it's all coming down

As much as I love Christmas, I hate...h.a.t.e putting it all away. The whole of it is depressing.

Sadly, it's my last chance to blast Christmas music, too.

So here's our home today, the day before it all comes down. Christmas, I'll miss you. You came too quick again this year.

I love these little houses I got at PB Kids a few years ago.

Would love to find a church sometime to go with them.

It's fun having my own monogram machine, especially for the kid's stockings.

With Aberhem coming soon, we're going to run out of room on our fireplace!

{and we still don't think we're done}

I am {{thrilled}} that we've finally found a finish carpenter who has not only designed us the most perfect mantle, but also a beautiful way to finish our fireplace.

Can't wait for him to get back from visiting his family in Oregon so he can get started.

Every year while growing up, my parents would take my brother & I to get an ornament showing something significant from that year.

{something we did, were interested in, or place we went}

I love this tradition...it's so fun to tell the kids stories about "when Mommy was a kid". The above ornament is when I did equestrian dressage {and jumping}.

My favorite activity e.v.e.r.

Our family tree is a fun mixture of kids ornaments, new and old.

The boxes beneath our "family tree" are empty. All throughout the Christmas season the kids love to box up their toys, books, and drawings and "give" each other gifts.

It's really cute how excited they get when one of us opens up the special something they are gifting us...even if it is just for pretend.