We have a Tree!!!

Had so much fun with my sillies yesterday morning!  For the second year in a row we went to Butler's Orchard to cut down our own tree.  Well, more specifically, us girls stood around and watched Cosmo cut the tree down and then we all applauded.

After cutting the tree we stopped in at the market and had some hot chocolate and caramel and apples.  I had to go to the office for a bit but when I came home they had the tree up complete with lights and baked macaroni (T's favorite) in the oven for dinner.  We decorated the tree and enjoyed dinner and just relaxed the rest of the evening.  This year's tree is HUGE and I think it's one of my favorites we've ever had.  The girls didn't want to use any of their hand-crafted "kiddie" ornaments so the tree is just balls and stars and candy canes.  It looks great!!!  

Well Hello There!!

Wow.  This is the longest I've ever gone without blogging.  It's just been super busy the last couple of weeks and we've been enjoying the recent snow.  KJ had snow days last Monday and Tuesday.  They could have went on Monday but Tuesday was pretty messy and it was probably good that they cancelled classes.  She's enjoying sledding down the hill in our backyard and the dog likes frolicking in the snow, too. 

For the first time in our family's history we cut down our own Christmas tree last week.  We went to
http://www.butlersorchard.com/, the same place we got our Halloween pumpkins.  It was a gorgeous day and we had so much fun.  Finding the perfect tree was a lot harder than I thought! 

KJ started volleyball practice two nights a week and is really enjoying it.  The other night we saw 3 deer walking down our street, 1 deer as I turned out of our sub-division, two more deer on the way to the school for practice and I saw 4 deer in someone's front yard on the way home. 

I've got most of my Christmas shopping done, Christmas cards are out, decorating is done.  I still have wrapping to do and one package to mail out.  We'll bake next week when my mom gets in.  My parents arrive on Saturday and T got in this past Saturday.  Her flight out of Memphis was delayed 3 hours due to the weather here.  We had some snow Saturday afternoon that turned into rain by the time her flight got in around 10 PM.  One of her residents was on her flight so I was glad she had someone to travel with.  Her "little" lives here in Arlington so I'm sure they'll get together over break. 

Cosmo flew to Bham Friday to do a few things at the house and do some lax stuff.  He got to see his lax boys on Saturday and ran into a bunch of friends Friday and Saturday nights.  He misses lax a little bit and is toying with the idea of coaching here.  Which I'm OK with. 

We have Balls !!!

Success! We finally have balls (and other assorted ornamentation!) on our two Christmas trees! It wasn't quite the Norman Rockwell family painting I had envisioned, but KJ & I had fun last night decorating. T had a TON of homework and said to just go ahead and put her ornaments up (she is the least sentimental child I have ever known. She actually told me she kind of liked the trees bare. She said it was simple and elegant). Cosmo was busy installing the TV & cable in our bedroom so it was just me & KJ. Of course, all of KJ's ornaments are bunched together in one spot front and center and she put T's stuff way in the back.

Over the Top

"Santa Approved"

"Peppermint Kisses"

Every year I say I'm going to do an over the top, totally funky, off the wall Christmas tree and I never do. When it comes right down to it, I just can't NOT put up all the crafty ornaments the girls have made over the years, our "first Christmas together" ornaments, T's collection of travel ornaments and s'mores ornaments, our NY Jets and Alabama ornaments.

This theme is called "No Peeking"

I know these aren't Christmas trees but I still had to include them. How awesome!

Tiffany Blue Christmas Tree

"Jelly Beans & Gumdrops"