Decorated for the holidays

In case it's escaped anyone's attention, I LOVE holidays. Halloween is my favorite, but for decorations, how do you beat the smell of a fresh pine tree and softly-glowing lights? You can't! I do love Christmas decorations. Here's our home outfitted for the season...

I finally smartened up and found a place for my Christmas village. I haven't seen it since Brighton was born, as it gets abused, poor things. But I had a bright idea to put it in what I call the "Black hole" (I know, creative, isn't it?), and it's just out of reach of 3 sets of little hands. Everything survived the season intact, and, in our house, that's certainly saying something!

We still do a live tree. Haven't broken down and forked out the moolah for a fake one. I suppose if we wait too much longer, our kids won't let us. I've kind of gotten fond of the Charlie Brown trees. It's become a challenge to fill in and hide the bare spots. And every year it's different. The first year we moved in, we were so stoked for our super high ceilings, and bought the tallest that would still fit; it was like 18 feet tall. We've gotten shorter every year, as we've realized that the only way to decorate a tree that tall was to push it over to the juliet's balcony hanging off the catwalk, and lean out over the railing. That's a little scary. This year was plenty tall for me. (Notice the tree skirt? A gift 15 years ago from my very talented sister Moana. Thanks! I'm still loving it, Moana!)

Funny story about the stocking holders. Well, funny now, but Brighton pulled them all down while he was trying to hang from the garland on the mantel. If you know Brighton, this will not surprise you. 6 out of 8 broke. Keaton took care of the 7th while imitating Brighton a few days later. Miraculously, no one ended up with stitches in their heads from falling heavy iron stocking holders, even though all three were playing beneath them when they fell both times. There are blessings in paying your tithing! (as we are medically un-insured at the moment!)

Scott went to work to solve the Problem Of The Stocking Hangers, and came up with this below. Just a black board. The squares are different Christmas scrapbook papers he framed in with edging, and iron knobs in the middle. It's screwed into the wall at the back, so no more falling stocking holders.

Don't we look like a big family??? Since my mom was spending Christmas with us this year, I made her her own family stocking so it'd match the rest of ours.

I made hers, Keaton's and Waverly's this year. I was happy with how they turned out, and I drew the pattern myself, using inspiration from Pottery Barn + another site. Keaton's was my favorite as the Nutcracker Prince. Waverly's is the Sugarplum Fairy (I had to have them go together, as they are twins!), and my mom's of course, had to be a baking grandma. The flour sack on the floor says "Alberta's best flour" as that is her flour of choice.