O Christmas Tree

The tree went up in two parts this year. We first started Thanksgiving weekend- on Sunday, the 29th- getting all the decorations down from the attic was a job in itself. Then, as I was putting up a few decorations here and there, Maggie was arranging all the stuffed animals in just the right place. :) Going back and forth between the stairs where they were stacked and the living room couch where she decided the bears should be. I love my girl!

Once time began to get the tree up, everyone but Allie helped initially. Jake mostly hung around, taking a few branches out of the tree bag, then was off to bigger and better things. Will helped with part of the first row before complaining and finally being released to do other things. But Maggie. Our little Maggie was all about the tree decorating!

While Daniel and I continued putting up the tree and adding lights as we went, we heard a rustling at about the halfway point. I look under the tree and what do you know, there Maggie was working the tree skirt all the way around. Yep, that sweetheart girl put that skirt on all by herself! She was so proud and truly enjoyed helping mommy and daddy.

Mr. Opportunity came down at the right time and daddy let him put the star on the tree. 

After getting up the tree and lights we were tired so we decided to call it a night and finish the ornaments in the morning. Well, it's a good thing we did because I found a barely lit tree when I went to turn off the lights before going to bed. Yep, almost all the lights burned out AFTER we strung the whole tree!! Ugh. So then I waited all week going back and forth about whether or not I really wanted to re-do all the lights on the tree. I finally did, and we bought more lights then finished the tree this weekend, ornaments and all with our traditional hot chocolate, this time homemade. Will was much more enthused about this part of the tree trimming process. 

In the middle of all the festivities, Wiill starts rough-housing with Maggie

So then Daniel starts roughing with Will- "running" his head into the door

 And then all the kids start doing it...

Seriously! This is what happens in our house. Even in the middle of putting

up the Christmas tree! Ah, it is cute though. I love these littles.

Allie kept stealing the snowman's scarf. Hilarious. And precious.  

 She's not always happy in the walker...

Then finally after all that. We finished our tree. 

Merry Christmas 2015 from our family to yours!

Thanksgiving weekend

I normally do a welcome home post after returning from Toronto, but there just wasn't time after this trip. I didn't even take very many pictures. I helped with a fundraiser almost right after coming home then working to get re-adjusted which oddly enough always takes a little time to get back in the groove of things. Then we had an ER visit with Allie, who bumped her head on the bookcase and cut it open-- no stiches-- just glue. And wah-la it's Thanksgiving!

So we were very happy as always to return home to our boys and my parents watched them the last week and a half before my return (Daniel traveled to Atlanta for training and then TAM week in San Fran). They gave me/us a very nice treat by having the house spotless! My dad even hand cleaned the entire downstairs flooring! Plus mom got us a new table cloth, place mats and an orchid, everything was beautiful and we did keep it clean for awhile. :)

Now, on to Thanksgiving! This year was with my family so in addition to my parents and siblings, I got to spend some time with extended family in from St. Louis which is always nice. I didn't take too many pictures, but here's a few.

Halloween

Our trip to Canada this fall overlapped Halloween. Initially, Daniel was going to drive up this weekend and stay with the boys at least a couple days into the week, possibly the entire week. Then he got a new job that required him to travel this week (our last week here) and fly out on Nov 1st. So, that left us spending Halloween apart. It's not my favorite holiday and not as sentimental as Christmas or Thanksgiving, but I would still prefer to trick-or-treat and go to pumpkin patches and harvest festivals as a family. But that was not in the cards this time. I had to miss the boys trick-or-treating and Daniel had to miss the girls, Allie's first time to dress up for Halloween- she was only a couple months old last year.

It was really sad and we missed each other but at least we're here with friends and weren't alone. Poppy is here during this schedule as well so we were able to spend Halloween with her, Hayley and Danny. Maggie and Poppy just love each other, they're so cute together. We went to their condo this afternoon for some activities hosted by the condo; the girls had fun dancing.

Then we went upstairs where the girls tried bobbing for apples and fell in love with it! They did it over and over again. Hayley made us dinner then we all went out trick-or-treating. We had a great time and if I couldn't be with my whole family, I'm glad we were with good friends.

 My camera battery died while we were out, so this picture in the lobby was the last one I got before trick-or-treating. We stayed out about an hour and half when the rain started to pick up. Me and the girls got back "home" around 8 and I charged the battery a little to take a few more pics of my Princess Aurora and ladybug. Happy Halloween!