It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

It's taken me a little while to feel like it's Christmastime this year. I'm not sure if it's because I don't have a Christmas break countdown, or if it's because we skipped Thanksgiving, but I can't believe it's less than two weeks away. We got our live tree this weekend and had our first family Christmas dinner, and that seems to have done the trick for me. We have done a lot of decorating this year, thanks in part to Pinterest, and have enjoyed several fun events. I'm including a few pictures of our decorations. I hope it doesn't seem like I'm showing off because that's definitely not the intent. I'll admit I like to snoop and get ideas from other peoples' pictures, so I figure it's only fair I give back a little.

Brennan thought we should try a Charlie Brown tree.

We finally decided on a Carolina Blue Spruce (I think). It looks a lot like a Cedar and smells wonderful.

The first gifts of the season!

The live nativity at Hartselle First UMC. Brennan loved the animals....

especially Miss Judy the camel.

I am in love with reindeer and pinecones this year.

See that little guy peeping through the door? It's hard to believe he will be two in two weeks. We are also GEARING up (hint, hint) for a birthday party.

You might notice that the big tree is only decorated about halfway up. No, it's not the almost two year old I'm worried about. It's the eight year old four-legged one. All his life he has taken ornaments off the tree. I gave him another chance this year, and this is what I got. 

The big stinker.