Top 10 Things About Being Home

10. Mom considers it her patriotic duty to do -- or at least help with -- your laundry.

9. The floors are all squeaky clean. The dishwasher is hardly ever full; the kitchen is hardly ever dirty.

8. A white Christmas is actually a viable possibility.

7. I'm getting really good at driving fast around curves.

6. If you get in an argument with the people around you, it's not a deal-breaking, friendship-crushing faux pas and the whole thing will be resolved in 5-10 minutes.

5. The Christmas tree is nine feet tall.

4. Groceries are all on the house.

3. I can watch Man vs. Wild, Garfield's Christmas, 24 and Recess, all in a day's time. And the TV is not dwarf-sized.

2. Home cooking. Real home cooking.

1. This is the only place I'll ever feel like I totally and completely belong.