Norman Rockwell It Ain't

I always envision a Christmas tree decorating party for our family. Maybe make some hot chocolate, sing some Christmas tunes, pop some popcorn that we will string as garland to put around the tree and then talk about our hopes and dreams for what we want Christmas to really mean this year...............Yeah right! While I have a Clark Griswold moment (setting my expectations a wee bit too high) enjoy the pictures from the Christmas set up.

You have to appreciate a fake tree. I didn't have respect for this little beauty last year. I was still mourning the loss of the real tree. But this year I see the wonderful attributes of our faux little friend. I mean it came in 3 pieces and took less than 1 minute to set up. And no wrapping lights around the tree??? Bonus!

Kate and Carson "helping" with the ornaments.I know exactly what my son is thinking. "Good grief Kate we hit the jack pot! Look at all of these balls to throw around!" And  if I had a dime for everytime we have told them "do not touch the tree!"already, I could have fully funded next year's Christmas. But good grief put something easy to knock over with shiny objects all over it with in a kid's reach? What do we think they are going to do????

Jared and I always bemoan the fact that we have no stocking hangers. And then searching through the heap in our closet we discover these beauties. It's a Christmas Miracle! No really it was my Mom scoring a huge deal on stocking hangers one year and storing them in our closet, but either way we are set with having a place to hang our stockings this year.

My Mom always gives us the coolest ornaments. This is a porcelain one from Washington, DC. As you can imagine this one is at the tippy top of our tree.

Love this one. We had it made at a craft fair the December before Carson was born.

This bad boy has been on our tree since we've been married. Again a gift from Mom. I think if it weren't for Mom we would have no ornaments. No cool ones anyway. :)

The Christmas before Kate was born we went to Chicago for my Birthday and found these postcard ornaments. This one is of the old water tower in downtown Chicago. I miss Chicago at Christmas time. There is just SOMETHING about being there around Chistmas time. The windows at Marshall Fields, the Walnut room, Marshall Fields on State Street, Fannie Mae Candies Apricot creams (remember Mary Joy? I remember those were your favorites:)

Our stockings. Kate's stocking is 2nd from the right. It is made out of fabric from the dress I wore for my stage debut (and final performance as it turned out )as Mrs. Claus in the 5th grade Christmas play. The 5th stocking is for Mimi who will be our special guest this year.

Sweet baby boy. He was a little confused that after being told not to touch the ornaments all night we were actually telling him to touch an ornament for this photo op. We are all about consistent discipline around here.  He happily obliged being that he is drawn to the ornaments like a moth to a flame.

My favorite pictures of the year. There is something about the light of the Christmas tree on my kids faces that makes me sentimental and nostalgic.

Carson is starting a tradition by showing up pantless for all family gatherings. It's becoming his trademark. It will probably stop being cute around oh....... age 15.

I love this one.

See what I mean? No Norman Rockwell here. The boy is pantless and the Daddy is shirtless and Kate well.....not really sure what she's doing. :) I love that we keep it "real"