Trimming the Tree

This year, I did things a little differently. 

Usually, I have Steve bring up all of the Christmas totes from the basement (wow, we have quite a few of them!), and then I work feverishly to put up all of the Christmas decorations in a short amount of time so that I don't have to  -- look at/trip over/protect from little kids -- the multitude of totes filling up our living space. 

But, having just recovered from a couple of big birthday bashes and all of the Fall decorations that needed to be put away, I opted to just take my time.  Steve brought up one tote at a time, per my request, and I made several trips up and down the basement stairs to gather what I needed, when I needed it.  I decorated a couple of things each day -- no real rush -- and really relished in the beauty of watching the kids discover some new place that was decorated when they came home from school each day.

Jack really got excited about helping me this year and I included him as much as I could.  He was so proud to hand me lights and garland ... and lots of greens.  No task was too much for him.

We began setting up the "big" tree in the living room as soon as Samantha got home from school one day.  I organized the layers into piles (they are color-coded) and then I sat back and let the kids do their thing.  It's no surprise that Samantha was the ring-leader of this whole event, calling out which branches she needed and from whom.

Yes, this was the start of our Christmas decoration and I think that it is evident from this picture that the kids were just as excited about the decorating as I was ...

Sophia tried her hand at a few of the branches, but soon learned that it can be trickier than it looks.  Complete concentration is required.

Team work is better.

Steve jumped in to help with the top branches while I maintained my perch on the couch.

Later that night, while the kids watched a Christmas movie, I put the lights on the tree.  Many years of marriage have taught me that it's just better if I do this.  When you are married to an electrical engineer, the engineer can make the process a little more, well, detailed, than it needs to be. 

The next night, I gingerly unwrapped the ornaments (again, from my perch on the couch -- 8 weeks away from delivering my next little one can be a tad tiring) and let the girls place the ornaments wherever they desired. 

And I have to say that this was such a fun year for this because they really enjoyed looking at each ornament, asking where we got it, who it belonged to, etc.  Sophia kept asking where her "birthmark" ornament was, when she really meant her "birthstone" ornament.  Ha!  (Each of the kids have a special birthstone colored ornament from Bronner's with their name on it; Sam's is citrine yellow in color, Sophia's is amethyst purple and Jack's is emerald green.  Now, we are just waiting to see if our last little one will have a garnet red ornament or an amethyst purple one like Sophia).

Fresh out of the bath with the curliest hair ever ...

Even Jack hung a few of his own ornaments:

And this was Sophia's year to hang the angel on the top:

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The next afternoon, while Samantha was at a birthday party and Jack was napping, Sophia and I set to work decorating the "medium" tree in the family room. 

And there may have been some hot chocolate involved too!

 A few days later (again, we're spreading out the decorating this year), I asked Jack if he wanted to help decorate the "smallest" tree; the one that goes at the top of the stairs, just outside of the kids' rooms.  I didn't have to ask twice!

It's a small tree with very little "character," but we make it look fancy with lights and ornaments and a pretty tree skirt.  And the kids love that it is "their" tree ...

I only have a few more places to decorate and then our house will be complete.  I love this time of year -- just sitting back at night with the lights all twinkling!