3 More Days...

It's not beginning to look a lot like Christmas yet and it's taken me much longer to get in the Christmas spirit this year, but here are the latest goings-on from our December.

Just a few pictures of my simple Christmas decorating this year:

And this is the sweetest little advent calendar my mother let me borrow.

I couldn't resist snapping this photo of Maylie diving into her cupcake at the ward Christmas party.

For her birthday, Colie and Natalie gave Maylie an art kit. She loves to work on masterpieces while I get ready in the morning.

New overalls from Grandma Johnson.

And one morning, when I looked out my window I saw a magnificent sight.

Last Saturday I spent the afternoon wrapping up all the presents. I was so pleased with how they turned out. I absolutely love the wrapping paper I found this year.

The view from above.

Nestled safely under the tree.

Merry Christmas!

Picking our Tree {and the Decorating.}

Two days after Thanksgiving we piled into the car and drove to a little farm out in the middle of nowhere (which is exactly where I love to be).

We walked through the rows of trees and finally picked the tallest one we could find--a 9 foot Fraser.

That afternoon we decorated the tree and the boys loved finding all of their ornaments amidst the boxes.  It was a like a treasure hunt.

After the tree was done, Patrick and the three littles retreated upstairs to watch a game and I had an hour to decorate the rest of the house.  It was soothing and calming and something I've missed.  Ever since moving here, I've resisted the urge to decorate much because I've been waiting for my living room to be perfect.  Well, it's not quite perfect, but it's pretty close and I threw myself headlong into the festivity.

And just a few days after the decorating, our family pictures arrived in a huge box.  It was the icing on the cake for me.

Below are the ones we set on our shelf.  I have lots more pictures in my bedroom, just waiting to be hung, but for now these are all I need.

I love you with all my heart Patrick, Easton, Tate, and Maylie!