I love how cozy homes become at Christmas. The tree with all the lights and decorations. Colorful presents. Candles (albeit it fake flickers for the time being). A fireplace (I wish).
I'm not usually much of a knick-knack person, so I love the Holidays and all the extra decorations that come with December. Somehow they're all similarly themed and work together. And they definitely make our house more warm and inviting.
This year Joe and I decided to go for it and get a couch that both of us had been eyeing for a couple years now. The new sectional fits and fills out our living room so much better. It's big and easily fits our whole family on it. All the kids love it. I've quickly discovered that snuggling in the corner with the pillows for story time is even better than in the boy's beds.
After getting the couch we decided we needed a new "entertainment cabinet." Joe built the white console table under the TV, and after the Holidays he'll add a floor to ceiling bookcase to the console (on the left side of the TV). It's been nearly a dozen years in our little house and I finally like how our living room has come together. 2013 Resolution: Don't wait so long to find what decor I love and get mine and Joe's "master" bedroom pulled together.
Here's a little photo tour of some of the Holiday decorations around our house. If you're in the neighborhood, please stop by. We're hosting Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and would love you to join us for some cheer & beer!
Our living room. For years I wanted live greenery hung in our windows. So glad Costco carried wreaths and garland (& the tree) - they all help bring the outdoors inside!
Living room and the cabinet (3/4ths complete) that Joe is building for a console table and bookcase.
I'd say the kids have been good. But I think saying "The Aunties have been very good to the kids" might be even more accurate.
Oh! This is a new cubby shelf that I ordered to hang about our little desk and chair. I'm struggling with the "merchandising" of things in it. And Otto rearranges the knick-knacks in the cubbies daily, so it's always a surprise as to what layout I'll find. BUT Mom, I think this is where we can all store our coffee cups over the Holidays! Everyone can pick their mug and when it's not in use, just put it in a cubby. It will free up some counter space in the kitchen.
We don't have a chimney or a mantel or anything else high enough to keep the kids from tugging on our stockings, so we decided to hang them on the closet door in the playroom. Joe and the kids hung these while I was in NYC with my girl friends. After he sent me a picture I noticed how they are not evenly spaced across the entire closet. There's clearly enough room on the right for one more stocking. I mentioned if he was subtly hinting at wanting to add a 6th stocking someday. (Keep in mind this was on day three of him watching all three kids solo). His return text cleared up any confusion I may have had!
I had these stockings knitted by a lady I work with for our family. My Grandma Chevalier had knit everyone in her family (her children and us kids) their own stocking from this pattern before she passed away. I wanted to have the same stockings for my family and used my Grandma's pattern for them.
This is a wooden silhouette tree that Joe had made for Otto's nursery. We've since moved it into our playroom. And I "strung" lights around the outline of it. It looks totally cool! Probably will keep this tree lit well beyond Christmas.
Back to my comment about fixing up mine and Joe's bedroom in 2013. Above is what I'm dealing with... A terrible off-putting blue color that I picked out and Joe painted onto the walls a year or two ago. It's got to go. And decor needs to happen. Until then, I do have my Hot Cocoa duvet on and little Christmas stockings hung on the bed frame.
Our Home Sweet Holiday Home
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