Merry Christmas!

Some of the highlights from our Christmas celebrations:

Putting out the Reindeer Food

Playing with his new RC Mario Cart

Cruising in Kalyn's new Jeep

 The Spread on Christmas Eve

Soup and Sandwich Station

Beverage Station

Desserts!!

 The Cousins!

 Christmas Morning

Because my brother-in-law and family wasn't coming until the day after Christmas, we were able to spend Christmas Eve at our own home.  Paul's mom joined us as we hosted a celebration for my parents, sister, step-sisters, dad, uncle and cousins (almost 20 people in all).  We had a late lunch, opened presents then had time to go to Christmas Eve services.  It was the first time I'd been to church on Christmas Eve in over a decade.  And I so very much enjoyed it.  It's hard not to be emotional sitting in church at the same time and on the same day that our family first "met".  As we were singing songs and listening to scriptures, I realized that exactly 3 years before my children were meeting each other for the first time in person.

For me Christmas really is all about a little boy from a far off land.

Christmas Home Tour

With a new house, it was interesting to decorate using what we had before.  I wanted to live in the house through one Christmas to figure out how I want to ultimately decorate.  As it was I changed the decor several times (even as I was taking the pictures for this post).  My parents were so generous and gave us their 12 foot tree (and even set it up for us).  I think eventually I will have a Christmas tree in every room.  Here's the tour:

The area over my stove top.  On this day it was the Candy Cane Garden that our elf brought.

Some of the handmade ornaments we made using the Truth in the Tinsel book.

One of the wreaths my mom made, hanging in my desk window.

The singing, animated stuffed friends in the playroom.

Another wreath in the living room.

The mantle where I switched out the photos.  We will eventually actually hang stuff on the walls.

Those boxes were a gift from one of Paul's coworkers last year.

The 12 foot tree that definitely needs some big ornaments to help balance it.

A wreath I already had that is on the door leading to the garage.

A sign I had on the laundry room door but then switched (see below).

Some random snowball candles.

I usually put any new gift ornaments on the silver tree.  I switched out the thanksgiving leaves in the display and used this to put some of our cards.

Santa photos for the past 5 years.

Some of our Christmas books.

The Santa my coworkers gave me a couple of years ago.

Some decorations on our bookshelves.

I moved enough books out to hold the nativity scene.

My Santa's on top...they will be lighted next year after I move the bookshelf out enough to get to the plug.

This is the area by the stairs.  I think in the future it will have a tall slender tree in this space.  The boxes hold some of the Christmas toys for the kids.

Santa's mail pouch on the office door.

The lighted garland my mom put up.

Decorations added to disguise the extra lights from the garland.

The new table runner my mother-in-law gave me.

The bar area with the recipe books and recipe card box.

Stockings or signs on almost every door.

I wrap 24 Christmas books and the kids take turns unwrapping them each night for our bedtime story.

Some Christmas stuffed animals.

The Peanuts gang in the media room.

The counter in the media room with pictures and the holiday movies.

The wrapping center in the game room.

More Christmas pictures by the kids rooms.

The bag on the door knob has the kids holiday accessories (headbands, jingle necklaces, sunglasses, etc.)

Sophie Rose's pink tree in her room.

Logan George's Star Wars tree.

The China Santa in LG's room along with some pictures.

Here's where I switched up the stairs again.

I moved the tree near the wreath that had the same colors.

Then added the sign.

I meant to take pictures of the whole rooms but completely forgot.  I love the holiday season and will keep the decorations up until at least the first week of January.  They will probably come down the same way they came up, slowly over several days and weeks.