Today is the last day of link up fun. I’m kind of sad but it’s been such a fun week! I think next year should do it a little earlier to ensure it doesn’t fall on what seems like the busiest week of the year! None the less, I enjoyed posting with these remarkable women every day this week and I’m loving all of the new blogs I’ve found through the posts in the link up lists. I’m still trying to catch up on the lists. So many great ideas!

We have been searching for a house (to renovate) since before we got married and with no luck we are still living in our condo. I have a tendency to make note of the things I want to do once we’re in a home instead of just doing them now. And this year was even more difficult due to all of Jack’s things that take up a great amount of our living space. This was our tree last year which I loved, this tree would not fit with all of the extra belongings we have now so I purchased a slim tree to put in front of the window. It’s covered in twinkling lights and Jack loves it.

*Please ignore the packages with post-its on them under the tree. ha! My gift labels were not printed yet when I took this picture. This makes me laugh!

I have to share with you my mom’s Peace tree for her kitchen. I already have a plan for my very own kitchen tree!

And because it’s too fun not to share, here’s a picture of what Christmas decorating day looks like at my parents’ house!

Please join me in linking up with Erin from Blue-Eyed Bride today. Her decorations are GORGEOUS!

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December is a WILD month for our family. We have birthdays on the 4th, 14th, 18th and 22nd. Those dates don’t include my many friends that celebrate their birthday in December with me. We always have a million dinners, parties, gatherings and to-do lists 10-miles long. I love every minute of it but it’s a lot and this year my sister conveniently threw in a college graduation to the mix on the 16th. So we are making a flying (by car) trip to Kansas City. We are so proud of her and couldn’t be more excited about celebrating this huge accomplishment with her.

I left my living room in disarray. It’s full of Favorite Things shipments, Christmas gifts, birthday presents, talking bears, wrapping paper, double-sided tape, boxes stacked high, and a large, bright red wagon! This morning I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off but I then I finally stopped and reminded myself that it does not all have to be done right now. The giveaway items will make it to the recipients early next week, the Christmas gifts will get wrapped, we will celebrate everyone’s birthdays and Jack doesn’t even know what month it is, let alone that it’s Christmas. So if all the things I wanted to do don’t get done until next year, it’s okay!

Here’s the thing, it’s always been a crazy time for our family! And we wouldn’t have it any other way! We happen to love it that way.

We always shop together for last minute gifts on Christmas Eve.

We love watching Christmas movies together. We always laugh as if it’s our first time watching or talk about the characters as if we know them in real life.

We drink champagne in the morning on holidays and special occasions.

We make homemade pizzas before midnight Mass.

We attend midnight Mass.

Our extended family gathers on the 23rd of December. This year will mark the 61st year for this tradition.

We go to the beach between Christmas and New Year.

These are just a few of the small things we do together each and every year. The small things are what create a lifetime of memories.

Annual Cookie Bake – we didn’t have one this year, too much in the schedule.

Annual 23rd Family Christmas Celebration – I wish I could find one of the many pictures of Kelly and me from when we were little girls but I’m not at home so this will have to do. This is from last year.

Christmas cards are one of my most favorite things about the season. Even if I wait until the very last minute to order them and pay big bucks to get them printed and shipped to me in one day! This year’s card (which has not be mailed yet, which is why I’m not sharing it with all of you like my more-prepared friends) will be a close second to the one we sent out last year. It’s hard to beat our Brandyj Photography wedding pictures! But I am SO excited to get this year’s card and get them in the mail on Monday.

Now with Jack, we’ll continue to do the things we’ve always done of course but we’ll add new things too. By next year, we’ll be able to do more. We will celebrate St. Nicholas Day, visit Santa, make gingerbread houses, decorate cookies, trim the trees, decorate the house, take drives to admire lighted neighborhoods and teach Jack the real reason for the season, the birth of Jesus!

As for this year, Jack’s big memory will be eating peas for the first time on Christmas Eve!

Please join me in linking up with Ashley from I Love You More Than Carrots.

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