Christmas is(was) coming

This is the year I let go.  I think I have been letting go by increments for the past few years, but this year, possibly from exhaustion, possibly/hopefully from maturing, I let go of Christmas.  Life in a family is so much more fun if you let go.  Not of everything, of course.  But just ask my children if decorating for Christmas isn't a lot more fun without your mother breathing down your neck, suggesting alternate places for every ornament you hang on the tree and hyperventilating over the constant rearranging of the nativity.  I am, by the way, still finding pieces of the nativity around the house due to said rearranging.

Part of the letting go was getting smart.  Rather than wig out over little paws on the breakable nativity my mother passed down to me, I ordered a cute plastic one that can be handled and mishandled at will.  I also out sourced some of the gift making (more on that soon).  All in all, I think Christmas was a bit more peaceful this year.  Here's hoping for an actual fun! Christmas next year! :)

Henry really got into the decorating.  I placed actual ornaments on the tree.  Took them off again and rehung them.  Over and over.  He was not interested in the annual showing of White Christmas. 

The peaceful, after decorating, popcorn chill.

Go ahead, just put that anywhere.  I mean it!

I am not sure what they were dancing to, but check out Olivia's face in that last picture.  We enjoyed many an evening around that tree...until it became a fire hazard around New Years.