"The stockings were hung, by the chimney with care..."

I had to post these pictures from tonight. Aside from the first picture not being completely straight, I love them. Our mantel is fully decked out and ready for Santa to come bounding down on Christmas Eve night. I am so excited for Christmas this year. Yes, I love everything the Holiday season brings with it: the decorating, the tree cutting, the lights, the music, the baking, the get-togethers etc. All of that is wonderful and I've looked forward to it since I was a little girl. This year I'm extra excited and really into the "Christmas Spirit" because my little girl is taking it all in for the first time! She is completely and utterly amazed and I'm loving every moment of it! Last Christmas she was 6 months old and not really aware of what was going on. This year, it's totally different. When we turn our outdoor lights on, she points and says, "Look, look!" She LOVES seeing houses in our neighborhood lit up with lights and says "more more" as we drive past. I have a lighted village (which I feel special having because it's my mom's) set up on our mantel that she just can't get enough of. Today we hung our stockings and she's equally elated about those too. I love watching her experience all of this for the first time. And of course, I'm having a hard time finishing up her Christmas shopping... ha ha ha!

Something else I'm excited about:

Our stockings! We each have our own stocking now that we'll have forever!! Mark and I have never hung stockings before during Christmas. Mine from when I was young is just so old and fragile that I just keep it packed up. I thought we'd get our stockings after we were married, but I never did it. This year I ordered stockings for the 3 of us and they're adorable! Now we'll always have them and when Avery is old enough, she can have it and hang it on her own mantel with her babies' stockings... someday! :)

Happy Holidays all!