Christmas Tour of Homes 2009

Welcome to Our Home!



Merry Christmas...Come on in!

I can take NO credit for the exterior illumination. That would be D's department! He does a

B-E-A-U-tiful job!

Step inside the foyer...we have a kissing ball hanging from the fixture- MMMWAHHH!

The first Place people ALWAYS go is the Kitchen. I ADORE the tree hanging to the right. It was a gift from my dear friend Rayna ( the world's best gift giver). I love it at Christmastime to display all of the Christmas cards that we receive. I leave the tree there all year round and it is sort of seaonal with cards and photos from birthdays and other occasions throughout the year.

The little tree on the table is the first tree I ever had on my own. My mom shipped me all of the things to put it together and it sat on the bar of the kitchen in my first tiny apartment in Atlanta. It is funny to think back on that. That little tree actually looked BIG in my apartment.

The sink...I love my sparkly berry wreath- it makes me happy. Our friends like to rearrange the letters on the window sill to say things like LEON and LONE instead of NOEL. I like that somewhere deep down I know me and all of my friends will always be six at heart!

I decided to do a double decker cookie display for the center of the island this year.

I have had the plate and mug on the top for years. The plate says " What? Cookies!?! For me?" The mug says " No kidding? Milk too?!?" I have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to use them for a long time. You can bet they will have a special place in our house every Christmas Eve!

I set up my Snow Village for the first time in a while this year. Jack LOVES it! The house with all the colored lights actually plays Jingle Bells. SO FUN!

I actually have more pieces, but I just chose the few favorites that would fit. I am still crazy about all the details on all of the little houses and buildings! I finally opened up the original bag of snow that came with the first church that mom gave to me. It is funny the things that you will finally do just to get your child to smile and clap! YAY! Jingle Bells! Snow!

The dining room. This room didn't get much because it kind of looks Christmas-sy all year long with the red walls and all!

It is adjacent to the living room and the TREE!

Yes...okay I admit...I am one of THOSE PEOPLE who like to match their wrapping paper. I got that from my mom. I usually do a few different prints every year. I have been especially fond of the simple red satin ribbon for a couple of years now. It has served me well!

My mom got me this last year and I believe it is my new favorite!

It is Santa's Magic watch. I take Christmas Eve and all of the magical things that go along with it VERY seriously. No one knows that better than my mom, sister, and brother. I have not grown out of it. Christmas magic is a very big deal to me. It is about to be an even BIGGER deal since I get to share it with Jack and I cannot wait!

I picked up two of these the day after Thanksgiving. One for each of my "good boys".

I had to have something special because I knew I had some very special new stockings on the way. I have drooled over these for two years now! I finally bit the bullet and bought them with my birthday money from the Marsh's. I would have never treated myself to them otherwise. I am so grateful for such awesome in-laws!

And the tree...I finally found a place for it that I love! I had to give up on having it in front of the window. But I am over that now.

I love how it is right in the middle of it all. Right next to the fireplace...the focal point of the room!

Jack runs around it and laughs. He loves it.

Knock on wood, he doesn't really bother it.

Of course, I did not put any of the glass ornaments on it just in case.

I am pretty particular about what goes on my tree, but I love pulling out ornamants that I received from others and looking back on old times.

BUT...if I am keeping it real...I MUST include pictures of the den where we do our REAL living!

The only Christmas decoration in there is this singing clapping Santa that the dogs got a hold of the lip!

It does sort of look like Santa's work shop with all of the toys though, ya think?

*** No dust bunnies were harmed in the making of this post. They will all be safe and sound and in tact waiting for me when I wake up on a Saturday morning and get to actually be home when the sun is out so that I can SEE them! BOOOOOO!

Merry Christmas From the Marsh's!