Welcome Home Christmas Tour

Hey there, friends!  I am so glad you are here for my Welcome Hour Tour hosted by my sweet friend, Chris from Just a Girl!

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If you are visiting my blog for the first time, WELCOME!  I am so glad you are here!  I am the proud mom of five sweet kiddos and married to my best buddy.  I’ve been blogging for 7 years, and I love sharing my home and life with all of you.

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If you are on the Welcome Home Tour, then you just left the beautiful home of Megan from Honey I’m Home.  Wasn’t it gorgeous?!

On this tour, we are sharing with you our Christmas front porches and entry ways.  

Just a few years ago, I didn’t even have a front porch!  I am soooo glad we decided to add one to our basic brink ranch that we have transformed in our Kentucky farmhouse over the past five years.  Can you believe this is what our house look like when we bought it?…

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Ever since we built our new front porch, I have had so much fun decorating it for the holidays.  Last year, I had two little pine trees flanking each side of our front porch, but this year, I had trouble finding real ones to use.

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So I decided to add some greenery to my porch lights instead, and it looks like this…

front-porch

The beautiful red berry wreaths are the same ones that I used last year.  I got them at Lowe’s, and I just love the way they look on our wood doors.

wreaths

I got some tree clippings at Lowe’s and added them above my porch lights.  The ribbon is some that I had gotten at Walmart, and I decided to add it to my lights as well. 

lights

I always like to add another rug under my welcome mat during each new season, but this year, I didn’t really find one that I liked. :). So I decided to use one of my favorite blanket scarfs for a touch of color.  I simply attached it to my porch with some thumb tacks so it wouldn’t move around.  

The best part is that if it gets dirty, (and with four boys, that is pretty likely to happen!,) I can just throw it in the wash!

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In my window boxes, I tucked some more real tree clippings and a few faux berries for a touch of red.  

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Now, let’s go on inside!  

When we created our new front porch, it also created a new entry way for us.  On the right, as you walk in, you will see the DIY barn door we built to our coat and shoe closet. 

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Slide the barn door open, and you will find some vintage folding chairs for my kiddos to sit and put their shoes on.

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You will also find a bunch of hooks for their coats and back packs…

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In this space, we also created some shelves for all of their shoes.

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One the other side of our entry way is a table that I decorated with a blanket and some faux snow and Christmas decor in glass jars.

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Some of the pieces, like this Santa Claus, I have had for years and years, but other items are newer, like these little bottle brush trees from Walmart. 

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After I took the pictures of my table, I decided to put my red wool garland in my pillow basket, and I love the little touch of color it added to that space. 

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Last on the tour of my entry way, there is small white table holding one of my most precious early treasures…my mom and dad’s nativity.

My mom purchased this nativity the first year that she and my dad were married in 1964.  She LOVED this nativity, and it was a very special part of our Christmas each year when I was growing up.  Every Christmas, my brother, sister, and I would unwrap each nativity figure and place it in the wooden stable.  I would always try to unwrap the smaller figurines because I always wanted to get baby Jesus or Gloria to place in the nativity.  

nativity

“Gloria” is what I thought the angel’s name was because of the sash she was holding in her hands.  Poor Gloria has endured a lot over the years.  She has been accidentally bumped off the nail that is holding her at the top of the nativity and has suffered some chips and cracks.  She even had to have her wind super glued back on one year.  I love that sweet angel.  angel
When my mom found out she had cancer seven years ago, she began to make decisions of what each of her children would inherit of hers after she passed.  My mom knew I wanted nothing else but her precious and priceless nativity. 

My sweet mama went to be with the Lord shortly after her diagnosis.  Christmas has never been the same without her.  But I think of her each year as I put our nativity out and place Gloria in her spot of honor.  And I think of how amazing it must be for my mom to celebrate Christmas with the angels now, (and smile at the thought of her meeting “Gloria.”) {wink}

I think that is what I love most about Christmas, the sweet memories that it brings to our hearts and minds…those precious moments with family and friends.

I pray that you will have a blessed Christmas this year with your family and friends as you celebrate new moments and recall sweet memories.

Next up on the tour is Ursala from Homemade by Carmona.  I LOVE her beautiful styled front porch!!  Be sure to check it out. :)

And be sure to check out all of the other amazing bloggers who have shared their front porches or entry ways on this tour!

Monday

Just a Girl
A Thoughtful Place
Yellow Prairie Interiors
Haneen’s Haven

Tuesday
Hi Sugarplum
Brooklyn Limestone
320 Sycamore
Southern Hospitality

Wednesday
Sunny Side Up
Marie Flanigan Interiors
The House of Silver Lining
Bower Power

Thursday
Erin Spain
Honey We’re Home
Beneath My Heart
Home Made By Carmona
Decor Gold Designs

Friday
Centsational Girl
Thrifty Decor Chick
Tatertots and Jello

 

11 Comments

  1. LOVE the way you decorated your front porch. Very Lovely. I am still working on our home .Have been for two years now. LOVE your ideas. God Bless!!!!

  2. Just beautiful!! I sent you an email of our bathroom (blatantly stolen from yours). I was thinking that you might not have opened it because it was at attachment. Dying for you to see it!! Thank you for your constant inspiration!!

  3. Oh Traci, what a sweet, sweet story of your nativity, and how much it means to you! I too inherited a nativity from my momma as well. She passed away 16 years ago and this is the first year I’ve been able to bring myself to unbox it and display it. It was rough remembering all the times my momma so carefully took each one out and how much she loved it.
    Your porch and entry is beautiful – and rightly belongs to a beautiful family! Merry Christmas my “internet” friend! I know this will be an extra special Christmas with the addition of Sania Louise. I wish continued blessings for you and your family in 2017 and beyond.

  4. Such a beautiful, heartfelt tour! Love the story of your nativity scene and how your mom gifted that to you. What a treasure filled with memories to cherish. Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family!

  5. Just gorgeous Traci!!!! and the family pics are “Precious” ….. I was wondering where you got the “Fingerprint of God” sign that is over the side table? I love that……

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