Breaking Traditions

Let me start by saying that I love traditions.  I really do and I love knowing that our little family has started some great traditions already.  With all that being said, I totally broke one of my favorite traditions that we have this year.  Decorating our Christmas tree has always been done on the day of the Army-Navy game which is the second Saturday in December; however, this year with Thanksgiving being so late this year's game wasn't until December 14th.  I looked the date up in the middle of November and as soon as I saw it was the 14th I began worrying.  We were having our good friend, Steph, from Hawaii, visit the week before, the kids' birthday party was on the 13th at our home, we were having friends over for the game and then the thought of only having the tree up for 11 days before Christmas was stressing me out!  I know, crazy, but I'm sure most of the other moms out there can empathize with me.  So, one night at dinner I sheepishly asked Rich, "So, you know that the Army Navy game is late this year, on the 14th, right?"  And he replies, "Yes, so?" And I just gave him a look and he says, "Oh, no, what?"  I then asked him if he thought we could get and decorate our tree early and he just started laughing.  He called me crazy and said, "Sure."  So, that is the backstory of how we went and got our tree on Saturday, November 30th (kind of makes me cringe thinking that we even got it in November-I'm all for Christmas but definitely cringed at the decorations up the day before Halloween and Thanksgiving- to each his own) but at least we didn't put it up and decorate it until December 1st!

We headed to Old Time Christmas Tree Farm again this year (sounds like a tradition to me!) and had a great time.  Joseph enjoyed the bounce houses and everyone liked the train ride around the trees.  Although they have ample trees to cut down we decided to buy one of the pre-cut trees since we prefer the Noble tree look.  

 Ella waiting for the train ride

 And Joseph entertained himself by jumping over the bales of hay while waiting for the train to arrive.

 Love these smiles!

 In front of our chosen tree!

 Everyone enjoyed decorating the tree on Sunday, December 1st.  

 I love this picture of Ella.  She is looking at the tree and it looks like she is saying, "ooohhhh!"  

 She is definitely enthralled!

Joseph put the star on top!

And during naptime Daddy went to work putting the lights on the house.  He told his dad later that day that he never realized what a perfectionist I was until he started hanging Christmas lights.  I am just happy that this year he told me he was going to do it instead of like last year where he "surprised" me with hanging them and all season I think I gave him a hard time about about them.  

Excited for the Christmas season!