diff --git a/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/logger.py b/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/logger.py
index 15b0e74c72..30d0210665 100644
--- a/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/logger.py
+++ b/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/logger.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 """
 
 import sys
+from functools import wraps
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Union, List
 import logging
@@ -222,3 +223,47 @@ def add_file_handler(cls, logfile_path: Union[str, Path],
         handler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter(_format))
 
         return handler
+
+
+def logit(logger, name=None, message=None):
+    """
+    Add logging to a function.
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+        logger  : Logger
+                  Logger object
+        name    : str
+                  Name of the module to be logged
+                  default: __module__
+        message : str
+                  Name of the function to be logged
+                  default: __name__
+    """
+
+    def decorate(func):
+
+        log_name = name if name else func.__module__
+        log_msg = message if message else log_name + "." + func.__name__
+
+        @wraps(func)
+        def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+
+            passed_args = [repr(aa) for aa in args]
+            passed_kwargs = [f"{kk}={repr(vv)}" for kk, vv in list(kwargs.items())]
+            call_msg = 'BEGIN: ' + log_msg + f"( {', '.join(passed_args + passed_kwargs)} )"
+
+            # Begin the logging with printing input arguments
+            logger.debug(call_msg)
+
+            # Call the function
+            retval = func(*args, **kwargs)
+
+            # Close the logging with printing the return val
+            ret_msg = '  END: ' + log_msg + f" returning {retval}"
+            logger.debug(ret_msg)
+
+            return retval
+
+        return wrapper
+
+    return decorate
diff --git a/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/yaml_file.py b/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/yaml_file.py
index 5803271105..327a7ca1eb 100644
--- a/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/yaml_file.py
+++ b/ush/python/pygw/src/pygw/yaml_file.py
@@ -17,14 +17,17 @@ class YAMLFile(AttrDict):
 
     def __init__(self, path=None, data=None):
         super().__init__()
+
         if path and data:
-            print("Ignoring 'data' and using 'path' argument")  # TODO: use logging
-        if path:
+            print("Ignoring 'data' and using 'path' argument")
+
+        config = None
+        if path is not None:
             config = parse_yaml(path=path)
-        elif data:
+        elif data is not None:
             config = parse_yaml(data=data)
 
-        if config:
+        if config is not None:
             self.update(config)
 
     def save(self, target):
diff --git a/ush/python/pygw/src/tests/test_logger.py b/ush/python/pygw/src/tests/test_logger.py
index 2cce0f7449..a9b4504d57 100644
--- a/ush/python/pygw/src/tests/test_logger.py
+++ b/ush/python/pygw/src/tests/test_logger.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from pygw.logger import Logger
+from pygw.logger import logit
 
 level = 'debug'
 number_of_log_msgs = 5
@@ -40,3 +41,27 @@ def test_logger(tmp_path):
         lev = line.split('-')[3].strip().lower()
         message = line.split(':')[-1].strip()
         assert reference[lev] == message
+
+
+def test_logit(tmp_path):
+
+    logger = Logger('test_logit', level=level, colored_log=True)
+
+    @logit(logger)
+    def add(x, y):
+        return x + y
+
+    @logit(logger)
+    def usedict(n, j=0, k=1):
+        return n + j + k
+
+    @logit(logger, 'example')
+    def spam():
+        print('Spam!')
+
+    add(2, 3)
+    usedict(2, 3)
+    usedict(2, k=3)
+    spam()
+
+    assert True
diff --git a/ush/python/pygw/src/tests/test_yaml_file.py b/ush/python/pygw/src/tests/test_yaml_file.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..276eb2c548
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ush/python/pygw/src/tests/test_yaml_file.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import os
+from pygw.yaml_file import YAMLFile
+
+host_yaml = """
+host:
+    hostname: test_host
+    host_user: !ENV ${USER}
+"""
+
+conf_yaml = """
+config:
+    config_file: !ENV ${TMP_PATH}/config.yaml
+    user: !ENV ${USER}
+    host_file: !INC ${TMP_PATH}/host.yaml
+"""
+
+tmpl_yaml = """
+config:
+    config_file: !ENV ${TMP_PATH}/config.yaml
+    user: !ENV ${USER}
+    host_file: !INC ${TMP_PATH}/host.yaml
+tmpl:
+    cdate: '{{PDY}}{{cyc}}'
+    homedir: $(user)
+"""
+# Note the quotes ' ' around {{ }}.  These quotes are necessary otherwise YAMLFile will fail parsing
+
+
+def test_yaml_file(tmp_path):
+
+    # Create temporary yaml files w/ tags
+    config_file_path = tmp_path / 'config.yaml'
+    with open(config_file_path, 'w') as conf_file:
+        conf_file.write(conf_yaml)
+
+    with open(tmp_path / 'host.yaml', 'w') as host_file:
+        host_file.write(host_yaml)
+
+    # Set env. variable
+    os.environ['TMP_PATH'] = str(tmp_path)
+    conf = YAMLFile(path=config_file_path)
+
+    # Write out yaml file
+    yaml_out = tmp_path / 'output.yaml'
+    conf.save(yaml_out)
+
+    # Read in the yaml file and compare w/ conf
+    yaml_in = YAMLFile(path=str(yaml_out))
+
+    assert yaml_in == conf
+
+
+def test_yaml_file_with_templates(tmp_path):
+
+    # Create temporary yaml files w/ tags
+    tmpl_file_path = tmp_path / 'tmpl.yaml'
+    with open(tmpl_file_path, 'w') as tmpl_file:
+        tmpl_file.write(tmpl_yaml)
+
+    with open(tmp_path / 'host.yaml', 'w') as host_file:
+        host_file.write(host_yaml)
+
+    # Set env. variable
+    os.environ['TMP_PATH'] = str(tmp_path)
+    conf = YAMLFile(path=tmpl_file_path)
+
+    # Write out yaml file
+    yaml_out = tmp_path / 'tmpl_output.yaml'
+    conf.save(yaml_out)
+
+    # Read in the yaml file and compare w/ conf
+    yaml_in = YAMLFile(path=yaml_out)
+
+    assert yaml_in == conf