The Miss Elaine-ous Life

random acts of life, family and photos

The Christmas Tour of Homes – Please Come In!

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The lovely and talented (oh and funny too!) Boo Mama is hosting the Christmas Tour of homes once again this holiday season and I am excited to be part of the fun for the second year in a row!

BooMamaChristmasTour

For those of you visiting for the first time, I am so glad you are here and decided to stop by! I am a SAHM with a wonderful husband and two beautiful, God-given little boys. My blog is about all the “miss-elainey” that goes on in my life! If you decide you like reading about my “Miss Elaine-ous Life” please subscribe and/or “follow” me on my sidebar over there. You can also find me on twitter as “elainea”. And if you’re one of my regular bloggy buddies, well welcome to the tour too my friends! : )

I know there are A LOT of people to visit so let’s get going, shall we?

Is that you knocking on the door? Well come on in. It might be cold out there (this is Texas so you just never really know, it could also be 70 degrees!)

Would you like some hot cocoa?

Yes……. those are colored marshmallows which are preferred by the resident 4 year old. If you like yours without I TOTALLY understand…

Please, have a seat and admire the tree.


Pay no attention to the collection of ornaments down under the tree there… That would be the handy work of a certain 19-month old (yes, TODAY Little G is 19 months old!) that lives here. Sure, you can help me put them back but then there will just be new ones there in a few minutes, so it’s okay!


Moving along… Here is one of my favorite ornaments that I have had for several years now. I believe my mother gave it to me (isn’t it sad that I can’t remember for sure, but I am pretty sure? Yeesh!)


And here is my favorite ornament that is new to my collection this year.

I found this one while my husband Tim and I were on a little “Mommy & Daddy only trip” to small town Texas, USA last weekend. Isn’t it pretty?

The ornaments are surviving the toddler pretty well this year (I believe only one or two broken so far). However, my nativity figures have met a much worse fate.

Yes, two out of three of the wisemen have lost their heads. It’s terribly tragic but please don’t worry, I would like a new set anyway and baby jesus is safely tucked away.
This lovely “real” tree (ours pretty obviously isn’t) was on our door step when we got back from our trip. It’s a gift from Tim’s Aunt Judy and I found a perfect spot for it in our breakfast area. It’s so nice to have something with the real tree scent!

While we’re in the kitchen I will show you another couple of trinkets that I acquired on our little trip (Fredricksburg, TX is known for it’s great “gifty” shopping!) that are sitting on my window sill.

I found the darling “Believe” sign in the same shop as the bird ornament (where all things Christmas were 50% off!) and I came across the cute wooden Santa on the right at a thrift store for a whopping $2! The other Santa on the left is an old favorite and the pine cone was made by Little G at pre-school. I don’t think you can tell very well but it has “snow” and glitter on it!

Speaking of Santas, I collect them. Here are a few more I’ve acquired over the years.

The one second from the left is very special since I bought him while on our honeymoon in Deer Valley, Utah.

I also wanted to share with you the darling quilted tree that I have in Little G’s room. I found this one at the HUGE Salvation Army in Dallas a few years back for $5. As you can tell I am not above second hand shopping. Love it actually!

I just adore all the pretty fabrics that went into it and of course you know it is handmade which makes it even more wonderful in my eyes!

Oh, I know… you have to go. But here, let me leave you with the recipe for my Mom’s famous cheese ball (I do know that she gave me this one!) It’s SO easy to make and SO very yummy! It’s a Christmas favorite at our house every year!

Pineapple Cheese Ball

1 pkg. 8 oz softened cream cheese (it’s just as good with light)

3 tbsp. chopped green bell pepper

2 tbsp. chopped onion

1 small can crushed pineapple (drained)

1 tsp. season salt

1 – 1 1/2 cups of chopped pecans.
Mix first five ingredients. Shape into a ball with hands then roll in chopped pecans. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Serve with your favorite crackers. Really, you must try it. I can’t stress this enough…

Okay, I guess that about wraps up the little tour for this year.

I hope you all have a blessed and wonderful Christmas filled with joy, family and the peace of Christ!

elaine

Comments

  3. My sweet Grandmother had a Santa collection too! Yours brought back wonderful memories of staring at them for hours as a child. Thanks for having me over!

  5. Oh goodness, will any of our nativity sets survive our children?

    Your home is beautiful. I LOVED my first stop by!

    Merry Christmas!

  9. Thanks for the tour, and lovely to “meet” you.

    We have a very toddler proof wooden nativity – no-one is headless (yet!).

    Stunning tree and little tree, but I love the quilted tree the best!

    Hope you get a chance to visit my Northern Ireland blog.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours.

  17. Lovely home. Beautiful family. I love the quilted tree too–kind of sad something like that ends up in a thift store–but good for you. Have a merry Christmas and God bless you!

  19. What a beautiful home! Our nativity isn’t holding up so well, this year, either. Gabriel lost his head. It was a sad day. hahaha.

    I love the photo Christina took of you all! 🙂

  24. Elaine,
    Your house and TREE are so very beautiful.

    And guess what?

    We will be joining you for Christmas. Why you ask? Well, our tree saw the picture of your tree and has now entered a facility for the treatment of severely low self esteem. After all the giggles it has recieved, the picture of your beautful tree has sent our little tree over the edge.

    If that is an artifical tree, I am sold. Where do I get one of those!

  28. You have an absolutly gorgious family! Your house is lovely too of course. My favorite it that quilted tree because I remember having one growing up but I have not seen it in many years. I’ll have to call my Mom today and ask if she still has it…if she does I forbid her to get rid of it for I hereby claim it as MINE! Well if she decides I can have it 🙂 Merry Christmas!

  29. What a lovely home! And the family portrait at the end was the perfect finishing touch. For those of us first-time visitors, it’s fun to see who we’re visiting 🙂

  33. Everything looks great! Our nativity looks very similar to yours… We have a few headless shepards! 🙂 Thanks for letting us in!

  34. Our baby Jesus and the angel have suffered similar fates of your wise men. Yay for super glue! Thanks for having me over. You have a lovely home.

  35. OK, I started laughing when I saw the fate of your Three Wisemen. For us, it’s been Mary who has taken a fall. She’s chipped but not completely broken!

  38. Hey Elaine- Your tree is SO pretty! I guess that design degree really did pay off. Happy Holidays! -JenBorth

  40. Your Santa collection is wonderful, I love it! Your tree is beautiful and thanks for the hot chocolate, I love me some marshmallows 🙂

    Your picture is gorgeous, what a fantastic family!

  42. My favorite photo is the headless wisemen.
    You will cherish that one in years to come. 🙂
    Beautiful home!
    Merry Christmas!

  46. Lovely home. =) The real-ness of the Nativity cracked me up. =)

    I love thrift store shopping too!!

    Your ginormous tree is gorgeous. I’m just not sure I want to give up real trees, I just LOVE the smell. Although the Yankee Candle Christmas Wreath candle smells pretty close.

  48. Wow! I Love all the decorations! Christmas time is so beautiful isn’t it!? Adorable Christmas card picture, too! You’re family is adorable! Merry Christmas 🙂

  49. Hi to a fellow Texan – I was saddened (just kidding here folks) for the evident mass execution of wisemen – that Herod is still causing trouble isn’t he? all of us have “oops” decorations (mine just got edited out of the pictures) and your home is beautiful and you have the right priority – enjoy your family! Merry Christmas

  54. Thanks so much for inviting us into your home…love the tree and the little ornament pile underneath! Oh, and the headless wisemen are too cute! Thanks for sharing!

  55. What a wonderful tour! Your home looks lovely and festive. I can’t get over how beautiful your tree is, and I think it’s super cute that you have a pile of ornaments at the bottom!
    The family Christmas photo is just gorgeous as well – you have a beautiful family 🙂 Merry Christmas!

  59. So many people in your home, I’m getting claustrophobic… now how are the Wise Men supposed to be wise without their heads?

    I had a lovely time, thanks for having me.

  60. Thanks for the wonderful tour, your home & decorations are beautiful & I especially loved your chat along the way. Now I need to check out some other homes!

  61. Everything is so lovely! I especially love the bird ornament and the Believe sign from the same store…and wish that I lived much, much closer to Texas so I could get my own 🙂

  62. Beautiful stuff, Elaine! I love the tree so much, the decorations are adorable. The family shot of you guys at the end is just amazing. FANTASTIC tour . . . now I need more hot chocolate 🙂

  63. Thanks for the lovely tour! And your tree is beautiful–mine has no lights and is nailed with wire to the wall–5 kitties love to eat lights and climb the tree!

  64. Thanks for the tour! Everything is so lovely, and your tree is wonderful. Is it bad of me to admit that the headless wisemen are my favourite though? Enjoy this wonderful stage of life. Merry Christmas!

  67. Your home is so pretty! Your poor wisemen, my kids used to do that too! I am going to try your cheeseball recipe, it sounds so good!
    Merry Christmas

  70. Beautifully decorated.

    I have to agree with the Texas temperatures. Yesterday in the 70s and today we are freezing of our noses.

  73. Okay, heads are rollin’ at your house! I laughed out loud. Seriously. And there’s no one here to hear me.

    I don’t feel so bad about my navitiy scene now. I found baby Jesus under the ottoman and his manger is MIA thanks to Mia. 🙂 I’m sure the Roomba will find it tomorrow!

    Thanks for the hot chocolate with colored marshmallows and the tour! I enjoyed it. I think I’ll have to add my home to the tour tomorrow!

    Night 😉

  77. Thanks for inviting me in, I enjoyed my visit. Your Christmas touches are sweet! And I’ll take EXTRA Marshmellows in my Hot Cocoa!!

  81. Love your nativity scene – or lack thereof! Thanks for sharing your lovely home, your little boys are adorable. Merry Christmas 🙂

  82. Just Beautiful!
    I really like the ornament with the wise men too!
    and I have a 2 1/2 year old grandbaby who helps me decorate/undecorate a lot too! Precious!
    Fun Visiting with you!

    Sweet Blessings and
    Merry Christmas!
    DeeDee

  83. Thanks for sharing your lovely holiday decor with us. Your tree is just so pretty and the ornaments on the ground are too funny…my son did that when he was smaller too. Happy Holidays!

  90. The cheese ball sounds very yummy! I like your new little bird ornament, it is very cute. Thanks for the very fun tour.

  91. Hi Elaine! Your tree is so full and beautiful!! I love it.
    Oh and what a funny display of the wisemen without their heads :0)
    I really like that wisemen ornament. Thanks for your visit to my tour and have a very Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Tour of Homes

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While continuing to blog about my the boys and other family happenings, I am also getting involved and “joining in” on certain events, contests, etc. that other blogs host. I think I mentioned a little while ago that blogging is running rampant throughout the internet world and it’s like it’s own separate world!

So, today I am getting in on Boo Mama’s Christmas Tour of Homes, 2007. She has a list of links on her blog to many other blogs (mine included) in which each one has linked to pictures of their home during the holidays.

Below you will find some pictures of our home and some of the favorite things in our house during the holidays. So, Come on In!

Upon entering the house there is a festive wreath on the door, the first dose of holiday cheer!

Next to see is the tree, the “biggest” and the most beautiful Christmas symbol (besides the baby Jesus of course) in my opinion. As I put in an earlier post, we purchased a new, pre-lit one this year and it is quite a bit wider than our old one. However, I think the time saved on lights was taken up by the extra “fluffing” time!

Here are couple of ornaments to highlight this year.

Here is Ben’s first school-made ornament. I plan on keeping this FOREVER, since one of the coolest things about my Mother’s tree is that she still has all of our handmade ornaments that we made as children and I just love to look at them when I am at her house for the holidays.

Ben and I made this one together at a playgroup event where we painted our own ornaments. As you could probably guess, Ben painted all the GREEN and I did the little red ornaments and yellow star. Team work!This ornament was purchased while Tim and I were on our honeymoon and I just think it is so cute. It says where we went (Deer Valley, Utah) and the snow people look so happy together – just as we are!

There are MANY other ornaments that I love but we would be here forever just on that subject… so, moving along.

Here is our mantle/fireplace area.I collect Santas so here are 3 of the bigger ones in front of the fireplace. Notice there are only two stockings? Well, there is a good reason for this. My mother-in-law has hand-crafted all of our stockings and she has taken re-possession of Ben’s so that she could add something to it (guess what – a train!) and she is in the process of making Gavin’s so that is why only Tim and my stocking are in this picture.

Here is our little nativity. It is humble and lowly, don’t you think? No, really the manger was passed down from my parents so it holds a special place in my heart. Nothing fancy here, but I assume that is how it really was when our Savior was born, so it’s quite fitting I think.

These are on a bookcase in our living room. I believe I picked them up at a Salvation Army store, nevertheless I just love them. Tim and I both sing and love Christmas music (also noted in a previous blog) and I think they are darling.

Here is the table that holds all the Christmas greeting cards. Of course some of our friends have decided to send e-cards this year, so sorry… but your cards are not in the picture…

Venturing into the kitchen we see this lovely handmade door decoration. I thought it was cute when Ben first brought it home from school but it’s pretty sad that the 3 year-old had to point out to his thirty-something mother that the door knob makes his nose. DUH!

In our den I display some more of the Santa collection. You may not be able to see them so well, but there are 5 of the smaller ones that I own.

And here is another picture of the living room that Tim took last night with our new camera (our other one was horrible and so we just accepted it and bought a new one!)

That’s about all. No fancy dining room because ours is currently the kids’ playroom, but someday… oh I do hope someday. Merry Christmas to you all! We hope you enjoyed this little tour of the Alguire home at the holidays!

Comments

  2. You have a beautiful home and decorations! I especially liked your little carolers. The simplest things are sometimes the best!

  10. Thanks for the kind comments on my blog. I love your fireplace and paneling. You have a lovely home and thank you for sharing it with all of us! Blessings to you and your family!

  14. Thank you for visiting my Christmas home tour. I loved seeing yours and what a beautiful fireplace you have. Also, it was fun to see the kids making cookies. I sure miss those days. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. ~ Lynn