Putting up the tree - already

Normally we don't put up the Christmas tree and other decorations until after Brandon's birthday at the end of November. But this year we are planning on being in Utah for half of December.  So it didn't seem right to wait to decorate and then only enjoy it for a few weeks.  Plus Charlotte has been after me to put up the tree again ever since our stuff showed up in January.  This was the soonest I was willing to put out the decorations.  

Here is Lydia showing off a sparkly ornament while modeling our heirloom tree skirt.  

Brandon put the tree together.  We've had this tree since we were dating.  All the lights burned out last year so the lights are new this year.

The girls thought the tree was so cool.  Charlotte kept saying, "I LOVE this tree."

After the tree was up we all laid under it and looked up at the lights.  This is my favorite tradition.  We always say that we are each other's best Christmas presents.  This is another thing that Brandon and I have done since we were dating.

Derrick wasn't too happy about the tradition.

Lydia took this picture of Veronica.

Then we set up all the other decorations.  Here I am showing one of the manger scenes to the kids.

And then I put it up high where it will be safe - and not a moment too soon.  Derrick learned that he liked clapping the figurines together.

We also set up a little Thanksgiving display.

Here is a little train decoration I got last year, but didn't have a chance to put up until this year.

This is my favorite manger scene.

We put the stocking up like this.  I'm still deciding if I like them here.  I kind of want to move them so they are above the piano.  Charlotte found an old piece of taffy in the toe of her stocking.

The kids liked playing with everything, but most of it wasn't very kid proof.  Thank goodness we have this wooden nativity scene that Brandon's mom painted 13 years ago in anticipation of the day that her future grandkids would want to play with it.

The girls got pretty good at putting the pieces back together.

And here is what the tree looks like.  The girls spent the evening decorating and undecorating the tree over and over again with the few ornaments that I let them touch.  Most of our ornaments were hand painted by Brandon's mom.  There is no way I'm letting the kids play with them.  This year I have plans for some sort of advent calender where each kid gets one ornament out each day.  I think we will hand the ornaments from hooks high up on the wall again.  But I still need to get that all set up.  

The weather has turned a little bit colder here so it sort of seems appropriate to put up the tree.  But it mostly feels weird to have it up already.  The trees outside have barely started loosing their leafs.

But the girls are so happy to have the tree up, and that makes it okay.