I haven't forgotten about you...

...I just haven't been working at the house.  Whoopsie!  Since our long day on Saturday, I haven't been able to bring myself to go down to the house to work.  Instead, I have slept in, dressed in cute clothes, did my hair, put on makeup (I feel like I haven't done any of those things since we bought this house), put in my Christmas CD, and got in the Christmas spirit.  I forgot how much I enjoy my Christmas CD!  There is something about Christmas music that instantly puts you in a good mood.  Try to be mad while listening to it...I dare you.  Leave it on in the car and I promise you will let others go in front of you in line at the store, you will hold the door open for the person behind you, you will let people cut in during rush hour, you'll just be more pleasant to be around.  My mom and I have a joke that when someone really makes us mad, no matter what time of year, we have to listen to Christmas music.  I should have pulled this sucker out a few weeks ago when I met Marco and Polo. 

The plan was that the Callaway house was going to be a Christmas-free zone this year.  We are going to the ranch for Christmas day, so we didn't really see the point in decorating.  Besides, I got rid of all of my decorations in the move, and from the looks of things, Steve has never owned many.  No matter how many people called me a Scrooge, it really didn't phase me.  That was until Steve volunteered our house for his office's Christmas party.  You can't throw a Christmas party without Christmas decorations! 

I knew Steve had what looked like a tree upstairs in one of the closets, so I started asking him about it...
me: What is your tree like?
Steve:  It's a nice tree.  It was expensive.
me:  It's in a pretty small box.  Is it better or worse than the tree I had?
Steve:  Your tree looked like it had an incurable disease.
me:  My tree was beautiful!  It was also $19.99 from Target, so let's keep it in perspective.
Steve:  My tree is nice.  There are even some ornaments and bows up there with it.  I also have a nativity scene.  Pull it down. 

The next day I collected all of the Christmas decorations and this is what I found:

Steve was convinced he could make it pretty.  Good luck!

I immediately texted Steve asking where the rest of the Christmas tree was.  I mean seriously?  We have 14ft ceilings, this 4ft tree was not going to cut it.  A tree this size is great for a room in a nursing home, a dorm room or studio apartment, to sit on a table in an office, or in a single wide trailer; NOT in a house with 14ft ceilings!  Also, I found out the tree was acquired from an "old friend", so that just adds to its beauty.  I thought he said it was expensive?!?!?!  And the bows...if you can even call them that.  What am I supposed to do with those?  I know I'm not what you would call "crafty", but I don't know if Martha Stuart could resurrect these things.  And let's not even start on that stocking.  It immediately found a nice home in the garbage.  Of course I didn't let this go easily....Steve has heard of his poor taste in Christmas decorations everyday for a week. 

Sunday night I leafed through the ads in the newspaper and saw that Michael's is having a Christmas Blowout!  Everything is 50-60% off.  Sold!  I went to Michael's yesterday, and once today, and did my best to decorate.  This is what I came up with:

 I am very happy with my cylinders and bowl full of ornaments (and am glad I got to use the cylinders from my wedding for something).  The tree is...well, the tree.  (Steve and I have an understanding that it will be moving in with the stocking that I relocated immediately after Christmas and I will be buying a new tree.)  I found plain stockings and took ornaments of an S and a K and sewed them onto the stockings....I'm clever, and found the cute little snowmen and trees.  The night of the party, we will have 2 tables in our living room, so most of this will be moved and used as simple centerpieces.  I know I'm not giving any interior decorators a run for their money, but I didn't want to decorate at all, so this is as good as it will get. 

This will be my first Christmas not using the stocking my Nanny made for me. 

She made these stockings for every member of the family and everyone would bring them wherever Christmas was so they could all hang together.  She stopped making them years ago though so there is no way Steve will get one.  As much as I love my stocking, my mom and I figured it was time for a new one that matched my husband's. 

At the Christmas party we are having an ugly Christmas sweater contest.  Any suggestions on where to find a good one?  I would really love to win this thing!  If Steve and I could looks as incredible as these two, I could die a happy girl.

Notice the goat in her lap.  She is my new hero.