Christmas at HOME (preperations)

Christmas is a magical time of year that comes with so many hours of preparations to make it just perfect for everyone.  But that's just what I like to do....

Every year I write a list of everything that needs to be done thinking that John might be willing to cross a few of them off the list.  Well it's usually not as easy as I think, guys just find some of these tasks difficult and won't even attempt to help so this year it was a different list.  The list was everything that I thought he could help with.  The list was only about 8 items and he crossed them off like a champ.  The rest of the list was in my head and I got to do them quicker and with less questions since he couldn't see them written down anywhere.  

Record time....... these pictures were taken after my shower and I'm just wandering around waiting for the kids to show up.   Our family has grown so quickly and the kids are all getting bigger and need a spot at the table so this year we have to set up 3 tables to allow everyone a spot to sit.  Our house is not that big but we don't care we'll keep putting up tables.  

I like to have a pretty table decoration.  This year it's bottles, snow, trees and candles.

We are eating supper so there wasn't much time for munching before so that saved me lots of time.  This little cookie/candy area was just for fun.  

A few pine branches for a little Christmas charm.

One of the other tables with a Pear decor.

Tucked in-between the columns to help keep the traffic flowing before we eat.

My white village with too much sunshine at the moment.

Everyone's stockings

The tree complete with presents to spoil everyone.

My little house and deer from my Grandma Emmerich

This year I hung sparkly deer on every cabinet door.

Even the bathroom got a few Christmas items.

I put brown paper on the two tables and the small table for two I painted a little fun.

Time to light the candles.....

I started collecting these Santa cups quite a few years ago.  My Grandma Kellnhofer had some and I remember looking at them in her curio cabinet.  I could never touch them and I don't know whatever happened to them but now I have a collection of my own.  The two small ones are more like the ones Grandma had.

I also decorated the kids toy room into a craft room complete with lights but didn't take the pictures up there.  They talked me into that again this year....... push over!!

Now it's just time to wait for the kids to start showing up.