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Christmas Decorations

As promised, here are some pictures of our Christmas decorations. I tried to post them last night but I couldn't get them to load on Blogger. We put the tree and outside lights up Sunday, and then yesterday I put all the little trinkets out and hung garland.

Christmas lights. I last minute threw the red ones up last night! We need some color.

Over toward the garage

Christmas tree!

I found this adorable "M" at Hobby Lobby

The ornament Dustin got me last year

Brooke's first ornament

Our nativity set

Entertainment unit. It is dark, but you get the idea. The stockings are hanging on either side since we don't have stairs OR a fire place.

And of course you need the singing Hallmark set up!

Christmas Cookies

I know I have two more weeks before the cookies really need to be baked, but I am already planning. Today we decorated the house and Dustin is currently outside hanging lights (I will make another post tomorrow with pictures!) so I am in the holiday spirit! I made a mental list of what I want to make this year, and it seems like a lot, but it will be fun.

First and foremost, I cannot have a Christmas without Spritz cookies! I deliberately registered for a cookie gun for our wedding and was glad to get it.

Second, I plan on making Russian Tea Cake, also known as Walnut Balls and Mexican Wedding Cakes, I think. Oh the names!

I think I am going to try 5 layer bars as well. Just a small batch since I am really the only person who likes coconut, but it sounds fun.

And finally Snickerdoodles for Dustin's mom, since those are her favorites.

I am also toying around with making sugar cookies and using an amazing icing recipe to decorate them, but that may be overkill! I look forward to baking. :)

Christmas is in the air!

I know that is a long post title but I mean it! As you can see I have updated my blog layout to look more Christmasy. Hopefully this weekend Dustin will be putting up the Christmas lights (we were in Philly last weekend) and I will get the decorating done. There are just 3 short weeks until Christmas and our house still looks like Fall. I plan on keeping the Christmas decorations up through January anyway.

Anyway, a week or so ago I took some Christmas pictures of Brooke and I thought I would share them. I need to order our Christmas cards this weekend as well!

We are back!

We are back from Philly in one piece! We got home around 5:15 last night so a very cold house. Dustin made me turn the heat completely off before we left and as a result it went down to 50 degrees in our house. Brrr! We still have not started unpacking but all of the bags are in the right rooms. Maybe this weekend...

Meeting my nephew Luca for the first time

We had a great time in Philly and I wish we could have stayed longer. One of my favorite things about visiting there is the food! It is the first thing I think about when we are out there and I normally have a food itinerary made ahead of time. Wednesday morning I waited patiently for lunch to arrive so I could have a hoagie from Lee's Hoagie House, we ate at the Cheesecake Factory at the mall, we had Buffalo Chicken Pizza for lunch one day, and of course we had Cheesesteaks!

Heating hot fudge, which I failed at

Franklin Institute

Dustin and I running up the Rocky steps

Thanksgiving was a blast with family and we even braved the crowds on Friday to go shopping. Saturday we took Brooke down to the Franklin Institute in Philly for something fun to do. Dustin and I even ran up the Rocky steps! I wish I could go into detail about each part of our trip but that would probably bore you!

Family!