Christmas Kickoff!

With all the business stuff, we have hardly had the time or energy to enjoy the upcoming holidays. Well...I was not about to let that happen. I love this time of year, and considering that we actually had a great day of snowfall...It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

So, putting all our "jobs" aside, we played this weekend. Our Christmas kickoff began with spending the afternoon yesterday going to the Festival of Trees. Get some good ideas for decorating our own tree. Then we came home and prepped the house for some decorating. With this being Zander's first Christmas...and he being the little get-around-train, quite the curious little guy, we are going to have to get creative with our decor. For instance, the downstairs tree is going to have to be my three little ones up on the table. Upstairs...I am just going to have to watch him closely. Little guy would pull it over on himself if I let him. He just always wants to help and see all the fun new things around.

Upstairs tree.

A modge podge of some of my trees...only did one this year. Fewer trees=less telling Zander "don't touch".

(snowman tree, vintage popcorn tree...without the apples, blue and silver balls, musical tree with guitar sheet music)

Carl asked me to make out a "Dear Santa" list. So I did, and Kya wanted in on that action. Here is her "Deer Santa" letter. She said she didn't want to write letters or numbers, just pictures. Carl and I were rolling on the floor laughing about this for a good chunk of the afternoon.

(Its a reinDEER and SANTA...that's what she thinks about when she hears "Dear Santa"...she must be a hunter's daughter)

Our Christmas kickoff included.....

1 happy little charmer...

...2 very excited girls...

...3 glasses of eggnog and 4 donuts...

...5 foot 9 mommy...
...6 foot 5 daddy, to help reach the tall stars...

...ok I am stuck on seven, but you get the idea. Zander really wanted to help, or play and make a mess, either way, he was getting into the spirit too.

Showing off her decorated Family Trees. Still need to get our ornament for 2009...maybe a baby and some weights.

Daddy loves this part the best with our kids....cuddles rule.

Downstairs trees...all the family ornaments we collect over the years.

Kya made the gingerbread man at the Festival of Trees.

Our kickoff also included a little movie watching. As you can see, Z-buddy is really into this movie stuff.

So is Kya...she loves the Christmas cartoons.

...and to all a goodnight.