fa la la la la.

11 days and counting to christmas! i actually started breaking out the christmas decorations over here the day after thanksgiving, and two weeks ago we went out an got our christmas tree. for a short period of time i did ask matt if we could go cut one down this year, in the end that idea lost my interest and all that mattered was we had our second christmas tree!  we picked this gorgegous tree up from our local lions club, which is where we got our tree last christmas.

lucky for us the "christmas tree guru" was there. i laugh as i type that because, this high school aged girl, was just that. she asked us several questions about size, shape, and fullness we were going for and then went around eliminating possible trees until she settled on our perfect tree. seriously, i think we were both speechless and in awe of her.  she assured us "i have been doing this for awhile". who knew there were christmas tree gurus out there? let alone a high school teenage girl christmas tree guru? i would have never pegged her for one.

clearly we listened to her, purchased this fine specimen of a tree and in 20 minutes or less we left the lions club lot. since we live about... well a block from where the lions club sets up for the season, matt barely tied the tree to the car and then preceded to open the sunroof and hold it in place as we drove the block to our place.  i was a combination of laughing, mortified and disturbed for two reasons, one, we looked like white trash and  two, oh yea, i am engaged to this guy!

luckily our tree made it home safe and sound and all and all this tree is the best yet.

i was excited to open the boxes of ornaments including my favorite, baby buckley. (after yesterdays post, i am sure you are not shocked he has an ornament.)

and the gold turtledoves, i picked up after last christmas on clearance while shopping in deep creek, maryland. (actually most of our ornaments are from deep creek, maryland clearly whenever i am there i just can't resist and the prices are to good to pass up)

and my all time favorite christmas decoration purchase this year, my advent calendar i bought for buckley! it is adorable. i filled the drawers with groumet dog treats for a local pet shop and buckley and i open a drawer a day. he loves it, or more like he likes treats.

and those wooden figures keeping the advent calendar guarded, are my west elm nutcracker and wooden elf i purchased this year, also adorable.

and because no holiday would be complete without them, my paperwhites are starting to bloom just in time for the holidays. i planted them back in early november.

it is a very merry christmas, the best time of the year! this weekend i plan on tackling all my christmas cookie baking, wrap presents and have a delicious pre-christmas holiday meal with matt's brothers and dad! i love the holidays : )