"Tis the Season"

While I lament the fact that fall and football season are now drawing to a close, I can't help but be giddy about the upcoming holiday season (I must be in an extremely good mood since I agreed to watch a Star Trek movie with M the other night).  Being married has made Christmas even more fun... now we get 3 Christmases, our own, and both sets of parents.. What's not to love?  Not only that, but we get to decorate our own place for Christmas, and start our own family traditions...which will be even more fun when e have kids. 

That being said.. I'm an ornament fanatic.  I've been collecting for years.  When we first got married, I already had so many ornaments we could have had 2 full size trees.  I can't help it.  How can you not love ornaments?  It's the spirit and joy of Christmas all balled up into one glittery, colorful shape.  I know you're probably thinking, this girl seems deranged.  But I'm sure all of you have some little quirk or weird thing you obsess over :)  I'm also crazy about my snow villages.  I can't wait until I have like 50 of them and have a huge display in my living room 30 years from now.  And all the other women will come over and be so impressed (and secretly jealous) at how beautiful it is... 'cause we all know they won't be oohing and aahing over my table centerpieces..unless I've paid a fortune for them or I can convince Ashleigh Speight to do them for free :) (remember, no creativity here). 

On another holiday tradition note.. I am not a themed tree kind of girl.  I'm sorry if you are one of these people.  I mean no offense. It's just not for me.  I LOVE the fact that all my ornaments are unique, and that most of them have a story behind how I received them.  I know.. I'm starting to sound all creepy about my ornaments again...

So..tis the season!  Here are my favorite ornaments to date...  Other than the ones hanging on my parent's tree since my mom held a lot of my favorites hostage.  There are also a few pictures of our young married's core group tacky Christmas party. 

We bought this ornament in October right after we had been married in September of '08 when we took an impromptu trip to Atlanta

I LOVE this one.  Obviously, we just bought this when we were in Boston at the end of Oct. 

My mom has bought me the whole Rudolph collection of ornaments.   We've got Rudolph, the Abominable snowman, and Sam the Snowman.

Our first married Christmas, I bought Matthew this blown glass Darth Vader (done by the same company that does my Rudolph ornaments).  We later bought him a Yoda one to go along with it. 

This was the 1st ornament we bought as a married couple on our honeymoon! 

So, in 2008, my good childhood friend Caleb Joseph was drafted into the minor leagues by the Baltimore Orioles, along with his younger brother, Corban, who was drafted by the Yankees.  The next Christmas, on our Christmas Eve ornament swap, his mom gave out autographed ornaments from both of the boys.  I loved that idea, and it's still one of my favorite ornaments.  Last time I was home at Harpeth Hills, Caleb happened to be on break, and while I was talking to him, 3 little boys came up to him asking for his autograph.  So cute!  You can check Caleb out here!

Of course, we have to have a UK ornament.  I'm still waiting to find the perfect blown glass one as well. 

Enough with ornaments..I could go on for days, but I'm sure most of you could really care less.... This was M and me before our Core Group Tacky Christmas Party

Charlie and M

Sweet Erin in her incredibly tacky outfit :)

Holly Beth and me

Blake and M, and creeper Bret (aka Cousin Eddie)

All the girls...