Sunday, December 14, 2008

BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes - The Mountain House

BooMamaChristmasTour

Welcome to The Mountain House! To those of y'all who have made your way over to my humble bloggy abode from BooMama's, so glad you clicked on by...

It's pretty cold up here on Signal Mountain, but before we go inside where it's warm, let me tell you about one of my favorite parts of our outdoor decorations, the Moravian Star.


If you live in Winston-Salem, NC, this is a most familiar Christmas sight. Our star was a wedding gift from Stuart & Stephanie Hipp. It started out as a geometry lesson in the Moravian schools and has turned into a much loved symbol of Advent. I love that I have one of my very own to hang outside our door.

Ok, so come in in!

{As always, if you're wanting to take a closer look at something (ie, the extremely cute pictures of me and Jason as kids posted down below) just click on the picture.}


I've collected quite a few angels over the years, some on purpose and some by chance. I decided to gather them all together to decorate the top of our entertainment center.




I decided to start a decorating tradition and somehow include our current Christmas card picture in the main display.



The Petree Christmas Tree! With multi-colored lights! The votes can't persuade me otherwise, this tree has a unique sparkle due to a rainbow of hues glistening in its branches. So there.


Besides being the focal point of this season, this ornament is special to me because it was handcrafted in San Francisco, CA, site of the one and only marathon I have ever run.



Jason and I give each other an ornament every Christmas that somehow represents the past year. I think my choice for Jason this year was pretty much a given.

And so was his choice for me...yay for the east coast!


Jason's annual ornament from last year...

My sister will be in Afghanistan this Christmas, deployed with her Air Force unit. This Santa (she has her own Santa collection, started by our mom) is the perfect way to represent her on our tree.


My mom started an angel ornament collection for me as a toddler and has added to it every year. This angel marks my first year at Carolina.

A treasured piece of my Grandmother's christmas spirit...

A bridesmaid gift from Carlye's wedding and handcrafted by her mom...

I love this Angel of Courage and her triumphant declaration from the top of our tree.


Real Simple magazine provided the inspiration for my dining room table centerpiece.



This is my "vintage" corner. The washstand is a much loved hand-me-down from Grandmother and Grandaddy, as is the Santa Claus and stocking. The little tree is adorned with ornaments that were cross-stiched by my Mom when I was a baby.



I found these delightfully old-fashioned cards as Jason and his family were going through items at his grandparent's house.



The quaint greeting and the beautiful handwriting are rare finds these days...


My grandmother loved Christmas and I was lucky enought to inherit some of her decorating pieces that are a prominent part of my childhood memories. The ceramic Christmas tree in the middle of this picture (which should be lit up but the bulb blew right before I took pictures) had a special place on her piano every year. This year it's on my bookcase surrounded by pictures of Jason and I with our siblings at Christmas.


Angela, Jason and Shawn...


Me and Allie...


Thanks for coming by! Before you leave, make sure you grab a copy of one of my favorite holiday recipes:

Aunt Melba's Chocolate Trifle

2 boxes- Ghiardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
1 large box- Jell-O instant chocolate pudding
1 large tub - Cool Whip
1/2 cup (divided) Khalua or strong coffee
6 Heath Bars, chopped

~ Combine both boxes of brownie mix and prepare as directed. Bake in a 9x13 pan. Make sure you let them cool completely.
~ Prepare the pudding while the brownies are cooling.
~ In a trifle dish, crumble enough brownies to cover the bottom making one layer.
~ Pour 1/4 cup of the Kahlua/coffee over the brownie layer.
~ Spread half of the chocolate pudding on top of the brownie and coffee layer.
~ Spread half of the Cool Whip on top.
~ Sprinkle half of the chopped Heath Bars on top of the cool Whip.
~ Repeat all layers: brownie, Khalua/coffee, pudding, Cool Whip, Heath Bars
~ Cover and refrigerate for at least six hours before serving.

This is a great dessert to make the night before, then grab and go! Trust me, everyone at any soiree you bring this to will think it's fabulous.

Don't forget, if you click on the button at the top of this post, it will take you over to BooMama's blog where you can view literally hundreds of other folks' Christmas decorations. Have fun and Merry Christmas!

58 comments:

  1. Everything looks so beautiful and warm! Merry Christmas to you and your family - and please tell your sister that I just said a prayer for her.

    ReplyDelete
  2. PS: LOVE the name of your blog! Now, I'm off to bed!!!!! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, I do love me some trifle! And your Moravian star is gorgeous. I'm from NC and why don't I have one? You have so many beautiful things...thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes! Colored lights...the ONLY way to go! Joyful, childlike, funfilled...colored light say Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your home! It is so warm, cozy, and inviting. And I loved seeing some different ornaments. Come visit me at my house (blog)!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous2:29 AM

    Beautiful, I love it all, my fav is the table...oh and the lighting, so warm.
    Thanks for having us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the pictures from Christmases past! We've got TN and AU ornaments mingling on our tree...

    ReplyDelete
  8. LOVE your Moravian star. Here in N Ireland, I went to school in the Moravian village of Gracehill.

    Lovely to hear the story behind so many of your ornaments too.

    Hope you get a chance to visit my Northern Ireland blog.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours (especially to your sister who will be in Afghanistan)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous5:31 AM

    Your tree is beautiful! Colored lights say, "Come, take a look up close!" And, the tree tells your story. I'm especially fond of your ornament honoring your sister.
    What a warm and comforting memory being created in your new mountain house!
    Will you teach me how to take pics like this?
    Thanks for the tour w/ my morning coffee, xoxxo.
    -Marmee

    p.s. can't figure out the "comment as:" oh well...

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love all your Christmas decorations. I also have many of my Grandmother's Christmas decorations...like the ceramic Christmas tree that lights up (the bulb blew in mine too, which is why it's not pictured on my blog!). Love the Moravian star too! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love your home and decorations, so beautiful. I especially love the washstand and the way you have it decorated with special memory items.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow! You've done a beautiful job. It looks like we have a lot in common...I'm in Tennessee too- about two hours from you. I also love to decorate and blog- I put recipes on at least weekly- please stop by again. Hope you have a great Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I just loved your Christmas Tour, everything looks just beautiful! I have family that lives there on the mountain and it is just beautiful this time of year. –Cheers, Amy

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just noticed that you just moved from West Texas, but I didn’t see where? I grew up in Abilene, and moved to San Antonio about 7 years ago.
    –Cheers, Amy

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous11:19 AM

    Hi Leslie! I so enjoyed your tour and seeing all your lovelies. The angels are all great and the Santas and the rest of the ornaments. I really like the vintage cards! That's such a great idea to use the trifle bowl as a centerpiece! Blessings on your Christmas...

    ReplyDelete
  16. LOVE all your angels and the vintage cards! And HOW could I forget the sock monkey and that football player!!! Thanks for the tour!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous11:38 AM

    Enjoyed all your pictures! I just love a party, especially when I get to visit so many beautiful homes :-)

    Your recipe has ingredients quite similar to mine so it must be true that southern girls think alike :-)

    ReplyDelete
  18. You have a lovely home!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous1:09 PM

    I love your decorations, so cute and festive! What a welcoming home!
    Merry Christmas

    ReplyDelete
  20. What lovely decorations with such great meanings! I love your dining area too! Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. It looks so beautiful and inviting! Thanks for letting us in!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love the way you display your current Christmas card! What a great idea!

    My husband and I have done an annual ornament, too...and this year I can't find them!! He's convinced I threw them away in my pregnancy craziness last summer. I say that just doesn't sound like me, so surely they've gotten up and walked away. ???

    ReplyDelete
  23. Your decorations are all so cute!! Your home looks very warm and cozy!! Thanks for sharing! Merry Christmas!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. i love everything! so sweet!!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous4:16 PM

    Love your moravian star and all those cute ornaments!

    Manuela

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love the header on your blog - I recently moved from Gastonia, NC to the hills of Tennessee! We have been to your area of the state and it's beautiful.
    Your multicolored lighted tree is causing me to rethink my position of white lights only, it's really pretty. And I *love* the card's you found at Jason's grandparents - rare finds indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love all those angels -- thanks for sharing your home!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Beautiful! I especially enjoyed your angels. :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Your decorations are charming and I was interested to see you used to be in West Texas (I'm in the DFW area but my brother's family is in Midland)Very sweet to see how you treasure family traditions and hooray for your sister - thank her for serving our country! (I was raised in an Air Force family)

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous6:43 PM

    I like all your ornaments and your angel collection! Everyone needs some angels around...right? Thanks for sharing your home with all of us!
    -Kim

    ReplyDelete
  31. Everything is so pretty! I really like your table setting - so simple, yet so beautiful! Merry Christmas:)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love all of this post - - - but I love the MORAVIAN star the most!!! We used to live in Kernersville, NC and had a star of our own. When we moved to Indiana, we hung it on our porch where an ice storm literally tore it to bits. Hubby just mentioned it yesterday and said we should order a new one soon.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I love your decorations.

    The pine cones in the trifle bowl is so simple but it looks great.

    Thanks for the tour, have a great Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous9:15 PM

    Your home feels very inviting and warm. Your decorations are very beautiful.

    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Ha, small world! Was he a Cougar or an Eagle?

    ReplyDelete
  36. I was up on your mountain yesterday... =) Your little home is decorated beautifully!

    My mom has that same ceramic tree. Your Angel collection is just darling. And I must mention the colored lights, even though I voted for white lights (they are what I use on my tree), your tree looked fabulous with all the pretty colors.

    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I love the cross-stitched ornaments. My Mom made those for us when we were little and I love having them on my tree.

    Best wishes to you and your family during this Holiday season.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Your Aunt Melba's chocolate trifle is very very similar to my friend Amy's Death by Chocolate recipe - she doesn't use the Kahlua/coffee- I think I will have to try that! I added you to my blog roll as well! Yeah for Tennessee!

    ReplyDelete
  39. love your willow angels!
    wishing you a very merry christmas from chilllly oklahoma! k8

    ReplyDelete
  40. Cooper Cougar class of '92 here. I do miss Abilene though. Most of all I miss Joe Allen’s BBQ. ;)
    Thanks for chatting. I look forward to following your blog. I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas.
    -Cheers, Amy

    ReplyDelete
  41. I was one that voted for the white lights...but your tree looks perfect, colored lights and all!! Those are not the colored lights of my youth!

    Love the table setting, the ornaments, but mostly all of your angels!!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Now this a place where I could walk right in and feel so at home! You have done such a fabulous job in decorating it.

    I make a similar trifle...and I can attest to its yumminess. :) Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Anonymous7:08 AM

    Thanks for sharing your angels and ornaments, along with all the other special touches of your holiday home. From one Tennessean to another, Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  44. beautiful! I love the Moravian star too and have one that i converted into a light fixture for our hall!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Anonymous3:00 PM

    I stopped by the Tour or enjoyed your decorations and emphasis on family momentos as your centerpieces. Want to incorporate old pictures of family Christmases next year! Thanks for the idea!

    ReplyDelete
  46. I love your ornaments! We each get a special ornament every year as well and I think it is such a wonderful tradition!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Anonymous4:22 PM

    What a gorgeous Christmas house! That Moravian star would be very favorite too! Your washstand is so pretty! I love everything on it! And the ornament collection is fantastic! Such cute pix of you guys as kids. I have a great pic like that of DH with his sibs too! Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Love all the sentimental touches.

    ReplyDelete
  49. I love your little ribbon touches on the frames. I might copy that for next year :)

    ReplyDelete
  50. You have a lovely home and have done a wonderful job of decorating and sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  51. I love your collection of ornaments. Thank you so much for sharing. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Beautiful! I used to live in Hixson, Tennessee. A very long time ago.

    ReplyDelete
  53. i have some of those angels too!!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Thank you for having us over to your beautiful home! I love your dining room table...so pretty!
    ~Kelli

    ReplyDelete
  55. love your blog.
    Thanksf or sharing your ornies!
    Paula from Idaho
    http://bucketideasforchristmas.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  56. Anonymous5:08 AM

    Thanks for the lovely tour of your gorgeous home. That star out front is AMAZING. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  57. Anonymous1:12 PM

    Um so...I'll say it. COLORED LIGHTS ROCK AND WHITE LIGHTS CAN SUCK IT! Loved the Christmas card!! Missing you!

    ReplyDelete
  58. BEAUTIFUL!!! I love the vintage cards!

    stopping by from Boomama's site.

    ReplyDelete

Love me some comments! If you don't have a Google/Gmail ID, please make sure you leave your name and/or email. Also, I moderate my comments so don't be alarmed if it doesn't show up right away. Thanks, y'all!