The Moment I've Been Waiting For

I feel like my excitement to decorate for Christmas this year was elevated to a new level. I decided it's because there is generally so little around here to separate one season from another other than the fluctuating price of vegetables. And frankly, that's just not so festive.

I made myself wait until the day after Thanksgiving but then there was no holding me back.

Yesterday the tree went up!



My boy was possibly more excited than me!! Wow... that did my heart good!



Sidenote: Do you know how difficult it is to explain to a three year old why people started putting trees inside during the winter to remind them of hope and life to come after the cold dark winter when there is NO COLD AND DARK WINTER?! That kid looked at me like I was nuts.

Or do you know how difficult it is to explain to a three year old that the triangle shape of the tree reminds us of the three-Person Trinity? He said "Wet's make it a square por for more people!"

Hmmm. Not sure he really grasped the concept. But you can't say I didn't try!!

Ohmygoodness.

Aaanyway...



He was an ornament-hanging champion! Especially if you like all your ornaments exactly three feet from the ground in the precise front of the tree all on once branch.

Ha!



This is the tiny tree that I put in my kitchen. (I figure with the amount of time I spent in there I may have my own personal tree!) In it's previous life it served as 'thee main tree' for our first couple Christmases in this country. Compare that one to the size of the one we have now... big difference!!



I was a miniature-fake-light-detangle champion (what is Christmas decorating without having to untangle some mess?!)



And this girl's job was to drink her bottle. Yes... she was the champion in that category!

So last night after the kids were in bed, the decorating mess was cleaned up,



the mistletoe was hung from the ceiling,



the stockings were hung on the back of the couch (?) with care,



and the tree was all aglow...



I sat down in front of the sparkly plastic conifer with last year's Christmas magazine (don't worry, it was like I read it for the first time) and a snowman mug of imported hot chocolate.

*content sigh*

I really do love being in this place for this wonderful season!