O Christmas Tree...

The Monday after Thanksgiving the Christmas tree went up. This is our first year to actually have a tree and I was determined it would be a real one. Mom always has a real one and I love the way they look and smell. However, I'd have to drive to at least Chattanooga to find one with no guarantees of finding anything better than a Charlie Brown special. So, I went ahead with this cute little fake one loaned to us by friends. Its only about 5 1/2 ft. tall so I can reach the top. It turned out pretty! I had no idea we had at least 5 "Our First Christmas: 2005" ornaments. (Its a good thing or our tree would be naked). I had fun pulling out the ornaments because I remember when I received or made most of them. My favorite is a red ball ornament I made at Brownies when I was six....its definately covered in multi-colored glittery, six year old handwriting. I don't have many other decorations in the house, but the ones I do have I love!


We also had snow last Saturday. I was surprised because that's unusual around here...AND...I thought I left that all behind in the great Midwest. It wasn't much and it was all melted by 10am...kind of pitiful really. The kids around here get so excited. It seems so unnatural to me to not grow up playing in the snow on snow days. Not to mention, their snow man making skills are just plain sad.



I hope you're enjoying the holiday season. We're approaching the 3rd Sunday in Advent and Christmas is less than 2 weeks away! All of our Christmas shopping is done as of yesterday and it feels good not to have to rush at the last minute. I decided this year that I would not stress over gift buying because the fabled "Perfect Gift" simply does not exist. Instead I'm enjoying the Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel, listening to Christmas music, and searching for good holiday recipes. I hope you are able to take some time and relax this season too. May we not get so busy in our going that we miss Christ in his coming.



Happy Holidays!

Mandy and Kevin

Tree and Nativity

The stockings were hung by the flatscreen with care, In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there....(ignore the vitamin commercial)

First Snow