Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

In an effort to update ya'll on our Christmas festivities, let me give you a glimpse of our Christmas tree this year. Our tree is currently still up. Going one month strong! I will probably be taking it down this weekend :( If I could, I would keep our tree up all year. I love having the twinkling lights on at night and looking at all the fun ornaments. Not to mention that the tree takes up a large void in our home (where a second couch should go but do not have one!) and makes it feel a lot more homey.

Every year, Justin and I take an evening to decorate our tree together. We play Christmas music, hang the lights, look over our ornaments and reminisce about the years that have passed and the different ornaments we got through the years. This year, my parents and sisters did not get a Christmas tree :( My parents moved to Asheville in August and are living in a 3 bedroom apartment that is pretty snug. Since they were still going up to Ohio for Christmas (for like a month!) they decided to not get a tree down here. Up in Ohio, my brother David and his wife are living in my parent's house and would be getting and decorating their own tree. When I found out my parents and sisters would not be decorating a tree this year, I thought it was so sad and unacceptable. Justin and I decided that it would be fun to invite them over to help us decorate our tree. Granted, the ornaments were not their special donut, soccer, and famous picture wreath ornaments, we thought that it would still be fun and a fun way to get in the Christmas mood.

My fam came over, we ordered in the best pizza in Asheville, and at home-made Olive Garden salad. I then convinced my dad to hang the lights :) I am kind of sexist and think that is the man's job! And since Justin didn't want to do it, we convinced my padre! Then it was time to decorate. Steph and Jess helped us hang all of our ornaments, very quickly!

Mom and Dad hanging the lights.

Justin and I straightening the lopsided tree.

Justin's 2011 ornament- an octopus (which became our tree topper)

My teaching ornaments!
Owl from Jen (I have an owl-themed classroom if you didn't know by now)
S'mores marshmallow snowman that says #1 teacher from Justin
Teacher ornament from my mom

I got my parent's an ornament to hang on the tree.
It is a snowman that says Asheville, NC on it!

After the tree was up and we had a few giggles, we relaxed by the twinkling lights and watched 'Little Women' (a Christmas movie in my mind), drank egg nog and ate Peppermint cupcakes.


Thanks mom, dad, Steph, and Jess for making our Christmas tree very memorable this year!

And here are a few of my new ornaments this year:

Wood Curl ornament (I've been wanting a wood curl wreath for a while but Justin isn't too fond of them, so this was a perfect find!)

Parent's Asheville ornament