Trimming the trees

This year putting up the tree was really fun. The kids even wanted to help put on the branches. Our poor old tree is almost ten years old now and it shows. It is definitelyl leaning at an angle no matter how many times we try to straighten it. The strands of lights on it are ights from the false ceiling at our wedding reception so it is safe to say that a day after we put the tree up, the tree has giant patches where some of the lights have gone out. Poor tree, this is your last year I am afraid. Soon to be replaced by an after Christmas Target sale green fir. After we put up the stand and put the branches into piles based on size the kids got a system down. Emma would hand them branches, Avery would put them into the slots and then Hunter would fan out the needles and make it look full. He was also managing the whole process. After we got the lights on the three of them sat down for a minute to have a cocoa break and inspect their job well done. What is it about your little ones sitting or snuggling under the soft lights of a christmas tree that just makes you feel the christmas spirits. Their faces always look angelic in its glow. Then they got busy getting it all decked out with ornaments. Hunter and Avery discussing the ornaments that were their favorite for this or that reason. Emma rushing over to the ornament box and grabbing four or five saying "wow! wow!" and then running over and "placing" rather sitting one on a branch before it would tumble to the floor. "Uh oh" she would then say and try again only with the same result. Then she would hand it to Hunter, mumble something and point at the tree. "Do you want me to put it on Em?" he would ask her. "Yeah" she would say and nod her head giggling happily as Hunter fulfilled her requestAvery was quick to show Emma that going behind the tree and "hiding" could be a fun secret hideout for them to play. Then it was time to set up their little trees in their rooms. Ever since Hunter was two we have had a small tree in the kids rooms. They love to fall asleep looking at the lights. I love to go in after they are sleeping to unplug the lights and see them sleeping sweetly their faces lit up. No matter how old they get when I look at them sleeping like that I can see them each as tiny babies sleeping contently. It is one of my top five favorite things of the holidays. Sometimes I will wait until they have been asleep for awhile and just go in and sit in their rooms for a little while and watch them sleeping. They are all so precious to me. Emma was very excited to get to help decorate the girls little pink tree this year. Once it was done we turned off the lights and just sat around it. Emma realized that she could see herself in the reflection of one of the bulbs. She would lean in really close to the bulb until her nose was almost touching it then around and run away laughing hysterically. She would give Deke or I a hug and then run back to the bulb to see herself again. We were all getting a kick out of watching her. Hunter wanted to trim his tree all on his own. He asked if he could make a star for the top this year. Then I remembered we had a little angel and gave it to him to use he was pleased. I can't believe how big he looks this year to me. Kind of kills me.