Christmas Tour of Homes

Today is the Christmas Tour of Homes over at BooMama's.  I'm not sure if I really want to look at everyone else's beautiful houses or not.  If you could see my house right now, you would understand.  I'm thinking of ditching the house and moving us all into an RV.  One change of clothes and one toy and that's it!  But I suppose we'd have to live in the parking lot of a really good library then, and we'd probably be arrested for loitering.

But, since I like to play too sometimes, here are a few Christmassy pictures for your Monday.  Courtesy of our nor'easter, it's looking a little more Christmassy outside today than inside...

(The pictures are a little dark because it was early.  You can't make out the blowing snow here, but we've still got winds gusting up to 40 mph today.)

I've been noticing this year how little Christmas stuff we actually have.  Our tree looks a little bare.  I'd love the kids to make more ornaments, but they haven't seemed too interested.  We still have a week, though!  Right now our tree is sometimes visited by woodland creatures, who enjoy having great big spaces of no ornaments in which to rest:

What?  You didn't know that lemurs live in Christmas trees?

Outside, the woodland creatures are going to be having a few problems:

This feeder is not in a good winter place, but we have two other feeders that are more sheltered.  This week we'll be focusing on the change of seasons and making our own feeders, though -- cranberry strings, orange feeders, peanut butter pine cones (maybe), and making up our own suet using shortening.  (That's the plan anyway.) 

Inside, our poinsettias are blooming nicely:

Outside, we have this:

and this:

(Christmas lights do not melt snow, in case you're wondering.)

Inside it's a bit cheerier, with this:

And, of course, we are waiting for this:

... in spite of missing several key characters... (Where's Mary, you ask?  I'd like to know, too.)... and a manger... (Wasn't Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a basket?  And I think the donkey is attempting to kiss Him, not eat Him...)

ETA: Due to circumstances beyond my control when I first posted (they involved boys, of course), I neglected to provide refreshments!   In the hopes of correcting my mistake, here are some links to two of my favorite Christmas cookies:

• Strawberry Marzipan Bars (These are really, really yummy.)
• Buttery Jam Tarts

Merry Christmas, everybody! 

Comments

[KC]

Thank you for inviting us to tour your place to day. Merry Christmas

[Miss Patti]

Very pretty

[Hootin' Anni]

Brrrrrrrrrrrr, that looks cold enough without the help of you saying the snow is blowing!!! I'm NOT a snow person. LOL

Wonderful tour for us.

I have a slide show for my tour. [since your comments do not allow html, you'll have to find the link on my regular blog's sidebar.]
I hope you can get connected to view with me, if not, I have a few thumbnail images on my regular blog too.---

My Slide Show Tour

[Meredith]

Beautiful, and I'm glad to see that the manger antics are happening elsewhere :) Happy week!!

[Jenni]

God Jul to you too! I used to live in Norway, so I'm always excited to see anything Scandinavian hanging about someone's house.

Your weather is definitely Christmassy, and your house is lovely in spite of your "lack" or decorations! TFS!

[Southern Heart]

Very pretty! I love all of the natural touches in your decorating...and that snow is beautiful!

Merry Christmas,

Andrea

[ellen b]

Thank you for your wintery tour. I enjoyed myself. Blessings on you and yours...

[jessica]

Oh... I know y'all are probably sick of it, but I wish we had snow here like that! Merry Christmas!

[Dawn]

Thank you for allowing me into your home this holiday season! Enjoyed the tour!

Merry Christmas from Dawn in Germany!

[Amy]

Thank you for sharing your home and your snow. We have only gotten a very slight dusting here in TN. Not like I'm used to, coming from MT.

Your house is beautiful.