My Christmas Tour...

Here lately I have been reading a few home decorating blogs that are out there, and the women who write these blogs always have a "Christmas Tour" where they photograph their gorgeous homes for readers to view. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite things about decorating for Christmas. This is a nativity scene I bought last year at Kohls for 50% off. I think it is very important to teach my kids the real meaning behind the season, and this will help me to do just that. For now, I must keep little hands away from the fragile little set!

This is my Nutcracker my mom bought me a few years back. She too, found it after Christmas and bought one for me and one for Dave. Dave likes his so much that he keeps it out year round in his room! My Nutcracker only makes his appearance once a year, but he is still one of my favorite things to pull out.

I must send out a gazillion cards at Christmas-time. Each year I am adding more people to my little list as I make new friendships or rekindle old ones. I absolutely love exchanging cards. Each day I practically stalk the mail man and even know the exact hummmm of his little engine as it enters my little court to drop off my cards. Especially as their families grow and change, it is so much fun to get pictures of my friends' and their little ones or even just a few handwritten words on a simple card! So much more fun than an impersonal email...This year I dolled up some little clothes pins with red and green paint and sprayed on some "snow" so that I could attach my cards to little gingham ribbon that I hand around my entrance-way. I love looking at all of my cards as I walk by!

Our parents helped to make our Christmas so special this year with new window treatments and a new kitchen table, so we aren't wanting for much. We decided to spend our money on the kids and skip our traditional gift for the house for each other this year. However, Tim and I did order some stockings for our completed little family. I call them "forever stockings" because they are absolutely so adorable and will last forever....(atleast that is what I told Tim when I told them how much I payed for them!) They are very nice and I am excited that they will be with us for many years to come!

And finally, my tree.... Pretty much up until this year, I wanted a matching, coordinated, all-the-same-color-balls tree.....My tree has been my top priority this year though, as I have been working very hard to fill it with special ornaments and memories that will mean something to Addie and Hayes as they pull them out of their box each holiday season. I am also working to make some special ornaments for Addie to have when she has a family tree of her own one day. So, no matching-coordinated, all-the-same-color-balls on my tree this year- just some very special memories that are already starting to accumulate for our little family!

My mom bought this reindeer family for us the other day because the one she bought for us last year is now considered outdated! We have grown since last Christmas!

Here's the one from last year...Funny thing is...I got pregnant with Hayes just a couple of weeks after getting this ornament from Mom. I love the two of them on the tree near each other. It shows how much our family has changed.

Addie's first ornament ....

Hayes' first Christmas ornament from Mamaw...

And finally...one of my newest traditions...Addie's milestone of 2009! Each year I will add an ornament for both kids that represents their biggest milestone or memory made that year. This year Addie got a Big Girl Bed and she became a Big Sister. I made ornaments for both of those occasions and wrote little messages on the back. Hopefully, these will be just as special to them as they are to me one day!

Hope you liked my little Christmas tour! Tomorrow I will share my most special and favorite ornament of all....stay tuned!