The annual real boxwood wreaths
The tree is up with minimal ornaments due to our magnificently wild 19 month old.
I get a new item every year from my friend Brittany's moms shop. I love this nativity made out of wire. Lillian will have a hard time destroying metal wire (or so I hope).
Greenery accent
I was relieved to see my paperwhites blooming despite Harrison pulling them out of the pot at least five different times when they were trying to get rooted.
This is my absolute favorite Christmas decoration. I look forward to putting it out every year. The colors are perfect in the sunroom. Poor baby Jesus was M.I.A for a few days, but he is back in the manger now with his "mommy and daddeee."
Lillian has her own manger and I find these little people packed in all her purses and hidden in her crib.
Harrison likes to fall asleep making up stories about the people in his village. The glow reminds me of when I was little and had candles in my window. Oh, the little things.
My sister gave these to me for my birthday this year. The old music sheets are a nice touch. Thanks, Em! Harrison thinks they are dolls of me and Joe ;)
I was determined to decorate with Magnolia branches this year. They were a little tricky as they are not very pliable, but the green and brown looks so pretty in the living room.
I put my nativity sets on this table next to the picture of me and Joe when I was very pregnant with Harrison. Oh and yes, I do have a bow on the dog food container. I went to Meredith College, what do you expect!?!
The kids' tree and all the kid Christmas books. We read as a family every night before bed, and the kids like to go and pick them out.
Long gone are the days of decorating the house for Christmas in just a few hours. I barely pulled in from Thanksgiving and most of our neighborhood was all done up. Luckily, our wonderful pastor Ben gave a sermon last Sunday that reminded me that I need not focus on keeping up with the neighbors, or focusing on all the commercial hub-bub of the holiday's (hello, why do Christmas decorations now come out with Halloween?) It is much easier said than done, esp. because I really do love to decorate and get in the spirit. Trying to set up shop with my two little helpers was very challenging. They un-did what I did faster than I could believe.
I have tried to volunteer and adopt families and needy children, and think about how blessed I truly am. This has been a time of really working hard not to sweat the small stuff. We have known two people in the last month that have lost a child, and I find myself thinking of them several times throughout the day. Christmas is filled with family memories and traditions and watching it all through my children's eyes is just awesome.
I am really looking forward to Joe having over two weeks off to be home with us. We are flying home to Michigan for 6 days and then will be at our house for Christmas day. My side of the family will come after Christmas. I am grateful for such an incredible family, our health, a beautiful home, and the prospect of many naps by the Christmas tree!
Happy Holiday's!
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