I'm Back! And in the Christmas Spirit

After a little hemming and hawing, I finally bit the bullet and handed over my credit card info so that I can continue to post pictures on my blog. It really isn't that expensive, and I didn't want to have to give up posting on these great blogs. 

So, here is what we've been up to this weekend!

First up was getting our trees and lights. Believe it or not, we were able to fit our 7-8 foot tree easily in the Prius with the trunk closed! It helped that it was netted by the lovely people at Home Depot. While I wanted the whole tree lot experience, the lots here in Arizona aren't all that picturesque, and it was quite easy to pick up our lights and tree all in one trip. 

Once we got home, it was time to tackle hanging up the lights. For out first experience, it wasn't too bad! We opted for retro white around our arch, icicles around the garage (I pretty much insisted on these - I love icicle lights), and retro colored lights around our big juniper. 

The result? So, so pretty :). We love how you can see the tree from outside. I may or may not have earned myself questionable impressions from my neighbors as I kept running out of the house to take pictures of it. 

I've been busy decorating inside of the house, too. 

I'm such a kid when it comes to lights and looked to put them wherever I could. with the candles and fireplace going, it feels so cozy and warm. 

This evening, we finally decorated our tree! With Christmas music playing and cups full of eggnog (with a healthy dose of Frangelicos), we dressed our tree up in its finest.

In my family, for the last 10 years or so, we've done an ornament exchange, and it's so fun to remember those ornaments, and who gave them to me. 

Once we finished lighting the tree, it was time to just sit and relax and enjoy the festive beauty. This is one of my favorite times of year and I know I'll be spending a lot of time over the next month enjoying all the decorations. 

All in all, a wonderful weekend.