It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas....

The weekend after Thanksgiving, we headed out to a local tree farm to pick out our tree! We discovered this place last year, though we went to their 2nd location, which was in the back of a subdivision!?

 

This place was MUCH more scenic, and was just what I was picturing. It's similar to the place my family went to as a kid....and therefore, I have very fond memories of it! (Hope my kids will feel the same way some day.)

 

 After lots and lots and lots of walking/hiking (this place is huge!!), Greg was the one that finally found our perfect tree. Here it is, a 7 foot Leland Cypress:

All loaded up and ready to go!

Local friends - please check out Murphy's Christmas Tree Farm....they are super nice people, have great service, and a spectacular selection of trees!

 

Now, I am in charge of decorating the big tree, but the kids get a little (fake) tree in the playroom. And they are allowed to decorate it however they want! I think they did pretty good this year :)

 It took me a few days to get the tree & the rest of the house decorated, but here it is! By day....

 And by night!!

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Last weekend, our neighborhood held their annual cookie-decorating party! This was a tradition looong before we moved into the neighborhood. It started over 30 years ago, I've been told. And the same family has been making homemade icing each year. So fun! Each family just brings sprinkles & extra décor, while the hostess bakes about 100 cookies the night before the party.

The kids were excited to get to work decorating; one more than the other :)

Hard at work!

Nate took about 15 minutes to decorate each cookie :)

We were missing about 10 neighborhood kids but still had a large group!

 Then, the next day, was the annual Christmas Party. It's held every year at the same house - well, in their carport/driveway - and it's on the cul-de-sac so there is plenty of room for kids to run. Everyone brings an appetizer or drink or dessert to share, and we gobble up the Christmas cookies that were decorated by the neighborhood kids the day before. This has become one of my favorite nights of the year.....not just to catch up with neighbors, but because we ALL line the streets with luminaries....

 .....And we get to take turns riding in a horse-drawn carriage, looking at all the beautiful decorations & luminaries!

Our neighbors, Shannon & DC, had their little munchkin asleep in a carseat
in between them. It was Baby Caroline's first carriage ride!

We have a few more Christmas activities planned this weekend....and one involves sitting on a fat man's lap! :) Stay tuned....