It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

I know I've shared several pictures of our Christmas tree and such, but today I want to link up with The Nester for her 2010 Christmas Tour of Homes! 

This year, our Christmas decor is a bit different. 

Since we are in the middle of construction, all of our regular Christmas decorations are in storage and really hard to get to.  So, we've improvised and bought a smaller tree.  It's pretty Charlie Brownish, but it's ours and we love it...ok, Isaiah and I love it.  Michael is just tolerating it.

I didn't want to spend a fortune on decorations since I have so many lovely ones in storage, so I bought a few cheap things and "made do".  We all have to do that from time to time, right?  Just "make do". 

Mostly, our tree is decorated with jingle bells.  I bought a pack from Michael's for about $2.  I also purchased a few spools of raffia.  I hung all of the bells from the tree with raffia.  I bought a large spool of tartan plaid ribbon and made bows...even a large one for the top.  Isaiah is NOT happy about this, so we probably will have to go out and buy an angel or star before it's all over.

The rest of the tree is filled in with pine cones, candy canes, and a few $1 oraments from Target...

and this cute little pirate nutcracker that Isaiah opened as one of his 12 Days of Christmas gifts.  He opened it and said "ARRRGGGGHHHH.  I'll crack your nuts."  Boys.

I love to match my wrapping to my tree.  So, all of my gifts are wrapped in this brown/craft paper w/ red and gold writing on it.  I really love the way it looks. 

Here's a few other simple details I've added around the house.

It's not much, but it's definitely beginning to look like Christmas...

Have you decorated yet?  Do you have a theme or do you just go with whatever is in the box? 

Thanks for stopping by!

~jennykate

December To-Do List

Wow wow wow.  December 1st!  Already.

I don't know about you, but December is shaping up to be a busy month!  It always is, but this year I feel like I have added a dozen more things to my normal list of tree trimming, gift buying, and partying.  Anytime I start to feel overwhelmed, it helps me to sit down and write out a list.  If it's on paper (or the blog) and I can see it and check it off, I feel better about it.  So, here's my list for the month of December...

• Buy 12 gifts for Sami's 12 Days of Christmas Swap.  It's been a lot of fun getting to know my new found bloggy friend Lisa...she's one cool chick! ;) I have 4 down, 8 to go...I'm stressing a little over the $50 limit.  How the heck do you buy TWELVE gifts for $50 or less?!?!  They have to be mailed to her by the 12th!
• Going to buy Eclipse at midnight this Friday!
• Going to watch my hometown play in the 4A High School Football Championship game on Saturday!  Also, my beloved Sooners will be playing in the Big 12 Championship on the same day...at the same time!  Go Bulldogs and BOOMER SOONER!
• Meeting Impulsive and our friend Mona at Hideaway next Friday night for GNO!
• The RHOK is getting together on the 12th or 19th to take pictures for the Cube Project. Have you heard of that? It's really cool. You should check it out!
• Also getting together with The RHOK for a Christmas party. Date is still undecided.
• Christmas Play w/ my kiddos at church. We have 2 more Sundays and 2 more Wednesdays to practice. Our Christmas Play is on December 19th.
• A birthday party for Jesus at church after the Christmas Play.
• I still have Michael, Isaiah, my Granny, and a few small friend gifts to buy.
• Angel tree gifts to buy.
• My kiddos at church and I are working on a Christmas package for a church in Paraguay.
• I need to wrap most of my gifts. I only have a few wrapped and under the tree right now.
• The Christmas Party for Isaiah's class is on December 17th. We're going to set up centers and have the kids rotate. So, I'm planning on 3 craft stations, 1 coloring station, and a hot chocolate and cookie decorating station. I've got to finish planning all of that. I haven't even started on the crafts yet!
• Christmas Party at the American Legion. We usually have about 50 kids and I have to think of a craft for our craft table and make sure my cousins will come down and sing some carols with the kids...oh, and I have to secure a Santa Clause!
• I'm in the middle of planning my cousin Lindsay's baby shower for the day after Christmas...it's going to be a Winter Wonderland theme. I can't wait to show you guys what I have planned!
• I'm also planning Isaiah's birthday party.  It's January 5th and I have to get it all together before Christmas.
• On top of all of that, I have baking and a few gifts I'm wanting to make...some photo books to put together...Christmas cards to mail out...and I'm sure there is something that I'm leaving off the list. 

Needless to say, I'm going to be busy.  How about you?  What sort of things are you busy with during this holiday season?

Here are a few of the pictures I have taken recently, all courtesy of my iPhone because someone left their camera at their Granny's and keeps forgetting it everytime she's down there...we won't name any names.

Thanksgiving @ Isaiah's school

 Black Friday

 Our Christmas tree and a few other decorating pics



Hope you all are having a great week so far!

~jennykate♥

I'm linking up with Sugarplum Creations

P.S.  Wanna exchange Christmas cards?  If so, email me your address (jennykate77(at)yahoo(dot)com).