It's beginning to look a little bit like Christmas.

This is the first year of my married life that I have been able to decorate our home for Christmas. In years past there was really no reason to, because we were always going to be somewhere other than our own house for Christmas.

Also, apparently the reason we didn't decorate is because I had no decorations. I hauled the rubbermaid tubs that contain my Christmas decorations upstairs, and after putting up every single, solitary item the tubs contained; all I could think was: "is that it?!". Yes, my decor was pretty sparse.

Nick will be happy to know that I refrained from going on a Christmas Decoration Spending Spree. I will just "make do" this year, with what I have, and I'll be sure to hit up the after Christmas sales, to get stuff at killer prices for next year.

We do have stockings. Can you guess which stocking belongs to each member of our family?

I received this Christmas ornament as a gift (10 years ago, at least). It wasn't until last year that Nick took a good look at it and pointed the inappropriateness of it out. Prior to that, I had never noticed that... yes indeed, the mouse inside the clock is sitting on the toilet with his pants pulled down. Who makes a Christmas ornament like that?! Oh well, it fits Nick's personality really well, so it will be a permanent fixture on our Christmas tree.

Reagan got one of the "countdown til' Christmas calendars". She has no idea what Christmas is, but she knows there is a little piece of chocolate inside each square, and she makes sure to tell me that she wants a piece every morning after we get her dressed for the day.

I have been playing my John Denver and the Muppets, a Christmas Together CD nonstop! The music from that album reminds me of Christmases past more than anything else. When I was really little we would listen to the vinyl record while we were putting up the Christmas ornaments. A little later we got it on cassette tape. Finally, we upgraded to a CD. I took that CD with me, my first Christmas season away from home as a freshman in college at SUU. When we weren't busy stealing Christmas trees..... I was subjecting Ruthann and Tierney to the vocal stylings of John Denver and the Muppets. I know they both HATED it, but I don't think they will ever forget it (I know I won't)!

Figgy Pudding.... It's made with figs...... And Bacon.