Tis the season

Christmas has officially started at our house this weekend.  The tree and decorations were brought out.  Hoping to get the outdoor ones up today but we will see.  Decorating the house is one of my all time favorite things to do,especially now that I have kids.  When I was little my sister and I would deck our house out.  I wrapped our front door with paper, made a light and candy cane trail to the door.  Right now my memory recalls it being AMAZING but I am sure as a 9 year old it wasn’t.  I don’t have any pictures so I will let my memory be! And since I put the decorations up my parents  weren’t going to take  them down.  We were the annoying neighbors with Christmas lights up 6 months out of the year.  Now that I married Mr. Clean our decorations are put away and stored within 24 hours of Christmas!

I LOVE my tree. When my MIL was pregnant with my husband she worked at a Hallmark store and started collecting.  So when we started dating she gave me an ornament every year.  I love my tree because all of the ornaments are different and unique.  When we hang them we look at each one remembering when we got it.  In years past I have fought the urge to do a “pretty” tree with the color coordinating theme.  Though so beautiful and festive, I am really happy with my tree.  The only thing I do wish is it was real. I LOVE the smell of real trees and it just reminds me so much of when I was a kid and would go pick out the tree with my Dad and sisters.  My Dad  hammering the stand into the tree, sweating bullets only to have my mom tell him it was crooked! Hahaha!  Women.  What would men do without us??   But I do love having an artificial tree that is up and ALIVE for almost a month! Making my house pretty and fun for longer than 2 weeks.

Here are a few of my favorite ornaments.

I often get ornaments from my wonderful clients at the salon.   The key I got last year from one of my clients who is an awesome artist. I am obssessed with snowmen so she painted some on a metal key for me!  The other was given to me a few years ago and I love her! Funky! But I just noticed it says “All Lit up” and she has a lampshade on her head?? Hmmm. That’s funny….

I love that I have ornaments from when my husband and I were little.  I got all of my family’s old ornaments and so did my husband since our siblings go with a coordinating tree.  So fun to have a strawberry made out of a walnut that my hubby made when he was little!  Last year we had to throw away my stale pretzel wreath ornament from 4th grade because it finally broke . Can’t wait to add the ones my littles will make!

One of my all time favorites as a kid.  My mom painted this.  She makes me happy.

B for Burnham cheap after Christmas sale…………..another oldie from my husband……..

 A Few of my faves my MIL has given me.  New Barbie one for my daughter……..LOVE the old lady in the shoe………The one of the dog is for my Great Dane, Opie, who passed away 2 years ago.  He was the gentlest giant and greatly missed ……..Got a blowdryer, hoping for a camera this year……hint hint……and Mickey.  Hoping to get to D-land SOON!

I laugh because all the ornaments are on the bottom!  I contemplated moving them but that is where she wanted them. We only broke one this year compared to last year, whoohoo!

So tree is up!  Now just for presents, which my daughter looks for every morning!  To be a kid again.  So fun!  Hoping your Holiday weekend was a blast and feeling the love and spirit!!