Advent 2014 - Christmas Day - Celebration

"As we find ourselves wrapped in the season of wonder and light, the astonishment that is life ignites our spirits, and we feel, if merely for a moment, that we are as we were meant to be.

"May we hold fast to this sliver of mystery, this truth upon which we set the whole of who we are. May we call ourselves back to it time and again, until we are filled with the wonder that is our life– its hope, its peace, its joy, its love. Infused, then, with all that we are, may our energies be given to the transformation of this world–from despair into hope; from darkness into light; from fear into love. May we be bold. May we be daring. May we be love."

by Greta Vosper

Advent 2014 - Week 4 - Love

"As this season of sparkle and bright unfolds around us the welcome beauty of love is found, woven into the simplicity of every moment. 

"May love flow from our hearts with abundance filling every moment with the season’s gifts of hope and peace and joy. May it be shared truly and deeply that all who encounter it?be charged with its message and become, themselves, the agents of love. And may our children, who love without reckoning, teach us the truth of this most precious gift–we are nothing without each other. Let us live, then, in the blessing of love."

by Greta Vosper

Advent 2014 - Week 3 - Joy

"As this season of “sparkle and bright” unfolds around us the transforming wonders of joy await discovery like shimmering sugar crystals on a favourite treat. 

"May we create joy in all our surroundings as we share gifts, meals, and simple pleasures with family and friends. May the easy gift of a smile bring the power of joy’s touch to those we meet through these busy days. And may we experience the joy of this season as though with the eyes and hearts of children that we might be transfixed by power of what could be."

by Greta Vosper

Christmas at Walt Disney World

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful four night, five day vacation at our favorite place, Walt Disney World.  We've been there a lot of times, but never at Christmas.  Being the big Disney fans that we are, it's been dream of mine for a long time to visit during the holiday season to see all the decorations.  So this trip was really a dream come true!

2014 Christmas Home Tour

Welcome to the Harris Home!

Cozy and Comfy Christmas in the Study

Welcome to the coziest room in the house! 

Christmas in the Living Room

Welcome to our living room at Christmas time!

Advent 2014 - Week 2 - Peace

"As this season of “sparkle and bright” unfolds around us, the silent prayers of peace lie like stars hidden in a clouded night. 

"May we inspire the world with peace. May we touch it to our lives that in every place of stress, frustration, or fear, we might feel the presence of peace easing our hearts and transforming our lives. And may we share the its healing power with our children, that they might become the inspiration through which peace makes its way to a new yet-dreamt-of world."

by Greta Vosper

Christmas Village Display

Our Christmas Village display is up!

White, Gold and Green Christmas Tree

I'm excited to share one of our Christmas trees today.  This tree is in the Bonus Room which is a large TV room above our garage.  This is an "extra" tree - Santa will visit a different one in the living room, so this one is just for my own creative enjoyment.  :-)

Advent 2014 - Week 1 - Hope

"As this season of “sparkle and bright” unfolds before us, the glimmering promises of hope lie like boxed jewels awaiting an adoring light. 

"May we hold fast to hope’s patient possibilities. May we lift them high that they might catch the light of our dreams and shine bright in our broken world.And may we instil hope’s challenge in the hearts of our children that they, too, will live it into meaning–pouring their lives, as we do ours, into making it real–for themselves, for each other, for the world.

by Gretta Vosper

Decorating the Family Tree Christmas Tree

This year, I have put together a "Family Tree" themed Christmas tree.   I'd like to show you how it came together.

Family Photo Ornaments

Today I'm sharing a fun and easy craft project that turns any photo into a cute Christmas tree ornament.  

Christmas Console

Let the Christmas decorating begin!

Christmas Crafts Inspiration

I've been getting into the frame of mind to begin Christmas crafting lately.  It's a lot of fun for me to gather inspiration from lots of sources.   While I have declared a no shopping rule for my Christmas decorations this year, that doesn't mean I can't craft new things from items I already have in my stash!  

Christmas Decorating - Using What You Have

It has begun.

The Snowman Bathroom

Here we are, nearly a week after Christmas, with some better-late-than-never photos of the Christmas decor in our home.  Up today:  the first floor bathroom, decorated in a Snowman theme.

Christmas in our Living Room

I'd like to share some more photos of our living room.  I had a lot of fun putting this room together.  We began on the day after Thanksgiving, purchasing the tree from the local farmer's market.

Christmas Home Tour 2013

Welcome to our home!  We moved into this home on Labor Day Weekend, just three months ago, and since then, we've been working on making it feel like "home."   To me, nothing helps do that more than decorating for Christmas, so I'm glad that the season is happening so soon after we moved in.

In this post, I plan to show some general overview shots of our home, and then in the next week or so, I'll follow this up with some more detailed views of things.  Come on in!

Top Ten Reasons To Love the Week After Christmas

Here we are, two days after Christmas, and I'm guessing many folks are battling the "post-holiday let-down" that can hit us right about now.  But surprisingly, I've not been affected this year.  I'm still loving this holiday season!

So here are my "Top Ten" reasons why I'm enjoying this week after Christmas: