I'm not Decorating for Christmas This Year

Yep, you read that right. 

Absolutely not at all. 

You see we're supposed to be closing on our new house on December 30.  Instead of bringing out Christmas decorations, I'm packing for our move.

So I thought I'd share some pix from previous Christmases.

2005



I love the pastels.



I'm big time into kitsch at Christmas.


2006

Isn't Santa cute getting ready for his Christmas Eve ride?  He has a whole passel of reindeer to pull his sleigh.



 Probably one of my favorite Christmas decorations.  And it's made it through five moves so far.

2007

There are no pictures of Christmas 2007 on my computer.  I'm sure they exist somewhere in e-space on my husband's computer, but not on my computer. 

It's actually rather symbolic because this was the year I had a miscarriage and my first child left home. 

You'll see a difference in my pictures after this.  You'll see more pix of my kids.  My boys are at school in New York and I live in Texas.  I only see them twice a year and maybe three times if I'm really lucky.

2008



I love this picture of my daughter enjoying decorating Christmas cookies while my oldest son enjoys some quality time with BD in the backyard.

2008 was the year my second boy joined his brother at West Point.  It was so good to have them both home and looking so handsome.   

 
This picture of the kids being serious cracks me up.  Not only that, but they're actually being quiet here.  That's pretty rare when they're all together.

2009


This was my kitchen island last Christmas.  We were getting the house ready to sell.

In the background you can see the same island a few days later with unpainted beadboard.

My boys are filling their marshmallow shooters and BD is watching attentively so he can eat up all the ammunition when they're done.  Smart dog.

This is the undecorated tree and that's how it stayed for the whole season.  It looked so pretty all lit up and that way I didn't have to unpack or repack ornaments.

A month after these pictures were taken, we had 750 square feet of family room, kitchen and entry floors torn up for the new tile my husband installed.  He's a beast!

The next time I saw the boys was for just a few days in June; at the same time that we moved!

So guess what we're doing for Christmas this year?  Yep, moving!

I hope that many years of visits to come will be to the same house so I can concentrate on hospitality instead of moving.

2010

This is what I'm doing instead of decorating for Christmas this year:

Packing!

This year my youngest graduated from high school and joined his brothers at West Point.  At the same time we moved three hours away from my daughter.  But all four kids will be with us for Christmas.  Here is a sneak preview:

This was taken Thursday night after the West Point Christmas dinner.  Steak and lobster and cigars after dinner.  It's a tradition.  That's my oldest in the middle.  He's a Firstie (senior).  My middle boy is on the left.  He's a Cow (junior).  My youngest is on the right.  He's a Plebe (freshman).  Don't they look fine?

I don't really care about the decorations this year.  I'm so glad to have all six of us together again if only for a few days.

Thanks for letting me share and I'm enjoying all your Christmas decorations on your blogs.

Merry Christmas!

Cindy

I'm linking to the following blogs:

Southern Hospitality's Christmas Vignette




Very, Merry Vintage Style's A Very Merry Holiday Home



Hooked on Houses Impromtu Holiday House Tour Linky Party


Home is Where My Story Begins Home and Family Friday


Pink and Polka Dot's impromptu link party