ready for Christmas...

The week before Christmas and it's finally starting to feel homey in here.  I spent a couple of hours looking around at Hobby Lobby, my new favorite store!!!  I found this rustic wall hanging the week before and then just the other day I went back and found the sconces and candles.

The curtains were on sale at Anna's Linens.  As much as I wanted to make All the curtains for my house...I broke down and bought these.  I couldn't find fabric that I liked for the living room and even though we have blinds I wanted them heavy enough to block out light..

The kids and I made a late night run to Walmart and finally picked up a tree as well.  I didn't have the truck .. so I tied it on top the mini van.  I'm kinda bummed that I didn't get a picture of that!  It was only 6 1/2 feet tall.. but yes.. I carried it in and set up by myself! oh, how I love the smell of the outdoors!

So, needless to say last week was extremely busy with all the shopping..  a great friend of mine also watched the kids so that I could Christmas shop for them.  I got everything done for in about 2 hours!  It was so amazing to actually walk in a store ALONE!  I even made a phone call while pushing a shopping cart. (thank you Kathryn)

Check back soon for pictures from Christmas Eve and Christmas morning! Might be hard for me to take pictures, video tape and help the kids with their gifts..most importantly though we're going to #1 read the Christmas Story... #2 celebrate his Birth with a cake!  I want me kids to know it's ALL about HIM... not Santa, not presents...   I find it hard not to fall into the whole Santa thing when all their friends and neighbors (even the 9 year olds) still believe in him.  It's so sad to me that their parents can put that much effort into teaching them about something that isn't even real.  But only take their kids to church during the off school summer months.  So, instead of telling them that if they be good Santa will bring them nice things.. why not teach and tell them what Blessings Jesus can bring into their lives if they decide to follow Him?  Even at age 2 and 4 children can learn to honor their Lord and Savior. They are already learning right from wrong and the consequences of their action.  So, I think they can learn the consequences of sin. and the blessings we can also receive if we do the will of God.  Children love to please us.. they love to make us happy.  Sure they aren't perfect and I find myself getting frustrated way more than I should.  But there is a lesson in that too. Mommy's aren't perfect but at the end of every day if I ask Jesus to forgive me and I repent of my wrong doings.. He forgives me each and every time. I pray that I can continue to be that kind of parent..  Always their for my children and always willing to forgive, what we know as unconditional love. 

(I John 1:9) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness [phileo], and in your brotherly kindness, love [agape]. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

and we've all heard this one... 

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

so anyway.. here's what my recent decor looks like... let me know what you think!

The curtains are a little plain but with some colorful pillows and a few more things on the wall I think I'll be able to tie it in nice.. and I can change my accent colors in the future if I want to.  They are about as rustic as I could find around here!  (that will go in a house with all white walls).  I'm going to hang a sepia wedding picture on both sides of the saddle picture above the couch. Got the pictures just no frames yet. oh.. end tables and lamps yet to come as well!

 

 my first candy cane and hot chocolate of the season! mmm yummy!