meager but merry!

We managed to get the living room primed (albeit very sloppily) in time to toss up some Christmas decorations a few evenings before heading out of town for our next holiday tour (which I will post later). I felt determined to decorate for Josephine's first Christmas (but knew full well that my determination didn't guaranteed an OUNCE of success). So in the end I was relieved and thankful it all worked out, despite strand after strand of Christmas lights going out on me and all the gouging one endures decorating the wiry branches of a nearly needleless, two-decade-old tree. You can see here the sum-total of my Christmas decorating: a wee wreath, bells on the door, a red cloth for Wilbur, and a rather sparsely lit tree.

It's okay, though. We lit some candles, a little incense, and it felt festive. :-)





Of course, the finest decoration of all had to be the 8 month old in red velvet:

Wilbur wanted me to point out my hedgehog ornaments. So I took a picture and labeled it: 1) Sean gave me Christmas 2008, from a shop in south Austin. 2) My aunt and uncle found this little glass one for me this year!! I love it! Especially that it is so different from my first one. I see a collection in the making! 3) These are not hedgehogs. But when I looked at the photo I realized the ceramic kissing angels my grandma painted were in the bottom corner, and so I wanted to point them out. Go, Grandma!
The last photo from our house is courtesy of my friend, Melissa, who came over and took some family photos for us! We are NOT an easy bunch to work with. Thank you, Melissa!

(And if you're trying to figure out why my tree garland is reminding you of the automotive aisle in Walmart, it's because YES those are wooden beads from minivan seat covers. I saved EVERYTHING as a kid. And clearly I still have most of it. I think it sort of looks like popcorn strings from a distance... Let's just pretend, shall we?)