Looking Like Christmas

While I usually wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas, Thanksgiving was so late this year, we had all the trees up and decorated by the Monday before!

This year we put Daniel and Anabella's trees in the basement since that's where they keep most of their toys and spend the most time playing.

As in years past, it was my favorite part of decorating! While I love decorating the house- hanging the stockings, putting up the garland, setting out the Christmas pictures and albums from years past, trimming the trees and reveling in the memories that each ornament brings, unpacking that red and green bin labeled "Daniel and Anabella"is my most favorite of all!!

Love that bin!

Love the little boxes of thoughtfully selected ornaments, the books, the little tree skirts, the Little People Nativity, even the pesky animated characters that end up driving me crazy.  Love unpacking that bin!

It's not the "stuff" I love but the people and memories that come along with the "stuff."

Hearing Daniel exclaim, "I remember this!" as he excitedly opened up his favorite book from last year.

Are you Grumpy Santa?

It's a book that Beth got the kids, a favorite of Will and Sara's, too.

Ouchy, Ouchy, Ouch! Santa cried as he stubbed his toe getting out of bed.

Taking a cold shower, the elves shrinking his suit and getting stuck in the butt by a cactus "tree" in Arizona, are among Santa's many mishaps as he makes his way around the world on Christmas Eve.

He is a GRUMPY SANTA!! Until....he gets to a house where some kids leave him a nice note, with some cookies and milk, of course. Suddenly, he's caught up in the spirit.....stating how when people do nice things for you....the grumpies disappear! :)
Cute book. Thanks, Beth.
We love it! (can you tell?)

Anabella, meanwhile, was making sure Shilee (who she calls Hecious) was in on the fun.
That girl sure loves her dogs!

Modeling her Steelers Santa hat (another Beth gift!)

Unpacking the ornaments

And, the tree trimming begins!
That cookie moster (which is now off his tree and in his bed) was the ornament we got him in 2011 because, like his Daddy, he's was (and is) a sweet toothed Cookie Monster!

Sol and Hecious were interested in this little new doggie.....thinking he better not take their place as #1 dogs.

They both remembered this nativity set as well.

Daniel was quite the tree trimmer!

Putting on the Santa tree topper, which was new this year (from Dollar Tree, can you believe it?). The tree skirts were also new (Kohls after Christmas 80% off last year- woohoo!)

Those Little Kittys were gifts from Aunt Cindy (2011). 

Daniel enjoyed playing with this little train (from MaMa & PaPa's trip to Germany in 2012). 

TaDa! The finished trees. Only they don't look like that anymore. Daniel and Anabella are older this year, but still like to take off ornaments and move them around every now and then. Or to their room such is the case with Cookie Monster who I "tuck in" each night along with Daniel....visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.