O Christmas tree, we did remember thee

Ok, Ok...time to get down to the business of decorating our tree. We got it last Saturday, on Eric's birthday actually. We used to cut our tree down in the actual forest, but as each year passes we seem to have less and less time. We're suckers for Charlie Brown trees. I think we were there for 30 minutes going back and forth-the kids all found THEIR favorite one! We promised ourselves that next year we would go cut it down-this year we picked a beauty from the 'oops' corner at one local tree lot.
But it has since been standing around here naked...until last night that is.

After Bill got the lights up, it was time to decorate. Now, I'm a little bit territorial on how we do it. Me, myself and I (only!) unpack the ornaments and hand them to the kids and they can then hang them or ask the tall guy in the family (daddy) for help. They were vultures I tell ya, couldn't wait to get their hands on the ornaments...I had to beat them off with sticks!!!

I'd share some pictures of them decorating, but Bill was messing with settings while he took some and they all came out a little funky (or he caught me in the background with a really lame looking face).

Our trees (the 'real' tree and a 6 foot artificial one in another room) are decorated with ornaments from my childhood, handmade ornaments from the kids and family, ones we collect for the kids each year, and also ornaments that we purchase each year from our family vacation destination.

This year we added a starfish ornament from Newport, Oregon and one from the trip Bill and I took to NYC.

And here are the finished projects. Now I need to find the tree skirts.

The other tree which the kids pretty much decorated. And how can you tell? Well, no ornaments near the top of the tree....

And by this:It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!