Christmas Tour of Homes 2009

I'm joining the Christmas tour of homes this year with just a few hours to spare!  Last year I missed the big day and had to post my own version later, but this year I'm making the official cut...even if just barely!!

So without further delay, Welcome to our home...

Our Front Door and my wreath that says "Hope" in the middle.  I chose that because it reminds me of the hope that we have in the birth of our Savior.

My little snowman that I've had from our very first Christmas together.

"Let it Snow" has a whole new meaning now that we live in Minnesota!

I love to spruce up what we've already got going on at Christmas time.  I added some candles and red beaded wreaths to this piece of furniture, right inside our door.

I demo-ed these at my Christmas decorating talk.  They are so easy and cute...

It's just a canning jar with a layer of sand, coffee beans, and a red candle.  I tied a little raffia around the neck and there you go!  Easy.  These are great to put outside, on your porch or down your sidewalk.  They are cheap luminaries and safe...you can use tealights inside, but I like to choose a contained candle in a little glass jar.  I just slip it in there.

My kitchen sink.  No window, so thus the shelf :) The "blessings" banner is really from Thanksgiving, but I love it so much and it goes with the colors in my kitchen, so I think I'll keep it up.

I love those mini trees!

I put this picture up every year near my sink.  It is so Travis!  He loves to ski and this picture is from a trip he took a few years ago.

These little ornaments are actually place card holders, but I keep them on the top of my stove.

And I always put that Christmas frame out with the little Christmas mouse and my holiday mugs.  I think I'll have to swap the picture out this year though for one of Ava instead!

More of those candles on my tower, looking into our kitchen.

I bought this Church a couple of years ago and it's one of my favorite things to put out.

We don't have a mantle, so this counter in between our kitchen and living room is what we use to hang our stockings.

Our stocking holders.  We've had them for a few years, and I would like to upgrade them soon :)

Our stockings and Ava's first one!  Trav and I bought these our first Christmas

 together, but I have my eye on some from Pottery Barn that I'm planning to get after Christmas.  Ava's is from Pottery Barn Kids.  Next year we'll get her a monogrammed one.

And yes, Ryley has a stocking too :)

Doesn't every family dog have one??

Because we have an artificial tree, I always like to make some arrangements with fresh greens to put around.  I LOVE the way fresh greens smell and red roses at Christmas are my favorite.

Our sole Christmas pillow.

Sometimes I have to read this a few times during the day to remind me not to be crabby!

Candles, candles and more candles across our entertainment center.

Our tree.

A little wreath hanging from a hook.

I usually have my Nativity on our table as our centerpiece, but because I bought fresh greens this weekend, I decided to make a fresh centerpiece too.

And I added candles.

Can you tell red is my theme??

My Nativity, which is my favorite decoration of all.  I love having a candle-lit dinner around it all season.

Everything else is fun, but Jesus is the reason for the season!

And just because I thought I'd keep it real...here is what our living room looks like most days!!  Far from perfect, but we love the mess still.  So thankful to have a little one this year to shake our world up!

Merry Christmas from the Armstrongs!Thanks for stopping by!!