Happy Holidays!

This is our second Christmas in this house. Last year this time little D was just a tiny blob that I had just given birth to. We had a tree all decked out in the front room and I think buying and decorating the tree was one of our happiest memories as new homeowners. This year we decided to not have a tree because little D just started walking and he's extremely curious about everything. He would probably pull everything off the tree within five minutes. So to save ourselves the money and trouble, we put up some lights and a semi-homemade wreath. Christmas is not the same without a tree but sometimes sacrifices have to be made where there is a little one to consider.

I wish more people would decorate their houses in our neighborhood. Our house is one of the few to even have holiday lights out. Where is everyone's holiday spirit?!

This this a poinsettia plant I bought a few weeks ago at Big Longs. It sits outside our front door to greet visitors along with two pots of succulents. 

We wrapped strings of colorful lights around the loquat trees to add some holiday spirits on an otherwise dreary, industrial street.

Justin putting up the lights. Doesn't he look like he's really enjoying the task at hand?

I got the awesome ceramic jug housing the lights at an estate sale for 5 bucks. I love how the lights flicker and create changing shadows on the wall behind it (hard to see in this picture).

This is the front room where we had our tree last year. There are only a few strings of lights around the windows this holiday season.

We chopped down a sickly looking bush outside the house few weekends ago, it was some sort of evergreen and the leaves smelled lovely, like Christmas. So I got the idea to save the leaves to make a wreath. Then I got busy and bought a wreath at Big Longs instead, but I didn't abandoned the DIY route completely. I stucked on some red plastic berrie from a craft supply store to make the wreath a bit more special. Sometimes adding a little personal touch goes a long way.

Merry Christmas!