Good morning, y’all! And Happy Monday! While you’re reading this post (if it’s early in the morning), I’m currently on my way to the hospital to photograph a birth! And not just any birth but my neighbor, one of my best friends is a gestational carrier for another friend! You can read more of their story here on my photography blog.

What better testament to the grace of our Father!

I am so thankful you’re here. I’m thankful for this time of year and I’m thankful we are able to celebrate and blog about how we fill our homes with Christmas cheer.  I’m thankful for my friend, Lindsay, from The White Buffalo Styling Co., who always graciously hosts this tour!

I shared the first part of our tour last week and you can read more about it here. I’m not going to lie, I’m super excited about my first magnolia garland.

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If you’re coming over from The Inspired Room, welcome!

I brought back some red this year and kept most of the whites. I tried to mainly shop the house but of course, I got sucked in to the Target dollar spot and bought a few small things to accent.

img_1221Two years ago, I added some chicken wire to this old window from our house for our cards and this year just added a small wreath and it’s been so fun to add cards as they’ve come in!  img_1220 img_1204 img_1205

And how could I forget to tell you that we found a flocked tree on Craigslist!?! Oh my word. I was BEYOND excited! We added dollar tree ornaments and some popcorn garland and a berry garland a friend let me borrow!

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I love the touches my kiddos have added in the kitchen. It was so funny; while I was trying to make Callie’s footprint wreath, the boys were dying to make a footprint or handprint so we ended up with a thumbprint wreath instead. It’s the little things. 😉

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One of my favorite things, and one of the reasons I added red was because of this little Coca-Cola tray I found for Callie’s party! We hung it on the wall and it holds coffee and hot chocolate! I have to admit, I love this little corner now.

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Another favorite is this O Come All Ye Faithful from my friend Alex!

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It wouldn’t be right to end this tour without a picture of the nativity. Recently, I have begun helping with the children’s ministry team at our church and yesterday morning, the amazing Sunday School teacher and former Children’s Minister took us on a hunt for Baby Jesus. We went through the sanctuary and couldn’t figure out why God wouldn’t send the King of the World to such a fancy place. We looked outside but we ended in the musty basement where we found him lying in the manger.

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God sent us His Son, the King of the World so that we could spend eternity with Him. And with the group of children singing Joy to the World in the basement of the church, my heart shifted to that reminder.

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Then, in “big church,” my friend, along with my dad and Russ’ aunt and two high schoolers sang King of the World by Natalie Grant. This song has already been on repeat around our house but if you haven’t heard it, you have to look it up on Spotify.

“When did I forget you have always been the King of the World?
How could I make you so small when you’re the one that holds it all?”

So when I become anxious about the holiday season or worry about how clean the house is when the basketball team comes Saturday morning or when I stress about making it work financially, this reminder that He is the King washes that all away.

So COME! Let us adore Him.

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Because if I’m being honest, Saturdays in the winter are my favorite day. It’s so special to watch my boys (including my husband loving on these kiddos). Because when you’re doing something you love, something God gave you a passion for, life is that much better.

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Thanks for being here, friends. If you’ll head to Julia’s blog over at Cuckoo 4 Design , I promise you won’t be disappointed.

 

Amber