Kicking off the Christmas season

You know it doesn't really mean Christmas for me, until I can smell the sweet gorgeous scent of pine in my living room and throughout the house.

And I can finally say that as I type this up, I'm sitting in my comfy chair with my beautiful Christmas tree and my favorite smell surrounding me.  Now yes, now the holidays are officially on for me.

Spent a very busy day, my legs hurt, my feet hurt and oh my brain needs a break.

Started with a grocery trip, then back home to get everything put away.  While I was doing that my poor husband was outside with a few other neighbors trying to catch two stray dogs that has been living between two houses on base.  People have been leaving food and water for them, but it's not a good situation.

I don't want to get into it here, but I can tell you that I have no patience or respect for people who neglect their pets.  If you don't have the time, or the money, or the patience for an animal, please do us all a favor and leave them be.

My husband was able to catch one of them who was actually limping and hurt, the other is pregnant and they've been trying all day to catch her but she's a fast one.  Hopefully someone grabs her and takes her home.

Anyway....after all this drama, we headed out to get our tree.  We always get a real one, I don't do artificial trees.  I HAVE in the past more out of necessity than anything but it just never felt right to me.  I just love real trees for the holidays.



We ended up buying two trees.  Now folks, we're not rich, we don't have money to throw around......but we have one in our living room, and the other we set outside our house with a sign saying "free tree".  Within about 30 minutes we had a young airman knocking at the door and asking if he could take it.  I'm hoping that it made someone happy, or gave someone a nice tree if they weren't able to afford one.  :)



We went with a shorter tree this year.  I saw it and it was love at first sight, and I have to go with my instinct right?

The tree was decorated by the kids, and being the semi perfectionist that I am, I can tell you that there are things on there that are driving me bonkers and I want to fix.  But then I remind myself that my children are growing so fast and that one day they won't be decorating it anymore...so I'm going to enjoy every second of it.

After the tree was up and some final decorations were done, we jumped in the car and took a night drive.



It's one of our favorite things to do especially during the Christmas season, it's fun seeing all the decorated houses in town.

We ended up at the Arizona Celebration of Lights, fun place to drive through and check out all the twinkling lights.









And you know what I love?  Christmas tree lots.  They just make me so happy :)



Lots going on, overload of the senses, and I'm just ready to go relax. 

Have a great night everyone,