Christmas Tree

Yay! The Christmas tree is up! I LOVE the smell of a real tree in the house and we had lots of fun getting it and decorating it! When I say we, I mean the boys. Hubby and I don't get to have fun right? We just do all the work so the kids can have fun!!

We went tree hunting last weekend, at a farm about 45 minutes from home. Yes there is one about 5 minutes from home, but their selection of tall trees (8.5 feet) is poor, so we take the long drive. The amount of time to drive and bundle up the kids - it was about 15 degrees - was longer than it took to find a great tree. But that's ultimately a good thing... we had lots of selection, and found a beautiful tree for only $40 in about 10 minutes. Way before the boys got tired of walking in the snow and knocking snow off the trees.



Daddy cut down the tree, we caught the farmer's wagon just in time, and hauled it back to the finishing area. We watched them shake the dead needles and snow off and then send it through the machine to tie it up - the boys love both of those things.
Then we (me and the boys) left Daddy to strap it to the roof... we went to have FREE hot chocolate! And while we were there Santa stopped in to say hello. Neither of the kids were really excited about Santa... he's just another stranger to them. They said hi, but that was about it. They have NO desire (even under threat of no presents) to go sit on his lap and talk to him. I'd love the photo of them with him, but I don't want the stress of trying to get it... I've got enough stress right now! So, I guess no Santa picture this year! oh well...

We got the tree home, and put up. We were letting it unfold and warm up before decorating and it decided to fall down, not once or twice, but three times!! Fun times! After re-cutting the bottom, and adding some blocks, we got it to stand up. Let the decorating begin!!

I've determined the easiest way to decorate a tree with young children involved. 1. Let them hang only the unbreakable ornaments wherever they can reach. Later you can hang the breakable ones up above these where they can't reach, thereby insuring that they 'might' not get broken. 2. Let them hang the ornaments wherever they want. Then when they are in bed or otherwise distracted, redistribute as necessary to avoid 15 ornaments on 1 branch and none anywhere else! Or leave them like the kids put them if you're not as picky as I am!

None the less, for better or worse, the tree, the house -both inside and out- are decorated. Heck, there are even presents wrapped under the tree already! Sometimes being pregnant is a good thing for me.... I figured I better get a head start on things or we wouldn't get it all done in time.

Actually,we've even already made Christmas cookies!! Woo Hoo!!



Now we're almost ready to host hubby's family on Christmas Eve, and then my family for Blake's birthday! If only I knew what to cook for Christmas Eve!