Christmas-ing

My friend Missy used that term on Facebook today, and I love it!  That was what today was all about for the boys and me.  Their dad...well, he shopped until he dropped.  Literally.  I have the greatest husband in all of mankind.    He does this every single year and saves me from the stress of shopping that I hate.  Yes, he spoils me.  I'm blessed, for sure.

While he was gone, we decked our halls.  ;)  I thought I'd share some pictures.

I should insert here that my house will win no prizes for the finest dressed, but I dearly love all my stuff.  All of it almost was given to me, either by family or friends.  Or it was made by my kids, like the two snowmen paintings you see above.  Aren't they precious?

I love this sign!  It's new to me this year.  We had a women's event at church a couple weeks ago and this was our prize for sitting at my friend Barbara's table.  She is super crafty...I might be a tad bit envious.

One year for my birthday, my sister Tricia bought me Christmas dishes.  The next year she bought me these gingerbread placemats.  The other four are on the dining room table.  I love them!

My mom gave me this new, cutie-patootie pie plate sitting in the snowman dish...come to think of it, she gave me the snowman thing too.  (See what I mean?!)

The kitchen, and my beautiful new stove.  :)

Even the downstairs bath got spruced up.  The little arrangement is one my mom made years ago, and the three snowmen are from Drew's kindergarten teacher, from the first half of his kindergarten year...the second half of that year, he got a different teacher.

The back door and the piano~the flower thing you see to the right of the snowman sitting atop my piano is about to go.  The plant is broken and traumatized and will at least get moved to a new home.  See the rejoice sign to the right of the doors?  My favorite!

The boys decorated their room and beds.  I love this...you have no idea how happy it makes me!

The computer desk...this snowman has been around since I was a little girl.  I love him so much!

Here are the other gingerbread placemats.  The angels on my hutch are some that my grandfather made for my grandmother...I think.  I love that my mom was sweet enough to give me these!

The Santa hats get worn daily in the cold weather during this time of year.  Until they're worn, their homes are the backs of the chairs.

 I love my gingerbread cookie-making platter.  We will be making some this year.  Per Noah's request.

Todd's only request: that this Santa be placed in a most prominent place in our home each year.  You can't get much more prominent than the kitchen counter, the room where the heart of our home is.

My sister Lisa bought me this cute little thing for my birthday a few years ago...it's one of my favorite gifts.
Don't you love Drew in the background?

And last, but not least is my very favorite...

our Christmas tree!  I adore this tree and her handmade and passed down ornamentation.  I might have cried while putting up the ornaments today.  Graham had to come give me a hug.  Yup...I'm still an emotional wreck.

Well, that's our home!  Thanks for stopping by and taking the holiday tour with me.  I hope you know I wasn't doing it to show off...I'm not at all, I promise!  I just love all our stuff...all of it is personal to me and has special meaning.  Like I said, I won't win any prizes for the finest dressed home, but to me, it's pretty special.  The most special part of it all is seeing the childlike wonder in the eyes of my kids.  They were so happy to be doing this today~it truly is our favorite time of year.

Love to all.