It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

especially since we put our tree as well as Sunshine's tree up this weekend. Snowflakes are in our windows & the fireplace (mantel & hearth) are decorated. I still need to get more suction cup thingies for the snowflakes for the french doors leading to the sun room, ( Get this---Hunter actually asked if we were decorating them! ) and for Sunshine's bedroom windows.

Each year I think how fun it would be to have a tree trimming party. Then I remember how I have to tell the story of each ornament (Oh, this one is from my mom, this one is from Hunter the first Christmas we were married, this is the one I bought for Sunshine's 1st Christmas) & how certain ornaments HAVE to go at the top of the tree, away from dogs & little hands. I did well this year---I didn't "correct" Sunshine's ornament placement too much. I moved a few ornaments so they'd be more visible, but that's about it.

Each year I buy myself a new ornament. Last year, we bought a 7 1/2 foot tree & found ourselves needing more than one ornament for the year. I found some great ones at the after Christmas sales including a pretty set of Gorham silver snowmen, 2 beautiful Waterford glass ones. When Mom visited in April & we went to the Atlanta Zoo, I found a hand painted glass ball with pandas. And a trip to World Market earlier this month helped us with a couple for our tree, as well as some for Sunshine's tree---including a disco ball.

Today Sunshine & I cut & stapled the

loops for the mouse tail for another of our Christmas traditions. When she was in PreK, they cut the little mouse body, ears & glued on eye. They also made the loops for the tail & each night we tear off a loop read the little poem. I have to admit, this is one of my favorite things about bedtime at Christmas.

We also broke out the Spode Christmas Tree dishes on Friday. I started buying these dishes the first Christmas we were married & my collection started with a star shaped candy dish. The following year I added 12 dinner plates. It went on and on for years. Last year I invested in the wine glasses & high balls. This year will be cereal bowls. It makes so much more sense (to me anyway) to use them daily for one month out of the year rather than just for a couple days a year.

I'm roughly halfway through my shopping & need to get going. I'm losing almost a week's worth of shopping the final week of school as it will be Accelerated Reader Celebration Week & as Co-chair, I'll be at school a lot that week. Hopefully I can help my co-room mom with the planning of our class party.

Luckily, we're staying put this year so the additional pressure of traveling won't be upon us. We spent a lot of time on the road at Christmas in years past ('02, '03, '04, '07, '08) so the idea of waking up in my own bed on Christmas morning's a wonderful thing. Sunshine & I will have the week of Christmas to do some baking for our neighbors & friends as well as tie up any loose ends.