New Year, New....LOOK

This is me:

I feel like I've had this hair style for a million years! Which is funny, because.... from junior high through college, I changed my hair cut and/or style all.the.time. I had the rachel, a short bob, blonde!!! hair (which I kept until I was 26!), strawberry blonde.... then tried being a brunette (for the first time!) at 26 and kept it.

I either look like the pic above.... or straight and sleek like the pic below (minus the witch hat, of course!)....

I've been ready for a change for awhile (but believe it or not, my hair stylist usually talks me out of it!) I have a square shaped face, so I can't get away with just any cut. So, I google hair styles for me and get this:

The perfect style for the square shaped face? Long, long and long!

Uh, great. ;)
Also good bets..... tapered bobs, long layers and sideswept bangs
What I should avoid? One layer bobs, blunt bangs and pixie cuts.

Oh, and did I mention that I have really thick hair? That's naturally curly and coarse? Yep, it's never simple. Which is why it's taken me forever to change it....

Some styles I found that I like....

This cut is cute.... I just worry about my hair cooperating with the sleekness. (I do own a chi so it's not out of the question....)

I love this touseled look.... not sure I'd have the patience for it on a regular basis, but maybe it would be a second styling option for the cut above....

This is a similar cut... ;)

I've always loved more dramatic cuts.... think Rhianna...... and really carefree looks... like Kate Hudson..... but not a fashion forward teen.... or a bohemian beauty.... I'm a busy, working momma of 2.... with thick hair (did I mention that?!) and not alot of time!

I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow, so I'm off to bed with my InStyle mag, to look for inspiration! What do y'all think?

ETA!!! I'm not thinking I'll go as short as some of these cuts.... more shoulder length.... basically, similar cut that I have now if I got rid of the bottom (long!!!) layer. Make sense? ;)

How do I.....

Switch out my Christmas decorations?

Okay, let me explain.... oh, probably 8-9 years ago, Mr. Fix-It and I (okay, probably just me, but I'm sure he nodded and said okay!) picked out a Christmas color scheme.... Blues with some white thrown in!

Navy blue stockings for us.... and now white stockings for the kids with their names in navy blue... very classic, in our opinion, but not quite traditional at the same time....

All sorts of shades of blue for our ornaments.... with special ornaments (plus the new ornaments we pick out each year, as a tradition!) sprinkled in between:

(fleur de lis and crosses.... additions within the last couple Christmases!)

...then blue in various other places - velvet table runners, tree skirt, decorations here and there.

Here's the thing... I've been saying for years that I'd like a new look for the tree. And today (while I was leisurely shopping during the day with my kids!) at Target, all their Christmas stuff was 75% off, making it super cheap and doable! So, here's where your advice comes in!
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What color scheme should I go with? I love the bronze/browns... but I think that would get outdated quickly. So... I've been thinking of a traditional red and green.... with some whimsical lime-ish green thrown in.... Share what colors you love!

Do I have to replace it all? Here's the thing.... we've gotten a new tree several years back, and we actually need a new tree skirt anyway (our current tree is pretty tall, so the tree skirt is too SMALL!) I guess my only hesitation is replacing the stockings, esp the kids with their names embroidered on them... I could just get new red/green stockings for me and Mr. Fix-It and just keep theirs.... or I guess I could wait til we're for sure done having kids and replace them all for baby #3's first Christmas.... ideas?

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Do I go whimsical? Like this?

Or like this? LOVE this Etsy shop! The next 3 pics are from Bim Kreations and they are oh, so cute! This is the color theme I had in my head:

More red & green whimsical fun! (And did you see in the pic above that she does tree skirts, too?)

Not into red? She does other stuff - so cute!

Or something more....traditional?

It's crazy to say.... but by next Christmas we'll be in a new house..... and after doing the blue Christmas in....5 houses and 2 states.... maybe it's time to switch it up!

Input, please!! Pretty, pretty please! :)

Etsy poll

Which one do you like better for Big Sis?
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I'm trying to coordinate for family pics..... I don't actually have her outfit purchased.... but we're going with black (dresses for me and Big Sis, black shirts and jeans for the guys!), so I'm safe in ordering something cute for her hair! I've been wanting to incorporate just a bit of color somewhere in our clothing... just not for sure what color and how to do it (and how to get Mr. Fix-It to agree!) ;)
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Option 1 is the Black Felt Rose on Patent Leather Headband from Brook Owens:

And Option 2 is the Modern Flower Headband from Here You Go Designs:

What do y'all think?