Merry Christmas!

So, I never did e-mail Christmas cards, and the cards I did send out were sent late. What is wrong with me this year?? So, whoever reads our blog will get a bloggy greeting instead.

Here are a few pics of our Christmas cheer. The pics are blurry, as most of our pictures are lately, as our camera is dying. We'd LOVE Santa to bring us a new one, but his budget is tight this year, so we may not get Christmas photos this year. :( So sad.

Our tree, for the record, is a bit of a stinker. It's not centered. The trunk does not go up the middle, so there are way too many branches on one side. We felt it was secure, though, and decorated accordingly.

Then, one afternoon, with *both* of the children with me in another room, we heard a crash. At first, I thought it was just one of the ornaments, but no, there lay my tree, my glorious big bushy NZ Christmas tree, in a heap on the floor, ribbon and lights and paper chains in the biggest tangle you can imagine. As I went to pick it up, a glass ball, one I'd purchased in Victoria and had a beautiful native painting on it, fell off and broke. I could have cried.

It took me the whole evening to untangle everything. Colin weighted it down the next day and much to my disgust, I re-decorated. I HATE decorating the tree. I'm just not a fan. Okay, the first time is fine. Decorating a second time just left me feeling crabby.

But I got it done, and lo and behold, it was even prettier than the first time. Now, bear in mind, I don't have the "perfect" tree, nor is my decorating very "Martha Stewart-esque". But it's pretty. And it suits us. And the blurry pictures make the lights kind of cool. ;)

These two are my lights and garland hung on our fireplace guard, with the stockings in front. I know, hard to see. It's pretty in real life. ;)
In the daylight

And at night

The tree in the daylight. Ethan and I made the paper chains.

And at night. I love sitting in my "fairy lighted" living room. (Christmas lights are called fairy lights in NZ).

Merry Christmas to all! Enjoy your families, friends and above all, rejoice in the beautiful gift of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who loves us beyond measure.
Love, Colin, Krista, Ethan, and Silas