This year, with being VERY pregnant, losing Bonnie and Chip being super busy at work with lots of late nights we are a bit behind getting our home decorated for Christmas as well as getting our Christmas card made. (Don’t worry they are ordered and will hopefully be in the mail BEFORE Christmas, though recipients may not receive them until a day or two after). Normally we are on the bally buying a tree and getting our home ready the weekend after Thanksgiving. A live tree has been our family tradition for the past few years but this year, to save a little money, the Sr. Parishes offered to let us borrow one of their artificial trees and we gratefully accepted. I managed to get most of the decorating done about a week and a half ago during one of Elijah’s naps but I could not decorate the tree due to my expanding belly. A couple of nights ago, while I was at Christmas pageant rehearsal, Chip surprised me and got it decorated!
Now as you will notice in the photos below, we have two trees. We were at a loss about what to do because we knew that our ornaments would be a attraction for Elijah and really they look like some of his toys so it would be hard (especially for me) to “police” the tree and make sure nothing got broken or lost. So after much debate, we decided that we would decorate our big tree with only lights, some tinsel and a few Christmas balls up top and use one of our smaller trees that we had from before we were married, set it up on a table and choose some of our more meaningful ornaments to display. This way we got to enjoy those and share them with Elijah but not run the risk or frustration of losing any of them. I have to say that I have been quite amused to see updates on Facebook of other Mama’s with toddlers who are dealing with the same challenges. Some of them barricade their trees. Some of them just start taking ornaments off as they get tampered with. This solution worked really well for us and although Elijah loves the lights, and will occasionally go over to the large tree and try to play with the lights and balls, it does not hold nearly the attraction for him as it would if it were decorated as we normally do. I also didn’t put EVERYTHING out this year, for pretty much the same reason but I would say that our home is definitely showcasing the Christmas spirit!
Grandmother and Granddad (The Sr. Parishes) helping us set up the tree a few weeks ago.
Wrigley was very helpful
Our half size tree on a table complete with some ornamental favorites.
Back when Bonnie was an “only dog” we started a dog tree and this was one of her ornaments. I miss my sweet furry girl.
This was one of Elijah’s creations last year in Sunday school. Santa’s beard is his little handprint. My how he has grown!
My sweet boy from his first Christmas
I found this last Thanksgiving on our trip to the east coast and had to have it! I perfectly represents my childhood trips to Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular with my family.
I like having ornaments with photos for the years big events happen in our family. This was the year we got married! I have another one for the year I got pregnant with Elijah. We will have to get one this year for the twin pregnancy and one to commemorate our Bonnie.
I made sure there was some Christmas spirit in Elijah’s playroom.
One of my favorite things to decorate every year is our mantle. It is the first thing you see when you walk into our home and really brings the spirit of our home to life.
Chip did a great job decorating our tree. Our home didn’t feel “Christmas complete” until this was done.
I was so excited the candy cane candle centerpiece I made last year still held up!
A new addition to our mantle this year was a nativity given to us by my lifelong friend, Elizabeth Sutherland and her family. I just love it. There is a spot in the front for a tea light which I plan to light on Christmas eve.
Another tradition we were a bit behind on this year was our Christmas photo shoot! This is the reason for our cards being tardy but we finally got it done…….last night! Okay, I know I am bias because I am his mother but seriously, I have never seen anything as cute as Elijah in his Christmas outfit!
He wore this to the Christmas pageant last night and all night long I could not stop looking at him and wanting to cuddle him because he was just adorable! Several choir members told me he should be in a local production of Scrooge. I totally agree!
He loved wearing the hat! Seriously we could not get it off of him.
So good at striking a pose!
Okay so he was being a little naughty but it made for a great picture so I snapped a few before I stopped him from messing with the tree.
Busted!
Some final touches before our family photo.
I love this one of him feeling Mama’s tummy.
This one would have been great except for the extremely disturbed look on Elijah’s face.
I just love how happy my little boy looks.
Good job Parish family on getting these photos done! A special thank you to my favorite neighbor and dear friend, Jessica Edwards for coming over and taking these photos for us. Next year, I know it won’t be quite as easy with three under three!
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