Trimming the Tree

I love the fact that Chad requires a REAL Christmas tree. It reminds me of my holidays long ago. The smell of the tree, the pine needles on the floor, the presents all around, and the stockings full of little surprises. That's how we did it in my "family" house many years ago. That is what I love to give to our girls now.

I love that each year we go out as a family to the cold Christmas tree lot and wander through all the trees looking for the right one. Hold one up and look, nope. Let's move on to another one. And do it all over again, until finally, we end up going back to one we looked at first. They tie up our tree and home we go.

Chad is getting better about setting up the tree in the stand (a lesson he learned from my dad I think.) As the girls and I are busy rearranging the family room and vacuuming up the space the tree will go. Champagne, our cat, usually runs upstairs to hide from this giant green thing that appears once a year.

Once the tree is inside and standing straight, it is my job to put the lights and ribbon on. While the girls im-patiently wait to add the ornaments. When it's all done, it truly is our masterpiece. What a fun family activity.


Our tree before.


I'm putting on the lights and ribbon.


Cooper adding ornaments.


Campbell adding ornaments.


The finished product!