It's Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas

It's amazing what little Christmas decor I have. I didn't realize this until I pulled all two boxes out, hung everything up in 2 minutes and realized that I should probably get a few items to decorate our house. This lack of festivities is mostly due to that fact that we haven't had our own place since our newly married years in Utah. Yes.... crazy, absurd, unbelievable, but blessings have been had with not having our own place as well. So attempting to decorate while the house is still being fixed up from moving in, working a lot, a new calling at church, nursing and being a mom to a sometimes sassy three-year old, Christmas shopping and baking has been quite the feat. I am not complaining, in fact I do enjoy most of these things...yep, even the scary 15 1/2 year old drivers and the sometimes sour three-year old. I guess what bugs me is that I can't decorate how I envision. I don't have the time this year to make awesome Pinterest ideas and won't allow myself to spend that kind of money on decorations that are only up for a month. So after Christmas sales it is @ 50%-75% off. I don't like clutter but I would like to bring out some ideas I have next year.

Our tradition with the tree is that the kids get an ornament every year and labeled just for them. This has always been a fond memory of decorating the tree and finding "my" ornaments. Reina has already felt special in this tradition when she finds her ornaments.

I planned on finding a pattern and making matching Christmas stockings, just like we had growing up. I haven't seen any yet, so I found some random stockings at Goodwill that weren't exactly the same pattern, but I really like their old-fashioned uniqueness and go well together! Stockings are always hung in order from oldest to youngest (technically I'm older but Daddy looks older with his beard anyway so he is the Santa stocking). I even have two more I happened upon so I can have two more kids before I have to hunt again.

So this is exactly what it looks like. A picture of a tree on material. Inexpensive, simple and easy to store, perfect for me.

My first nativity....can't beat $6. Now if I could just find a stable.

My step-sister, JoNel makes these Santas. My step-mom, Connie Jo has hundreds of her daughter's creations on display. Luckily, I have a few. These are my favorite decorations and would love a hundred more. 

Reina helping make delicious Lucia cookies.
 
Merry Christmas!