the christmas season is here

baylee has been begging for us to put up our tree. i am a firm believer in not putting your tree up until after thanksgiving. so today we decorated our house. we have our traditions we turn the tv to christmas music. lee hauls everything in, it's cold outside. lee puts our fake tree together and wraps lights around it. i take the pictures. this year lee decided to wrap lights up the center before putting all the branches on. i do think that made a big difference.

baylee helped lee this year walk around the tree holding the strand of lights. he loves to help put the branches on as well. the other boys found anything they could do but be in the living room, which is hard because there are no video games until after the tree is complete. after the lights and branches are on everyone helps put on the ornaments. i really like to have a tree that you can tell kids decorated, which translates into all the ornaments are grouped together.

baylee putting the angel on the tree.

this year payton fell asleep during the assembly of the tree so he put his ornaments on later. he was imitating the grinch during this time, i got him to put on three ornaments and that was all. the few pictures of me during were taken by baylee. he wants me to be in the pictures as well. i always give him the same speech before i hand my camera over. but i am really impressed with how well he can take a picture. he took 4 to get this one with me only changing one setting. he is not too shabby.

i really needed this day to put me in the spirit. i really dislike the holidays, even more after my dad died. i hate the rush that i always feel: have to go here, have to leave now, now go do this. i am a real laid back kinda person and the hectic time really bums me. the last couple of years have been better because we stay at home christmas day. everyone in their jammies all day playing with the things santa left. i need to be better for my kids sake. we spent the whole day today running errands as a family and decorating as a family so maybe a few more days like today and i will be all the way in the mood.

i'll add the pictures in the morning.

tara