It's Beginning to Look a *Bit* Like Christmas

It's been our tradition to put up our Christmas decorations the weekend following Thanksgiving and this year was no different.  The girls were so excited to see the big tree go up and the lights shining.  Unfortunately, the pre-lit tree we purchased our first Christmas 10 years (gasp) ago, is now only half prelit.

From Fall 2012

 You can see several dark spots in these pictures.  We went ahead and let Ruby put her "ortaments" on since the concept of waiting until we get a few strings of lights doesn't go over real well when you're three.  Ruby was captain decorator

From Fall 2012

while Ada mostly "checked" the ornaments

From Fall 2012

and undecorated.

From Fall 2012

I took the time last year to write on all of the ornaments/boxes so we wouldn't forget who they were from and the year we got them.  I know, sometimes I'm a genius like that.  Ha!  It was really cool to take each one out and be able to tell Ruby "this was the one you got last year from great grandma" or "Gaga made this one for Ada last year".  We decided to keep the rest of our (breakable) ornaments packed away and just decorate with the girls' decorations this year.  I'm pretty sure that's what I did last year too.  So, you can probably guess that all 30 (ish) ornaments ended up in a two foot area about two feet off the ground.

From Fall 2012

We waited until after the Black Friday hoop-la to venture to Target and get a few stings of lights.  I wanted  needed to move the ornaments up a bit higher anyway,

From Fall 2012

so I strung the lights and redecorated one night when the munchkins were sleeping.

We didn't put up any of our other decorations that first day, the tree was plenty of excitement.  So we've been slowly getting things out and really enjoying them.  One afternoon I brought up our Little People nativity set (I'm thinking the Willow Tree nativity will probably stay safe  packed away this year too).  We talked about each figure and read the Christmas story.  Ruby liked hearing about the gold, frankincense and myrrh brought by the three kings.  Later that evening, after Ada had strewn the pieces all over the house, Ruby started yelling.  "Where's that guy?"  "Where's that Frankenstein guy?" Wrong holiday sweetheart!  Ada loves the nativity, but often gets her other Little People figures mixed in.  I'm pretty sure there weren't any lions in the stable or men holding Starbucks cups.

We need to get the stockings hung one of these days too.  Ruby's a bit confused about this tradition as well.  Every time I mention the stockings, she says she wants to try them on.  I guess, since we don't really talk about Santa, she doesn't see any other purpose for stockings!

With the temps in the 70's the last couple days (yup, 7-0), it's been strange thinking about Christmas.  We'll have to wait until it gets colder to go look at Christmas lights!