Christmas Cheer

Christmas is a whirlwind this year, and admittedly I have not enjoyed much of the sentiment of the season, as of yet. I feel stressed and strung out. Not very Christmasy.

Nothing is wrapped, baked, addressed or stamped. Sigh.

Oh well, at least my shopping is mostly done.

We finally got all of our Christmas decor up. We usually put it up Thanksgiving weekend, but we were late this year. Too many things going on. Nevertheless, I tried to make it a fun occasion.

Dash completely complicated things, but that is how he contributes to our life at this moment in time. No benefit, only trouble. Cute trouble....but still trouble.

I made the kids hold ornaments they made in elementary school so I could take a picture. I get so sentimental about those treasures, especially now that Joey and Hannah are teenagers.


These strings of paper lights were made when they were each in the 1st grade. I LOVE them and will never get rid of them. Every year we laugh at their 1st grade cutting and coloring skills. Hannah's is especially...ummm...poor. Even she laughs when she recalls hurrying through the project because she thought it was boring.

We have fun putting ornaments on the tree, pointing out our favorites. And, we have fun just goofing off.

Enthusiasm is quite evident on the faces of some of us...

and absent on others.

Ok, he was just feeling a bit tired that night. :)

I have a serious Rudolph problem, and I'm not afraid to admit it. He is sooo cute. I did not pass up the opportunity to buy him and Clarice at Build-a-Bear Workshop last month. They even talk to each other. This year I had to place them far away from the "destroyer". I hope next year he will not enjoy chewing and ruining everything in sight.