Tree Trimming and PJ Party!!

Here are all the photos! Finally!

I originally wanted to post this Monday night, when I actually typed it, but I can't get any of the pictures to upload to blogger, so enjoy this post, minus the tree trimming photos!

I thought I would take the opportunity to catch up on my blogging while my kids are happily enjoying a Charlie Brown Christmas, a holiday classic!! I am a little behind on our holiday happenings. We trim the tree every year right after Thanksgiving. Growing up, we would hunt for our Christmas Tree on my Mom's birthday, December 18th, so this only allowed us to enjoy it for a few weeks. It was always a huge production, and the process and outcome were always the same. We would all pile into the car, bundled from head to toe, we had hot chocolate in the thermos, and an assortment of treats, Christmas music would play from the radio, and we would all sing along, whether we liked it or not! We would go from lot to lot, looking for the perfect tree, when ultimately, the perfect tree was always at the first lot, but we never realized that until we had gone to at least 5 or 6! My Dad would always try to haggle the price down, and who knows if this actually worked, but he was known to talk officers out of tickets, so I am sure he shaved a few dollars off the price! The decorations were always the same and we hung them one by one, by birth order, saving the Tinsel for last. All of our old ornaments are stored in our garage, and I should pull them out, just for memories sake! I will, and then I will take pictures for my siblings, so they can reminisce. My favorite was this one of Smurfette with mistletoe in her hair. I wonder if she will be in that box, if she is, I will post pictures to share with all of you, I know you will be waiting with baited breath. Now that I have taken you down a pointless memory lane, on to the more exciting times at the Holley house.

We do not 'hunt' for any tree, unless you call walking into the garage for our pre-lit 10 ft Douglas fir an adventure. No need to bundle up or pull out the thermos for that excursion! I know it takes a little of the holi out of holiday, but it allows us to enjoy the tree all month without the worry of it drying out and catching on fire. The kids all get to put on a strand of garland, and then it is a free for all with the ornaments. We usually end up with a heavily decorated bottom half of the tree, and then when the kids have gone to bed I evenly disperse them, but they enjoy doing it all themselves. Every year we do themed pajamas, and this year my Mom pulled out all the stops with the matching sock monkey Christmas PJ's, courtesy of Target. They have matching adult size too, but they are the zipper kind with the feet, and that sort of freaks Ryan out, so we will be using last years PJ's instead. So there you have it, our decorating extravaganza, we still haven't put up any lights on the outside, and hopefully we will get that done this weekend, but at least the inside is done. Oh and I hear they make a fabulous 'Christmas tree' scent spray, for all of us with fake trees, so if you see it out while shopping give me a call, because that is the only thing I miss by not having a real tree, that fabulous pine smell.

(PS I just wanted to give a shout out to Charles Schultz for keeping the real Christmas story in his holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas, I am sure it is the only cartoon shown on TV during the holiday season that gives any airtime to the birth of Christ, so Thanks Mr. Schultz for keeping it real!)

This is the only picture that I could get to download, so until blogger gets up and running again, enjoy this homely picture of Adeline, at least the antlers look cute! That hair is such a mess!

The kids had so much fun decorating the tree, they took their responsibility very serious. They placed each ornament just in the right spot!! Note that Aiden is the only one dressed, the rest of us fools stayed in our PJ's all day! What a great way to spend a Saturday.

Is this the cutest photo ever? She was so excited to get in the container, I think that is why she just piled all of the ornaments in one spot!

PJ Party

So my Mom came home that evening, with these adorable sock monkey jammies! The kids were already in their PJ's, but wanted to put these on, so you can see their other jammies poking through! Too Cute!

Aiden, dancing with excitement!

Ashy, showing off his Christmas style!

Anden, giving us the first 'gift' of Christmas!

Adeline, in all her glory!

Trying to get a group shot in front of the tree, but Adeline was at her limit, and Ashy is watching in awe! (FYI, I had to take Adeline to her 15 month checkup this week, and the boys asked, 'Are you taking Adeline to the Dr. to find out why she cries all the time?' I just had to laugh, but she is a princess!)