christmas is among us

So Christmas is less than two weeks away and we are mostly ready. Just a few odds and ends to tie up and wrapping the presents...which I plan to start as soon as I finish this post. We usually go Thanksgiving afternoon to get our tree, but this year was a little different and we went the day after which was also the day of the Iron Bowl this year. We rushed home to get the tree in the stand before the game. Jamey went to the new house to work away and Caroline and I stayed home to watch a very exciting game!! WAR EAGLE! When Jamey got home, he put lights on the live tree and Caroline and I put all of our other decor up while listening to a little Elvis. The next night Jamey and Caroline decorated the tree - all I did was put the hooks on for the ornaments for them. This is what we ended up with...Jamey (the years he has been home) has always helped me with the lights, but last year he and Caroline started putting the ornaments on and do a great job! I think it has become 'tradition':)

Caroline and the tree in her room...And Caroline with the tree in the den... Caroline and I started our baking last Monday with some Christmas cookies..."the kind me and you made last Christmas". She loved it as you can see below. And it was not until I downloaded these pictures and then looked back at my post about our cookie baking last year, that I noticed how much she has actually grown up since then..sniff, sniff:( But growing up isn't bad all across the board, she is already an amazing helper!!!