Getting Ready...

The first possible minute after we got back from Kansas, we set up our tree. Which of course included making crepes. :-)

These three are something else together. Carsten was laying there completely happily while Aria was grabbing his face and Tyler was standing on him.

This year since we were out of town until after Thanksgiving we set up in stages. The kids helped put up our little tree downstairs. And Carl and I set up the big one upstairs after they were sleeping another night. Then the boys helped decorate that one on yet another night.

Hanging her first Christmas ornament!

The boys each picked out their new ornaments for this year and were so excited to open them and hang them up!

This was Aria's reaction when she woke up to a Christmas tree in the living room. It was priceless.

I can't resist adding this one last picture. We used to always decorate our big pine tree. But we did it like normal people in daylight with an extension ladder. Then a bunch of the lights burnt out and it was always too cold or snowy so we didn't get them up the last few years. Last year we didn't even have them on the house and I was so bummed about it! So this year I told Carl that if he did the outside lights again we could make crepes again. And it worked! That is apparently all it takes to get him to do things he doesn't want to do. :-) Anyway, he got the extension ladder and climbed up but the tree had grown and it didn't reach anymore!

So this happened.

It's hard to see, but he put them up at night with a giant pole he made. At one point he even had me out there trying to guide the pole with ropes. Like a horse. It was ridiculous. And so funny. People walking by stopped to watch and I'm sure our neighbors were all watching out their windows laughing at us. And hoping the giant pole didn't swing over and break something. But we have a beautifully decorated pine tree again! :-)