Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas (a bit delayed) and Happy New Year! Travis and I hosted our first Christmas at 765 and it was pretty awesome getting to be in our own home the whole weekend. We made Christmas Eve dinner, enjoyed a very entertaining midnight mass which included champagne at the Italian priests home afterward, and leisurely opened presents well into Christmas afternoon. A few highlights from our holiday - hope everyone's was fabulous!

{My favorite Christmas cookies}

{Christmas Eve dinner, with our new plates!}

{bag of compost leaves turned nest}

It's Christmas Time!

Last weekend we began the preparation for our very first Christmas at 765! The weekend started with a trip to chop down a tree ourselves. We pulled up, an eight year-old handed us a saw, and we walked the paths to find our perfect tree. They all varied between six and nine feet, with prices increasing with height. While most of the seven-foot trees were in the $50 range, we came across one that was full and bushy, a tall seven feet, but only $38. This MUST be the tree for us! So we chopped it down, took a picture and were on our way.

 

{what a deal}

{tree farm}

Then we got home.... As we attempted to put this perfect tree in its stand nothing would keep it from falling crooked. This led us to examine the tree a bit better - a trunk that made a meandering  curve all the way up, so what looked like it was straight was really crooked. Yes, we were the suckers for the $38 crooked Christmas tree. A chop saw, some bricks, and a few screws later our tree was really bringing in the holiday cheer as our neighbors chuckled in obvious jealousy, while we cursed the need to buy a locally grown tree, wishing we'd done like everyone else and bought the one on the side of the road, stand and all. The tree made it though, and is now perched in our living room, decorated with ornaments and lights with only a slight tilt. (Just don't touch it, please.) Next year we'll suck it up and get the $50 tree.

 {lessons learned}

{still standing}

Hanging the lights went better, as we learned our lesson and got some eggnog daiquiris for getting the job done. 765 is shining with the best lights in Spanish Town, and it's only year one.

 {lights!}

Christmas projects continue as I make the stockings for everyone that is celebrating the holiday with us. A large chunk of mistletoe fell from our neighbor's tree right into our yard and is now adorning or doorways and wreath. Keeping a curious puppy from chomping any more ornaments (4 down so far) is a constant task. Presents are starting to pile up around the tree. A pint of eggnog is in our fridge and perfect for warming up our bellies when our home is frigid. It's beginning to look alot like Christmas at 765.