It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Hi Friends!

Have you gotten around to decorating this Christmas season?

I know . . . decking the halls can be quite laborious. I sometimes dread lugging all of the decorations out of storage and sorting through them. Seems that before I can build up, I have to tear down. Apparently, it’s a necessary evil; but in the end, it’s always worth it!

Taking time to love on your home by decorating it to create a warm and cozy environment is one of the ways we show love for our family. Using our creative energy to serve our family says “I love you” and “You are worth my time.”

Christmas is my favorite time of the year – hands down!  I absolutely love decorating during this season.  My oldest son shares my enthusiasm and looks forward to us decorating our home for Christmas as well.  He tells me every year that he wants me to go over-the-top decorating.  He is definitely my child!

I try to do my best to please him (and Alexis, who is also a big Christmas decorating enthusiast) by attempting to transform our home into a winter wonderland.  And I don’t think I do half-bad!  But you know, this year a funny thing happened: after I decorated our front garden, our front window, our tree, and created a snow scene on a ledge in our living room, kitchen, and the top of our microwave, and hung our stockings from the chimney entertainment center with care, he walked in and asked was that all!

Oh well, you can’t win them all!

Here’s some of the love I gave my home this Christmas . . .

One of the greatest blessings about living in a little house on the freeway is that many people are able to read my window display, and I try to use my front window as an opportunity to testify about the greatness of God as I decorate seasonally.

For Christmas, I use big, bold, red sparkly letters to tell the world that a King is Born!  Accompanied by a nativity scene.  I love, love, love it!  (Nativity displays at Christmas are becoming a dying breed.)

Right under my front window is a garden display of extra large, white cabbage with Christmas trees and snowmen.

This little guy greets you at my door as you enter . . . (Howdy Friends!)

And here’s his buddy to give you an extra special welcome!

Here sits two happy snowmen on a snowy ledge with twinkling lights hidden underneath.  The sign reads: FAITH goes up the stairs that LOVE built and looks out the window that HOPE opened . . . A reminder that Christ gives us Joy and that we need faith and hope this Christmas season!

Six stockings hung by the chimney entertainment center with care . . .

And my all time favorite tree ornaments: handmade ornaments featuring each of the children . . .

Here’s my Ash-Cat, Kitty-Kitty Meow Mix! (Ashley)

And the new ornament with her husband, Jay R. . . .

Here’s my Jonny Boy (now 21 years old).  This is perhaps my personal favorite ornament because he made it in kindergarten with macaroni noodles and sprayed it with gold glitter.)

My Siah! (Josiah: my 20-year-old Marine.  Ooh-Rah!!)

My Angel Eyes (Angel is now 18.)

 Here’s my Tummy (Autumn Joy, who is now 11.)  She took this picture in the 1st grade!

And last-up is my little Lexy (Alexis, who is now 8 years old.)  She was only 1 in this picture.

No matter how “fancy” our tree gets, these homemade ornaments are prominently featured every year.  The kids love it and look forward to our tradition of decorating while we sip hot cocoa and listen to Amy Grant’s Christmas CD . . . every year!!  (If it’s not Amy Grant, it ain’t Christmas!)

They look forward to their stockings being hung in the same place over, and over, and over, each year.  Christmas is not only the most wonderful time of the year, it’s also a wonderful time to make your home a heaven, instill tradition, and create memories that will last a life time!  

This Christmas season, be sure to decorate and make some memories!