welcome to our home!
This year, I had to get a little "creative" with the decorating since I have a sweet little "assistant" wandering around who just so happens to have very curious hands and feet (and taste-buds for that matter) ;0) I had to make sure lots of things were out of reach or unable to be pulled, pushed, or poked.....not an easy task!
The wreath on our front door came from a store that was going out of business. I bought it right after Jeffrey and I got married. This year I added the "T" to it (it came from Hobby Lobby and usually hangs in our house). The small trees have gone inside in years past, but again, my "assistant" thought they were a little too tempting being in the house, so they went outside this year. (they are indoor/outdoor trees)
Probably the biggest change this year is that I didn't hang our stockings on the mantle. If I had, they would have stayed up for about .02 seconds before someone found them. They are instead on the bannister this year, and I have to say, I don't really mind it too terribly much.
The stockings came from "Ballard Designs" (looooove!) I didn't see them online or in their catalog this year, but thankfully last year I ordered an extra so we will have a matching stocking for Baby Tippins next Christmas! :)
The mantle has our Christmas card framed from last year and a few photos of Libbi with Santa - also from last year. Tomorrow is our 2010 visit with Santa, so I'll have a current picture to display, too!
The "T" made out of ornaments was kind of a hodge podge craft. I ordered one of the monogrammed wreaths from Ballard last year. After it was delivered, I realized I had ordered the real one instead of the artificial one (no big deal, except that we could only use it for one year instead of multiple...) This year I used the frame from the old wreath and hot glued the little red ornaments on it - all for about $5.00!
Our tree this year is kind of a sore subject. In years past, we have ALWAYS had a real tree. According to Jeffrey, you don't celebrate "Fake Christmas" so why would you get a fake tree. I tend to agree, and love the feel and smell of a real tree, but it just didn't work out for us this year. Jeffrey was out of town a lot in the beginning of the month, Libbi was sick, and when he gets home from work it's usually dark out, so the timing just didn't work out. I'm not in love with our artificial tree, but it will work for this year. And wonder of all wonders, Libbi has not really been that interested in it. I don't question why, I just accept it as the Christmas miracle that it is. :)
Our Christmas Tree card holder is in Libbi's "playroom" and she loves looking at all of the pictures on the cards.
We have a few little touches of Christmas in the kitchen....(and yes, that is a snuggie in the background) :)
This is Libbi's advent calendar and she gets to open it up and eat a piece of candy each night. She has no idea she's counting down the days until Christmas, she's just elated that she get's to eat a piece of "santa candy" (plus it was an awesome incentive to get her to take her medicine at night!) :)
A few more pictures of the living room....
If you want to check out last year's tour, click here. And, if you're wondering what happened to some of the decorations that you see in last year's post.....let me throw out a small disclaimer: DO NOT put christmas candles in the same tub as decorations and then store them up in your attic during one of the hottest summer's on record.
Thanks for touring our home!
Merry Christmas!
