Oh Christmas Tree!

I've finally put up the Christmas tree, finished decorating the inside of the house, and I'm halfway done with my Christmas shopping. And there's still 10 more days until Christmas! Here are a couple of pictures of my efforts over the past week:

Our tree

Our mantle

Our tree is artificial this year since we are traveling to Portland, OR for Christmas to see my side of the family. It looks really "artificial" when you first put it up, but once the lights and ornaments are on it, it looks like it could pass for a real tree. The only downfall is that you don't get the fresh pine smell that reminds you of Christmas when you walk through the door. I've tried lighting the candles that are supposed to smell "real" but they don't work so we just imagine we can smell the fresh pine! Our mantle looks so great now that the fireplace is finished. Yay Joe! Since it's been so cold we have been lighting fires and getting cozy in our living room and soon I'm sure we'll be watching the snow fall!