It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!

Well, my day didn't go quite as planned.  Due to some sick kiddos, our day at Maria's got cancelled.  Rosie was pretty disappointed, but this gave me the chance to put our Christmas stuff up.  I look forward to this every year.  There is something about a house decorated for Christmas that just makes everything seem right with the world.  It feels so warm and cozy and I just love it!

As you know, I'm a pretty big Pinterest fan.  Well, I wanted to show you an idea that I found there, that pretty much made my day!  When Mark and I first got married, I bought us each stockings and stocking holders.  It's kind of hard to tell in the picture, but the stocking holders are snowflakes.  I remember thinking at the time that I should at least buy four, for the future, but I didn't because kids seemed like an eternity away.  Fast forward to now, and I still only have two stocking holders.  I knew I wouldn't be able to find identical ones, because I bought them almost eight years ago.  I hated to buy four new ones, but I knew I had to.  That is, until I saw this idea...

 You hang a curtain rod from the stocking holders using ribbon!  Then you can hang as many stockings as you can fit!  

 Closer View...I didn't have to buy a thing!  I just used an old curtain rod I had in the garage.  Pinterest, you've done it again! 

Monroe really loved helping put the tree up!  I knew she would, but I was so surprised by just how much.  There was a lot of dancing around the room, uncontrollable laughing and songs sung at the top of her lungs.  She was just plain giddy.  

The Tree

I love getting the chance to look at each and every ornament when we put the tree up.  Mark thinks I'm pretty nuts, but the whole thing is so special to me.  I love remembering where each one came from.  I just adore every ornament.  

We got this after Rosie was born.  I still need to get one for Keeks.  

 This was given to me by one of my students.  I have quite a few "teacher" ornaments.  I will always treasure them.

 I love getting ornaments from places we visit.  This is from one of our trips to Maui.  It's from 2005! 

 I love this "M".  It's probably my favorite ornament just because it represents our little family.  

As you can tell, I prefer more of a traditional tree.  I enjoy looking at more stylized trees, but I just don't think you can beat a tree full of memories.  I can't wait for the days when Monroe and McKinley bring home ornaments that they have made at school.  Do you have any extra special ornaments on your tree or do you prefer your tree a little different?  I'd love to hear about how you decorate!

Here are a few more areas I decorated today.  I did some other spaces as well, but I don't want to completely bore you! 

I went a little nuts with the white lights.  I've pretty much put them on everything.  

The dining room.  Not quite done in here yet.  

I found some yellow things today!  I've been looking for quite awhile now and when I saw these, I knew I had to have them.  I don't know exactly how I will work them into my room, but I'm sure I'll figure something out...hopefully.

Now to something that I've been meaning to post about for the longest time.  I think only those people with kids will completely get the significance of what I'm about to show you...

This is the toilet seat in Monroe and McKinley's bathroom.  It has a built in children's seat!!!  It's amazing.  You just pull it down and it's the perfect size for little kiddos.  I just think it's the greatest thing ever and so does Monroe.  We haven't ventured into hard core potty training yet, but I know this will be coming in handy pretty soon.  

Well, time to sign off.  Wishing you all the very best.