As Promised....

Well Kristi requested a few days ago to see how I decorate the house.....well here you have it folks! This is it!! My nativity set which I love is high up on the entertainment center and there is our tree......lovely isn't it? For us in this stage of life simple is the key. It makes our lives so much less stressful. In fact my wonderful sister-in-law Deb has a saying that I love, "Simplify the season, Celebrate the Savior". So that is what we have done....not a ton of decorations.

I look at my tree and to some it probably looks a little pathetic but to me it looks fabulous and this is why:

1. It is fake and prelit and oh so easy to clean up after!

2. Our girls LOVE it, they love the ornaments, the lights, the excitement of Christmas.

3. There is a huge empty spot- anywhere Avery can reach.....which means she is mobile and healthy and acts like a one-year-old! We are only blessed with this blissful, innocent age for such a short time so I love that she enjoys it. Yes, she has broken ornaments but for the most part we have kept the non-breakable ones up high. We have never told her no or not to touch the tree because frankly I can't imagine the temptation it would be. It is her first Christmas to notice what is going on so I want her to be able to really enjoy. And to really enjoy when you are one you have to touch and taste everything!

4. Our ornaments hold lots of memories.....each year growing up my Grandmother purchased me an ornament, Scott has a collection that his niece Audi gave him each year of fish ornaments, there are the many "favorite teacher" ones I received while teaching from various students, and now there is quite a collection of one the girls have made.

So there you have it folks.....Christmas in Hoeferburg with three small children and a puppy......heck we're just proud that the tree is actually up!!