Take your shoes off and come on it!

Shew...I've got a cold...it started this morning when I was walking across the parking lot at work...started sneezing, and have sneezed all day. Now, the mild congestion has set in. So, tonight, Abby and I stayed in to rest and relax while Daddy and the boys went to Jonah's swimming lessons and to the area Annual ChristmaSing held at our church (which we hated terribly to miss...it is always so great!) While I was taking cold medicine and resting on the couch snuggled with my tissue box, it was precious to watch Abby playing with her dolls...she will be a great mom someday, I am sure!

Looks like she might want a big family...hehehe...

Since I wasn't up to doing hard-core projects tonight, I thought I would share a BUNCH of "around the house" photos with you tonight to catch you up to speed. We have been excitedly participating with the Blankets of Love Missions Project being led by the Children's Ministry of our church. So, these are some of the blankets/throws that we have been collecting from others to add. These will be given to local families through our church's Christmas Food Box ministry in a couple of weeks...we are praying over each one, that God will allow our love for them to impact the ones that are wrapped in the blanket. The children in our church are handling each one with tender care as they fold, wrap them in beautiful ribbon and place hand-made cards inside.

Moving around the house, the boys got a little carried away when decorating their Christmas tree in their room with Daddy and Papaw recently, so now we have lights strung everywhere! They love it and it is quite festive, I must admit!

These are the newest addition to the Bell boys' Christmas ornament collection - Star Wars! They have recently become quite intrigued with the Sci-Fi phenomenon and so, I surprised them with new ornaments from Hallmark this week and they were ecstatic...

Another Star Wars "guy" - I'd hate to meet him on the holler!

This ornament is on the boys tree - it was their daddy's when he was a youngster...he was also a drummer in the high school band, so that makes it a little more special!

An old favorite still "hangin" around - Spider Man.

By far, one of the ultimate favies - Lightning McQueen.

And, without a doubt, the Christ child - front, top and center for all to see!
Oh, How I love Jesus, Oh, How I love Jesus...Ooooh, How I love Jesus,
Because He first Loved Me!

Abby squealled when I showed her the surprise Princess and the Frog Hallmark ornament I got her...sheer delight from her 4 year old heart.

Abby's homemade Handprint Family ornament...one of my favorites, of course! So special!
Doesn't every budding ballerina have to have a Barbie ballerina ornament?
Abby placed her "Baby Jesus in the Manger" smack dab in the center of the tree!
The completed "feather-boa'd, beaded, pink-santa-hatted, ornamented" mess!

School Picture Ornament of Isaac 9 years old, 4th grade

School picture ornament of Jonah, 8.5 years old, 3rd grade

Preschool picture ornament - ballet picture, 4 years old.

The antique rockin' chair that was Michael's great-grandmother's...filled with Christmas pillows.

My new tablecloth...and yes, it comes with a story. I ordered it and the placemats from a local primitive specialty store that I frequent because I just thought they would complement my home so nicely through the holidays. I asked the cost of the placements - very reasonable! And, I was in sort of a hurry. The store owner said, "Do you want to know the cost of the tablecloth before you leave?" [Can you tell where this is going?] I said, "Nah, just go ahead and order it...Just call me when it comes in." Well, she called the house about a week later and Mike happened to be home. He gladly picked it up for me...and when I got home he politely let me know that he really liked the tablecloth and placemats but didn't know they were THAT much!! I won't reveal here how much it was, but...yes...I learned my lesson! ALWAYS ask the price. AND, I love my tablecloth and placemats so much that I plan to use them until the kids go to college:)
Lovely, huh? Matches my primitive decor!!!
My favorite Christmas photo...look real close and see if you can guess who Santa was!!! I'll never tell, but I think the eyes give it away. The "Guest Santa" agreed very politely to donn the suit as a volunteer at the local nursing home a couple of years ago. The children new immediately it was "the special someone" and it was ALL I could do to keep them from telling everyone there and ruining their SANTA VISIT!
Special ornament bought by us to commemorate the HomeGoing of our biological son, Michael Andrew Bell, 1999.
Special ornament to remind us that our daughter Allison and son Andrew are together with the Lord! What peace and joy!
My cute litte primitive gingerbread men.
I love this whimsical snowman - he makes me smile...wonder if he's related to Pinocchio?
My sweet family...(Abby's name is covered by evergreen)
A special gift from a friend.
Happy Campers...reminds us not to get discouraged, spring is right around the corner!
Our First Christmas together, 1997
The wooden star... we use it to teach our children about the star ... and how it eventually led to the wooden cross, where Jesus would eventually die for our sins...the Birth to Death to Life story of the Saviour...
Primitive fabric candy canes...so sweet
Front and center!
One of my newest ornaments - we bought it during our Christmas DisneyWorld vacation last year.
So, there's my tree...and if you look real closely, you can see that I even made the homemade rag garland. I love it's coziness and warmth...rustic bells, wooden ornaments, small quilted pillows, barns stars, stockin's and so much more make it suit the Bell family just fine.
Thought I'd also share this jewel with you as well...LOVE this little flameless candle...it has a timer on it and it comes on every evening at dusk and goes off after we go to bed. The flicker in the evenings is so fun and we don't have to wonder if the kids are going to get burned by a candle. The ambience is nice and although the technology is nice, it still reflects the ole' warmth that I love when I am home.

Well, thanks for sharing in my holiday home review! I pray that your Christmas celebration is memorable, reflects Christ's birth with reverence and intention and brings a little nostalgia of days gone by!