Christmas Adventures

Merry Christmas

Christmas adventures this year started with finding the perfect Christmas tree!

Keeping up with tradition, we ventured out to Pine Tree Barn on Sunday and found the one. This is Nicky's first Christmas and Marlee's third (third? Is that even possible?) adventure cutting down a tree. With our ever growing family, we had the pickle of figuring out how to transport all the kiddos to the tree and back - with the tree. We backpacked Nicky and Marlee half walked, half was carried. Isaac was a huge help as usual with pulling the tree. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed every minute of finding the tree, cutting it down, hauling it back, and then, of course, having hot chocolate at the end.

Marlee was a bit of a grump (how dare we make her walk! worse parents ever!) but was all smiles once she got her hot chocolate. Now I know to get hot chocolate first...

After Pine Tree Barn, we put the tree up and decorated the house. After a bit of a Christmas stand debacle (bigger tree = bigger tree stand), we got the tree up and put on the decorations. Marlee loved helping with the lights and wanted more, more, more ornaments. My mother gave me the Disney ornaments that I remember so fondly from my childhood and I was able to put those up with Marlee too. I even ordered Minnie from the collection off Ebay because you can't have Mickey without Minnie! Nicky surprisingly did really good with the tree too. He grabs at the ornaments but then quickly moves on to the next ornament without taking any down. It really made me smile to see the tree bring my kiddos so much joy. Might have even filled me with Christmas spirit.

Maybe. 

Presents are almost wrapped and stocking are hung! Now we are just counting down till Christmas.

Don't tell but I am pretty excited for Christmas morning. The kids are going to love it. 

8 more days!

Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Lumberjacking!

Holiday season is in full effect!

I wanted to post earlier but my photos wouldn't upload and a post without pictures is well, just words.

Marlee's first Thanksgiving was great! Family, food, football, and more food. We started at my side of the family and then ended at Nick's side of the family. Marlee was loved on by everyone and I am pretty sure she was not put down once. Spoiled little babe.

I am getting irritated because I am pretty sure that we do not have a single picture of all four of us together but we did get a good one of the two of us.

After much coaxing from my co-workers, I decided to venture out on Black Friday. I was honestly worried about putting Marlee's life in danger venturing out on such a vicious shopping holiday, but I was pleasantly surprised! The best thing about going to the mall at 4:30 in the morning is that there is no one there. No one. I did not have to wait in a single line or fight my way thru any crowds. I practically knocked everyone off my list in the matter of 5 hours. If I would have know this was the case, I might have done this years ago! Five AM does bring out some strange people though. We were lucky enough to see a lady dressed as an elf (shopping, not working), get caught in a spontaneous Christmas music sing-off, and be bombarded by a sweet but overbearing Aero worker who demanded to see what I bought at Express. I cannot make this stuff up people.

Marlee loved it though. She must get her shopping gene from Aunt Toni.

All bundled up!

Baby wearing momma.



All shopped out!

Even after we were all done, she just wanted to talk all about the experience.



(That is my first YouTube video! Hopefully it works!)

I had plans of making cookies and wrapping presents etc etc but ended up taking a nap. Womp womp. Carrying around a 14 lb baby for 5 hours is hard work!

Saturday we decided we should participate in one of my favorite holiday traditions - cutting down the tree! My family always did a real tree growing up and when I first moved in with Nick, he had this awful artificial one. Not that there is anything wrong with a fake tree but it is just that - fake. Might as well get a fake dog. And fake food. And fake presents to put under the fake tree. They might look nice, but do not serve the same purpose. So we made a new tradition to go with Isaac (and now Marlee) and cut down a real tree! Once again, I bundled Marlee all up, and we ventured out to Pine Tree Barn. We are able to pick out, cut down, and drag the tree back to the car. Isaac loves it and I hope Marlee does someday too.

On our way!

Once again, Marlee is snug as a bug.

The snow made everything sparkle!

I think we have a winner!

Marlee slept the entire time.

Let the cutting begin!

Manly high-five right there.

Victory!

Completely unaware of the fun going on around her.

Load her up and off we go!

Then we headed home and made room for the tree in the living room. Everything was decorated and ready to go within hours.

I am pretty sure my days off were as exhausting as the nights I work but we were able to have some great family time and for that I am thankful. Making memories for our little family to build upon is what the season is all about. As much of a Scrooge as I am, I do appreciate weekends like this. And they might make me a little excited for Christmas.