Christmas Tour of Homes 2008

Well, I was totally going to be a party poop this year and miss out on the annual Boomama Christmas Tour of Homes. See, I've been feeling just a smidge behind this year and in my efforts to make this year as stress free as possible, I thought I'd just quietly skip it. But, who am I kidding?! I can't pass a great party by!

So welcome, welcome!

Watch your step on the entrance stairs. It just dumped snow for 2 days and we worked really hard to clear the step for you! That's the great deal of a wreath I was telling you about and if you want to see the planters without 6 inches of snow on them you can just take a peek here. Just ignore the weird colored square on the house. I tried to match the house color but, well, after 6 tries this is what I got and remember my mantra. Stress free, stress free! :v)

But let's get indoors. It's a little brisk on this -29*C (-20*F) with that wind it's like -40*C &F, so come, warm up. To the right is the living room and these little guys are visible and here to greet you as you come in the front door.

Let's go to the kitchen which to the right, first. We need a nice coffee to carry around to warm you up. Help yourself to eggnog to put in it if you like or maybe a nice flavored coffee syrup? There's several to choose from. Of if you'd rather, there's chai tea or hot chocolate. And that wonderful smell? There's double chocolate pecan biscotti cooling off to dip into your hot drink.



As you're dolling up your coffee you can see that my Santa Christmas countdown is wrong. Yeah, did I mention I was a bit behind? I'm even behind on moving the snowflake to the right date. LOL. Oh well. Stress free, right?

If you look up, you can see one of my favorite Christmas knick knacks. It's a nesting doll nativity. It's found places to sit over the years but I like it in the kitchen because now I have a nativity in there too.This is just a small part of my snowman collection. It just keeps a growing.
My table are is really simple. Mostly because of the dayhome kids. No runners or tablecloths because they usually pull on it. Table stuff is all within reach. But take a look at this cool little guy. He's actually a candle. Just lift off his hat and there it is. And those are teeny tiny little "presents" scattered around him. On the last day of dayhome before Christmas I'll swap him out for beautiful ruby red candle holders with tall slim candles and a ruby red floating candle holder. Something a little more grown up. :v)


Bring your coffee, we'll move to the living room. On the cupboard beside my little greeters hang hubby's and my stockings on the side and this humungous stocking on the front. That is the stocking that they brought my best Christmas present ever to me on Christmas afternoon 14 years ago. My beautiful girl, Tia, came to me inside this stocking with a little knitted Santa hat on her head, after they checked her all out, gave her a bath and put a little nightgown on her. The cutest present ever. Now she gets a birthday present wrapped in her special sock.

Here's the nativity on my mantle. Love, love, love it.

My whole mantel. I'm thrilled I finally found stocking clips that have nothing on the tops to interfere with my nativity. It took me years to find these and what's better? I got them at 60% off! Yipee!
Here's more of my snowman collection on the end table. The house holds a tealight and when lit the windows glow with warmth.

My coffee table. I love greenery with berries, pinecones and birds. And finally last, but not least my tree. Not a "theme" or designer tree, but a precious "memory" tree. If you see big empty spaces it's because we left spots so that my oldest, whose away at school, can hang her ornaments when she gets home for Christmas. We offered to do it for her, but she insisted she wanted to. I love that the traditions that I started for my kids are important to them.


And this is a special new ornament for this year. A friend gave it to me. It's actually made out of a duck egg and is very fragile. So it's way out of reach of little hands to say the least.

The sentiment upon it I give to you: Merry Christmas. And may you be blessed with love, joy, health and peace this Christmas season and may you know the love that gave Jesus, the greatest gift of all.

Now I'll let you get on your way. I know you have HUNDREDS more houses to visit. Thanks so much for coming by. Have fun with your tour visiting!