and so it begins

the holiday season, that is.  corey and i have never been ones to get all worked up about the holidays.  in fact, many would say we are down right bah, humbug about it.  in the nearly 7 years that corey and i have been married, we have never even put up a tree.  we don't decorate in the least, we avoid going out shopping at all costs, and generally just try to ignore all the festivities.

but now we have kids.  and it is different for them.  true, we didn't put a tree up the last two years for jagger (and boy did i get a lot of grief from a lot of people about that!), but he was too little to care anyways .  this year, though, he's noticing everything.  in the stores he points out the lights, the trees, the snowmen, all of it, saying "look! look, papa! look, mama!"  so this is the year it begins.  we are putting up a tree, and stockings, and going to go for drives to look at all the lights.  i want to start traditions and bake cookies.  it changes things when we are doing it for them.

last year we bought a tree after christmas, so that's a start.  tonight we went out and bought the ornaments.  i had wanted to make ornaments, but it is just beyond me this year.  maybe next year.   thank god for target! (i heart target!)  we are going with a goldish and silverish color scheme.  our wednesday babysitter has offered to watch the kids friday to saturday (overnight!), so i think we will put up the tree then so they come home to it all decorated.  it'll be an interesting sight since i only plan on decorating the top half.  too many little grabby hands to place any low enough for them to reach :)  

i'm also making a little minibook to document the 25 days until christmas (inspired by ali edwards).  i have it started but still need to number the pages.  that way, i just have to insert a picture and write a little note about what we are up to each day and we'll have a nice little documentation of this holiday season (this daily december book is what i based magen's thank you book on).

i think the tree is all we will do for decorations this year.  it's a first step.  baby steps, ya know?  maybe next year we'll put lights up outside.  i'm not even sure what all decorations people do, i'm so out of the loop.  i'll be sure to post pictures of the tree once it's up :)

snowy, wintery mess outside tonight

perfect weather for a nice big cup of hot chocolate

the tree topper & some of the ornaments from target

the front cover of the 25 days of christmas minibook