O Christmas Tree(s)

First there's the living room tree.  Adam says I won't let anyone touch it except me.

This is not strictly true.  Often we all decorate it together.  I do, however, have exacting ideas about what goes on it.

It must be lovely and red or white or straw.

I am more open minded about the family room tree.  It is a clamor of ornaments old and new.  There is an abundance of red on it because I love red but otherwise it is a happy mixture of Christmases past.

As you can see though, we take it seriously.

Adam said that's a very genuine expression on my face which is sad because it's not all that flattering.  I am puzzling intently on which ornaments should go on next.  I orchestrate the ornaments in waves so everything of the same type doesn't end up at Braeden's eye level.  (Braeden's quick on the ornament placement but suffers from aesthetic myopia.)

On the other hand, the bigger Braeden gets, the more that grocery bill is paying off.  Adam reveled in how easy it was to put up the tree this year with his help.

Emma shares my insistence that everything looks just right.

It's nice to have her.

Mark likes to get under the chassis and decorate from a different angle.

(You can see why Emma's help is key.)

As for Adam, he takes pictures.  I hinted (you know, sweetly) that maybe things would move along faster with his help.

So then he got a little impudent.

He also told me I'd be glad to have pictures.

And he's right.  I am.





post script:  last night (for Pikku Joulu--more on that tomorrow) Adam gave me my new favorite ornament:

I had a dollhouse exactly like it when I was growing up.  I think besides my bald doll, Nellie (she shouldn't have had her hair washed by me), it was my favorite toy. 

I got all excited when I saw the ornament at Hallmark and Adam went back later and bought it.

He knows how to make me happy.