Don't Touch That Ornament!

We must have uttered that command a hundred times on Christmas Decoration Weekend. The kids were just so excited about getting the tree, decorating it, putting up lights, and dancing to the music. But especially the ornaments; we had them all laid out on a table, and the three of them would just sit and look at them. There must have been a tractor-beam emitting from the ornaments, because inevitably a little finger would be gravitating towards one of the tree-decorations. "Put it down!" "Stop touching that!" "Let go, both of you!" "Hands off, you're going to drop it and break it, and then what will you do!"

All in all, it was a fun weekend. As Tara and I reflected back, there was a moment Friday night, after we had the tree in the stand, where we discussed just the two of us putting up the lights and ornaments. "No," I said, "It'll be fun to have the kids help." Ha! Should have listend to my wife...

Here we are at St. Joe Tree Farm, our traditional site for our REAL, LIVE, FRAGRANT Christmas Tree. We're glad to have Eli along for the ride this year!



Emma volunteered to pull the tree-wagon, Isaac wanted the saw, and Levi chose to help Mama pull Eli in the wagon - definitely a two-person task!

We found our tree right away. Maybe the biting cold wind helped us in our choice. However, it took us longer to put on pants, boots, extra shirt, hat, sweater, jacket, gloves for four kids than it did to walk a hundred yards to the first tree we liked. I wasn't about to end our venture there, so I made the family walk another ten minutes, looking for another tree. But, we ended up where we started, quite pleased with our discovery.

Emma was thrilled that she got to pull the tree back to the barn, she even let me help!

Tara and the kids posing with the fallen tree, all smiles, and why not, it's Christmas Time!

Isaac decided that he wanted to help drag the tree, he's such a good helper.

Since Mom and Dad ordered Starbucks on the way to the tree-hunt, the kids got homemade hot chocolate once we got home. Perfect...

Instead of hot-chocolate, Eli got cuddle time with his Mama, and only one layer of clothing!

Levi and Tara putting on his first ornament of the year.

Isaac letting Tara help him with his first ornament of the season.

Emma letting Tara watch her put on her first ornament of the holiday.

Levi's version of helping was to carry around the huge mound of lights from the hallway and throw them down on the front porch. Very helpful.

Isaac was delegated the job of strectching out the line-lights. He grabbed one end and then pulled to straighten it out; except he didn't stop pulling and he ended up walking backwards all the way over to the neighbors house. What a goofball!

Emma flitted around from job to job, she had way to much energy to help with one task for too long. She definitely knows how to spread the Christmas Joy!