Monday, December 15, 2014

Christmas 2014

It usually takes the impending arrival of guests for me to clean up and appear presentable.  

Tonight we had a few friends over for dessert and wine.  

I still hadn't gotten my Christmas decorations looking semi-organized.  I am not really a huge Christmas decorator ~ other than a tree, of course.  

But this year, I pulled out every decoration I had gotten over the years.  And things looked festive around here this evening!   I thought I would add some pics!    

I had shined the stainless steel appliances...perhaps you can appreciate the elbow grease involved.  ;)

We have to do something special on my husband's family's Swedish chest.  It was brought over from Sweden, and is several hundred years old.   My "something special" is cards from friends.  

We have a real tree this year.   

Christmas music playing on Spotify Premium through the Roku.  State of the art way to play the classics!  

A friend in Sweden sent us this linen, as well as the ram.   My secret sister gave me the cute snowman and the candle.  I had to do something special to show off my treasures from friends.

I am always confused about what to put above my cabinets.  Found a couple things at a thrift store, and used some hand-me-downs (always my favorite things!).  

And finally, my hand-me-down (also, AWESOME!) tree that I acquired this past week.  And put upstairs in front of a large window:


I had the kids mostly decorate it...with candy canes:  my ultimate, cheap, super-great looking ornaments.  

We have so many things to look forward to in the immediate future.  My mother and father-in-law are coming for Christmas from Minnesota...which is a GREAT thing, because I have have awesome in-laws.  

We are having Christmas dinner at our house.  Both sets of parents and many of our immediate and extended family are all going to be here.  I am so excited and SO nervous.  

But also very aware that I am blessed.  

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have a blessed holiday season!

Mary Ann