I'm flexing my domestic muscles, Chelsey

I am not a very good decorator. I actually get embarrassed to post pictures of my house on the blog because I am aware that it is often messy and not very cute looking. I often walk into a room and think, "I should straighten that picture" or "we should center our furniture in the room better" only to go do something else.

Sometimes I go to Hobby Lobby and look at all the fun things they have there and I am tempted to buy things to make my house cuter. But then I worry that Mike will be annoyed that I bought stuff for decorating the house--which is silly because he's never said anything to me about anything I've ever bought since we've been married. Other times when I get to thinking I'll buy something for my house, I think that it really isn't very necessary and that I should use my money for something more important. And then there are times when I go with the sole purpose of buying something and go to put it in the basket only to put it back on the shelf because I just cannot stomach paying so much money for something to decorate my house with. I mean seriously, do you know how expensive decorations are?! Another excuse is that I'm busy and decorating my house isn't my top priority.

Anyway, they are all excuses. Honestly, I don't know why I don't make more of an effort to decorate. I like imagining our house in the future all beautiful and inviting so why don't I just do it? Well, as you know, we started painting and I've been bitten by the decorating bug. I was looking around the house and thinking that it didn't look very Christmasy to me and I asked Mike if he thought our house felt like Christmas. He said that no, it didn't feel very Christmasy to him. So I asked if he would like it to be and he said, "secretly, yes." So, yeah! I ran to the store today and bought decorations. It was so much fun. The boys kept walking down the isles saying, "Oh, this is so pretty, Mommy. We should put this in the basket." We ended up spending only $36 so I was pleased and Mike was pleased.

Here are my attempts at being domestic. I doubt I will ever be very good at making my house all beautiful but it was fun and I hope I can make more of an effort to beautify our house from now on.

Ok, so this is lame, I know. I looked at those stocking hangers--the cute metal ones that say things like, "Peace" "Noel" and I just could not swallow spending $60 for 5. So, I got one of those wooden boards with pegs and used that. I'll paint it so it looks a little better. I'm sure I can find them cheaper but I haven't yet so this will have to work for now.

Our little Santa candle collection. I bought these last year.

I got these last year too. My friend got me the little child Nativity and I love it.

Can you see the dinosaur ornament? That was the one Isaac chose this year. And the peppers on the side, those were Will's choice last year. Will's dancing reindeer (this year's choice) is on the right kind of hiding (it has a green tutu) and the ornament Mike chose for himself, er, Eli, is the pink blowfish at the top. My favorite ornaments are the polka dot stars and the red and green polka dot bells but they are hiding. Such an interesting tree.

I hoped to get a wreath but even at %50 off, the cheapest one was $20! So, I got this instead. It looks a little ragged, but it's not too bad.

I even wrapped the ribbon around by myself. Aren't you so proud of me? Remember how I said that my house is messy quite often? Don't enlarge this picture!

Mr. Lime tree was feeling left out so we decorated him too.