Hello, Christmas!

As is custom in our house, the minute a holiday is over, I whip out the Tupperware bins and take down all the decorations. I don't like clutter, so decorations tend to drive me batty despite the fact that I do like the festivity they add to our home.
Thanksgiving was no exception to the rule, so as soon as our guests departed, I set about stashing turkeys, pumpkins, and anything fall related. With Christmas right around the corner, there was no time for a clutter break though.  I began pulling down all the Christmas bins from the attic. It was time to get busy!
We "hunted" down our tree at Home Depot and then decked it out with ornaments and lights, hung bows, wreaths, and garland around the house, and I even put my little elf Caroline to work stamping the envelopes of our Christmas cards. I convinced a somewhat reluctant Paul to go "Clark Griswold" on the outside of the house, and by the time the sun set on Sunday, our halls were decked!
With all of this holiday hubbub going on, the girls began to wonder where Jingle the Elf was and when he would be making his journey to our house from the North Pole. They were very excited to that the very next day Jingle was hanging from the chandelier, ready to start the Christmas season too!
Caroline didn't have school on Monday of this week, so she got an even more exciting start to the month of December. She was so happy to have Mommy all to herself for the day. She quite a schedule of activities for just the two of us (well, just the three of us...see pictures below). Lunch out, ice skating, and touring the Christmas decorations at the mall were at the top of her list!

The pumpkins had to go!! Caroline helped smash them to pieces.

Behold! The Fontanini Nativity set is always a big hit with the girls.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care... 

Our Christmas tree, 2014 Edition

The Christmas toys are so fun to re-discover every year!

Caroline was allowed to have her own tree this year. 

Margaret may have gotten colored on by her (naughty) twin sister during the course of the decorating.
 

                                      Jingle generously brought the girls a gift during his first week here.

Monday Mommy and Me play date at the ice skating rink.

Caroline Junior tagged along too.

We are ready for the Christmas season!