It's that time of year again...

Yes, it's that time of year again.  My house looks like it's having an identity crisis.  Plump orange pumpkins are now fighting for air amidst boxes of red and green.  Soon, my beloved fall decorations will be wrapped, tissued, and stuffed in a box until next year.  My leafy garland will be replaced with evergreen, my pumpkins replaced with tiny Christmas trees, and my rock hard candy corn will finally be dumped and replaced with Christmas M&Ms.  I love my fall decorations and am always sad to see them go.  Although I love the magic that goes along with decorating for Christmas, I'll admit, like everything else around the holidays, it gets a little out of hand.  After a full day's worth of untangling mini lights, rummaging for the right extension cord, and straightening branch after branch after branch of evergreen, I'm usually tempted to keep the Christmas cheer in my house until Valentine's Day.  I used to have a neighbor that did that.  Everything would stay but the lights, which would be replaced with pink ones in order to accurately celebrate V-Day.  I used to think she was crazy, but maybe she was more practical than I thought...

This year, I have the advantage of taking on a different strategy when it comes to Christmas decorating.  Instead of attempting to tackle the abundance of rubbermaids in a single day during Thanksgiving break, I can work at it a little at a time.  This, I've decided is a perfect way to spend these days at home, especially since I'm getting used to working in 15-30 minute increments.  The other day, while Cruz lounged in his swing, I strung garland and lights on my front porch.  The next day, while he napped, I carefully adorned my fireplace mantle with some greenery.  And today, during some tummy time, I filled glass vases with ornaments.  Piece by piece is my strategy this season.

Our Christmas tree, however, will be saved for last.  Since we started dating, Beau and I have made a tradition of decorating the Christmas tree together.  We usually make some appetizers, pour some kind of fancy drink, and sort through more than two decades worth of Christmas ornaments.  A history lesson of our childhoods and relationship together always seems to unfold during this time...a time I can't wait to share with our son this year.

Christmas is about traditions, and I am so excited relive the old, as well as write some new with our little Cruz.