It Finally Looks Like Christmas Around Here!

I finally got the rest of my Christmas decorations up this weekend. I know, it's almost Christmas and I should have been done a couple weeks ago, but I've been so busy with other things that I haven't had time to get it all done until now. I'm really hoping next year isn't so crazy so I can have decorations all done by the first of December.

Anyway, here's some pictures of some of our Christmas decor. I've added a few new things this year, like this advent calendar. I was a totally awesome mom this year and waited until the last minute to go buy the chocolate advent calendars at the store, like we get every year, and when I got there (I went to 5 different stores) they were all sold out! That happens to me all the time. So, I decided to make my kids a homemade chocolate advent calendar. I got this poem from YW's when I was a teen and I loved it, so I typed it up and mounted it on some wood that I painted, then I added the Hershey Kisses. Each of the kids have their own color...Jaedyn-red, Jaron-silver, and Jantzen-green. The kids love it and they get so excited every day when it's time to have their chocolate...especially Jaedyn.

I added some new things to the tree this year too. I left off the bows and added ribbon, poinsettias, some red Christmas spray picks, and two new Coca-Cola ornaments. Josh and I have been collecting these ornaments for our tree since our very first Christmas. It's only taken us 14 years to get enough to cover the tree (they aren't cheap)...

Here's a close-up of my bears...

These are just a small handful of the bears on the tree, I just love them!

"The stockings were hung on the stair rail with care"...

Here's our entertainment center and the shelf above our pictures...

Here's my favorite Santa (I've had him for 13 years), keeping our thermostat company, along with our dining room table complete with an updated Santa picture (with yours truly in with the kids), and my new gingerbread boy and girl (my friend Amy made for me) that are keeping my phone company...

The kids even have their own Christmas trees in their rooms. Jaron and Jantzen have a "Spiderman" themed tree with a few extra ornaments that they've made over the years. Yes, the tree is wearing a hat ornament that Jaron made...

Jaedyn's Christmas tree is pink and girly, just the way she likes it...

And, you can't have Christmas decorations without the nativity. I put this nativity up every year and this time I added some decor around it. It also holds all the Christmas cards we get from our family and friends...

I made these glass holders with stuff from the dollar store, they were so easy...

Now, I just need to get my baking done!