Decking the Halls!

Decorating the house is definitely one of my favorite Christmasy things to do. It takes a while, but I've learned over the past years (after kids), that the earlier I start and the more time I give myself, the less pressure I feel and the more we all enjoy it.

With this in mind, we started a little earlier than usual this year. Usually I start the weekend before Thanksgiving and like to be finished by Black Friday. This year we started 2 weekends before Thanksgiving (with the kids trees only) and still didn't finish till Black Friday. See what I mean?!

I don't mind decorating alone, but I don't like trimming trees alone, so to get all the trees up it takes time especially now that the kids are in school all day.

The kids were really excited about the trees in their rooms this year, so that's why we started with those.

Daniel was more interested in playing with the nutcrackers than trimming his tree, so he was happy when his sister offered to help. Clearly, he has some of his Daddy in him as I trim Chip's tree every year. And, clearly Anabella has some of her Mommy as she never gets tired of trimming trees! Win win!

TaDa! Done all by herself this year, though I did help her set up her nutcrackers and books beneath it. She did fine with the nutcrackers, but she had the books all lined up so that she couldn't get to her bed without stepping on them. 

Daniel's tree

I love Chip's tree adorned with his collection of ornaments reflecting his interests from the time he was born. Lots of Steelers, Rusty Wallace (blast from the past- who's he?!), Lakers, his black truck, etc. But, my favorites are the really old ones. Like the "black Santa" which was handmade pre-acid free ornaments and the round "Chip" glitter ornament, which LaRue informed me was made in Sunday School during his school years. 

Anabella asked me why I didn't have a tree. I told her I do, it's in the living room. This is the only one I do tend to decorate without much help from the kids. 

This is my tree, too. Adorned with my snowmen from Hallmark that Mom gets me every year. These snowmen are happy to make an appearance in the office in December (on my Charlie Brown tree purchased after Christmas one year at Kimberly's in Winchester with Beth); but they really enjoy the spotlight in January when they dance into the den where they surround the January tree...and will most surely bring SNOW along with them!! 

This is one of my favorite ornaments!

Michael....if you've been a loyal reader, you know who he is, made his debut the morning after Thanksgiving. More on him in a later post, but I will share some pictures of the gift he brought along with him this year- Elf on the Shelf pjs (or a gown in Belle's case!).

They were so excited, they put them on immediately and I took full advantage by grabbing the camera to snap some Christmas card/ornament pictures.

Hmmm, I wonder who taught them this lovely move?!

I'll take credit for the holding hands. 

How'd he get up so high?! 

We hung icicles around both downstairs windows and put some lights around the porch. I need to get a better picture because these don't really do it justice. It is very pretty. Not that I'm biased. :) 

Tis the season! More Christmasy posts on the way!!