Haul out the Holly!

Haul out the holly

Put up the tree before my spirit falls again

Fill up the stocking

I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now

For we need a little Christmas

Right this very minute

Candles in the window

Carols at the spinet

Yes, we need a little Christmas

Right this very minute

It hasn't snowed a single flurry

But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry

So climb down the chimney

Put up the brightest string of lights I've ever seen

Slice up the fruitcake

It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough

For I've grown a little leaner, grown a little colder

Grown a little sadder, grown a little older

And I need a little angel sitting on my shoulder

I need a little Christmas now...

(We Need a Little Christmas from Mame)

The first few weeks of Advent brought a flurry of happenings and excitement!

I like to get our tree that first week. Steven brought it home on Monday after the 1st Sunday of Advent.

Decorations everywhere!

I think there were at least 8 strands of lights that didn't work.

Finishing touches!

Mary Clare helps Katie Grace put on the star!

Tuesday the 1st was our city Christmas Lighting. 

Bubbles!

Buddies!

Balloons (and Home Alone in the background)

A magician

Holding the magician's dove

Santa!

And since I'm a glutton for punishment I took the kids to the dollar store and Hobby Lobby after piano one afternoon.

Narnia reading at Christmastime.

Tree #2. It's a long story, but the first one was dying after only 2 days!

Dinner guests that Steven knows from work, a young couple from Bolivia and France.

And a garage sale the next morning!

Glad to have friends there to help encourage the kids!

The next morning was the Feast of St. Nicholas! They left their shoes out in hopes that he'd leave some surprises and he didn't disappoint!

The aftermath...

On the afternoon of St. Nick Day we went out to our friends farm.

There were 5 of us couples who've known each other since college.

25 KIDS BETWEEN US (ages 12 and under, and we realized we had at least one child of every age)!

Wednesday the 9th we had tickets for the student matinee of the Houston Ballet Nutcracker!

And Friday night the 11th I hosted the group baby shower for our homeschooling group, honoring 7 of our moms!

I'll stop there and save a little home tour for next!

It's proving to be a very fun Advent season!