Let The Christmas Festivities Begin

It was December 1 and my kids were chomping at the bit to "deck the halls." In years past, Rusty and I have done the majority of the decorating during "sleep time" while the kids are in bed. This is mainly so the next night everything is nicely organized, ornaments ready to just go on the tree, and the last few decorations can be put in place. It's just so hard for kids to understand that they have to wait to put the ornaments on the artificial tree until every branch has been spread out and the lights checked. Also, I've had one too many nativity pieces broken. But this year it all changed. Call it laziness, call it Thanksgiving was later this year and we (the kids) were too anxious to wait another day, or (and I think this is the REAL reason) they have Rusty and me outnumbered and are wearing us down.

Decorating went much smoother than I anticipated. It really helps to have NO expectations in these kind of situations. Then you can't be disappointed. I don't mean this in a negative, cynical way; it's really true. The times I find myself anxious, upset, frustrated, etc. are when I'm thinking someone or something should be a certain way. Our family decorating traditions ran smoothly and even though baby Jesus' hands got broken (Molly), it was water off a duck's (my)back.

We always have peanut butter cookies with a Hershey Kiss in the middle, and wassail to drink after the tree has been trimmed. This year I put the cookie making in Meg and Ben's hands. Besides getting the cookies out of the oven, they did the rest. Check that off my list and put it onto theirs. It is great having these kids get older. Soon they can make dinner and I'll just lay on the couch instructing:).

Sam got a little bored, but decided to entertain himself by making a club house out of the Christmas tree box. The lizard "soft guy" is the pet he rescued from the ocean.

Getting ready to put ornaments on the tree. Sam took this picture. See earlier post.

Every year Grandpa Mick and Grandma D. give each kid a Hallmark ornament and they love finding theirs and putting it on the tree.

If you want to come to our house to look at our tree (you're invited) you'll find the majority of the ornaments on the bottom fourth of the tree.

This picture is right before the "incident" where Baby Jesus lost his hands.

In their Christmas pajamas. One of the Christmas Card rejects.

You'll be seeing this one.

We looked at the weather for the month of December and said, "What is the coldest most miserable day there is so that we can put our outdoor decorations up". . .or so it seemed. We found it, Saturday, December 6, 2008. It was in the 20's, with a wind chill of something to make it colder, and snow flurries. Needless to say I gave Rusty a pass this year on putting the lights on the house. We just did our little porch trees, the wreath and our blow-up Santa Clause and Snowman (I know it's totally cheesy, but the kids love it).

Frosty and kids with frost bite (Rusty tried to get me to take that description out, but it's my blog).

More treats, and more "training" going on to pass the torch. Meg made Hello Dollies (Aunt Valerie's recipe).

When you are cold and it's snowing, hot chocolate is a must!

Molly also wanted to go outside, and after spending 25 minutes bundling her up, she lasted 25 seconds and said she was "too cold," and decided she wanted to paint instead.