Christmas! (Maybe?)

Agh! I haven't updated in a coon's age because I was out of picture space!! :( I had these pictures taken and this post ready to go on December 1...and now...thirteen days later, I'm finally taking another stab at it. Regardless, I've made it work and am back in action!

So it's been a pretty unseasonably warm December up here in Michigan. We had a light dusting of snow the day after Thanksgiving (which was quaint and lovely) and then another one about a week ago. But other than that, the temperatures have been about 5-10 degrees above normal every time there's precipitation in the area. Which means...no snow yet :( It seems like half of Michigan loves the first snows and the other half HATE snow. (As well as those of us who love snow.) So, being a snow lover, I patiently wait. My hopes for a white Christmas are fading fast. But I faithfully watch the weather every morning, and hope, on the new day added to the 8 Day Forecast every morning, that there will be SNOW!

That being said, this year, I find myself denying myself Christmas pleasures! Like cutting back on Christmas music. And I haven't watched ANY Christmas movies yet...and we haven't even made any Christmas cookies! Because there's no snow and the weather's been warm, I keep holding back, thinking, It's not even Christmastime yet! I can't make cookies yet, can I? And then it dawned on me this morning - snow or no snow, Christmas morn will be here in a mere TWELVE DAYS. So tonight? I do my best to get in the spirit and make sugar cookies! :)

So...it's Christmas in the Schu house!

Our tree...it just doesn't look great in pictures. I tried from so many angles. It just looks tall, skinny and unhealthy. But it's beautiful in real life, I promise!!

I tried my hand at doing a bow this year. Last year Dan complained (rightfully so) that we had no tree topper of any kind. I've never been huge on the glittery stars with spring-y looking bases, so I thought I'd shoot for a bow. Again...the picture doesn't look awesome, but it's not half bad!

Mmmmm....my garland. For years to come, I'll be thankful that at the 2011 Nordlie Christmas show I asked my mother-in-law to get this for me as an early Christmas present. It's going to be a Christmas staple for my family!

The garland came with pine cones on it, but lately I've been craving color. I decorated my house VERY neutral (furniture, carpet, wall colors, etc.) so that I'd be able to switch out accent colors and transition easily. So anyway, this Christmas I've been adding bits of red flashes (like the shiny red ribbon thrown in with the burlap on the tree bow!). So I bought some red berries and randomly stuck them in the garland.

A new favorite ornament :) My mom has one like this. I bought it in Estes Park when me and Dan went to Colorado for our five year anniversary :) A real aspen leaf, dipped in silver. (Obvi, not real silver. But I'm not nerd enough to know how that process actually works.)

I love these! My mom got them for us in 2008, from Poulsbo, I think. It's a little Scandinavian couple :) They always, of course, hang right beside each other.

New chunky candle holders. I definitely need to get a taller candle for the white one. When I was buying these, I thought I had a medium and large flameless candle set. Obviously, I have a medium and small set :)

I looked far and wide for cranberry vase filler for these guys. Alas, none to be found. So I got these mini pine cones, but again, needed some color. So I used some leftover red berry branches from the garland and just stuck 'em in here. (Side note: When I decorate for Christmas, I like to have some things that can stay out as "winter" decor once Christmas is over. Like artwork and stuff. So, these pine cones will be great, all the way through February/March!)

Hopefully I can find a way around posting more pictures :( Because I'm sure with Christmas coming up I'll have lots of things to share! For example, we bought a new dining room table! Long story...but that's for another post :)

On that note...Home :) Nothing better :)

A cozy house is a house that has a wreath on the front door all year round - one for every season :)