trimming the tree

First, I have to share this picture of the girls. They fell asleep on the way home from school friday. I always wake them up and send them into the house, but they decided to go right back to napping. I think Kara has outgrown her little pink couch... what do you think? little holiday crawler. I don't think I can call her an official crawler yet, but she can get around pretty well now.

Ben wanted it noted that he was singing black sabbath to Evie to get her smiling like that.

Ben took Kiersten on some errands saturday morning, so Kara and I decided to get started with the decorating. I had to run to walmart for some wall hooks, and forgot i had been christmas shopping early that morning. When I opened the back of the car to get Kara in, Kiersten's christmas present fell out and knocked her to the ground. I quickly explained that our neighbor left some presents in our car for her daughter's birthday, and sent Kara in the house to sit down and recover while I hid the gifts in the garage. when we went back out, she asked if she is gonna be invited to the fictitious birthday party. I told her I think it's just a family birthday party... I've asked her about it a few times since, and am convinced she sort of saw kiersten's gift, but didn't really know exactly what it is. She saw other boxes still in the car, but didn't see what they were. phew.

When Ben and Kiersten got home, we decorated the Christmas tree. I whined a lot about having to put those beads on. (just ask Ben) but it really didn't take too long.

Evie took a break for some baby food!

we went with our black and white decorations this year.

they did a pretty good job. Kara is tall enough this year, that I didn't have to rearrange the ornaments too much.

hanging the stockings!

for some reason, they always like hanging out under the tree.

Kiersten came home with suckers for her and Karalee.

Kara was excited to decorate this little tree. She remembered it from last year.

we found an unopened christmas cd that we must have bought on clearance after christmas last year. We put it on for the girls to dance to. They love having dance parties.

santa baby.

Ben, Kiersten, and Evie went to bed early, so Kara and I wrapped up a bunch of my jewelry boxes with left over wrapping paper scraps. We filled up this sleigh for a cute decoration. I knew there was a reason to keep every little box that I've ever gotten jewelry in. We did about half of them.

Kiersten already opened one, and was disappointed to find it empty. But better that, than opening the actual presents, I guess. Kara made that little Santa in the front at school last week.

Daisy's favorite hiding spot is back this year.