Welcome To My Holiday Home

What do I love about my Holiday Home? I think it is just the feeling of celebration and togetherness with my family. Enjoying the season as a Mother, watching the excitement of my daughters and making childhood memories for them.


In past years, I have put lights all over one of our trees in our front yard. I climb as far into the top as I can and put loads of lights on it. The past two years were so cold. My hands were frozen once I came back indoors.

Today, it was in the 70s. Um, isn't it December? My main thought was to get those lights up before the cold returned. This year was much more special though.

My daughter's and I went outside, I stood on the ladder, my oldest held the container of light hooks, and my youngest handed them to me one at a time. I only strung lights up across the length of our house, and they are a bit crazy, but to me they are the most beautiful lights I have ever put up because I have that memory of my tiny girls helping me.

When we were done, we just sat on the front porch swing in the glow of the lights. The sun had just set and we just cuddled and sang Christmas songs.

Yes, if you have read my other blogs, I am a nut. Even out little bunny at the front door is decked in holiday cheer. This made my girls giggle for some time.

Last night, we got our Christmas tree. It was the first one that my husband saw, and it was ours. My husband put the lights on and then tonight we all decorated the tree. Well, for the most part. There are still some ornaments to hang, and the fragile ones will go near the top away from tiny hands and cats.

Christmas is a time of memories. I love to unwrap our ornaments and remember their past.

My oldest made this one two years ago. We made cookies from scratch, cut out the shapes, and decorated them like crazy. I will always cherish these ornaments.

Last year, my oldest made these as gifts for her teachers. It was a huge process but well worth the time. She painted each Styrofoam ball and then decorated it with bells, gems, cut felt, etc. I just love these!

Here is my baby hanging ornaments on the tree. It was a precious, memorable, moment because she just kept singing over and over again, "Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree", etc. etc. And of course, I captured the moment on video.

This is an ornament from my own childhood tree. My mother made it as well as others and I just loved them. They will always be treasures to me.

This ornament was made about 18 years ago using a sand dollar, regular glue, some cheap ribbon and some metal accents. My husband and I were inspired by the beach and I made several sand dollar ornaments. They don't hold up well over the years, but this one is still slightly intact. This ornament was hung on the first tree my husband and I ever had. Wow, that was a long time ago and our history would make a fantastic "chick flick". We were only 20 years old at the time. So young.

Some of my favorite ornaments are the ones that my past students gave to me. I became a stay at home mom after my oldest was born, and totally love it now. The items from my old students though just warm my heart and remind me of some remarkable kids and my memories with them.

One of my favorite "mommy" ornaments. I am just so glad that I have these.

Oh here we go, another collection. My last post on Santas reminded me that I also have a lot of snowmen. I really want to add to the collection though.

I have always grouped the nutcrackers together. My daughter's love to play with them and it kind of drives me crazy. I find them on the floor and they just become "nuts" when they play with them. They can't play with the elephant one though. I have never seen another one like it (it was a gift). I collect elephants so that one is pretty darn special to me.

This is funny. This is just a little artificial pre-lit tree we picked up on sale one year. Two years ago, I purchased a ton of soft Christmas tree ornaments for the kids to put onto the tree. They don't break, like my glass ornaments that I will keep packed up for a few more years, along with my great grandmother's nativity (which is the true meaning of Christmas). The cats can even chew on them if they like. This is the "kids" tree in the den. They were so excited when we put it up. They cut things out of paper and hang it onto the tree, can play with the stuffed ornament critters until one takes one off and bops the other in the head with it. But that's okay, it's stuffed. Knock yourself out!

No! Not ANOTHER collection. Yep, that's right. Those houses and buildings that light up are just great. They remind me of my childhood and the wind up glitter covered church my parents had, and still do. It is just magical. My plan is to add some of my German glass glitter and mica flakes from Val's shop onto my buildings. It would make them look so vintage.

Now here's the tough question... which ones are broken? Well guess what? White play dough is the answer to the problem. One of my little buildings lost it's front, but I stuffed it with white play dough and now it just looks like another snowy area. Yippee!

This Santa was given to me by a very dear old friend of mine. I LOVE birds (my favorite is the British Robin, they have the most wonderful personality). I used to have bird feeders all around but then my cats discovered they had a snack "machine" and would bring me presents. I could not handle it. I have a "life list", love to identify, and used to be very passionate about it. So, when my old friend found this, she thought of me. She passed away a few years ago, but I know she is with me when I place this out. Many times, I just leave it out throughout the year. It just makes me feel good inside.

This Santa is covered in little birdy friends. Good thing they don't have droppings!

So, memories are something that I love about my Holiday Home, and forming new ones with my own family. Savoring those little things and the closeness they bring to us all.

I hope that you enjoyed your visit. Stop by again soon because my Holiday decorating is still in progress....

Ho Ho Ho

God Bless Us Everyone!