Thinking of Christmas...

Our Patriotic Christmas Tree

(with only red, white, and blue lights)...

...because the green strand died.

We all like the idea (and the effect) so much though, that we're planning to do it again next year!

***

Another nativity set.

(I know! Another one! But because of its purpose, this might be the most important one we own.)

This one, made by Schleich, is extremely well made and durable.

It is meant to be played with.

(Because I firmly believe that Baby Jesus should not be off-limits!)

His and Mine

The J-3 Piper Cub may be his,

but the oh-so-happy owner/pilot is definitely mine!

Log Home Christmas: The Little Pictures

Log Home Christmas: The Big Pictures

The Living Room, dressed up for Christmas!

(The wool quilts made by my great-grandma will stay in the living room all winter long!)

The stairs decorated with stockings from my husband's childhood

and stuffed handsewn ornaments

made by his great-grandma!

The gift-wrapping station located under the stairs

features an old wooden box I just inherited from my mother-in-law!

Reading Around the Fire

After your little brother is in bed and the house is quiet,

there's just nothing like curling up with a good book next to a warm fire,

especially when you're already in your jammies.

Daughter #3 opted for some poetry tonight:

Shel Silverstein, to be exact.

***

Daughter #1 is reading Prince Caspian

(from the Chronicles of Narnia)...

...for the second time in two days.

***

Daughter #2 is tackling The Spirit of St. Louis

by Charles Lindbergh

(because Daddy liked it).

Night Music

This is not an uncommon sound around here.

Sometimes I find it beautiful.

Sometimes it is just chilling.

This was part of tonight's concert.

Beautiful or chilling?

Turn the volume way up, and then you decide:

Happy Christmas!

As I got out the Christmas decorations this year,

I noticed that I have collected more than a few Nativity sets!

This one my husband bought for me in Israel

when we were in high-school:

The Scrabble letters spell out "Happy Birth Celebration"

(because according to Google, there is no Hebrew for "Happy Christmas").

***

This set came to us from Mexico via my husband's grandparents:

(Does Feliz Navidad really need translated?

Really? Oh. Well, it means "Happy Christmas" in Spanish!)

***

My friend got this one for me when she lived in Germany:

Frohe Weihnachten means Happy Christmas in German

(or so the internet tells me!)

***

My husband remembers this one from his childhood:

(it's new to us this year)

***

My grandma got this in Peru

(where I spent most of my childhood)

and although it's an ornament and not really a set,

it counts because it's the only Nativity-themed thing I've got from Peru!

Over the Weekend

This weekend, while my parents stayed with the kids, my husband and I flew to the other side of the country so he could run a half-marathon with some friends.

It was sunny and almost warm on race day, and 4/6 of our group had fun running their race.

The other 2/6 of our group had fun not running the race,

and after the 4/6 crossed the finish line, 6/6 of us spent the rest of the day having fun together!