deck.the.halls

oh, yes...the Christmas music has finally made its debut in this household

and with it a vast array of Christmas decorations

Peach loved digging in the boxes and exclaiming "oooh!" at every little treasure she pulled out

she loved decorating the house this year...putting decorations on every imaginable surface - including her sister

got this little tree from my grandma a number of years ago

there are little ornaments in each of 24 drawers, so you can decorate the tree as the big day approaches

don't know if I'll be able to talk her into just one a day....

this was the first decoration Peach chose to put on the tree.  :(

daddy and tulip watched the game while Peach and I went crazy with the decor

My favorite part was pulling out the Nativity...talking to Peach about the "party" of sorts in the manger when our awesome King came to rescue us

when I pulled these out, I said to Tulip, "I bought these last year...before I even knew you."

Whoa.

Its moments like those that take me back a bit.

Remind me of the awesome privilege I have raising these girls.

I love this box of ornaments.  Each year my family chooses a charity to support and my crafty, creative aunt makes an ornament to represent it.  I get sentimental every year thinking about the year we helped Hospice, the year we packed shoe boxes for kids overseas, the year we adopted a family....

this is Peach's box.

she thought that the pictures of the baby were Tulip.

I tried to explain to her that she was that little once, but she just scrunched up her face like that was entirely unbelievable.

and it is...

the key that we hang by the door so Santa can get into the house to leave presents.  :)

and the tree...

typically, I like to make sure everything is symmetrical, ornaments evenly spaced, all hanging just right, no ornaments touching each other.

but this year, we're going for a more - all in one place right in the front middle of the tree look.

and I'm okay with that :)

hubby trying to straighten things out after the tree was mostly decorated and I decided it was a little crooked

the holidays have settled in at our house

mmmmm...i'm just gonna' let it simmer for minute

because spending this time of year with the people i love most is a thought worth simmering.