Bring on the Christmas Cheer

AND we're back. This is the picture that I have been looking at for quite a few weeks. We've been on apple support forums to try to figure out how to fix our stupid iPhoto. We didn't have a back up. It's a good thing that my husband is patient and amazing, and was able to back up what was still there hidden. Also good he could recover them enough to put them on our hard drive, and that we had an external hard drive to put them on. If we didn't have that, we probably would have lost all our pics and family videos. Phew. I learned my lesson to back up more often. 

ANYWAY, now that I have a bunch to catch up on, here is where I start. Our advent calendar that I made this year. Next year I'd like it on it's own cute festive magnet board. This year, it's on the fridge. That has worked great. Each day there are candies, a festive joke which Gabe has loved, a scripture to keep us Christ centered with a gospel art kit pic, and pictures of things we are going to do that day. It's not as intense as halloween, but it keeps our days busy and festive. I have loved it as much as the kids. Since I try to do most of my shopping in November, it has kept things still moving smoothly through the month. Instead of sitting around waiting for Christmas.

 

So of course at the beginning of this month we decorated the tree. 

 

 

I don't love this tree, it's still the one we bought when first married. It's tiny and falling apart. It's not pre-lit and I'd LOVE a bigger one. I tell Adam every year. He tells me we better start budgeting it in, cause this one is becoming very sentimental to him, and we'll probably never get rid of it. So one of these days I'll get a nicer one on an after Christmas sale or something. Until then, here it is. 

 

At first Ollie wasn't into putting ornaments on, he just didn't care. Once Daddy helped him a bit he loved it and was sad when we were done. He's been pretty good about leaving ornaments alone, it's actually Gabe I have to worry about. She can't resist touching, and moving, and examining things closer. She broke a sentimental one last year, so I don't love that she loves to touch. She can't help herself though, She LOVES everything Christmas related and just gets to excited about things. 

 

 

Gabe knowing she has done the star most years, expected to do it this year. It throws her off a little knowing Ollie is now old enough to take turns doing things. So to even it out, we just put it on twice. 

 

 

 

There she be. I hope to always have a tree with random collection of ornaments from throughout the years. It makes me happy to look at. (Now if it were only bigger...)  ;0)