Decorating the tree.

For family night we decorated our Christmas tree. It started out like this.

The first thing to tackle is the lights.

And it can be a difficult task. I checked all the lights days before and threw away those not working. (And what is that all about? They work when you take them off the tree and carefully store them away. Then you take them out and you have 3 strands that don't work. It is a mystery along with where the socks go!)

I try to get the lights on during the day when no one is around. I will admit I am a bit (okay, alot) anal about the lights. It takes me forever to get them on. And even tho I checked all the lights before hand, when I went to put them on I had more strands not working. I had to make a trip to the store to buy a few more! We have I think about 1000 lights on the tree. Then we went to put the star on and the lights were out in that!


So this year the star is not lit up. And even tho Rob had cut more off we still could not get the star on the top. So we tied it on with this ribbon. Then the beads went on. And as pretty as it looks we can not leave well enough alone.

Next come the ornaments. (You got to love this shot of Isaac!)

And even tho they try to get away with putting on just their five or so ornaments, Mom keeps handing them more things to put on, glass balls, icicles (I am not sure how to spell that word), family favorites and so on. Some of the ornaments ended up in interesting places, and hanging in interesting ways. Thanks David!

Sam stuck it out and helped out until Mom declared it finished. (He was heading out to YA to play volleyball.)

Everyone gets in the act, even Rob. He gets to hang his favorites, the little elf we got from my mom the first year, the blown glass ornament we got from Maudie and Rick, and our first Christmas ornament.

Almost there!

And then come the pictures in front of the tree. It makes you wonder why we do this because you can not see the tree with everyone standing in front of it! (I know the star looks a little off kilter. It looks great when you walk in the door. But not so good from straight on. May have to move it.)


I love it when it is all done! What a great start to our holiday season. Now I just need to get the rest of the fall stuff put away and the rest of the house decorated. Yikes! Millie

Getting the Christmas tree.

So, we went to get our Christmas tree. It was a beautiful day. Not raining, not real cold. Just a nice day for looking for that perfect tree. It seems every year one of the kids gets in one of these tree nest things for a picture! This year it was Luke.

Sam and David looking for that perfect tree? Or not!

The kids all loved this tree. I do not know why we did not get this tree. It looks lovely in the pictures. Maybe it just seemed to soon. And it is pretty skinny on top.

Everyone has their favorite tree. Luke's was too small.

Isaac's was a little taller but still not quite it.
Okay, this is a nice tree that David picked but you have to admit it is the wrong color! We kind of like the green ones.

Sometimes it gets a little confrontational and you have to take the saws away from the children.

Isaac cut down the tree we found for Far Mor.

Hannah cut our tree down.

She was very proud of herself.

This is my job, push the tree to the side as they cut to help them along! I know I look like I put on a few pounds over Thanksgiving, but I am carrying the camera, my phone, extra gloves and car keys in my jacket pockets!

The two lumber jacks!

This is where our tree once stood!

Here are the boys waiting for us to pay for the tree. They don't really mind this part because the girl in charge of the tree farm is really quite cute!

Here are the trees loaded in the truck. And the boys putting up with mom and posing with the trees.

Here is the tree the first time we brought it in. It was touching the ceiling and we were unable to put the star on.

So, Rob took it back out and cut off a little more. Now it fits. We always have the tree in the house for a day or two before we decorate it. Sometimes it looks so nice it makes me wonder why we put all that stuff on it! But put stuff on it we will! Right now it smells so Christmassy! Millie

More Thanksgiving pictures!

Tommy playing something with Luke looking on.

Kathi had us all put on name tags with our name and a word that started with the same letter to describe us. Here is David looking through a dictionary to find the right word!

Julie finally getting her food. She is usually the last because she is watching over her sugar rolls. This year I am happy to say we did not have a burnt batch!

Stina and Dale chatting over their dinner.

I love this picture of Rob's mom Barbara and his Aunt Fran visiting as they ate.

Of course we have the pictures of Hannah with her bros. Here she is with David.

And her she is with Isaac.

Rob and Sam.

Millie and Hannah. I was magnificent Millie and she was Helacious Hannah. I don't think she minded so much until she looked up the meaning of helacious!!

Luke and Kurt. Got to love that hat!

Sam and David.

Carol, Julie and Kathi hanging in the kitchen. Julie's famous sugar rolls are pictured in front of Carol. Yum!!

Rob and the questionable drink. It was a mango drink with a raw ingredient (can't remember what it was called, started with a K) and the label said it was full of love. It tasted like it was full of alcohol! So he threw it away.

Tommy plugged in and Caleb.

The boys always have a pinecone was outside. Not sure what was happening here with Caleb. Obviously not his best picture!

Frank handing out the project he and Julie have been working on for Christmas. Each family got one. I would have taken a picture of mine to show but I don't have one yet. We were not expecting Cindi and Arlee so mine went with one of them. I have been assured I will get one!
Then I will post a picture.

I thought this was a picture of David and Sam playing the piano at the school while we were cleaning up. But it is a picture of them playing the piano after we got home. Millie

The people!

This year we had more people than ever come to our Thanksgiving Feast! It was great fun. It begins with everyone bringing in all the food. And this year Kathi (Rob's cousin brought name tags, which was a great idea!)

This was the cool boys table! Valerie and Stina were also sitting there.

Another cool boys table! With Chase in the background. Kathi also brought place mats and napkins in holders for the tables. She added some class to our party.

Henriksons in front, Hemmingers and Lee Soder in back.

Bobby John's (we still call him that!) and Jeanne's families. Plus Steve Taylor with his back to us!

Courtney and her fiance here. It was a surprise to us all. His name is Keith and the wedding is planned for April 28.

Grandpa Frank and Ike's family.

This time Jerry and Lee and Deb in front and the Henriksons in back! In the left is the food line.

Orey and Peg and family. It was fun to have Robbie and Sydney there.

And an added surprise. Cindi and her family showed up in time for desserts. Yes that is Ben with a girl!! Arlee and Stu and the girls were also there. Our final count was 52!! It was great to be with everyone. Thanks everyone for coming and for all the fun. Millie