It's beginning to look a lot like. . .

Christmas!

I heard Kimba was having a party and I wanted to play.

So, here are a few pics of my decor. We are definitely a hodge podge family but I love it and wouldn't have it any other way.

Here is our tree. I was a good mama this year and let Maddie decorate it all by herself.

Boy, was she proud of herself. :) I happen to think she did pretty good for a nine year old, don't you?






I have to admit that I had to fight myself from fixing it b/c I can be a bit anal at times. LOL


Here are some close ups of some of our recent ornaments and some of our fave ornaments.








This is the newest addition to our family. His name is Kringle and he is an Elf on the Shelf. He reports back to Santa on a nightly basis and moves from place to place in our home. He is a new tradition in our home and we have enjoyed seeing where he pops up each morning.

If you hadn't heard of the Elf on the Shelf, you should check it out.

It's really a cute and fun idea. I wish we had started this years ago!



I found these apothecary jars for $5.00 the other day (YAY!) and needed something Christmas-y to put in them. So, I pulled out some curling ribbon and stuffed it in there. Gave me just the pop of color, I was looking for!


I have had this Santa forever. He is one of those that swings his hips and sings.

Maddie used to love him when she was little. He is a little outdated but I don't have the heart to get rid of him plus, he is still pretty cute.



I evidently have a thing for Santas because here a couple more.





Here are my fave snowmen with a few HUGE Christmas balls stashed behind them. I originally bought the balls to decorate my wreath with but they are WAY to big. So, I stuck them up above my tv behind my snowmen. Gives it a little splash of color up there.



Lastly, here is my advent garland I was soo excited to find. I had been eyeing something very similar in Garnet Hill but could not pay $78 for it. It was cute but not that cute!

So, when I found this at World Market for $14.99 I was stoked and I happen to think it's just as cute!




Oh and I can't forget about my neat star I found that lights up!

I love this and this picture does it NO justice!

I think I will keep it up year round. I love it, I wish you could see how pretty it really is in person.




Thanks for looking, now I am off to see your holiday decor.


Merry Christmas!!

It really is the little things. . .

that matter, isn't it?

We have been without an essential necessity for 5 days, it was bad.

Seriously, bad.

We were having to go to strangers homes to get it (well, they were really friends of ours but strangers sounds so much more dramatic). We were desperate for this item and last night we finally got it back! Can you guess what it was??


It was. . .




HOT WATER!

Omgosh, ya'll. Our hot water heater busted Monday night and we FINALLY got it fixed last night. It was pure heck going without hot water and there was NO way I was gonna or could even make myself take a shower in the ice cold water we had. I tried, I really, really did.

I lasted all of 5 seconds.

I seriously wanted to shout to the Heavens with all my might when we had hot water again. I even thought Jeff and I were gonna fight about who got to take the first shower. But, he wisened up and let me go first.

Smart man, I married!


Hot water, it's a good thing. Now, I am off to go take me a shower!

A few more of my favorite things. . .

This is part two of a few of my favorite things.

I just also wanted to share a few things around my home that I love.

I love barn stars and I came across these a couple of years at Kirkland's and just had to have them!




I have several of these handmade signs in my home and this is my fave.

The lady that makes these does a FAB job!



These are a couple of recent purchases.

I got the grass on clearance at Target and I love it and the snowmen I actually found for 50% off at the grocery store, of all places!




I bought these guys at a local craft fair several yrs ago.

They are actually made with paint stirrers and felt!

How cute are they!?! I love pulling them out every yr!




This is one of my most cherished possessions. Maddie made this in Kindergarden and I wish I could have gotten a better pic of it but unfortunately this is as good as it gets.

Anyhow, if you look close you can tell it's her handprint in white on the ornament.

Then, they took paint and made her little fingers into snowmen!
I thought it was the cutest thing when she brought it home. It makes me smile every time I look at it.

It's definitely my fave ornament!






Lastly, I LOVE clocks. Seriously, I have a ton of them and this by far is my favorite!

I actually won this in a chinese gift exchange a few yrs ago and it's been over my mantle ever since. I love it!





Other things I also love are:

Hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows and bits of peppermint!
Fall
My daughter's freckles.
My husband's silly grin.
The Hills
D. Morgan paintings
Flannel jammies
Margaritas and mexican food
Candles
Blogs
Good friends
Flavored sparkling water
My uggs

and the list goes on and on!

Thanks for humoring me and now I am off to look at what your fave things are as well!

A few of my favorite things. . .

Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick is having a few of my favorite things party!

All you have to do is link up to her post with a post about your fave things. It can even be an old post and it doesn't matter what those things are! It can be anything from your fave tv show to your fave food.

Come on and join in, it will be FUN!!

I will be linking this post as some of my fave things. :)