It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas ...

Can you believe it! You can actually tie a tree on to a little Honda Civic. The twine was strung through the doors.



"Look at our tree!" This is the first time Erin and I have picked out a tree together ... Won't be the last either! Just like my dad, siblings John, Mary and Susie, I always get a real tree. Erin's fine with that custom :-) This is a Frasier Fur. It's Frasier, Douglas or bust. I once got a Balsam Fir and the thing was an absolute fire hazard. You could jump on the floor in my room and massive amounts of needles fell off. It didn't make it to Christmas, and it looked like a "Bob Cratchet" tree in the end. I laugh about it now ... but I was not happy at the time.



A new Christmas Decoration!



Erin and I went to soooo many stores to find wintry place mats. It was an adventure. Finally, as we gave up and were pulling into Chili's for dinner, Erin spotted a TJ Max Home Goods store. I dug deep in the racks and found these! We also got cloth napkins to go with them. We wanted to go with wintry because we can use them from Christmas thru winter. Also, it matches our "Advent Wreath." I bought the wreath last year at my parish's store. I am very pleased with it. On the sides it has etched scenes from the Nativity story.

Erin and I picked this new decoration out together. The wood goes great with our new paint job. We wanted the dining area to be focused on Christ ... so we put the Holy Family up :-).

"I give you the Griswold Family Christmas tree ... Looks great! Little full ... lotta sap!"

This is my kind of job. Erin will never have to worry about doing this. I enjoy doing it. Thanks to my brother John for showing me how to correctly put lights on a tree ... over 14 years ago. John and I are the two Fr. Christmases of the family. We call each other each year when we get actual snow accumulation for the first time ... as well as any winter weather advisories. Often our calls involve, "Oh yeah!!! ... Lake Effect Snow Warning ... 6-10 inches by morning." I miss Grand Rapids!

The Harmon Family Christmas Tree

My bride and I. She always look so cute! Hopefully people's eyes go right to her instead of my fat "fufi." ;-) Inside joke for my siblings. I have a feeling my brothers are going to be calling me "Joe Fat" this Christmas lol.

First Sunday of Advent! Erin and I sat down at our dining room table with the lights dimmed, lit the candle of Peace, reflected on the meaning of advent and its first week, and finally enjoyed a meal together. It mean a lot to us. It especially made me feel like we were truly becoming a family. The advent wreath and Jesse tree always remind me of fun and loving times in my family.

This is the day after. We put the lights up on Saturday and decorated on Sunday night. Erin got cold so she put my robe on over her sweater. I get hot easily and she gets cold easily. Also, I try to save on the electric bill. We've already begun discussions on how we will deal with this next year.

I love Christmas!

Erin tried to pay me back by filming me as I tried to explain why heavy ornaments don't do well on the bottom branches. I teased her by saying it wasn't going on the blog ... but here it is :-)

Prank on Erin ... Didn't go as well as I had hoped. But her reaction is priceless. I tied twine between the two doors and hoped that when she opened the bathroom door that it would only open half way and close the bedroom door. I know this makes no sense, but it's okay because I'm a Harmon! "We do lots of dumb stuff ... especially around Christmas."



Biggest Post Ever! Hope you enjoy! Hope you are enjoying the Jesusmas season! Love you all, Erin and Joe.