Decorating the Tree

On Monday we finally decorated our tree and at least got the stockings hung I have yet to put the rest of the decorations up......

I am so excited to finally have a completed fireplace to hang our stockings!! My Dad made this fireplace for us he does such a great job. Last year at this time we were just finishing our basement and didn't get it painted before Santa came so....This is the first.


Every year we pick an ornament for that year and write the year on it, if it is the first Christmas for someone that gets written on it as well. Here we are trying to get a picture of the kids all holding their "First Year" ornament. As you can see it was not an easy task. This one is not the greatest... Hayden has his usual Napoleon face, Olivia is trying to do some kissy pose to him to bug him, Maddie's eyes are closed, but check out Canyon! It's like he is holding up his first caught fish.... if you click on the picture you will see he has orange marker on his legs, he is just wearing the t-shirt he made at Olivia's birthday party, his little face and body just crack me up in this picture!!

Here is another classic for our family, check out the utter look of disgust Hayden gives his sisters when they want to cheese it up.... Canyon is getting the come on already I'm done with this stance!

This is about the best we can do so here they are with their ornaments...

Canyon was far more interested in the train then putting up ornaments (or going to school the next day). We need to get batteries but he still thinks a train this big is spectacular!

Me & Olivia putting the pieces back in the advent calendar, just a few days late! I love the different count downs to Christmas. It all started in elementary school with the chain "right"

Like I said each year we choose an ornament, sometimes 2 well a few years ago Tom decided to try the art of wittling... Here is his first attempt I thought he did a great job! He is always good at artsy stuff. So this was our ornament for that year 2005. I keep trying to get him to do big ones now that he has an idea of how to do it but..... To have time right

Maddie putting up the angel. Her and Olivia fight almost every year about who gets this job. When I was a kid it was mine I don't know why no one else fought me for it, maybe it was the fact that I stood on my dad's shoulders while he stood on a bar stool to get it up there? I think it started out that way and then was just tradition by the time my younger sisters got older. Needless to say we have to take turns at our house!

Here is Olivia trying to make sure her "First ornament is higher than Maddies!

Hayden was all about it he probably put up most the ornaments.

Me & Maddie thought this shot was hilarious!!! "Merry Christm ass" We thought. Tom didn't find it really funny! We did!

We got our tree this year at this house just a few blocks over, they were selling them in their front yard, and let me tell you this is the freshest tree we have ever gotten!!

Good times I so love this time of year!