Sweet tooth

I haven't been to my hometown in five months, which is a long time for me. Until now, the longest time I had been away from Tracy was when I spent just over four months in Thailand.

I most look forward to seeing family. And I can't wait for the reprieve from this hectic life, and for once, I'm happy to return to the simplicity, slower pace (although the time will fly by since I want to be home) and lack of anonymity. Yes, I'm from the kind of town where everybody know's your name.

I'll get to see grandmas, cousins, aunts and uncles, my mom and sister and her boyfriend, and Ben's family. It'll be a family-packed four days, which is what the holidays are all about -- being around the people you love.

And as much as I love seeing relatives, I really really can't wait for the Christmas cookies. I'm one of those 23-year-olds who acts like a kid at this time of year. I can't say no to the sweet trays. Tonight, I indulged in two BIG sugar cookies smothered in a delicate frosting and paid for it later with a belly ache. I ate one tree and some odd-shaped sugary goodness.

We usually can see our family throughout the year, but Christmas cookies make an appearance but one time. We have to enjoy them while we can, and I certainly will enjoy them. During a building-wide gathering today, I also managed to pick up two cookies. They were nothing to brag about, but one had red sprinkles and the other was some kind of ginger treat, a hallmark of Christmastime.

I know my family gatherings will have many goodies to offer: homemade caramels, rice krispy balls filled with marshmellow and caramel (my personal favorite treat, which should really be around all year long), those wreaths with the cinnamon candies, probably some assortment of cookies that an aunt picked up at a cookie exchange.

OK, I'll stop now. I'm getting hungry. Should have snuck a few cookies home.