and they're up!

Okay, as predicted my blog isn't getting a lot of action. Totally fine, I know that it isn't a super exciting blog, and I mostly don't have clever things to report, and I really do it to have an excuse for why I don't journal like a good girl should, and plus run on sentences are tiresome to read.
Rant completed. If you are still with me- wow, thanks. On to the actual post.

As per husband's orders the Christmas decorations are NOT to go up until AFTER thanksgiving, even though I had plenty of time before the holiday. But to be fair to the husband (who I love and adore, and who is the only one that can reel me in when I get a little too excited about something) he let me put them up as early as I wanted during our first year in Chicago. I think my tearful explanation of "if I can't go home for the holidays I should be able to put my Christmas tree up whenever I want" and his overwhelming school schedule helped me win the case that year. Last year we were home for Thanksgiving, and this year he put his proverbial foot down. There are many times when my husband is so much smarter/practical than me. If the tree was up we would not have had room for everyone that came for a Friday Thanksgiving dinner.
First a big Thanks to all our friends that were able to come over for our Thanksgiving "After Party". We had a lot of fun and everyone contributed to the deliciousness of the meal. We have been trying to live it up as we will not all be together next year. These wonderful people have been our family away from home. We will miss them dearly.

Here is everyone lined up "buffet-style" in the kitchen loading up their plates with turkey, ham, pirogies, stuffing, veggies, rolls, cranberries, mashed potatoes, and twice baked sweet potatoes.

Here I am, hair flattened from the heat of the oven, trying to cool off after bringing the meal all together. Whew! Definitely need more than one oven in my dream house. Oh, and a bigger refrigerator.

And on to the Christmas season! Growing up there wasn't an abundance of Christmas spirit in our house. I usually decorated the tree while everyone else watched tv. I wrapped all the presents, including my own. I baked and decorated all the Christmas cookies. Granted I like doing these activities, but they are always more fun when you are with others. I am blessed with a husband who enjoys doing these things with me because he knows they are meaningful to me. So with 2 Christmas and 1 Jack Johnson cds in the player on shuffle, hot cocoa in the mugs, husband and wife in their pajamas, and various ideas for the tree- we set off to "Christmas-tize" our house.

Here is Alma, in fore mentioned pjs, decorating our tree that is shorter than him. As we have moved from several apartments during our near 8 years of marriage, this "slim noble fir" from Target has served us well. It has always been beautiful and has always fit anywhere we have required it to. Every year I change its decor just ever so slightly. This year as we got started I decided just Silver and Gold.

And here is the final result. It really looks even better in person. And as for the presents you see below that tree: 3 empty boxes. We are saving for a house. But my friend Bekah recently blogged about the 3 gift rule at Christmas time, and I think it is great. But how do stockings fit in? Stockings are my favorite part. I would love to limit the materialism of Christmas, but I have to find a way while maintaining the stocking tradition.