happily ever after: Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas...It's WAY too early in the morning. I'm old and have apparently started that whole thing of, can't sleep past 5 am. Bah-humbug. But it does lend well for enjoying some quiet time with God before anyone else is up. Today being Christmas morning, made it even more special.

Last night we did our Christmas Eve tradition. Went to church for the service, hymns, candle lighting, communion and hugs from loved ones. Then home for dinner, open our new Christmas jammies, load up on hot cocoa & cookies and get on the road to see Christmas lights. So precious. Except that I forgot to put the Chicken Pot Pie in the oven before we left for church, so we drove thru McDonalds. Jay complained he already has too many Christmas jammies, the guys all wanted to just stay home and watch a movie, and the boys pitched a fit when I made them go put their jammies on for a picture and car ride. Goobers. All three of them.

I FINALLY decorated the house for Christmas yesterday. Sweetie wasn't feeling like it was Christmas and really wanted the house done, so I threw on my Christmas T-shirt, turned on the Christmas tunes, put some cookies in the oven and got my decorating elf on.

My favorite nativity. Mama & Daddy got it for me. So precious.

The coffee table with my favorite Christmas books.

Because we now have built-ins in the living room, I don't necessarily need this bookcase, but it's too sentimental (Sweetie bought it for me), so it holds my cookbooks in the breakfast nook. And my nutcrackers. And yes, we believe in Santa.

Our sweet tree in the front hall. And my mistletoe ball. And yes, the guys will randomly catch me just standing under it waiting for kisses. They all obliged me. Aren't they the sweetest.

Grandma's china hutch with my other favorite nativity, also from Mama & Daddy.

LOVE this hurricane lamp. The boys etched the word "JOY" into it while doing crafts with my mom one year. "JOY", my favorite word.

The little table in the 1/2 bath. That's right, I have a table in the half bath, because I can.

Our sweet fireplace. And stockings. And apparently the boys stuffed my stocking last night after Sweetie and I went to bed. Aren't they the best!? This fireplace isn't hooked up, has never been used and the soonest the fireplace guys could come out is after the first of the year. Bummer. But that's okay, January will surely be filled with even colder days needing a fire.