Decked out for Christmas

Eeek!  Christmas is just around the corner.  I still have presents to wrap and cookies to bake, but at least the house is all decorated.  I love this time of year.  I love all things cozy!  Sitting in my living room with the tree lit up, a book and a cup of coffee, or glass of wine, is about as cozy as it gets.  This year, we've even been pulling out the card table and have been sitting with the kids in front of the fireplace playing card games.

I bought the red and white plaid throw from Target this past weekend.  I love having little pops of red through out the house this time of year.

I changed up the entry way table a bit and am really liking it.  I found this lamp at Walmart and I think it's perfect.  The only thing I don't like is the cord.  What can I do to hide that cord?  

And again, the cord...  :(  Dan's Mom had gifted this advent village a couple of years ago, but I wasn't sure where to put them, so we hadn't used them until this year, and we are loving them.  I am awful at putting things in them for the kids, because the little spaces are so small, and I can't think of enough things to put in them.  So we're mostly just letting them sit for decoration.  #badmom ;)

Taylor our elf, has finally retired.  Last year was the first year that we did the "elf on the shelf."  Emma loved it, and we had sooo much fun.  This year, she has matured enough in her old age of 7, that she no longer believes.  :(

A couple of mornings ago, I forgot and didn't move Taylor, but when I got up, Emma was telling me that Taylor had made a snow angel in the sugar again.  I smiled, and then later asked Dan if he had moved Taylor.  He said no.  So I assumed it was Gracie and thought it was cute that she was old enough to help her Momma out.  I gave her a thank you look, patted her on the back and moved on.  Well, later that day, Emma finally cracked and said that she had moved Taylor, because I had forgotten to and that she got out the sugar and made it look like Taylor did it.  So she told me, I needed to make sure that I moved Taylor the next time so she wouldn't have to.  Which is when I informed her, that maybe she was too old for this game.  She seemed fine with that and ever since, Taylor just takes it easy, lounging around the house wherever someone moves her to.  

When my paternal Grandparents passed away a few years ago, we were given these neat Christmas ornaments with their names on them.  They are my favorite ornaments on the tree.  Now that my other Grandparents have passed away as well, I'm wanting to find a neat set of ornaments with their names on them as well. 

Every year when us girls go on our Christmas shopping trip.  My Christmas tradition is to bring home a new ornament for the kids to put on the Christmas tree.  This year, I found these neat ornaments with a letter on them for each of their names. 

Even though, they would prefer me to bring back a fun new toy or game... I'm hoping that eventually they will look over the new and old ornaments with fond memories, and stories told of "do you remember?" and talk of Christmas's past.