Deck the Halls Post #5: Me (and The Boy from Texas and my Parents)

I thought that finishing out our series by showing you how me and the familia (and the Boy from Texas) decorate for the holiday was the perfect ending.  Merry Christmas to All!!

My Casa

 

Since this was my first year in my house, and my first time living in a house rather than an apartment, I was excited to decorate for Christmas.  As was New Roomie.  So we hit up Hob Lob and did some major damage.  We had this great plan to do some major outdoor decorations but a little ice storm and freezing temps sort of killed that plan.  So we went with an indoor motif.  Here's the results:



We New Mexican girls were way excited about chile pepper lights!

I loved this photo of the Nativity and the little ball with a church inside.

I love Nativities...I hope to start a collection.

   

The Boy from Texas

 

After being inspired by Blonde Oklahoma Girl, I asked The Boy from Texas if we could put up a tree at his house.  Being the good boyfriend that he is, when I arrived after Thanksgiving, the tree was already all set up just waiting for decorations.  So we headed out to get some bling to put on the tree and then we decorated. 

 

Our first tree. :)

And then he snuck back over to better organize the ornaments so everything was even.  How I managed to find someone even more anal than me is something I completely do not understand.

 

Proof of his OCD in action.

And after the tree was decorated (and then reorganized) we spent the night watching Love Actually in the lights from the tree.  Perfection!

 

My Parents

As always, I'll be at my parents' house for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  My mom sent me a couple of snapshots of the decorations that she got put up before we arrive for the festivities.

 

Deck The Halls Post #6: Tiny Dancer and Wax Sister!

Because my friends are freakin' awesome and I got more Deck the Halls pictures than I had days to post them, today we're posting two together......and because it makes it more interesting, they are completely different.   We've got a bachelor pad apartment in Chicago and a hunters paradise in New Mexico.  Intrigued?  Good.  You should be.

Tiny Dancer

My buddy Tiny Dancer lives with like 5 other guys in  an apartment in Chicago.  So when I learned that they put up Christmas decorations, I immediately emailed him in order to get some photos.  A bachelor pad Christmas décor blog?  Who can beat that!  He said it all started when one of his roommates from SC bought a poinsettia to support their local economy.  It continued on because it's their favorite time of year and they needed things to be ready for their big Christmas party!  I just love it!  (And many of these guys are still single....not Tiny Dancer who put a big ol' ring on ND Friend's finger, but the others.....hit me up if you want the hook up!)

Wax Sister

My friend Wax Sister is just awesome.  She's this adorable girl who can rock high heels and a dress and then spend the next day shooting birds.  Well rounded....that's her.  I loved her hunting-related Christmas décor and begged her to share!  She's super crafty and you can totally tell that from her decorations!

This is one of her left over wedding invitations!

Deck The Halls Blog #5: Almost Gypsy Soul

Hello Figuring Out the Plot readers! I am Jen over at Almost Gypsy Soul. I was so excited when I got asked to write my very first guest blog post. ever. I think that means I'm moving up the ranks in blogland right?  {Get your booties over to her page and follow her right now if you don't already!}

Either way, I'm pumped about it! I'm supposed to show you my decorations, but because I'm selling my house....I'm not putting up decorations this year, but I'll share with you some of my favorite things about the Christmas season. **If you know anyone who needs/wants a house in Rock Springs, WY...send 'em my way**

I love Christmas. I love that there is still some innocence to be found. There is still joy to be found in giving, in the small things and making a difference. So what are some of my favorite things about Christmas?

Cinnamon Pinecones - Nothing makes me smile like walking into my house (and my office got decked out into them too) and smelling these yummy delights. Now if you will excuse me, I'll be smelling my pinecones.

Christmas Lights -Nothing beats those old school big, primary colored lights. They are just too cool and I finally bought some one sale last year after Christmas so this is my first year of stringing some up outside. I love Christmas trees too and we did get our work Christmas tree up this year....and because we are the Department of Agriculture, it has farm animal and tractor ornaments!
The Christmas Elk -There is an elk bronze statue when you come into Rock Springs on 191N and during Christmas they put lights on his antlers and I love it! and they aren't putting lights on it this year, so I'm calling them Scrooge! {Pretty sure Red River does lights on the town elk so when we're on the Ski Trip, we'll go get some pictures!}

My Nativity Scene - I have always wanted a nativity scene but those babies are expensive! Anyway after doing Pottery from the Heart, I decided I wanted to paint my own nativity set and I would pay an arm and a leg to do so. I envision family heirloom.....hee hee. I didn't get my whole set done for this year.....those things are tiny and very detailed!

 

The Angel Tree - I love, love, love the Angel Tree. I love shopping for gifts that kids wouldn't otherwise get for Christmas. I love being a part of kids believing in the magic of the season. I love imagining their faces, their reactions when they open their gift on Christmas morning. And for the record, I NEVER choose a kid who asks for gaming systems, video games, ipods or iphones. Cowboy boots, footballs, basketball hoops, scooters.....those are the kids I pick each year.   {I, too, am an Angel Tree fan, but I really love her approach to choosing a kid!!  Never thought of that!}


Tylie's Present Opening Skills - I'm sure everyone thinks their dog is the best dog ever, but let's be honest, mine really is the best dog ever. She opens presents like a champ and she always gets lots of presents because everyone in my family loves to watch her open presents.   {There was an awesome video of this, but I'm too dumb to get it uploaded to the blog.  Dang it!  But trust....her dog is awesome!}

Deck The Halls Post #4: Super Mom

Today's post completely explains why Super Mom received her blog name.  For crying out loud, she is taking care of three boys under the age of 3 who have been sick for weeks, she's pregnant with baby #4, she makes freaking homemade Christmas gifts for people like homemade vanilla extract and sugared almonds, and still has time to beautifully decorate her house and look this adorable while going to Mass on Saturday night.  Seriously, she's super human.  Enjoy.  Be jealous. 




I bought this before I was married and for some reason it's one of my favorite pieces.

This is part of my Christmas "china" - rather than picking out a regular china when I registered for my wedding, I picked out Christmas themed china. I love bringing it out every year to use every day as we prepare for Christmas!

 I love nativities.  This Nambe one was a gift from my grandmother.  I love it's simplicity!

Last year the boys received this book and figurine as a reminder of the real reason for Christmas.

I also love Christmas trees (see a theme here?).  I think I'll start collecting them :)



 I finally found an Advent calendar that I adore.  I've been putting little toys in it for the boys but hope to put ideas for acts of kindness that we can participate in during Advent as the boys get older.

A sweet lady in town made these stockings for each of the boys without me even asking her to - we'll forever treasure them!

Each one has their name and the year that they were born.

Just a little "Merry Christmas" garland.

Our Advent wreath.

Carter decorating a wonderful smelling real tree.

Our tree topper (with Jesus in the background).

I used to hate these glass ornaments, but now they're my favorite - funny how things change.  

Deck The Halls Post #3: College Roomie

Today we continue on in trying to catch the Christmas spirit around here with some beautiful, New Mexican Christmas décor and a newlywed's first Christmas as an official old married couple.  Take it away, College Roomie!!

 

 

Deck the halls.  Or should I say deck the walls? 

 

 

Traditional Southwest Christmas décor includes luminarias (also called farolitos by people in some regions of the Southwest), which are candles nestled in sand within a paper bag. The candles, when lit, illuminate the bag, offering a soft, cozy glow. According to Wikipedia (the most convenient source in the world), the idea originated with Spaniard merchants, who loved the concept of Chinese paper lanterns, but wanted to use more "hearty" materials. The luminarias are typically arranged in rows to create displays on and around walkways, walls, and the like. Spiritually, the idea was that the light will illuminate a path for the Christ child.

 

In my neck of the woods, luminarias are as common as any other type of outdoor Christmas light display.  There are elaborate displays each Christmas eve with the real deal candle-sand-paper bag variety, and many other people set up electric luminarias so they can enjoy the décor in the days leading up to Christmas eve.

 

We're in the former group.  Last year we set up luminarias on the sidewalk in front of our house, down our walkway, and around the front porch.  This year we're in a larger, Southwestern style home, and we're not exactly sure how many luminarias we'll need.  Hopefully 10 dozen will suffice....

 

 

Inside, we have a lovely tree - I love symmetry and I don't love sweeping up pine needles or disposing of tree corpses, so fake it is.  My mom gave me a collection of gold ornaments when I was in high school; the carousel is my favorite.  We also have snowmen coasters, complete with a real straw broom, with which, it goes without saying, the cats are obsessed. 

 

 

The normal assortment of snow globes, tins, and stuffed and painted snow beings round out the decor.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with ca-- I mean, on the stairs.  With care.  Note the two adorable little cat stockings.  Perfect for stuffing with treats. 

 

Do you have a favorite ornament?  Outdoor decorations - yes or no? 

Deck The Halls Post #2: Blonde Oklahoma Girl

Today we're going to check out the halls that were decked out by Blonde Oklahoma Girl.  She's one of those people who is super crafty and creative all whilst having perfect, poofy, blonde hair.  Makes me kinda sick, but I love her anyway.  Here we go, take it away Blonde Oklahoma Girl!

I wanted to go all out this Christmas in the decoration department because even though last Christmas Connor and I (or you can call him in your blog "Real Cowboy" were together, we had only been dating for not even a month. This Christmas I wanted to start traditions for us, so I started by ordering these burlap Christmas stockings from Etsy. I love them, definitely gives it at rustic Christmas I was going for. {Now....all of you who used to read her blog, please tell her how much you think she needs to start back blogging so that you can hear all about this year long romance with Real Cowboy and get caught up on her life!}

Let me explain rustic. When I was telling the Real Cowboy about decorating and asked him what he wanted, he said I want a cowboy tree. Of course...a cowboy wanting a cowboy tree...go figure :) So with that I incorporated burlap in my decorating. I made this burlap garland by buying plain burlap ribbon at Hobby Lobby and then stenciling with red paint Merry Christmas. I think it turned out pretty well if I do say so myself.

 

 

So my "cowboy" decorations were spurs, boots and hats all throughout the tree.

Rooster Cogburn is an ornament that looks like our favorite little adopted rooster that we have. He is named Rooster Cogburn after John Wayne in True Grit and he has one eye. He's a funny rooster and comes to he front porch everyday for us to feed him his dog food. :)  {This doesn't do him justice....she's obsessed with this rooster.  She posts on Instagram every day, there are multiple videos on her phone of him doing funny things, and she makes Real Cowboy go out and check on him when it's cold.}

The fireplace is just a mixture of garland, lights, some pine cones from the Dollar Store and jars from goodwill for 50 cents. I printed these printables and put them in some frames and called it a day. I thought it added a little something different.

I made this "baby it's cold outside sign" by spray painting cardboard with chalkboard paint.

The entry way to the kitchen is burlap, garland like the fireplace and I made a chevron burlap bow for the middle.

The bar area I used more pine cones and jars and two more printable signs and frames.

 

I think it turned out quite well and it's a big improvement from "Real Cowboy's" palm tree Christmas tree he had last year...although I'm sure he wouldn't mind bringing that out...if only he could find it, hahaha...wink wink.