Christmas- Came and Went

Apparently,

   I was asleep for most of the month of December. It came in like a freight train..and left just as quickly.

I did really well with the shopping, and organizing this year, and even had a husband Elf help me do a bunch of the wrapping, but it just didn't seem like the normal "Christmas Season" to me this year.

Maybe it was because we were forced to hear the Christmas carols in early November, or because the stores were stocked well before the Halloween costumes were displayed, or maybe because we have had an unseasonably WARM fall/early winter? I was literally wearing short sleeves and no jacket one day while shopping on Main Street.

I normally have the tree and decorations up by the first weekend of December, but this year, we didn't even attempt to get the containers out f the garage until the second weekend, and Scott and E  bought our tree at a Lions Club stand one week night in the pouring rain (while I sat in traffic driving home from work),and it sat on the porch for 3 days to dry out, and then stood in the family room for another 2 days until it got lights and decorations.

And now, here we are in the first week of January, and I'm actually loving the warmness and comforting feeling of the holiday decor, and the tree had to be taken down, due to the drying branches, and the weather is finally starting to feel like it should for Christmas! 

But,  I'm ready to start cleaning the house, de-cluttering, and donating things to Goodwill, and getting the house in order for the next holiday...Valentine's Day!

I want to share a few of my Christmas decorations/decor so that you can enjoy it as much as I did...even if it only lasted for 2 weeks this year!

For the past 3 years E and I make a "Family" Christmas ornament that we add to all of the gifts that we give to family and friends.

Here are those that we did in this year, 2010, and 2009

Our Front Porch

Antique Child's wagon with lighted presents and giant ornaments

Antique sled and Milk Jug

I bought both pairs of ice skates at Goodwill (It's difficult to see the black pair on the ground.

The scarf is mine, and the basket came from Homegoods, and the greens came from the trees in my yard

Here is my mantle in the Living Room..

 I just love this picture of E opening his stocking on Christmas morning..sitting on the hearth, laughing with excitement!! (Had to share it!)

The Coke Crate is a yard sale find that I purchased over the summer, and the ornaments are Vintage Glass  that I purchased at Goodwill.

The little "Charlie Brown" tree was given to me by my mom...I love this little tree!

More pictures of the Living room decor..

I love Apothecary jars! 

Pillow was made by Scott's grandmother, and the little Santa bear reads Twas the Night Before Christmas

The Coke Crate on the second shelf was my other yard sale find from the Summer. I purchased little favor boxes, and glued #1-24 on them and had a piece of candy inside each day for a homemade Calendar. 

The little mouse was one of my purchases from the Lucketts Holiday open house, and the Christmas Memories Book is one of my most treasured items. It was given to me at my Baby shower, and every year since my son was born we fill in a page. It's so much fun looking back at each year!

Lastly, Here's our tree from this year! It was beautiful! 9' Tall, and smelled Ah-mazing!

I don't have a theme for my ornaments, I've been collecting them since I was 13, so it's a very eclectic mix!

Ours was a very Merry Christmas, I hope yours was as well!