Oh Christmas time's a comin...

Have I ever told you how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas?!?! Everything about it just makes me feel like a kid again. As a child, my MaJean and I were like the kiddos at Christmas. We docorated, wrapped presents, ....did everything together. Oh, how I miss my Christmases at her house!

But, I am DETERMINED to be like that with my children. I love to have the tree up before Thanksgiving and leave it up through January. There's just something cheery about your house being all decorated and smelling like Christmas. And now that I have a child....oh my! It's going to be glorious! My parents always went all out for Christmas too, but as I've gotten older, I guess everyone assumes since I'm an adult, it should be more of a chore....well it's not! NOT at all...I love to buy people things and wrap it all up! It's not even about me getting presents, I do love gifts and surprises, but honestly, this year, there's nothing I need. Yeah, I want a new car, and I'd love to build/buy a bigger house, but I don't think anyone can get me those things! ha:) But, I just love spending all that time with family...and now that I have my own little family, it's going to be that much better.

Someone referred to me and herself on facebook the other day as "that kind of mom!" Yes ma'am...I sure am and LOVE every single second of it. I think I'm "that kind of mom" because of my career. (fyi...she's also a teacher, so it may just be something about us! lol) I see so, so many children every day that has no one to care for them, no one to love on them and ask them how their day has been, no one to cook dinner for them, no one to go shopping with, etc. I can't tell you how much or how deeply IT.BREAKS.MY.HEART!!! It hurt my heart before, but as a momma, oh my! So, I am determined to be "that kind of mom!" Heck, since we need a new car, we are even talking about buying a minivan! ha:) Now, I've always said I wouldn't be a minivan mom, but everyone I talk to says they were like that until they drove one. We'll see.....lol

Anyway, onto Christmas.....I want Harper to grow up remembering all the different traditions that our family has. I want to start family traditions. I am determined to buy an Elf on the Shelf, and start that this year....I just haven't done it yet! I am determined for her to always be filled with the Christmas spirit! A friend of mine, April, mentioned that she'd heard somewhere that each year you could buy your children 4 things...something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read! WHAT A FABULOUS IDEA??? Too often, kids get in their mind that Christmas = gifts! WRONG! I think getting them something in those 4 areas would always remind them the purpose...the reason for the season so to speak. As I reflected over that, I realized we have covered all 4 areas already....the problem...we've covered them all more than once. But hey, it'll only be our first Christmas once, right? But, that's something I'd love to see established in our home. Oh how much our children would be grateful for the things they had and not upset for the things that they didn't get.  They need to know that this is a time for them to cherish the moments spent with family and best little friendies...As far as Christmas decor goes, I love it all.

However, we have a small space to decorate. I always put up our tree in the living room and I've changed it's theme several times. It started out being maroon and gold, then went to white and gold (gorgeous), but this year I wanted something a little less dressy and more fun, so I went with red, green, and white and I am totally thrilled with how it turned out. I love all the bigger ornaments, and all the ones that really mean something. Here are a few of my favorite ornaments....

Do you just love the big gemstone ones? They were 50% off at Hobby Lobby.....I am totally in love with that store!

This is a snowman that my mom bought us several years back and I just wanted to do something different with him this year.  So, I put him on this table with pictures of Harper and Maddie, and this is where I'm going to hang our stockings.  BUT, I can't find any stocking hangers that I like...and I'm not being that picky.  So, that's another thing on my to-do list!

Also, I had to add another tree to my collection this year! While at Dollywood, I saw a pink Christmas tree. I asked one of the workers if she knew where it came from and she said it'd been around for years. I knew then I had to have a tree like that. However, I'd never seen one, so I figured I'd end up buying a white one and just painting it somehow. WELL, at the beginning of November I walked in Big Lots, and guess what the first thing I saw was? Yep...a pink Christmas tree. So I bought it that day and brought it home and put it up! Oh my goodness...I love it!!! And so does Harper! She'll just lay on her changing pad and look at all the pretty lights. I'm so happy with how it turned out. I decided to try to coordinate with her nursery, so it has all pink, green, purple, turquoise, and silver ornaments on it. LOVE! And, actually, a majority of the decor on her tree came from the Dollar Tree....I love being frugal! :)And here are some of my faves on her tree...And I put this little snowman just because he was all cute and sparkly like her tree...

Then, I usually put up 3 pencil trees in the kitchen, but since we have a high chair in that corner this year, that's one item I left off. Also, we do a few decorations outside: wreaths, garland, deer, sleigh, Christmas flag....and since I was pregnant last year I didn't want to mess with it...but we went all out this year. Brandon even wanted to put the lights up around the house! I guess having a baby will really put the spirit into some......hint hint Brandon! ha:)

And, to top it all off, we have already had snow this year!  That's huge for TN!  We usually get a little...very little in January or February...but it's been a LONG time since we've had snow in December.  So, we had to get up and take Harper out and let her experience the snow for the first time.I don't know if she loved it...she didn't really care at all.  However, I do think she liked sitting in Santa's sleigh...I realize this is going to be the best Christmas we'll probably ever have. Harper is just getting old enough to really notice things, but not too big to where she bothers anything. We have been so blessed this year, and I just want all our glory to go to the one who is the reason for the season!

xoxo, Kara C: