It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I LOVE this time of year. I always have...I refuse to let the adult stress of this season ruin some of the wonderful memories and fun that can be had by just allowing ourselves to enjoy it. Yes Christmas is stressful for parents and adults...we have to plan, buy, wrap, cook, blah blah blah but what good does it do to stress about it? Other than ruin the holiday all together. Not me...you won't find a scrooge in this house (unless your discussing Christmas cards and that is just one tradition I no longer partake in, I just can't do it, don't expect a card from me...it won't come!). Tomorrow marks the first of December and we're ready in style! We've got our tree up, decorated and adorned with presents, we've revived our sad (yet still pretty sad) door wreath, I've made centerpieces for both tables, decorated the buffet and mantle. We're READY!!!

Here's our centerpieces-

Small simple centerpiece for the kitchen table

This is a slightly larger and barely less simple one for the dining room table.

Both were put together quickly and inexpensively but they add a little more of that festive feel to the tables.

I'll take a better picture of the buffet later this weekend after the wall behind it is (hopefully) painted! But for now, here's a general idea of what we've done there.

Its a little harder to get in the spirit this year knowing that its going to be near 80 degrees tomorrow afternoon, but I'm not going to let it get us down. We're going to head out to Santa's Village tomorrow evening and be there for the lighting ceremony. Hopefully we'll make it through a good portion of the village and have some fun. Em should love the lights and I'm sure they'll make a good show of the lighting ceremony. I remember going as a child and hope that we can make it part of our families tradition as well. And best of all its a totally FREE event!! LOVE IT!

So here's to starting new traditions!! Tomorrow is Santa's village and I believe our elf will also make his first appearance. I'm not sure if she'll get into the elf thing or not, but I figure its time to try! We're going to make Christmas candies, visit Santa, listen to Christmas music, and be in the spirit all month long! She's only two at Christmas once!!

This is just a screen shot from our photographer of a picture she got of Em...I don't have the real image yet, but I couldn't wait to share it! I'll post the better quality image once I have it but for now...here's a little bit of sweetness :)