It's The Most Wonderful Time...

...of the year!

I, like everyone else it seems, just love this time of year. My house looks so cute and cozy I told Tom I wish we were decorated for Christmas all year round!

I just wanted to share a couple pics of the Christmas tree and stuff...

I have been slacking on the blog lately because honestly I don't have much to say! Since the half-marathon, my right IT band has really been bothering me so I have been steering clear of hard-core exercise.

My workout routine right now includes chilly walks with Reba and that's just not very exciting.

So this week will mostly be about Christmas-y stuff!

I love Christmas week because it's a short work week, I'm ready for Christmas (shopping done, presents wrapped), and my mom arrives on Thursday! Can't wait!

I took a couple of pictures of our house the other night because I had it all clean and spiffy for a little Girls Night I had on Thursday. Our tree is in our formal living room because there's really not room for it in our TV room. I usually don't *love* this room because the furniture is so manly and there are dead animals on the wall. :)

But at Christmas time it's lovely and beautiful.

Here's my itty bitty manger scene! It was a wedding gift, I hope to accumulate more pieces over the next few years.

Also on this table I have a plate full of Christmas cards from 2008. I just can't bear to throw them away, some of them are so beautiful. I like to keep them out for Christmas and see how families and babies change from year to year. Another Christmas card post coming up later this week.... Our tree is a little on the puny side but I'm okay with that! I bought this tree last year the day before Christmas Eve. We were having our hard wood floors refinished and didn't get done until then! So the tree was up for a grand total of 8 days before it came down again. :(

All my black and white photos from The Shelves live here during the holidays: I had to bribe Reba with a Frito to get her sit still for these pictures: Tom and I had a great weekend! I had to work Friday night so we laid low, but on Saturday we had our 3rd Annual Tacky Christmas Party!

A big group of our friends in Tunica throw it every year and it is always hilarious and awesome. We rent out the VFW, get a band, and invite like 200 people. It is a sight to behold, for sure!

Here are some pics, but I must tell you, you had to be there to truly appreciate the tackiness in all it's glory.

Here's Callie, Rebecca, and Mary Wade waiting for the band to start! All the girls! Look at Aimees's crazy Poinsettia hat.... Emily and Ched. Where does one purchase gold metallic leggings? Charlie and Kristi always look SUPER tacky at this party. They are really cute in real life. You'll just have to trust me on that I guess. I asked Kristi where got Charlie's jeans and she said she bought some super-cheap jeans an put them in the bathtub with Clorox! Tacky Girls.... that's me in the middle....with the ornament earrings. Me and my handsome date...the beard, of course, was in full effect. And how 'bout Tom's sweet gold chain necklace. He had a matching bracelet, too. Me and our friend Tim. I made my headband myself. Impressed? Leave a comment if you'd like me to make you one, too. bwahahhahaha.... Our friend Battle looked just like Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation! Complete with floppy-ear hat, robe, and black socks! Will and Collins. I told Will he looked like he was about to go on a fox hunt. Here's me and my cute new friend Mary Elizabeth! Poor M.E...this was her first time hanging out with this crew. She is probably afraid of us now. Tom and Jared We had this lattice decorated so you could take your tacky picture in front of it. My dress is courtesy of my SIL Sara Whitten circa 1995 Tunica Academy Christmas Dance! It was a little tight but I rocked it anyway. Tom's whole outfit (awkwardly tight pants included) came from Goodwill. The whole gang before the party got started! Check out Jessica's plaid, floor-length 'gown.' Love it. I promise we're all cute classy people in real life....we just bust out the tackiness once a year!

It was a fun night, and we're already making plans for the 4th Annual next year!