Decorating the Christmas Tree

We finally got our tree home and now its time to decorate.





Someone suggested we put a star on top of the tree and leave it just like it is... Funny!



Seth got to be the first to cut the twine and start untying the tree.



While Joshua snipped off the top.





Almost there.



Yea! The last bit of twine coming off.

The next day we pulled out all the decorations. Seth and Noah opening the box of decorations. They were so excited.

As the decorations were going up, I was in the kitchen preparing hot chocolate for everyone.



With lots of marshmallows! YUM!!!



The boys and Mike were busy getting the lights on the tree.



I was busy setting the table and putting other decorations around the house.

It was now time to put on the ornaments. One of our favorite ornaments are the "J" candy-cane ornaments we made a few years ago. All we did is attach (hot glue) ribbon to the bottom of candy-canes and then hang them upside down on the tree. We hang them in a "J" shape to remind us of Jesus, which is really what this season is all about.

I wanted to get a picture of everyone holding their favorite ornament. Here is mine... a Starbucks coffee cup of course!

Noah's would most definitely be the Noah's Ark ornament.

And we couldn't leave Mordecai out of the fun. Last year he got this ornament in his stocking. I don't know what happened to daddy's, Seth's and Joshua's picture... I guess I will have to work on that next year.

Every year we put a nativity set under the tree. It was Noah's turn to get to set it out.

There it is all decorated and just waiting for presents. The best part of decorating the tree is while pulling out the ornaments, which most are homemade, we reminisce about where and how the ornament was made. It's fun to look at an ornament that one of the boys made in preschool. With their name on the back its hard for them to deny that they were the creator... as much as would like to!

Christmas Tree Huntin'

Once again our family went to the mountains to find a Christmas tree. It feels weird to still be talking about Christmas in January, but I'm just trying to get caught up so I can get my second blog book printed. Nowadays I don't have time to scrapbook, so my blog has been a great substitute for that and for keeping family and friends updated on our family.

Look at all those trees.



It was very cold. In fact we postponed our trip twice because of bad weather.



But we managed just fine!

On the hayride to the field of trees you could still see lots of snow from the snowstorm which occurred the weekend before.

I walked around scoping out trees while the kids...



had a snowball fight.



They also like to play tag while running through the trees like crazy people.



The boys have lots of fun... and well... nobody knows us up their anyway!



Another perfect snowball.



Okay, it's finally time to get serious about looking for a tree.



Found it! It sure didn't take long to pick out one this year once we started really looking.

really, i just think everybody was cold and ready to go.



It sure didn't take those guys long to cut it down and...



get it loaded up.

Now we're headed back to the main building for some nice warm hot chocolate and apple cider.

We always have fun on this family trip... even when it's freezing outside.

Decorating The Tree

A few days after we got our tree we spent the evening decorating it. The thing I like the most about our tree are the ornaments we have. We have a few store bought ornaments, but mostly our ornaments are handmade. It's so much fun to look at the ornaments as we decorate the tree and try to remember who made it. Thankfully, I remembered to have the boys write their names on their ornaments and date them.

Isn't this guy cute?

even with one arm missing!!!

I'm sure Mordecai had something to do with that.

So here is Mike putting the tree in the tree stand.

And the boys starting to remove the string holding it together.

Man!, I hope that corner is big enough.

Yes, that is my hubby standing on the railing of our stairs. I think I held my breath the whole time he was up there. It would have not been pretty if he had fallen.

well, and quite embarrassing trying to explain how your husband broke his neck while decorating the tree!!!

At least he has a good head on his shoulders...

...to balance on the ceiling while getting the rest of the string off the tree.

okay, I can breath now... he's down.

Now we are on to putting on the lights.

And some other decorations around the house. Noah, making sure the beads are straight.

We have had this nativity set, that Seth is setting up, for a really long time. It is one of their favorite things to pull out at Christmas time. They take turns as to who gets to set it out every year.

Now it's time to put on the ornaments.

Thank goodness our boys like to do crafty things like make ornaments, because we needed a lot for this "Scrawny" tree.

The last few ornaments going on the tree...

who needs a step stool when you have a boy who's just the right height.

Lil' Grandfathers Tree Farm

Sunday, December 6th we went to the mountains to get a Christmas tree. We went along with another family and we had a great time together. Going to the mountains for our tree is something we have done as a family for several years now. We love it! The tree farm we went to this year was new to us, but it was great.

The day before our trip it snowed in the mountains, so it was a nice surprise and a beautiful view. It really put me in the Christmas mood.

In small towns you have to be careful to obey all their laws or you might end up here...



At the tree farm they also had horses. Seth really enjoyed riding the horse.

i was sad, cause they wouldn't let me ride it! :o(



And he enjoyed playing with this horse.



Joshua did too... until this happened...

this is why it's a good idea to read signs!!



Next we took a hay-ride to the field of trees.



Our friends kids... aren't they cute!



Did I mention it snowed the day before?



IT-WAS-COLD!!!

The trees were beautifully dusted with powdery snow.

Part of the tradition the boys like the best is when we get to the field they like to run through the trees playing tag. This year because of the snow they threw snowballs at each other.

Like I said, it was cold so we didn't take too long picking out a tree. As usual I wanted a big fat tree and Mike wanted a skinny little tree. The tree we picked out looked really scrawny to me but I was too cold to argue and put up a fight.

you win this year honey!

Our tree being tagged...



...and cut down. I almost didn't get this picture. Those guys were fast!

Here we are on our hay-ride back to the main building to pick up our tree and get some hot apple cider YUM! and hot chocolate DOUBLE YUM!

We really had a great time in spite of the cold. This is one of my most favorite Christmas traditions.

Oh, here's a sneak-peek at my next post... "Decorating the Tree"

What you are looking at is the top of our tree. Notice the white bumpy stuff? That's our popcorn ceiling! You see trees look a lot smaller out in a huge field surrounded by other trees... and to think we had gotten a scrawny tree.

looks like I win again, sorry honey!!!