Christmas Tour Of Homes

Welcome To Our Home!!

Anakin, Care Bear, Feisty, Hubby and I are happy that you came! Hubby is behind the scenes taking the picture, but he sends his greetings as well!

Take your shoes and coat off and help yourself to some Rice Krispy Treats or some home-made chocolate chip cookies! The hot water for the hot chocolate and cider is brewing. I apologize; my kids were anxious while we were waiting for you and dug into the rice krispy treats already. They helped make them so I couldn't say no!

This is our Christmas tree. It's an artificial one because we decided with so many little curious hands, the hassle of watering and trying to get it straight in the tree stand and pine needles ending up all over the floor that an artificial would be much easier (for a few years). I miss the smell of pine when I walk into my house, but I can sacrifice for awhile. I took this picture in the dark (unbelievably) with the lights on, but somehow it ended up looking like it's broad daylight and you can't see a single light. Care Bear and Feisty were very much into the tree decorating spirit this year so the garland is a little crooked and most of the ornaments ended up on the bottom but they had so much fun! It was the first year they really "got it" (the whole decorating thing that is.

This is a picture of the mantle above our fireplace. On top is a nativity set that my mom gave us the first year we were married. I hung a huge garland below with lights stringing through it. I also had a close up shot of the nativity scene, but mysteriously, it seems to have vanished. Hmmmmm.....Shame on me, I should have had a fire going for everyone! Where are my manners?!

This is a fake plant I have sitting on a corner table. I had a tiny string of lights sitting around doing nothing, and, well....in my opinion, the more lights the better. So I put some lights on the little fake plant. Again, I took this picture in the dark, but it doesn't even show the lights. :-( Whoa is me. You can picture it in your mind, though, I'm sure. (Hubby thought it was a little weird that I put lights on a fake plant....am I wierd?!)

This is an adorable little ceramic "toy shop" candle holder that my mother in law gave us a few years ago. The candle goes inside of the toy shop and looks real cute when it's lit up. My daughters both love to play with it with their little tiny toys. Every year, without fail, when I bring it out I hear gleeful little squeals. A little teddy bear that hangs off of it met its fate this year due to their play. Right now, it is perched on my fireplace mantle.

Yet another little gift from the MIL. I can always count on her to give us lovely little breakables every year. This happens to be a music box that is sitting on top of the upstairs entertainment center. We got another one with it, but it got broken. I wonder how that happened......

This is a little crocheted candle. To be honest, I'm not even sure where it came from, or who crocheted it. But it was in my assortment of Christmas decorations. Care Bear spotted it, loved it, and chose this spot for it. So, there it sits. It also gets played with a lot. I have a feeling it was made by a grandmother or great-aunt or something. I don't think it just wandered into my box of goodies by itself.

This is an ornament that Anakin made last year at school. He is extremely proud of it and so I thought I'd show it off as well.

Well, for now, that is all I have. I had a picture of our outdoor lights that hubby has worked tirelessly on for hours, but somehow that picture disappeared as well. Our decorations aren't the most fabulous or magnificent...I don't see the point when they'll all get broken or messed up anyway. But my kids helped me decorate this year and had the time of their lives. So, it's OK with me.

I hope you've enjoyed visiting our home. I hope the treats were tasty. And I hope you come back to visit sometime! Have a wonderful and blessed holiday season!!

Love,

My Entire Family!