creations on Instagram, I made a turkey out of a meatball, carrot sticks, diced beet, and toothpicks.

I have looked at every grocery store in town, but none of them had this ice cream cake. My dad's company actually makes them, but at a different plant!

This bitmoji is definitely me.

I'm not sure which of these I would get if I were to go to ihop right now!  They all look so good!  Hopefully I'll get to try one before they change the seasonal menu.

Peanuts characters pop up all over the place during the fall and winter!

Holiday fun sites are the best this time of year, too.

Dunkin's pumpkin cheesecake square is a winner!  I halved it with mom and added some pumpkin and cheesecake pudding.

What a cute little book

Seasonal toes and treats!

Caramel apple, caramel apple pie, and pumpkin pie x 2

This is a treat I'm keeping in mind for gifts next year.

Webkinz...computer games with animals were my childhood. 

Seasonal funnies

Our cross country Halloween party this year was 50's themed!

Some moms were the master milkshake makers

Pink and poodle skirts in abundance!

Katlyn and I were the girls limbo champions!

 

Some more wonderful bitmoji's! 
I do love to dance and be inside pumpkins.  (See this for explanation:  Church retreat pumpkin head)

The weather may be unusally warm for this time of year, but that's okay with me!  I can sacrifice a little sweater-wearing weather for some more warm weather.