Christmas Decorations!

We decorated the apartment for Christmas today, which I'm really excited about!  John and I waited until The Terrible Two was taking a nap before we took out all the boxes of decorations.  We set up our tree (my parents were nice enough to send this for Johnny a couple of weeks ago! Thanks mom & dad!), put on the lights, and then the decorations.  Then I put the dollar store tree skirt I bought a couple of years ago around the bottom of it (once I get a sewing machine, I plan to sew my own tree skirt), and then put some Christmas bears that my grandma gave Johnny last year in a basket under it.  We hung up colored lights around the patio glass doors and then some white ones (I LOVE the white ones - there is something so romantic about them!) around our big bedroom window.  We set out our nativity set and hung up the stockings above our fireplace, as well as setting out the rest of our odds & ends Christmas decorations. 

Now we're set for Christmas, even though we'll be gone for Christmas, because we are going back to WA!!!  That is the very best Christmas present, considering we thought we weren't going to be able to go home for Christmas this year. :)  We are counting down the days and are very much looking forward to a week and a half with family and friends!! (The 18 hour drive one-way doesn't look quite as appealing...)  

When Johnny woke up from his nap, he was a little confused at first, because our living room was a little rearranged, and because there was this fantastic tree in the corner with a bunch of multi-colored lights!  He was ecstatic!  We've had our problems with him trying to rip ornaments off the tree (seriously, he's like a cat), but he has been so happy dancing and laughing in front of the tree.  He was content to just lay down on the ground, fold his arms behind his head, and just watch the tree for a while.  It was really adorable! :)  

 

Putting up Christmas ornaments every year is always fun because my family has a tradition of each person getting a new unique ornament every year.  So, every year when we put up the ornaments on the tree, I get to see all the ornaments I have been given since my very first Christmas. :)  Johnny doesn't have that many ornaments yet, but someday when he moves out of our home, he'll have his own collection of ornaments to put on his family tree. I think that is really special, and I'm happy my parents had that tradition.  I love Christmas!