It's (Finally) Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I feel like I am behind on everything Christmas this year (and Evie is a very good excuse, thankyouverymuch), but we are getting there.  Slowly but surely, I have gotten the house decorated, and Clint, Charlie, Evie and I recently went out to pick out our Christmas tree (or "Big Tree!," as Charlie's dubbed it).  

Charlie negotiated a very good price for the tree...

The tree experts.

Evie had surprisingly strong opinions.  The girl loves Douglas firs.

I wanted this tree, but the kids opted for a traditional one.

Decorating the house has been so fun...but I've realized that I really need more Christmas decorations.  Guess who's going to be shopping the post-Christmas sales... :)

This is my favorite decoration.  It was my grandmother's, and I always loved it at her house as a child.  Apparently I fiddled with it enough that she eventually gave it to me. :)

Stockings hung with care...

And here is our expert tree decorator.  This guy LOVES hanging ornaments (and by hanging, I mean thrusting the ornament in the branches over and over until it finally sticks).  Unfortunately, we ran out of non-breakable ornaments too quickly for his taste, leading to a small tantrum that cut our decorating experience short.  Oh well, more decorating next year, right?

[Charlie also loves un-decorating the tree.  I keep finding our ornaments scattered around the house, and have been having to move them higher and higher up the tree.  He has someone managed to reach some ornaments (the small ceramic truck, in particular :) hung VERY high on the tree.  I did not see him get it down, so I have no idea how he managed this.  What a monkey!]

Big Tree!

Evie quickly got in her reindeer pajamas in order to take the obligatory pajama pictures next to the tree.

Charlie got in his matching pajamas, but we couldn't quite make the picture work.  I will keep trying... :)

My attempt at homemade ornaments is below.  Evie cooperated nicely for her footprint ornament (on the left), however, Charlie was not so cooperative for his handprint.  For some reason, the "monkney" totally freaked out at the idea of putting his hand in the clay.  I finally had to settle for a fingerprint (right) (and had to do my fair share of consoling even after that!).  Oh well, at least the ornament is unique!

And finally, the newest addition to our tree, in honor of the newest addition to our family...the little mouse. :)

Our halls are finally decked!  Yay!