Getting into the Christmas spirit

So I was having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year.  We usually decorate for Christmas the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but since T-giving was early this year, I really wasn't feeling it yet and decided I wanted to "enjoy" the break in between seasons (plus, we were busy that weekend).  The more I "enjoyed" the break, the more I was dreading pulling out all of the Christmas decorations, but I knew we had to do it.  So after a weekend at the Harbour House with the O'Dwyers, we decided to do it last Sunday afternoon.  We brought is all up at nap time, had the tree ready to decorate, Abel (our Elf) had arrived, and we were set!

I was AMAZED at how quickly my mood changed once the boxes started opening and the girls got so excited to see all the decorations and ornaments.  The Christmas spirit just filled the house! Yet again, the girls absolutely LOVED decorating the tree.  Christian and I spent most of the time just getting the ornaments ready and handing them to the girls.  I think I only hung a couple ornaments!

 Abel's arrival.  Starting this year, Abel is going to bring

them their annual Hallmark ornaments, so they have 

the whole season to enjoy them.  This year, they got 

joint one too.

 Checking it all out.

 

Cecilia opening hers.

(she is in jammies bc she changed into them

during her nap).

 

 Admiring hers.

Tinkerbell on a book.

She loves Tinkerbell and is learning to

ready this year, so it was perfect.

 Lily was not into opening the presents and wasn't quite sure

what was going on at first, so she sat and watched for a while.

 Lily checking out their joint ornament.

It is the Hallmark "Countdown to Christmas"

ornament.  You touch it and it lights up telling you

how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds until

Christmas!  I kind of wish it was just days bc

all of those numbers are pretty confusing for Cecilia.

I even have trouble reading it sometimes!;)

 Hanging ornaments.

 Lily getting into it.

 Once the tree was decorated, Lily decided she was ready to

open her present....she wanted more ornaments to hang!

 Her is one of those Fisher Price ball poppers - isn't it so cute!??  

My parents have one that she loves.  And this one really works!  

She LOVED rolling it around making it pop.  She was 

QUITE upset when playtime was over, and 

we had to put it on the tree.

 Playing with the navity, or "activity" as Cecilia 

was calling it, after bath.

Lily LOVES touching all the ornaments! Yay!;)