It's crazy, but I love the holiday season

Don't get me wrong. I love the Christmas season. The lights. The family gatherings. The snow.

But this year? It just seems to be crazy hectic. Maybe part of it is due to the fact that I spent the first week of December in Las Vegas. That was seven whole days that I could have at least been thinking about how to attack the to do list that inevitably comes with the holiday season. Instead I was running around Las Vegas (literally) and the last two weeks I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to finish everything.

First there was a birthday party for my 6-year-old nephew that resulted in me shopping for a birthday present at 11 p.m. the night before. There was a party, followed by a foot of snow. A week of driving on near undriveable roads. Throw in a full work week (the first since early November) and three trips to the YMCA for a sanity-saving run.

And this weekend? The craziness came full force.

The annual cutout cookie baking extravaganza. 350 cutout cookies were mixed, rolled, cut and baked by me, mom my, aunt and my niece. Add in starting and finishing all of my Christmas shopping on Sunday topped off with frosting the cutout cookies while watching the Packers almost beat the Patriots on Sunday night football. Monday night was spent wrapping Christmas gifts and although I could have made it to the YMCA for another sanity-saving run tonight after work, I opted to come home, thrown on my sweats and catch up with blog reading and a book.

But tomorrow's a late shift at work, so I'm pretty sure there will be a trip to the YMCA in the morning to get some miles in on the treadmill. Because the rest of the Christmas craziness I love so much is just starting.