Welcome Christmas!

Come in for a peek at our Christmas decor! We don't have a lot, but they are full of memories!

This sweet nativity was a gift from our Utah cousins. M-8 was 5 or 6 years old when we received them and she thought Mary and Joseph should have little happy faces, so she helped them out.

The "Decoration Table" by the front door~

Lots of Muffy Vanderbear and Cherished Teddies ornaments~ The wood block Holy Family was a gift to M-8 from a favorite primary teacher last year.

Santa's clothesline (L-15's creation when she was 9 or 10 years old). Family Fun magazine has supplied our family with countless ideas over the years!

Another L-15 creation when she was 8-9 or 10ish. Their hats are old baby socks that didn't fit anyone any more.

Muffy Vanderbears abound~

The mantel~ I have evergreen garland with some of my favorite ornaments hanging from it across the mantel top.

I'm a big Santa fan~

Daddy brought home this little lamplighter when L-15 was a newborn~

About 10 years ago we made cinnamon dough men and hearts and most of them have survived! The heart is without a doubt my favorite. A darling, chubby fisted, 3 year old C-13 was so proud of his creation!

A few years ago we made felt ornaments~

We started collecting Winnie the Pooh book ornaments (and other Pooh ornaments).

We made this soft nativity from a kit. This year the cat and dog have decided they are great fun to play with and we have lost Mary! Hopefully she will turn up!

I have lots of these nativity ornaments in kit form that we give as gifts~

Lots of years ago we went snowflake crazy and had a LOT hanging on the tree. We only have three remaining. This has turned out to be another Year of the Snowflake, though, and we are producing a blizzard of them!

A couple of years ago we went God's Eye crazy and there are several on the tree~

This little bear bride has a bunny friend. The kids love these ornaments so much. Daddy brought them home when C-13 was 2, I believe.

One year we made baking soda dough mixed with glitter~

When I taught nursery 8 years ago, we made these Star of Davids ornaments. P-11 was 3 years old at the time and his favorite color was black. We had lots of black glittered Star of David ornaments that year and still have a couple left.

The black stocking ornament is more from P-11's "Black Period", but the picture of Beezer was a more recent addition in the last 5 years. We have a few cow themed ornaments which are actually in tribute to Beezer. We always used to call dairy cows that we would drive past in Utah or Riverside county Beezer cows because of the black and white spots.

Another daddy purchase from the same era as the lamplighter~ Another nod to our best dog, Beezer.

This was a gift from one of my best friends in high school. She gave it to me when we were 17 years old.

Our family of bears~ papa bear always dons a snow hat for Christmas.

I just love bears, as you see and bought this one before we had kids at my favorite little shop in downtown Riverside. I wonder if Mrs. Tiggywinkles is still there? My girls would love it!


Gifts from my mom~

I originally loved this Bandstand Bears musical decoration, but quickly found out how loud and earsplitting the xylophone could be! I even tried taping cotton balls to the underside of each key.

One year we mysteriously couldn't find the plug...A Christmas miracle perhaps? Or maybe an early gift from Santa? This year P-11 decided to take matters into his own hands and plugged it into a laptop charger without me knowing. Dad gave the boys a lesson in voltage and polarity after Preston came running into the kitchen from his room telling me (fairly calmly) that there was smoke in his room. I found the bears sitting on a blanket and when I picked it up a billow of smoke came out! We took it outside and all was well, but it has sat on the doorstep until its photo today.

The grandma bear in the rocking chair is a favorite of mine. When my mom gave her to me for Christmas, she said, "Here is something for your children to fight over when you die! hahaha! Nice attitude!

Enjoy the blessings of the season! Merry Christmas!