Come On In!

Were you really at our front door we'd tell you how glad we are to see you and offer you something warm to drink while we showed you around. Since this is the best we can do given our limitations, "Welcome!" and don't burn your mouth on that steaming hot mug of cyber cider or cocoa. With that and a smile-- hope you enjoy following us through our winter wonderland of hand-me-downs, after the season collected treasures, and most importantly to us-- some of our favorite traditions.

Soon as you come through our front door, you'll see my early Christmas present- a little entry table we found at a steal that just begs to be decorated. Right now it holds the family Bible we got for our wedding, which is marked by a special handkerchief given to me when my Mamaw passed (I always remember her reading to me out of her huge black Bible with the big letters). The spot is Luke's account of the Christmas story, and we read out of this Bible every Christmas Eve just before bedtime. Among the other trinkets on the table is one of my favorite pictures taken in our yard before fall turned to winter. I call it my "Christmas Toes" picture (Sarah, I just heard your rendition of "Christmas Shoes" in my head and laughed out loud!)

Under the table holds an old crate with some silver balls and another tradition-- the collecting of one special Christmas book every year. You've already seen Hope reenacting the one she picked out this time, but I've been doing this for a while now. These books only come out after Thanksgiving and each holds such a special message.

Then, of course, there is the tree! Back when Joe and I started dating, we began buying or making each other an ornament. Now we pick one out as a family every year that is representative of the past 365 days. The last two Christmases the below ornaments pretty much sum up what's been significant to us! I also started picking out one ornament for each of the girls that will be safely tucked away until they are ready to have their own trees. Hope fell in love with this manger scene, and I thought it was more than appropriate for this year's choice since she now knows about the Baby Jesus.

The nativity scenes are also really special. We put the one Joe's parents gave us on top of the armoire my Dad made, and we have another little one given to us for our wedding right in the family room near Hope's level. My friend Julie gave us the great idea of waiting to put Baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas morning. That way we check each day to see if He's "been born" yet!

In the family room you also find the stockings and the mantle, both of which are great fun to me since I'm all about little surprises. I always reuse odds and ends from our wedding decorations, but this year I added some magnolia greenery from the backyard along with some of my favorite verses. I simply burnt the edge of the papers to give them that old feel. I really wanted to get us new stockings, but it wasn't really in the budget. Then, lo and behold, Grandma Martins called to see if there was a little something she could get the girls. Umm, YES!, and this is what we found to go along with the mantle. I tear up often when I look at them for whatever reason.

Don't worry, Tucker has a stocking too... thanks to my Mom several years back when she found this one that looks just like him!

Not even bathrooms or kitchens are off limits... Santa-Meet-John and peppermints are festive enough, don't you think? Here are some more details from here to there.

One of the best parts about this year is how we've told Hope all of this decorating is for Jesus' big birthday party! She's not the only one who can't wait.

Thanks for looking around and enjoying this time of year with us...

...until you come again! And in the meantime, share with us some of your favorite decorations or traditions. No matter how big or small, fancy or simple-- we'll be sure to bring our mugs along with us and enjoy yours too!