(side note (if you can have side notes at the beginning): Charity and Kelly have a new found hobby in playing the ukulele. It's been sitting in the top of their closet for years! I'm so glad Charity got it out and re-taught herself! Kelly's figuring it out too- so much fun!!)
So I'm not sure why it was so quick and easy, but picking out or tree didn't take near as long as usual. We went down to Harmons since Costco's were gone (why was everyone so quick this year?). WE walked up to the trees, walked up and down the aisles, and then settled on one right away! We ALL agreed on it. Then Nate ran into the store to get something to tie it down with, and came back and we had all decided on a different one :). They were VERY similar :). Nate and the "produce guy" tied it onto the car, and we were on our way! I don't know that that has ever happened. I really love our tree though! It was super cheap too, which is a total bonus.
Traditional picture of everyone holding their "first Christmas ornament"s from Grandma Hatch. They LOVE their ornaments, very special.
I got Nate to be the camera-man this year. Thankfully we have my Dad's flash.
Kelly wanted a posed candid shot :)
Luke is very particular. Doesn't like to put up just any ol' ornament- he's very selective. And I think it's safe to say he has the most homemade ones with cute pictures of himself over the years. Not sure why that is- he just got the right teachers I guess :).
Erika is a joy during this :). So sweet to everyone and helping out with Molly and Jack. The younger four just don't have near as many as the older four. We might have to do something about that this year.
This was a fun year for Jack Jack! I don't remember him enjoying this as much as he did this year. Maybe that's just my memory. He loved it. And loved helping Molly love it too. He keeps having to readjust them during the day when Molly removes the lower ones. He's such a cute helper.
Noah was all business as well. But not as picky about what he hung up :). They are all just so sweet and have so much fun talking about them and listening to my stories about Grandma Mottishaw's tree and mine growing up- we have several generations of ornaments now :).
Charity was so good to help with Molly so much and made it so the little kids got to do most of it. She and Kelly are in that stage where they love the traditions, but don't have to have their hands in everything. Lots of fun to watch their sibs too. It was fun to notice her "y" at the end of her name on several ornaments looked more like an "S" because of a new handwriting she had been trying out when she was little :). Funny stuff.
Kelly had fun too- I loved laughing with her and joking about some of the funny ornaments. It's so fun to look back on the things they made and think about how far they've come!
Molly seemed to enjoy herself for the most part. She doesn't love being the one that will possibly break everything. She would rather have free reign with everything :). She really seems ready (mentally) to be one of the big kids- we've just got to get her body there :).
The top of our tree looks so funny in these pictures, I just don't notice it in person :).
Nate had to be in at least one picture, so we let him put up HIS ornament he got from his Aunt's house when he was little :). I love the sentiment of Christmas so much!
Bradley pretty tired that night, but he was also very anxious to do the honors of putting the angel on the tree- it was his year! We all joked around about Nate lifting him up and then he was just barely too short to do it on his own, so sure enough...
I was dying laughing while taking these because Bradley was trash talking Nate about him being a weakling and stuff WHILE he's trying to lift Bradley up... SO FUNNY!
There's still a little big of little Bradley left in this kid, I can still see it :). It's fading, but it's there. We can't get over how Bradley will be 20 the next time he puts the angel on the tree!!
And WHY have I not made our Blue Angel yet?!!!!!!! IT'S BEEN 16 YEARS!!!!!
Need to make my tree skirt too... it's been about 10 years that I've been saying that....
The holiday specs
We need a picture of the stockings... I put them on the banisters this year... we'll see how we like that.
I just love the feel of the Christmas season and this year has felt like it started way sooner and is lasting longer than usual. In a really good way. I'm so excited for all our family traditions. Speaking of- I asked the kids which things they were looking forward to most, so that I can be sure and focus on the things they like and look forward to, and these are the ones they mentioned:
Suburban Express
Opening stockings first thing on Christmas morning (this one is really important to Luke especially)
All the kids sleeping in the big boys' room Christmas Eve
Mazes in the snow in the backyard
Seeing the lights at temple square and Christmas Street and using the holiday specs
Grandpa's house for Christmas Eve
Playing in the snow
Decorating the Tree
So pretty easy list if you ask me :). I love how easy they are to please. I think we'll still throw in a few other things- all of my favorites basically :).
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