Fa La La La La

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...well it's been looking like Christmas for over 3 weeks.  I just haven't posted the pictures yet.  These are just some of the things around our house that make it cozy, festive, and fun throughout the holiday.  I ran into a bit of a problem this year when I realized that I had 12 tubs full of Christmas decorations..and that doesn't include the gazillion trees, 6 wreaths, and numerous signs...not to mention the 2 real evergreen garland pieces and three additional wreaths I ordered from the Boy Scout/Hockey kids that live in our neighborhood.  Here is just a little sneak peek of little areas around our house.

Isaiah decorating our "family ornament tree" that's in the basement.

Ava too...they have really gotten good at putting ornaments randomly throughout the tree.  What an improvement from last year.

One of the reasons I keep buying new trees every year is because we accumulate so many fun ornaments and the kids LOVE decorating!

Isaiah discovering some ornaments he thought were cool!

Ava beginning to decorate her tree.  This tree has a bright pink theme with everything from ballet and princess ornaments to Disney and homemade ornaments.  I need to post an updated picture.  That tree is packed FULL!

Isaiah's tree is all boy...tractors, trucks, Cyclone stuff, footballs, Disney, baseballs, and homemade ornaments cover this tree.  He wanted the smaller version of this tree in his room but I told him I didn't think that would work because it wouldn't hold his collection.

In our dining room I have these two trees as you walk in.

A lit up picture...so cozy at night!

This is our gingerbread/candy tree.  It's filled with tons of gingerbread ornaments, mini cooking utensils, lollipops, peppermints, and other types of candy.  I love this "pencil" tree...it's in our dining room too.  I'd like to have this in our kitchen but at this point it's just too crowded around the table.  Maybe when we remodel our kitchen down the road...it might fit then.

A little close up look

This tree has wooden vintage looking ornaments I've collected from craft shows and specialty gift shops.  Right now this small tree is perfect to house this starter collection.  Do I see the possibility of another tall pencil tree to house these down the road...I think so!

Just a shelf in the dining room

I got these "NOEL" letters from Hobby Lobby for 75% off about two years ago.  They were an ugly gold color and I've never used them, so this year I decided to do something with them.  I used a white paint and quickly...and I mean quickly...brushed the white over them.  They ended up with that old crackled look that I love and I couldn't be more happy with how they turned out.  This is on one of the shelves next to our fireplace.  I love the snowflake board under it.  I got this at the Ankeny craft show last year.  It's just a piece of barn wood with a few vintage looking snowflakes.  Love it!

Our fireplace...the stockings were made by none other than Grandma Richardson (Andy's Grandma).  They are so special to our family and each one is so unique.  Andy's is first, then mine, Ava's, and then Isaiah's.  Jackson's is a cute one from Pet Smart that we got one year.  It has bones hanging from it and there is a spot where we put his picture.

I decorated this old hutch with some random things.  Underneath, it now has a silver "Merry Christmas" sign and some jeweled napkins.  It looks really cute.  Sitting next to it...I haven't taken a picture of it yet...I have these huge sticks that have what looks like icicles all over.  They look really pretty next to it.  They are about as tall as the hutch.

Andy's grandparents gave us these old jars that day I went "picking" through their shed.  I have two of them and I filled them with little ornaments.  I also did this in our glass cupboard in the dining room but filled a few wine glasses instead.

The entry way...

Above the kitchen sink

I got these Pottery Barn star wreaths at a garage sale one year ago for $2 each.  I have two of them.  The other one is hanging over our big mirror in the hallway.  They are actually about $50.00 each.  I can't complain about the price I paid for them.  I had them tied around the backs of our kitchen chairs with some festive ribbon, but that didn't work out so well with little kids.  Maybe when they are older I can try that idea again.

We use this old window outside during the spring/summer and then bring it back in during the winter.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this wreath I got from the craft show years ago.  I added the "candycane" word separately.  We attach all the Christmas cards and pictures we get during the holidays randomly around the window.  This is in our kitchen.

A Blumsters find years ago too...I think this is so pretty.  Blumsters is a specialty gift shop in Huxley.

Craft show purchase...it's made of wood and so cute!

Last picture for now...the mirror in our dining room.

More pictures to come later!

My Three Happy's:

1) Andy got the millions of leaves mowed up and bagged today.  The yard is now ready for the snow.

2) GO STATE!!  Did you see that amazing Iowa State game last night.  Ava wasn't feeling well so I stayed home with the kids and Andy went to the game.  Wow!  What an upset!

3) We've made plans with my family on Wednesday (no school day) to go to Stratman's Tree Farm to chop down our Christmas trees.  This one will go in our family room upstairs!