The Halls are Decked

We decorated our tree the day after Thanksgiving this year. We wanted to be able to enjoy it for as long as possible. I have to say, I feel a little like a Grinch, but I love my fake tree so much. Before we had it, I'd stress every year about shelling out $40 for a live one and we'd put it off until the week before Christmas. Or, we wouldn't spend any money at all, and on December 23rd, we'd pull the tree our neighbor caught on fire out of the dumpster and display that in our home. True story - our first Christmas we were married.

Hannah was so excited! I love that she totally gets Christmas this year and she kept remembering and talking about things we did last year. All day yesterday and today she's been asking, "Is it still Christmas time?" She's been waiting for it for so long, I think she's scared it will be over quickly.  

Devan told her to show us how excited she was. Not the best face she's ever made.

Mom, Kory, and Renee came over and I made my traditional, day-after-Thanksgiving soup. For any former roommates who remember my turkey soup, I can assure you, it's improved over the years.

Usually I'm so weird about decorating the tree. I want the ornaments all arranged perfectly. This year I didn't care at all. I just unpacked them and reminisced about where each ornament came from and I let the kids put them wherever they wanted. And, I haven't gone back and rearranged them when they weren't looking. The more busy and tired I get, the less of a control freak I am. I'm realizing that I like that version of myself better.

Hannah is fascinated by the nativity scene. Putting up the nativity scene was my job when I was a girl, too. She keeps getting in trouble for playing with them, but I'm already telling myself that I won't get mad at her when a piece gets broken. I won't, I won't, I won't. Just have to keep repeating it to myself.

After the tree was decorated, we made candy cane cookies. Actually, when I say "we," I mean everyone but me and Devan. He went to the store for fudge ingredients, and I went to work stringing lights around the living room. I have a great love for Christmas lights. Every year I want to hang them all over in the house, but Devan never lets me. He says doesn't want all the holes in the walls, but I think it's also the work of hanging them that he wants to avoid. So, I started hanging them while he was gone, and when he got home, he got impatient watching me and took over. I think I won all around there. 

We put Ben in his high chair with his dough and he tried to roll out the dough. I love how he copies anything we do.

So cute, I could die!

After cookies we watched Elf and ate cookies. "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

The finished product. These pictures were totally staged after the kids went to bed. If they're awake, the ornaments are scattered through every room in the house, and my living room floor is covered in a blanket of fake snow.

I love Christmas! Pulling out my decorations every year, as corny as it sounds, is like revisiting old friends. I love that Hannah loves Christmas so much too. She never wants us to turn off the lights. This morning she brought me over to the tree and wanted me to sit on the floor with her and just look at the Christmas tree. I love her.

And this is random, but also from our tree decorating day. You remember how I said she's been talking a lot about the babies she's going to have? This is her with a baby in her stomach.

Scary, huh?