Last week was a bit of a roller coaster. Great news from our adoption agency on Tuesday (so exciting!), and then our external hard drive bit the dust on Friday (boo!). I had tons of upcoming work-related photos and video footage on that thing so needless to say, I am very anxious to hear back from Data Savers about whether they can be recovered or not.
To keep my mind off that situation, I trimmed the tree this weekend!
I went for a playful, snow-related theme, because it was such a huge part of my childhood (in Minnesota), and I can’t wait to take our little one back there to experience that sometime. I used a bunch of “snowballs” I made earlier this year:
They’re just white styrofoam balls, covered in joint compound, sprayed white, and sprinkled with clear glitter. (You can click here to see my step-by-step article about them if you’d like.)
I filled clear ornaments with left over faux snow…
…and used natural/outdoorsy/snowflake-themed wrapping papers (from Target):
Since the tree is standing where my vintage suitcases are normally stacked, I nestled them up underneath it as well:
I took apart the mitten advent garland I made a couple of years ago…
…and used my stick snowflakes again this year, too:
My favorite “real” ornament- is this little Airstream (from Michaels):
I wonder if we’ll have an extra set of hands to help trim the tree next year?
I sure hope so! 😀
PS- For more pics between posts, join me over on Twitter, Facebook and/or Instagram!
teresa
this post makes me smile…… 🙂
Sarah Venn
I’m so happy for you guys!! Tree looks amazing, too 🙂
Kris
Here’s hoping you have little hands decorating your tree in the years to come as well as kid-made ornaments!
Cath
Lovely post by two lovely people who are going to have a lovely 2014. Blessings to all of you.
Darnetha @ ChippaSunshine
Simply beautiful!
Axelle
I do wish it for you, Layla. Truly 😀
Your tree is gorgeous. It’s simple and sophisticated on the same time.
Mandi
Simply lovely. You have great taste. My friend snagged that wrapping paper last week when we were at Target together. I love it! My question: how do you fit your tree stand into that galvanized tub? We tried and our stand wouldn’t fit inside our tub. :-/ maybe your tub is bigger than what it looks like in the picture?
Jenn A
Love your snow tree. I live in MN now and we definitely have snow everywhere! I do hope that next year you’ll be experiencing the wonder and delight of Christmas time through the eyes of a little person!
Katie
Oh, Layla….
I get misty every time you share about Sweet P. We are praying that you continue to feel God’s arms around you as your adoption journey continues, and that you will, indeed, have an extra set of hands helping with the tree next year. There is nothing like sharing the magic of the holiday with a little one, and I’m excited for you to get to experience that. You’re going to be an amazing mother. Isn’t it exciting to know that you already are, that somewhere out there, your child is already waiting to meet you? God is good, and His timing is perfect!
Layla
It is SO exciting, Katie! 😀 Thank you for your sweet comment…it’s so fun sharing this experience with you and I am so thankful for your encouragement and prayers!
kristin
I love your tree! Perfect representation of you and your style. And not to copy what Teresa said but the last picture just made me smile! Adorable picture. 🙂
Tara
Ah! Who cares! The adoption news is the best! I know what you are talking about, but don’t let it bother you! Congrats!!!!
Layla
Thank you, Tara! I appreciate your enthusiasm so much! 😀 PS- Can I forward this comment to my boss? 😉
Tara
Ha ha! Well of course you can! 😉
Marie at the Lazy W
Lovely!! And so exciting for you. I can feel your anticipation. Merry Christmas from Oklahoma!
Karen
Your tree is beautiful and that last photo is so VERY sweet! I hope so too!
Nina
What a beautiful tree and post! Thank you so much for sharing your joy and hope, it truly makes me smile! 🙂
Connie
Layla,
May you be blessed with the sounds of little feet and busy hands running thru your home soon.
I had the blessing of doing a mission trip a few years ago in Haiti, and honestly wanted to take every child we worked with home with me. There is something in the spirit of these children who resided there that just tugged at my heart. Sweet gentle loving children.
Unaffected it seemed in their heart of the poverty that surrounded them.
I have poured thru photos with my daughter, still to this day to share the abundance of blessings we have here, and to hopefully impact her heart for those who are need, as she has a great passion for children already at age 14 and I am hopefully to fan that flame towards ongoing compassion and sowing into the lives of others.
Already her heart is for adoption. What a gift.
Bless you for giving the gift of family to a child who needed one.
May God continue to pour into your family as a new season begins for all of you.
Merry Christmas.
Connie
Gwen
Oh, I do so hope you guys have an extra set of hands!
Everything looks amazeballs! I love those snow covered ornaments…
Mary | Lemon Grove Blog
Your tree is gorgeous! That last photo is absolutely perfect 🙂 Very exciting news for your family!
Julia G.
My prayer for you is that you get your Christmas wish, that next year you will have another set of hands to help you decorate!
Merry Christmas!
Amy@TheBlissfulBee
It’s so beautiful!! And congrats on the adoption progress! SO exciting:)
xo, amy
Donna Doble-Brown
I love how your tree came out! it’s funny I was looking at our tree earlier and it’s like your life flashes before your eyes . . . . . it’s amazing how fast it goes by . . . . . and it doesn’t matter how old the kids get they still look for their ornaments! it’s pretty funny! my son is almost 23 and in grad school and still keeps track of how many are his! Hope you guys have a wonderful holiday! Blessings to you and your families . . . . .
Connie McGhee
I don’t often comment but I enjoy your words & pictures more than I can say. Blessed are those who bless others. You surely must be amply blessed.
Debra @ MsMoozys Open House
I am sorry that you have not recovered your data yet and I pray that all goes well and you can save what is there. Everything looks awesome and it is so awesome to get the news about the adoption that is moving right along. Have a blessed week. 🙂
Jenny
Beautiful! Merry Christmas… Praying and hoping you have a little one to help next year too!
Miss Mustard Seed
Aw, I love that last picture! So funny, but I just bought that brown snowflake wrapping from Target today! Great minds… 🙂
bekah
I know I had something to comment about your tree, but I can’t remember because the last picture was too perfect.
debbie rodriguez
I sure hope you have a helping hand next year to do the tree. Take pics with Santa, make cookies and sip warm, not hot, chocolate. The tree looks beautiful. I couldn’t help but notice the piano in the background and was wondering if you are the one who plays it? I think i read that somewhere. Perhaps a little video of you and kevin doing a Christmas song together would be a nice gift for all of us, what are we? fans? It kinda seems that way. Yes, we are your fans. If that’s okay with you. 🙂
Carol
So sweet.
Angela
Praying for two little hands to help with the tree next year. The waiting is so hard and yet a testiment to the new little one of how very much he was wanted, prayed over, and cried for. It’s a different kind of labor, but every bit as real.
BTW, I love your tree :). Filing some ideas away for another year.
Corrie
We had an internal hard drive crash once (on a windows-based computer). We took it to a computer-savy friend who used a mac-based computer and he was able to extract everything for us onto an external hard drive. I don’t really know how it worked, but if you can’t get your stuff back maybe you can try this.
Love the tree!!
Lisa W.
WE hope so too!!!!!!!!!! Love the way you decorated your tree…beautiful. How about a pic when you have time with it lit at night:)
Heidi @ Decor & More
Your tree is lovely, but my favorite photo is the last one… such a treat to see and read about HAPPY things! Blessings to you and Kevin this Christmas, Layla!
xo Heidi
Andrea at Opulent Cottage
So happy for you both! You just won’t believe how amazing Christmas can really be!! 🙂 Love hearing your wonderful news. xoxoxo
KK
Layla, the tree is beautiful but that last picture is just , we’ll ……….
BEAUTIFUL. it is so fun to be a part of your adoption process by reading your blog. God is soooo good and His timing is perfect.
Thank you for sharing.
KK
Audrea
What a joyful new yr u will have! Best of blessings for ur happy new family.Adopting is a blessing to the child. I’m adopted fr a family of 7 kids an they couldn’t afford another so I was adopted privately. The bio mom wanted it kept confidential. So now I have no medical history of my bio family. Sometimes that really bugs me that my parents didn’t get this info at adoption. Also, I really have no desire to meet any of them just want to c what they look like! Oh, an when the child is old enough an emotionally ready (ur judgement) I think the adoption needs to b talked about. I was told at 18. My parents said they told me at 8 but I must have blocked it out because I was just flabbergasted when told @18. Just couldn’t believe it! I thought they were joking. Called my sister (she is also adopted. We r not real blood sisters)& confirmed it an thought it strange we never talked about it growing up. Sorry this is a book! But just wanted to give some advice fr an “adoptee”! Get medical history an tell the child as soon as they can really understand it. Great tree to, by the way!!
sharon abel
Love this post and am praying for your wishes to come true! xoxo
Shannon
Where did you find the camper ornament? So cute.. Need one.
Merry Christmas and so excited for you all!