December has been an amazing month!

Megan and I are finally settled into our apartment. It feels less new, and more like home every day.

I helped celebrate the twin's 7th birthday, American Girl style.

I went to my first ( and hopefully not last) Cav's game. We won by three points in overtime, and I had a great time with my Dad, aunt, uncle, and cousin!

I celebrated the engagement of two of my closet friends, Gwen and Cora. Cora invited Gwen's best friends to a surprise party the night she planned to propose. It was awesome to be able to share in their special day! I can't wait for the wedding next fall!

Christmas was really great too! Megan and I traded presents on Christmas Eve morning, and then I went home to spend a few days with my family, which is always nice. I got a lot of nice gifts. My favorites were tires for my car, a new rice cooker (which made its debut in our kitchen tonight), and some new clothes and shoes and scarves! My bosses gave me a Northface jacket, and a pretty nice Christmas bonus, which I'm going to use to finish decorating my room!

Tomorrow, my cousin Charlotte is coming and she is bringing baby Colt, who I haven't seen since July! I'm so excited to see the both of them!!

I'm also excited for New Year's Eve! Megan and I are hosting a party for a few of our friends, and it should be a lot of fun!

I am really just in awe that 2013 is almost over.

I started this year by driving from Newcomerstown to North Carolina with my friend Corinne. During that first week, I decided that I wanted to stay in North Carolina and eventually move to Raleigh... and a whole bunch of other things that never happened.

The rest of the year was just as full of crazy and essentially life changing decisions. In July, Megan came to visit for a week. The year and a half that I had spent in North Carolina was pretty lonely, so having a friend made me realized how badly I needed to be back in Ohio. So here I am!

A lot of crazy things have happened this year, both good and bad.

I became a Vegan, and switched to a mostly gluten free diet.
I got a whole bunch of stitches and a forever scar in my forehead.
I moved back to Ohio from North Carolina.
I got an amazing job with an amazing family.
I moved into an apartment with my best friend.
I met a lot of incredible people, and some really awful people too.
I made some crazy decisions, but I survived all of my mistakes.
I laughed a lot, and cried a little bit.
I hit rock bottom, but ended up happier than I've ever been.

I can't wait to see what 2014 brings!

I have a love hate relationship with this time of year.

On one hand, I love Christmas and Thanksgiving, and being around my friends and family. However, that love pales in comparison to my dislike of cold weather, and the fact that I suffer from seasonal depression. I've been avoiding depression by hitting the tanning bed, and I try to remind myself that at least I don't have to walk to class and to the dining hall, like I did in college. So, I'm surviving!

Right now, I'm sitting in my apartment watching a blizzard. I think the snow is really pretty, and there is something cozy about drinking hot chocolate and bundling up.

I love being in my apartment. Other than the house I grew up in, I've never been more comfortable in a place where I've lived. Moving in was insanely stressful, but that was three weeks ago , and things have been great ever since!

My drive to work takes a little longer because of traffic, but my gym is only five minutes down the road and all of the places where I like to shop and go out are close by too, which has been really nice. I've gone from paying $100 per paycheck on gas to just a little over $60 per check. I also spend a lot less time in the car, which leaves time for more important thing... like talking to my roommate or breaking in our new kitchen.

I never want to leave.

I've been working a lot lately. When I started I had every other Friday off, but a few weeks ago, my boss asked me if I would be willing to pick up the extra Friday. While I miss the three day weekends I used to have, I do appreciate the extra money, especially with Christmas coming up.

My job is really wonderful. I like the kids more and more every day. I've been trying to be really hands on lately. I plan activities for Luke, and try to do a game or craft every day. The twin's turned 7 on Thursday, so yesterday I made a treasure hunt for them. The had to find different clues in order to find their presents. It was so much fun, and the girls loved their gifts.

Well,  I have more to say but I think I need to take nap. I love Saturdays!