Christmas 2012...

We were extremely blessed this Christmas season. This year has definitely topped the charts as one of my favorite Christmases yet...how could it NOT with Addi Kate on the way?!?

Since my parents are here in town, we kept up with our tradition of driving around town and looking at Christmas lights. It wasn't the same without my sister and best friend though :) We did find this fabulous church that had synchronized lights and even gave us a bag full of cookies to enjoy while we drove through their display...

We spent Christmas Eve at my Mother-in-Love's house. She made a fabulous meal with ham, bacon wrapped shrimp, broccoli and cheese casserole, and hashbrown casserole...YUM! We opened a few gifts and just enjoyed all the company.

One of the ladies that works with my Mother-in-Love gave Addi Kate this adorable dress and coat...

I can just see AK wearing this next year with some white tights and black patten leather shoes :)

I was thrilled to show off my Cinnamon Britta Beads...I just love how they look!

I also have a green set that I wore on Christmas Day...can't get enough of those necklaces :)

I think the highlight of my Christmas this year though was watching David and Dad put together Addi's gifts...

 

This picture just melts my heart!!!

We still have one more Christmas celebration to do with my brother and sister-in-law and nephew. AND unfortunately, the Christmas decor will come down after that. I love putting up the Christmas decorations, but taking it down is a different story :(

I hope your Christmas holiday was a good one!!!

Kodi Christmas...

I realized after looking through the pictures on my phone that I have a TON of pictures of Kodi this Christmas. He has been my little shadow since I've been on vacation. Here are just a FEW that I've gotten of him over the past week...

This one is probably my FAVORITE of him! He is so happy and looks like he's smiling at me :)

He gets a little excited when I walk in the door...so much so that sometimes he'll jump up on the couch and howl until I give him a treat.

He's taking a little snooze on David's pillow :) He he!

Here he is begging "please give me a treat, don't I look cute?"

And here he is taking a little nap in front of the tree.

Love that little cutie!

2012 Christmas Card...

I am SO excited about our 2012 Christmas Card! My heart just wants to pop every single time I see the baby bump in our picture this year :)

Here is the front of our card...

And here is the back...

When we were having our pictures made, I saw this old tractor and HAD to have our picture taken in front of it. I guess it's true...you can take the girl out of Texas, but you can't take the Texas out of the girl :)

FYI...our pictures were taken by Clara Faye Photography and our cards were created by Paper Heart Company.

Join me in sharing your card at Faith's Christmas Card Carousel.

Merry Christmas!!!

Decorating Every Inch of Our Home...

My hubby can't quite understand why I insist on decorating every inch of our home EVERY holiday...but I just can't help myself :) I have collected so many holiday decor items over the years and decorating for each holiday is truly something that I enjoy.

And although we won't be hosting as many parties in our back yard this winter, as we do during the summer, I still like to decorate our back porch.

We have a small back porch, but it's just enough for us...we just keep our TV, towels for the pool, and a mini-fridge out there.  But now, I've added a few Christmas decor items for the holiday.

I found this Santa at Hobby Lobby about five years ago and he is always happy to welcome you as you walk out on the porch.

Our theatre department at school has a poinsettia fundraiser each year and I always try to support them by purchasing a few of these plants...they have the biggest and prettiest selection of poinsettias I've seen!

This plant was sitting on our front porch, but since I  put poinsettias on the front porch, I moved him (and his partner) to the back porch. This is the wooden box that I posted about HERE that belonged to my hubby's grandfather. I just love it :)

Do you decorate every inch of your home for the holidays?

OH...and make sure you come back on Monday for our 2012 Christmas Card REVEAL! My friend Faith will be hosting her annual Christmas Card Carousel and you won't want to miss all the lovely Christmas Cards this year!

Our Little Christmas Tree...

We have a smaller Christmas tree that we put up each year too. This was our first tree in Jacksonville. We moved David to Jacksonville around Thanksgiving time in 2005. I was able to stay for a week and help get our new home set up, then had to come back to Houston to stay with my parents until school let out for the Christmas break. So David's grandma gave him this small Christmas tree to put up so we would at least have a tree that year :)

We have continued to put it up each year and I even had a few special ornaments made for it last year. But this year, I added a very special ornament to our little tree...

I love seeing Addison's name around our house :)

I've also gotten addicted to creating mesh bows. So of course I had to put one on top of our little tree...

Do you have more than one tree that you put up for Christmas?

2012 Christmas Mantel and Tree...

We finally have our Christmas tree up and decorated!

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out...it looks a lot like last year's tree, BUT I added a few more of the rotating ornaments this year. Here is a little video so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about...

I am so ready for the Christmas break so I can sit by the fireplace, drink hot chocolate, and enjoy our tree.

Now...if only I could get our Christmas Cards in the mail :)

Making a Dent...

I am doing my best at making a dent in our Christmas decor this year. I'm trying not to over do it, but I just can't help myself when it comes to decorating!! I guess I didn't realize just how many boxes of Christmas decor we had...oh my!

So here is a little sneak preview of what I've put out so far...

I have had this little tree forever, but like to change up the material on the base of it each year. So this year it is serving as a centerpiece for our dining table and I decided to use burlap...cute!

My friend Allie designed this door hanger for me last year...still one of my all time FAVORITE accessories for Christmas :)

A little side table in one of our guest rooms...

This whimisical hat sits on our dinette table in the kitchen...I absolutely adore it! It makes me think of my #1VBF and the Grinch (that sounded funny, but she's in love with the Grinch) :)

Our entry table in the hallway...

A close up of the jingle bells I've had for quite a few years...they even jingle!

This little sitting area is in one of our guest rooms and I just can't get over the cuteness of this reindeer pillow. He is so adorable and was VERY inexpensive...$10!!!

Just an idea for those of you that have real Christmas trees. When the hubby trims the bottom of our tree, I always use the leftover branches like this. I normally wrap a damp papertowel on the bottom of the branches and then stuff them in some type of hanger. This one is hanging in our guest bathroom and smells delicious!

I tried my first mesh garland this year...I like how it turned out, but had no place to put it. I literally walked around the house with it in my hands until I could find a place to hang it. So our TV stand in our bedroom gets the honors this year. Not sure I'm sold on how it looks, but it will do...oh and that is Kodi's stocking on the left on the shelf :)

Still in awe at the three stockings on our mantel this year...that is by far the greatest Christmas gift ever. 

I'm starting on our Christmas tree this morning and am contemplating changing out the mesh bows on our mantel. I don't have enough of that same mesh to put on our tree and since our tree is right next to our mantel, I think I may change out the ribbons. We'll see...I know everything doesn't have to always match, but I struggle with that :(

Here is the beginning of our Christmas tree decor. Not sure which mesh I'll use, but I text messaged the #1VBF and she said go with red...so that's probably what will happen. Which do you like best?

I'll be back with more pictures of our Christmas decor when I get it all complete!