our tree

We put our Christmas tree up today.  It was really hectic.  And also really fun.  Honestly, the best part was the early afternoon when both little boys were napping.  Matt and me, Julianna, Lydia and Isaac got some great ornament-putting-on time together.  John Paul and Luke, we'll welcome you to the ornament hanging party next year!

[But hallelujah that in just one afternoon John Paul has mastered the 'one finger touch' with the Christmas tree.  He'll circle the tree, touching lights and ornaments but using only his pointer finger!  Woohoo because it's hard to yank down an entire Christmas tree with just one finger and I'm pretty sure this skill might be what saves our tree from sure-destruction via John Paul.  Now whether or not we can save the tree from Luke is a yet-to-be-answered question.]

I spent every single Christmas as a child picking out a fresh tree from the nearby tree lot with my family and to this day can not imagine putting up a fake one.  Surely one day soon I will give up and go for a fake tree in this land of "no Christmas trees available" but for now I'm holding on to tradition :)  A fake tree would be a lot prettier.  And hold a lot more ornaments.  But I just can't do it... not yet. 

So last January we moved our Christmas-like tree onto our porch and it thrived through each season, growing strong.  Matt and the kids washed it off (oh it was dusty dirty) and hauled it back inside this morning.  We've never landed a tree in our living room so easily.  We probably only moved it about twenty feet and over one door sill!

A few strings of lights and we were set to go. 

Lydia worked hard on perfect ornament placement, with a strong preference for hanging her favorites on the front mid-height branches :) 

Julianna took over arranging the nativity on top of our dish cabinet..

and after Luke woke we tried for a quick shot in front of the newly decorated tree.

Ha!  Luke doesn't stay anywhere for very long...catch him, Isaac, catch him! 

And now I'm realizing I never got a picture of the final product.  I'll hopefully get one later this week.  I had hoped to add some wrapped gifts this evening but time is getting away from me so I'll have to do that another evening. 

Oh wow, I LOVE this season.  Even though this year I am particularly easily overwhelmed at all the "work" that goes into Christmas, I'm still excited.  We won't make as many cookies.  We won't do as many crafts.  There's just no way I'm going to have the time or capacity with a house full.  But I'm oh so grateful for my two little boys, especially when I realize that last Christmas neither John Paul nor Luke was in our home for the celebrating. 

And I'd rather have them than another Christmas goodie any day of the year.  (well, most days at least... when you get right down to it there are certainly moments I'd be tempted to trade any of my children for a sugar cookie, or even better, for one whole hour to myself to spend rolling and cutting and decorating cookies!)