Sunday, December 12, 2010

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Unfortunately, my house isn't 100% done. I've posted some of my pictures but will continue to post as I finish up. Check back!

There's been lots of whining and gnashing of teeth this week about the colder weather outside (probably from the same people that were whining about the warm weather on Thanksgiving), but I have to say that I've LOVED it. Aside from worrying about poor little James at night (can anyone else relate? I want to dress him like the kid on A Christmas Story to put him to bed!) and my skin feeling HORRIBLE, I've LOVED the cold weather!

In the true spirit of Christmas and all of the decorations galore, I thought I'd give you a tour of our home and what I've put out this year. (Be forewarned that my Bah-Humbug-Ness got the best of me early in the month and I didn't do NEARLY as much as I wanted to. Also be forewarned that we've only been married two and a half years and haven't collected nearly the assortment of Christmas fun as other folks have!)

This year on the porch I kept things VERY simple. We have our topiaries and I got a 50% off wreath from Hobby Lobby for the door. We also have a yard stake with a Nativity flag on it and a yard stake. And that's it! Maybe next year I'll get ambitious (if James is in Mother's Morning Out) and do garland over our door and lots of pretty ornaments!


The entryway in our home just needs lots of work in general. We still don't have rugs for crying out loud! I didn't add much in here at all! I have my sweet little dog that welcomes visitors and that's it!

Our dining room was something I was really looking forward to Christmas-ing this year and if I tell you the truth about it you'll laugh at me. I went to Hobby Lobby this week for some extra decorations and they are all but SOLD OUT. It's absurd! I guess I should've done my shopping back in August! Seriously! I put my pretty Holly Jolly Table Runner from Willow House on my dining table and adorned it with a wreath I wasn't using and an apothecary jar I filled with ornaments. I also put my Christmas china out in my china cabinet. I'm still working on that collection so it's a little meager right now but I love it!





In our little niches I put two of our Nativities. I'd hoped I'd have shelves in here by now but the projects have gotten backed up at our house. Next year I'll have shelves and I'll be able to display ALL of our Nativities here in one place! Dad got me the ornament Nativity this year and it's beautiful. The ornaments are hand-painted from the inside! The other Nativity I've had for several years. Sonny brought each of us one back from Bethlehem the first time he traveled there. It's made of olive wood and we love it! We also have a Nativity from Eddie's Grandmama but he didn't get it out this year. Excuse our stash of Christmas books. Some of them are old so I have to keep them away from little helping hands!



In our den I put another one of our Nativities. This one is smaller but I'm thinking of adding to it in the years to come.

I decorated our tree (which is HUGE, by the way...9 feet looks smaller in the store!) this year a little differently. It took me FOREVER. I put the ornaments on, I took them off. I tried to add mesh, I took it oof. I put the ornaments back on, I took them back off. Finally, I took three different pieces of wired ribbon and made a tree-topper. Don't laugh - it was my first attempt! Then I took what was left of the ribbon and put it on the tree. Then I took it off. :) Then I put it back on and put all of the ornaments back on. I don't care what happens, I'm not re-doing the tree anymore!!! Ha! James has been okay with the tree so far. It was the ladder that was the problem so I'm glad that's out of the house. Little Man can't walk but he can climb a ladder! :)

I need to post a picture of the tree at night. It turned out really pretty!


I've started buying ornaments that look like this. The Christopher Radko/Old World type ornaments. I love them. I bought several for our tree this year!

Our mantle did NOT turn out how I wanted it to this year. First of all, we've moved the TV above the mantle so it limits what I can do anyway. Second, I couldn't ever find fresh garland! Ugh! So I'm not showing you a picture of it because it's just not pretty! This is last year:




James has a little tree in his room this year and his very own Nativity. He has thoroughly enjoyed both. He's had a hard time keeping his hands out of this tree!

We have lots of Christmas books and movies and we've been slowly working our way through all of them. I know that this will be a lot easier when James is older and better able to understand what all of this is about!

The only thing I did in our kitchen was to put our Advent Wreath out. Every night after supper we've been reading one of our Advent devotions and a Jesse Tree devotions. James has ornaments for the Jesse Tree and we're adding them in his room.


I've been adding our Christmas Cards to our refrigerator each day. I have been SO excited about getting these in the mail! Keep 'em coming!


Finally, I put my Willow House Avalon Accent Trees in our bedroom. I thought they matched best there!

Maybe I'll have more to add next year! I'm going to try to find another tree on clearance at the end of the season for my dining room next year! :)

7 comments:

Lindy said...

Very pretty tree!

Jennibell said...

I *like* your tree topper!!!

Whitney J. said...

Love your decorations! Saw where you said your skin is feeling horrible and wanted to let you know that you should check out my giveaway that I'll be posting later today... it will definitely help your skin!

Laura said...

Your tree is beautiful and I love your Christmas dishes! Merry Christmas!

Jamie Kubeczka said...

Your tree is beautiful! I love the bow on top!

Adam, April & Aidan said...

I love the leopard print in your tree topper!!! I have been looking for an excuse to use some myself and I think you just gave me the perfect idea!!!

The Guest Family said...

I love your china pattern. Where did you find it?