It's Christmas Time

I'm ready.  I've been elfing all over the place in Wichita - shopping, wrapping, decorating, baking, repeat, repeat, repeat.  All while caroling (alone) along to Christmas classics.  You know.  The good stuff.  Like NSync Home for the Holidays (circa 1996?), Mariah Carey, Wham!, Bruce Springsteen and Glee (thanks Mom!).  I do have other Christmas music that probably qualifies a bit more as actual classics - tunes from Bing Crosby, White Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas and Home Alone.  Come on.  Home Alone absolutely qualifies as a Christmas classic.  Side note - can you this movie hit the box office 20 years ago?!

Anyways, now that we're one and a half weeks out from Christmas, I can finally share the fruits of my labor.  Things I look forward to all year long.  And only get to enjoy them for four weeks.  But that's what makes them so special.  Yes, I am calling you out retailers and radio stations - the Christmas season starts after Thanksgiving Day.  Quit forcing it down my throat earlier than that.

And after that soap box, you will not be surprised our lights didn't go up until after our company left on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

























Sharing our tree with the neighbors.







































Willie especially loves Christmas cheer. 

























We're in the keep-it-simple camp - sorry Clark Griswold, but I am definitely open to adding some more holiday cheer to our exterior next year (after I grab it up on sale this year after Christmas - duh).  I'm thinking wreaths for all of our front windows, more lights to line the full front of our house and possibly lights on these charmers.  So basically, I want more sparkle! 

























Don't even get me started on how much I am loving this cranberry wreath.  Love, love, love.










































One of the best things about this time of year...CHRISTMAS CARDS!  I love checking the mail for them every day.  I clear off my office cork-board and stare at our received cards all day long.  Happy face. 
























So glad we finally have a mantle to hang our stockings from.  And how else would Santa bring the presents into our house?  Yep, Frank gets a stocking.  It matches Andrew's.  Mine is the boot.  Yeehaw!
We have even roasted marshmallows already this season.  Cozy to the max in this house y'all.

























Another holiday fave - wrapping paper.  Good wrapping makes a present even better.  Yep, it's a fact.  I love the day I go and pick out my holiday wrapping paper.  This year, I stumbled upon these two gems at Hobby Lobby.

























Great quality, love the natural look, and love my little nutcrackers.  If I was really smart the day I wrapped our gifts, I would have wrapped the Moore family in one style and the Boye family in the other.  But, I didn't.  Oh well.  Next year.  This is why they say things get better with age.


And now for the grand daddy of all Christmas decorations.  Oh Christmas Tree.  If admiring it every night is wrong, I don't want to be right.







































I piled on almost all of my ornaments, old and new, plus some extras this year.  I love how it all works together.































































































































































Oh hey.




























Bonus - finally found a tree skirt I liked. On the third year of my search, TJ Maxx to the rescue.






























And there you have it.  Christmas at the Moore house.  Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night.