Fa la la la la....!

Well, as I've already confessed...i love Christmas and I apologize in advance if this post bores the heck out of you! My friend Catie suggested that I share some pictures of the Christmas decor i put up around our home and I decided to take her up on that suggestion! ;) Oh, and nine days to go, can you believe it?!

So, here are a few pictures of some of the Christmas decorations I have put up in our home (I hope you enjoy, even if it's just a little!)...

Here is one of our trees, yes, that's right, i said one. We have three total (well if you count the little 3' one in our guest bedroom in that total), but I'll just include the one that is in our living room.

Please ignore the the random bright spots...it's a reflection from the camera or something...i promise the lights don't look splotchy in person.

The console table in our living room with our pathetic little stockings! They are just for the fun of it...we'll be in Florida for Christmas :)

Our living room window

A door decoration

One of our end tables

Now, I have to go make a caprese salad for dinner before I have to leave to go pick up my sister, Katie, from the airport! Yes!!! So excited she is coming to visit! Have a fantastic weekend!

oxox,
lauren

It's Crunch Time

There are fifteen days until Christmas!!! Oh my goodness! Can you believe it?! I can't! I was talking to my sister, Katie, yesterday about how we are both so happy and frankly relieved to be finished with our shopping because we were both out running a bunch of errands yesterday in the madness of people trying to Christmas shop. Let's just say that there is definite panic in the air. I mean I saw several people yesterday who were on serious missions and I was not about to get in their way...they are intensely focused on finding that gift they're searching for! And finding a place to park anywhere...eeek!

I really do love looking at all the pretty decorations that are out though!

oxox,
lauren

*images courtesy of Country Living, House Beautiful and Southern Living

Fit to be tied...with a pretty bow!

Alright, so I am just going to say it...i am in love with (or maybe obsessed with!) Christmas. Some would say I am over-the-top or even a bit obnoxious about how much i like Christmas, but I am okay with that because it makes me happy. Christmas is my favorite holiday and my favorite time of the year. I think I love Christmas so much because I know it is something I can always count on to be there, year after year. I know that lights and decorations will be everywhere every December and things just look so pretty. I know a lot of people are currently thinking of gift ideas and going out shopping every weekend. Why are some people so hard to shop for? I have already finished most of my shopping, but here are some of my favorite gift ideas. Now, these are girly gifts (i have two sisters, two sister in-laws, my mother and mother in-law to shop for) because the girls out-rule the boys in my family and i have been shopping for lots of girly gifts...

Love this necklace + it would look great for New Year's!

I think these colorful ikat bowls are just as great for decorating as they are for eating

Love and Toast is a super cute line of hand creams and other fun products and the adorable packaging makes it the perfect gift

I think I need this pretty sequined tank

Great clutch for a fun night out

Love the faux-fur trim on these little gloves

This precious little ring bowl is so unexpected

Any girl could use a notepad with some fun & pretty color to jot down her to-do list

This sunglasses case is not only cute, but probably helpful when trying to find your glasses in your bag!

Soft and pretty cable knit slippers

Who doesn't like chocolate? And please, the gorgeous Mast Brothers packaging is insane!

Sephora is one of my go-to gift stores, they have a ton of options, like this great Fresh gift set

Our wedding Shutterfly book

This is a wonderful gift idea for anyone special in your life! So, I am in love with Shutterfly, not just for storing my pictures, but for making personalized photo books and lots of other cool stuff. I completely surprised Matt with a formal photo book of all of our favorite wedding photos and then a fun photo book of our honeymoon pictures last year for Christmas. I was so excited about giving them to him and he was so happy and surprised when he opened them! I also made two more wedding books, one for my mom and one for his parents and they were a huge hit. They make really thoughtful and special personalized gifts that will be kept forever.

Our honeymoon Shutterfly book

Happy shopping!

oxox,
lauren

*Pretty sparkly gold necklace, little colorful ikat bowls, Love & Toast, fun sequin tank, zipper clutch, cute faux-fur trimmed gloves, dainty ring bowl, colorful note cube, pretty pink sunglasses case, comfy cable knit slippers, Mast Brothers Chocolate, Fresh gift set, Shutterfly