Bring on Christmas

We're ready for it around here, especially Henry.

Ta Da! [lights on] [lights off]

Remember my mom's package? Here are the tiny treasures I unwrapped one by one. 27 years of memories and MOST of them I recognized from years passed. Please note the jumbo hideous ball on your upper left, more on that later.

My very first Christmas ornament. I was a cute baby, no?

A few years involved creepy dolls.

1988 was probably one of my favorites. My brother has the male version of each year and I remember the gingerbread man being just as cute.

This is one of our own from last year and really, you can't beat it.

If Nate had to pick a fave it would surely be this one.

So the giant ball was a craft I made when I was a wee one. It's HUGE and pretty hideous but I remember being so proud. I guess I've always been crafty and a Martha wanna be:) This ball would always be strategically placed in front of any bald spots when we were growing up---now that we are using a fake tree it doesn't hold the same value. Fake trees don't have bald spots since you can just twist around the limbs as you please. I miss our real trees and SOMEDAY we will take the plunge to buy one. Just not now, when we'd have to drag it up flights of curving stairs and back down.

Keri's ornament looks fab.

We completely forgot about this ornament from our one year anniversary trip! Of course, I dropped it immediately and Nate had to super glue it back together. Big surprise.

And here is this years ornament. I kept it simple this year and it's pretty similar to last years, too.

I decided to hang the stockings on our built-in buffet this year, and added a garland, too.

My main project this year? Taking these two janky looking wreaths [50% off at Michaels!]....

And turning them into this. I love the end result. The golden pine cones and leaves are a nice finishing touch and were approximately $0.62. Let's hope it stands up to our snow!

So here are our outdoor decorations complete with one fluffy white watch dog.

And here is the whole duplex. My mother-in-law definitely outdid me on the lower level but as a whole it looks pretty fab. Someday, when they replace the missing railing on our porch, we can go crazy with wrapped garland and lights there, too. But for now it's just the unsafest porch ever.

Nighttime, with flash. Yes, that is snow falling. Are you surprised?

Nighttime without flash. Something about this one makes me feel cozy inside.

And speaking of snow, it's still happening. A few more inches Friday night....predicted storm to hit on Tuesday, you know---fun stuff. But I love our street this time of year [not as much as I loved the golden leaves, but whatev].

Henry and snow go together so well, don't they?

I love snow on trees and bushes.

Yep, the 'patio test' is still coming along nicely, growing every day.

And finally, during my non-computer creative streak I finally put together my marathon shadow box. I *heart* shadow boxes and this adds to my collection.

Is that enough pictures for one night? I think so. Hope you enjoyed as much as we did.