It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Christmas time is one of my favorite times of the year!! Decorating, lights everywhere, daily devotions, music, gifts, baking, etc! I know how crazy and busy this time of year can be and I was determined this season to try and keep things simple and focused and not so rushed. So, getting our decorations up on Dec. 1, starting our Advent Jesse Tree and other Advent Calendar things, and singing and playing Christmas music was one way I knew I could try and accomplish this. The girls were SO excited to decorate the tree and were up til almost 10pm the night we decorated! We have since added a pink and silver christmas tree to each of their rooms and a small tree in the playroom!

 We were most excited to start our Jesse Tree this year; we moved last year on the 6th and by the time I had unpacked the ornaments and book, it was too late to start it, so we have loved having this Biblical Devotion to do together each night that has centered our hearts (well, most of us, not so much Hannah..she's soley focused on who's turn it is to hang the ornament on our tree...;) on the fact that from Day ONE of creation, the Bible shows us that God's plan for His people was to point them to His son, Jesus. Christmas didnt just happen on one special night, it started being put into motion from the beginning of time.

Even though the girls and I were preparing a "fancy" dinner for our anniversary night, we love using the Christmas China (hardly China, but it sounds nice to say!) and lighting candles for our dinner time all month!

 Our Jesse Tree that will eventually have all 25 ornaments on it!

 The girls were excited to finally get new stockings this year as the ones they have used forever were their "first Christmas" ones that Mom-Mom got them when I was pregnant with them ;) *I convinced them that at some point in a few years they wouldnt love Dora or Princesses the way they do now and that they would come to appreciate having a simple stocking with their Initial on it that would "grow" with them forever ;)

Mimi gets the girls each year an Advent Calendar of Chocolates that each morning they get to open up and eat!

Hailee opening a new charm that Aunt Lulu gave them on Dec. 1 that started with a necklace/bracelet. Everyday they open a new box and there is a new charm to add! They LOVE this and its like getting a new piece of jewelry every morning! They are all Christmas related charms.

LOVE red roses (these came from my sweetheart on my anniversary!) but they add a perfect touch at Christmastime!

Tonight after dinner Mimi gave these sweet, singing Angels to the girls from Halmark that are actually a choir of angels and will wirelessly chime in with each other if one is singing a song so they sing the same thing! They sing 2-3 Christmas Hymns and hearing these little girls shouting to the top of their lungs with their little angels songs that tell of our Savior's love and birth is just precious!

As you can see, I get a little excited over Christmas and it literally fills my heart with Joy! We visited the Tanglewood of Lights in Winston Salem last week, which is always a fun family event, we will go see Santa this weekend, Christmas parties, starting to bake treats for teachers, friends, neighbors and family soon, a special yearly Nutcracker Ballet is going to be a surprise for the girls, some Christmas crafts from school and home, Christmas cookie party, donating and wrapping new gifts to those in need, and continuing to celebrate Jesus & His birth (not just this one month, but all year!) will be on what we're doing over the next few weeks! Hoping your Christmas season is filled with joy and peace as well!!