Christmas Time is Here!

 Christmas is in full swing here at the McRae household!  This year we decided to have Christmas at our house.  For as long as Bob and I have been together, we have NOT had a Christmas at our very own home- we're always traveling to Colorado or to Alabama and one year we even went to Idaho.  This year I wanted to stay home and actually see my advent calendar make it Dec. 24.  Going along with "the whole stay at home"  Christmas, Bob and I had to actually buy Christmas presents this year.  We haven't had to buy presents for almost 5 years (mostly since it's really hard to pack presents on an airplane with all the baggage fees).  It's been nice getting to go shopping and buying gifts for each other and our kids (another thing we haven't had to do these past Christmases since the grandparents have been more than willing to spoil our children because we were the poor cash-strapped college students).  It makes me smile as I look at the presents under the tree and when I think about the excitement of Christmas morning when Pip gets to wake up and see what Santa has brought her. 

Another thing I've loved about staying home for Christmas is all the fun things we've been able to do together as a family:  baking cookies, making Christmas decorations, buying the tree (we haven't had a tree in 2 years),  decorating a gingerbread house, and driving around our neighborhood looking at all the Christmas lights. 

I know I'll look back on this Christmas as one of my favorites because it's OUR Christmas. 

Decorating the gingerbread house.  Last year, Pip enjoyed eating the candy.  This year, Pip enjoyed decorating the house and eating the "glue". 

I love how precise she is with the candy

 



We don't have a star or angel adorning our tree, but a stuffed penguin ornament.  It was placed there as a joke.  Bobby thought I would veto it...guess the joke's on him.  I love it- it stays.



I'm pretending to place an ornament on the tree.  Bobby and Pip did the ornaments. She told him where to put them. In fact, I can't decorate a tree. I don't have the "eye" for finding the right spot to put the ornaments. I suppose I'll be " one of those mothers" who just lets her kids decorate the tree and I'll be happy with what they do because it's probably better than any of my attempts.



Bobby is the lights-man.  I'm not patient enough to deal with the lights.  I get all flustered and end up wading the lights up and throwing them out the window.   But not Bob, he will painstakingly take the lights on and off as many times as needed in order to get the perfect ratio of tree to lights.  My only requirement:  the tree must have lots of lights.  I want it to glow!



Pip called the shots of where to put the ornaments and Bob just made sure she could reach the top of the tree. 






The stuffed "play" Nativity.  I originally had my ceramic, breakable Nativity (the one that Pip has broken twice) on here and then I got smart.  I realized that little hands have ways of finding all things breakable especially when adults place them at eye level.  So I put the delicate Nativity high on a bookshelf and replaced it with this one.  Pip loves playing with it and taking care of baby Jesus.  We've lost him a few times  (as I'm typing this, I believe that baby Jesus is in the car).



The "dining room" decor.  I needed a place to put our stockings and our bar is chest height, so I figured it'd make a great pseudo- mantel.  I think it looks pretty good.  And I LOVE cinnamon pinecones, so I put them in my trifle dish.  I've seen people put ornaments and lights in containers, but I like the pinecones. 



I had the idea to put the cut off branches of our tree on our entertainment center.  I like the way it looks and it's managed to last.  We laughed while we were gently placing the pieces of garland that as soon Pip saw it, that would be the end of the garland.  Not the case- she hasn't even touched it.

Hey, she's not a Christmas decoration!  But she sure is cute.  We had a bit of cold spell last week, so I had to pull out the winter fleeces and hats.  Yeah, it got real cold...like almost 50 degrees.  LOL!