From Our Family to Yours...

 Linking up with Faith's annual, Christmas Card Carousel!

Christmas with the Pinos

 This being our first Christmas in our new home, I wanted to make sure to decorate it as much as I could.

Being five months pregnant, it took me a good three days maybe even a week to finish it all.

You'll see a lot of empty wall space because I haven't figured out what needs to go there. We moved in only a few months ago so I'm still feeling it all out.

Be prepared for picture overload, so I'll keep the text to a minimum.

By the way, I really need to learn how to use my camera. Good grief!

Enjoy!

THE FRONT

I just wanted white lights this year. I think they look so clean, bright and pretty. Kevin did a great job of hanging them straight. Straight Christmas lights are a must for me. Ha!

 

If you look closely, you'll see Homer Simpson in our window on the left. Kevin insisted. ;)

The gorgeous wreath my MIL made us. The woman can make some wreaths!

ENTRYWAY / FORMAL DINING ROOM

This is the first room you walk into when entering our house. It's our formal room. I went with red and golds in here.

Dining table.

My Nutcracker collection.

I love this tree and the way it turned out!

 

 KITCHEN

I added garland above our cabinets. I hope to add more stuff next year, but I thought this was a good filler for now. It looks so bare up there without anything!

FAMILY ROOM

I have this weird thing where I feel like my Christmas decorations should match my regular home decor. Since this room is in greens, blues, reds, etc. I figured silver/whites would go well with it all.

I'm really pleased with the way this tree turned out, too. It's probably eight years old, and the original lights are about to go out any day now, but she's still standing!

Some of my favorite ornaments.
Hobby Lobby was a lifesaver! This is the first time we've had two trees so all the silver ornaments and decor in this room are new. 

Decorations on our white console table.

The fireplace.

There should be a matching white bookcase on the right of the fireplace, but it's been backordered for days weeks, and it drives this OCD-er crazy!

I am fully aware that next year we will have a crawling eight month old and a lot of these decorations won't even be out for display, so I wanted to take advantage of a kid-free zone this year while I still had a chance.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great Christmas with your loved ones!

Christmas Traditions

We spent Christmas with Kevin’s family. They have a few traditions that I love!
First Tradition: Potato Sausage
The day before Christmas Eve (a.k.a. Christmas Eve-Eve) all the women gather ‘round Grandma’s kitchen and get to making what’s known as Potato Sausage. It’s pretty self-explanatory: potato, meat, all spice, salt and some other seasonings all shoved into sausage casings. Then it’s boiled and either eaten boiled or you can fry it. I prefer it fried. I haven’t tried it boiled and I’m pretty positive I wouldn’t enjoy it just boiled. If sausage grosses you out, then you might want to skip the following photos.

The very old grinder they use to shred all the pounds of potatoes and onions.We love Grandma!

Lynn cleaning the casings (ick!).My hilarious MIL giving some demonstrations. Ha!Stuffing the sausage.

Second Tradition: Church on Christmas Eve
We attended a great service with the majority of Kevin’s family. The service made me cry - so you know it was a good one. Afterwards, we had a big party (and when I say party, I mean PARTY - this family doesn’t mess around!) at my MIL’s house.

This photo was taken shortly after Kevin and I finished bickering with each other. The good with the bad, right?

Third Tradition: Christmas Morning with just Kevin’s immediate family.

I will spare you the photo of us from the morning. Me with no makeup = bad sight. Even though my SIL so lovingly posted it on FB. Ha!

However, Mr. Rocky looked rather dashing that morning!My husband, building the fire.

We got my MIL a very big canvas of a family photo from our wedding. She absolutely loved it and it brought tears to her eyes. That’s how you know it’s a good gift!

Fourth Tradition: Breakfast of fried potato sausage on rolls with mustard and some ham, reading, playing board games, naps and taking dogs for walks during the day.

The grandkids trying to teach Grandpa how to play on the iPad.

Fifth Tradition: Christmas dinner

We had salad, ham, corn pudding, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables and boiled potato sausage. I think there was close to 18 people for Christmas dinner.

Sixth Tradition: Gift exchange
Each person brings a wrapped gift (under $20). We all sit around in a big circle in the living room after dinner. Grandma reads “The Night Before Christmas” out loud, and every time she says the word “and” you pass your gift to the left. Once the story ends, each person opens their gift in order so everyone can see what you ended up with. You have the opportunity to keep your gift or steal someone else's. I stole two white cake stands that I LOVE!
I look forward to these traditions every year and they are what make Christmas special with my new family!
XOXO~