2008 Christmas Tour of Homes

Every year, BooMama does a Christmas Tour of Homes...an internet-based open house of sorts. I figured that, since I started reading her blog this year, I would participate.

BooMama also suggested we provide a snack. So, I'm sharing the recipe for Almond Tea...a favorite that we only have at Christmas-time and that I always get compliments on.

4 regular tea bags

1 1/3 C water

2/3 C lemon juice

2 2/3 C sugar

1 1/3 T vanilla

2 2/3 T almond extract

~1 1/3 quart water

2 L ginger ale

Make tea using the tea bags and 1 1/3 C water. Add lemon juice, sugar, vanilla and almond extract. Boil and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Add water to make 2 quarts. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, add 2 L ginger ale. (makes about 1 gallon)

Now for the tour...

Because we are going to New York for Christmas (and we're not having a Christmas party here, as we have in the past), I just couldn't really get into the spirit of decorating a whole lot. Hopefully that will be different next year when Emily is old enough to really enjoy the decorations. (She does like the lights on the tree this year!). Anyway, all that to say...there are only a few decorations up.

This tree has been around a while (and the ornaments...some even longer than the tree!). My parents bought this tree in 1984 when we moved to Colorado. When Jenni moved to Dallas, she took it with her and they bought a new tree. I got it my second Christmas in Dallas, after Jenni bought herself a new tree. Now it's ours and I still love decorating it. As a kid, my parents would allow us to buy one Christmas ornament every year and my grandparents gave each of the grandkids an ornament every year. When I moved out, my tree was already full! Phillip and I have continued the tradition of buying ornaments every year and will do that for Emily as well.

Ah, the candy bell. My grandmother had one that always had peppermints on it. (My guess is they could have been the same peppermints every year since she never ate them!) Anyhow, the tradition is that you take one candy off each night of December and when you get to the bell (the debate goes on in our family whether it's the bell at the top or the small jingle bell at the bottom), Christmas is here. I remember doing that as a kid...Jenni and I took turns each night getting the candy. (Jenni and I each made a bell for ourselves when we left home.) Now, Phillip and I take turns. I'm not sure what we'll do next year when Emily's old enough to eat the candy too!

I love these stockings! My mom made them for us to be similar to the ones that my grandmother made for us when we were little. I can't wait for Emily to be able to open her own stocking! The best part right now, though, is that there are three!

Phillip and I bought this nativity in Germany two years ago.

Phillip bought this figurine for me our first Christmas...before we were married. I just love how Mrs. Santa is sitting on Santa's lap!

One thing I started doing a couple years ago was reading this book. It's a collection of excerpts about the birth of Christ from Max Lucado's other books. I just reminds me of what we're really celebrating this time of year. More than ever, this year, it's important for me to read this because I need the "mommy" time!

Thanks for touring my home. I hope you enjoyed it!