Christmas 2018

Christmas of 2017 I started a tradition of getting personalized ornaments for Maxwell and Levi. We just had Maxwell last year and went to Bronner's Christmas Store in Frankenmuth sometime over the summer to get his. It's huge store with thousands of ornaments and other Christmas decorations.  There was hardly anyone there and it was easy to find a cute one and have it personalized with Maxwell's name and the year. We even walked around and looked at all of the other stuff they have there.

This year between selling our house, buying another and moving we didn't get a chance to go until a week after Thanksgiving. Big difference! We got there about a hour after they opened on a Sunday and ended up having to park at the very far end of the parking lot. Then it was wall to wall people and you could hardly move. I was able to find the identical ornament I purchased for Maxwell to have personalized for Levi and a cute one for Maxwell's 2nd Christmas. Then it was a hour wait to have them personalized! Anyway, here they are:

I don't know why this is sideways!

And here is Maxwell and Levi's First Christmas ornaments hanging together!

This year we are going again in August! If we don't get a chance to I will order them online!

Christmas was nice. I didn't take a lot of pictures. We spent Christmas Eve at my oldest brother Jim's house and Christmas Day we went to Shauna's because they were hosting Brad's family.

That's about it so far. Tomorrow is New Years Eve. We are going to dinner and them maybe the casino and will probably be home by midnight! I'll leave you with some random pictures!

We got Maxwell this teepee and a rocking horse for Christmas. He was not impressed with either one! 

This is my favorite picture of Levi! All ready to go look at Christmas lights with his mom, dad and brother!

Maxwell playing with one of his many, many toys he got!

This little cutie is 3 months old already!

I can hardly believe Maxwell is going to be 2 in a few weeks! Time sure flys!

Until the next time......

Settled and Decorating for Christmas

We are pretty much settled in our new home now. I love that everything is on one level, especially the washer and dryer. No more trudging up and down stairs with laundry!

I do wish this little house of ours was on a piece of land we owned instead of in a manufactured home community but for now, there is nothing to do about that. We'll see how things are in 5 years when our lot lease is up.

The weekend  after Thanksgiving I pulled out all of our Christmas decorations.  I had six totes worth and after I put out everything I wanted to keep the rest of it went  to Shauna and a couple things to my DIL Marissa. I got rid of half of my decorations!

Last year after Christmas I threw away our 7 foot Christmas tree that we would put up in the family room, so all we have now is the small 5 foot tree I used to put in the front window of the Canton house.  I had more ornaments that I could put on both trees so I put all of my favorites on the smaller tree and gave the rest to Shauna!

I never realized how freeing getting rid of stuff can be!

Anyway here are some pictures of the decorating I've done.

This wreath made of bells has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I hung it on the pantry door.

Ceramic Christmas tree that my mom made along with some of the kids santa pictures.

My 5 foot tree that is being held together by the lights strung on it. It will be going in the garbage after this year!

So nice to have this built in. We strung lights and garland above...

And put my snowmen collection on it. 

We put these shelves up to hold pictures but for now they hold my Christmas Tree collection. 

We even decorated our little porch, which we plan on replacing with a deck in the Spring.

We watched Maxwell and Levi on Saturday night so Shauna and Brad could go out. I had to sneak this picture of Maxwell because if he sees my phone he wants to play with it! He was having chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner, and keeping a couple flashlights close by!

Levi is getting cuter and more alert every day! Such a smiling little guy, too! 

Those too boys have me totally wrapped around their little fingers!

Until the next time.....