Decorating our tree

After the parade today, we came home and decorated our CHRISTmas tree!  :)

Jesus is the ONLY reason for the season!

This ornament means so much to me.  You see, it was on the tree my sisters and I decorated growing up, while living at home with Mom & Dad.

That makes it special but there's something even still to make even more special!

Do you remember when we lost the things in our home?  Well, we lost our ornaments too.

My sister, KJ, decided to give me one of her ornaments from our childhood tree.  I could *NOT* believe it when she gave me this one!  It's her favorite!  She always hung this one and it was always "hers."  I commented about all of this and she said, "that makes the giving of the ornament more of a sacrifice" and she'll never know how blessed I felt at that moment or how grateful.  And, I still feel those ways!  I have an amazing sister.  I love you KJ!

Sarah Faith & Hannah Joy decorating...

Madi Grace & Hannah Joy decorating..  :)

Dad (my hubby) is hanging the ornament his parents gave us last year from M.D. Anderson while his Dad was fighting cancer.  YEP, he beat cancer!!!!!!!

 This year, KJ, helped me find the perfect ornament to add to represent our year!  (a tradition I'm going to copy from her with her happy permission!)  It is a key with purple small stones in it.  It says, "The key to our 1st new house 2011"  It was just right!

The Little Children!

Hannah Joy - age 5

Sarah Faith - age 9

Madi Grace - age 11

What a blessing to be able to have such precious children and enjoy decorating the tree together.  A special Daddy/hubby too!!!!

So Happy;  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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Waking up to a Parade

Today, my husband woke me up letting me know his  parents had called to remind us about the parade.  So, I got the girls all up and dressed as well as myself in about 15 minutes or less!  We were on our way!!!  We watched from their yard because the parade ends there and it's a lot of fun to watch it with Nonna & Papaw.

 I just *had* to take their picture by Nonna's sign, "Welcome to the Littles".  We need one just like it!

I thought this one was very special.  Papaw and Hannah Joy looking out to see the beginning of the parade heading our way!

Here are a couple of views of the parade.

There were TONS more but no need to add them all

(We love our volunteer firefighters!  We know many of them!)

Of course I couldn't help but post some of the horses!!!!  Yee Haw!!!

Some of the floats still had candy when they got to us, the very last house.  The girls got two bags filled nicely and began to eat their candy with the drinks from Nonna & Papaw!

What a lovely time we had!

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Christmas Decor :) I'm back!

I'm back!  I had a pinched nerve and it was aweful!

Then, Madi and Sarah went back home to be with Kenny's brother and his wife.  (I adore them!)  They had *THE* best time!

So, now, it's time to catch up on blogging!

Here is our decor from this Christmas.  We had all of our Christmas decor and such stolen from our old house back home.  So this year, we had to start afresh!

Our table :)

Upclose.  The reindeer was filled with beautiful smelling potpouri.

The candy cane candle had glittery glitz all over it!

The little table cloth really stood out in our kitchen and I enjoyed it.

So, I think I will get an "every day" table cloth now.  *vinyl*

It really just worked so well!  We all went together to Home G00ds to pick out all of our goodies!  (except I got the table cloth for $5 at Wal M@rt)

I loved the mantle.

The plant and candle in front of it are the ones I chose to remember my grandfather, Karo, who just died.  The rest we got while out getting our goodies!  We put a big beautiful green taper candle in the candle holder and burned it each night and it was beautiful!

This tree in it's gorgeous vase was perfect for the window above our door.  It lit up and was so beautiful at night.  Plus, you could see it outside.  It was so pretty!

Our Christmas tree with the gifts underneath!

Oh have I got a story to share!!  LOL!

While the girls were gone I put Hannah Joy down for a little nap with me, and when I got up she had woke up before me and unwrapped ALL but ONE gift under the tree.  The living room was covered in wrapping paper and gifts.  I wanted to cry but it was actually funny after I got it all RE-wrapped!  ;)  LiL Turkey!

This was a favorite outdoors!  I LOVE snowmen!!!!

We don't do "Santa" so I'm overboard on snowmen!

Kenny picked this out and I was so surprised.  He got it at wally world and I didn't realize he got it.  It stood 4 ft. tall and sure made me smile!  :)  The girls and Kenny loved it too!

They were out of the little things you lay across your shrubs to light them up so Daddy (my hubby Kenny) got icicle lights and here they are all working together to stretch out the lights and get them ready for layers and layers on the shrubs!

A side view - oh how I loved it!

They did a super job!  Mom helped some too but I was decorating inside mostly.  It was too cold out there!  LOL!

Our home from across the street.

Terrible exposure but you get the drift.

I hope you enjoyed my little tour of our Christmas decor!

Much more Christmas to come!

Blessings!

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Putting Up our Christ-mas tree!

We are *not* finished with the tree yet.

We have ornaments to buy and we've got to put an angel on top and get a tree skirt for the bottom.  These things were stolen from us in our home back home.  (not where we live now)  So, we'll be adding those in this week.  However the girls decorated with their handmade wooden, felt, and foam decorations!

I think it looks nice!

 Madi & Hannah decorating...

 Hannah & Sarah Faith decorating..  :)

My 3 girls decorating!

(we miss you Hope, my girl! my first born!)

 Christmas Angels!

 Every year since our marriage we have hung these little Special Moments ornaments together.  Those were stolen.  This year his parents gave us a snowman ornament by M.D. Anderson - the cancer center - where his Daddy is getting chemo.

So, we decided to follow our tradition of hanging our ornament together.  This year, it was just a new one!  A new beginning perhaps.  Excuse my hair, I had been laying down sick and it's a mess... but that's not the point.  This is a special moment.

Here is the ornament upclose on the tree.

 ......more pics to come as we finish up our tree!......

Blessings from our family to yours!

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