'Twas the season & a look ahead to 2012

After taking off almost the ENTIRE month of December, I thought I would just do a quick re-cap of what we have been up to over here at The Bee's Knees by sharing a few snapshots of the family over the holidays!

We started out the month of December by getting out of the cold and going on vacation to sunny Mexico!!

We cruised.....

 toured the Myan ruins....

And did a lot of this......

.....and this.....

The 5 days we were on the cruise was the perfect thing we needed to re-charge the batteries and spend some quality time with the in-laws while they celebrated 50 years of marriage!

 Congrats Jack & Flo!!

Needless to say I was off to a very late start on my christmas decorating since we were away, but here's a couple of pics from around our house this holiday season.

Our Tree.

I don't have a pretty, fancy tree...just yet. I believe that a family Christmas tree should be just that...all about family. We head out and cut down our own live tree, then break out the box of old, mis-matched, half broken ornaments that are filled to the brim with wonderful memories of Christmas pasts. It's crazy how you forget what you have packed away in that box, then every year when you go to open it again, the memories come pouring back. Maybe one day I will have one of each...a fun family tree and a very pretty decorative tree of my own:) But for now, I'm pretty satisfied with just the one.

I let the kids do a lot of the decorating, and tried to suppress my urge to re-arrange the entire tree after they were done! (I only moved a few of them!)

One thing I did make for the tree was a garland cut from glitter paper using my cricut machine. I saw this one made by the fabulous Miss Mustard Seed and fell in love! So I had to try my hand at making one too:) I also made a 'cheers' garland for our bar area.

 

Here's my minimalist mantle with my Modern DIY Holiday Art. And yes, there are only 3 stockings and 4 of us! It  has taken me 2 years to make the 3 that you see hanging up there!! These stockings have been one of those projects that never seem to end..... The 3rd is in the works....maybe I will have it done by next year?!? But fret not...Santa still had enough stockings to stuff for everyone!

The no sew mitten advent calendar I made for the kids was a huge hit! They loved opening up their little 'treat' each morning:) 

I like to use natural elements, so I tucked a few of the pine boughs cut from the Christmas tree into a few different nooks around the house and decorated them with simple ball ornaments.

And lastly, I  gave my Thankful Tree a christmas make-over by simply hanging a few pretty ornanments from the branches.

Christmas Day was fun as always.....we were surrounded by friends & family from afar, and the kids had a blast opening their presents!

And Santa left me a shiny new toy too that I have hardly been able to put down!! 

But I am glad that they are over.....(there, I said it!) And now it is time to pack up the decorations, put my house back in order and look ahead towards a new year. 

2012 should be a pretty full year around here! We are planning a bathroom renovation for the kids/guest bath, as well as an overhaul of our Master Bath. A new kitchen backsplash is in order, as well as maybe a Family Room spruce up?! (I've been dying to replace my curtains and make new pillows and paint! We'll see how far I can stretch my budget for this one.) 

I want to complete my craft room/guest bedroom, and also finish decorating my Master Bedroom. I have furniture and bedding for both, but that is about as far as I have gotten. I'm thinking of trying my hand at some sort of wall stenciling...

I'm also striving for organization this year!! I already got my office organzed, but now I am going to takle the dreaded junk drawer that has managed to take over my entire desk area in the kitchen! The kids playroom also needs a good sort-out and a paint job, so that is on the list too.

Looks like it's going to be a busy year!! I hope you will stick around to see how it all comes together.

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season, and all the best in the New Year!