keeping it simple...

keeping it simple this year.

My time for decorating has gotten away from me this year,

I had a busy time with my etsy shop (yay!)  and some of the other events around here and so I'm thinking that keeping it simple will keep the season in perspective for me.

In years past, I have pulled out tubs and tubs of ornaments and tried to recreate

the 'perfect' Christmas, only to feel deflated afterwards.

I have decided that for me the perfect Christmas is the one where I can 

look around the room and see the smiling faces that I love so much.

(that is truly enough ornamentation for me!) 

I love decorating this mantle most of all.

This urn of white branches has come in pretty handy...

It was used in the show that I did as an ornament display,

and then it became the Thanksgiving tree...

 I hung a piece of scrapbook paper cut in a scallop shape with

everyone's name on it and then left a bowl of more circles for 

us to write what we are thankful for.

I have enjoyed it so much that I decided to hang ornaments from it for Christmas!

My Advent candles from last year, the ex voto lockets that hang from them

are from none other than Rosemary from Ozma of Odds

they are truly a work of art and I have kept them out all year long.

I added some greens that my friend Julie and I scavenged from around town,

we had a fun time clipping greens from her friends house and from an abandoned building in town,

 and it is now a favorite Christmas memory...

thanks Julie!

I painted this angel for my mom many years ago and when she

passed away it came home with me.

I can't help but think of her, and when I look at this I relive the Christmas that I gave it to her.

my attempt at bringing a little JDA into the house...

This huge tree top was something that Julie and I brought home that day.

She knew of another friend that just trimmed the tree for their house and we picked up some

of the clippings... I have not seen their tree, but if this was a clipping it must be huge!

I dragged it to the truck and it was the first thing to get carried into the house!

I shopped the barn and put it inside an old galvanized cooler,

my family hasn't commented and that usually 

means that they think I have finally lost it, but I love it :)

I wish that I could tell you that these next pictures are from our excursion to get

our tree this week, but unfortunately it is unseasonably warm here in Michigan

and we have not had the snow that I look forward to for Christmas.

These are actually from last year,

we missed the horses and the snowfall, but we did manage to get a really

pretty tree and I finally got it in the house and put the lights on it last night.

Today will include getting some ornaments on the tree,

although Hannah says that she is good with just the lights!

I do love those old fashioned C7 bulbs...

sooooo pretty :)

and last but not least...

we were able to visit Santa this week too!

whew!

These people are so sweet and have this little shed

turned Christmas wonderland set up in their yard for the local kids to visit with Santa!

(not sure what the caterpillar has to do with Christmas and you know that I soooo

wanted to do a little restyling in the shed, but as for Mr. and Mrs. Claus...

they are perfect!

Danielle brought John home from the airport last night...

I had all 5 kids sleeping under my roof  and it would have been just perfect if Duane would have been

home but he had to go out of town on business.

I felt terrible for him, I know his heart was here with us.

He will be home tonight, not sure that I will be able to keep the 4:00am

bedtime that I did last night, but the conversation was worth every minute of lost sleep!

I hope all is well with you and yours, and that you are

enjoying every minute of this precious season upon us!

I hope to be back one more time before Christmas!

fa la la,

Theresa xoxo

linking up to:

White Wednesday

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday

Transformation Thursday

What's it Wednesday

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