Tis the Season

This year will be the first year that we are staying home and not traveling anywhere for Christmas. The kids have never spent a Christmas at home and have been asking the past few years if we can do that, so they are very excited to be staying home this year. Paul and I have been married for almost 12 years and this will only be our second year staying here for Christmas (the first being when I was pregnant with Ben and couldn't travel)! So we decided this would be the year that we could finally get a real Christmas tree and the kids have been talking about this idea all year. So the day after Thanksgiving we headed down to a Christmas Tree Farm, called Abbey Farms (great name) and met up with the Acuff's there!  Look how excited they are running towards the trees!

After some looking around, we settled on this one!

 

Then Paul got down to saw down the tree, which Ben was very excited to help with!

Juliette was happy just to watch.

Then all the kids helped Paul carry the tree to the car.

 

While we waited for them to shake the tree, put it in a net and secure it to the top of the car, we took some cousin pictures!

Once it was securely tied to the top of the car, we took a silly family picture...there were just enough spots!

After a yummy lunch with the Acuff's, we headed home to set up and decorate our tree!

Pretty girl next to a pretty tree!

Decorating the tree is always fun!

Ta Da!

That weekend also kicked off the holiday season at the local park.  Our Pastor was asked to bless the Nativity Scene at the park and the school chorus (that Ben is a part of) was asked to sing at the blessing.  So we went and watched Ben sing and he did great!  Then we looked around at all the decorations at the park.

 

 

Some of you may be surprised that a Nativity was allowed at a public park (sad times that it would be surprising to have that), but it was set up in a fenced off and specified "Freedom of Religion" space, which sadly also included a large Atheist sign that was rather obnoxious.  Luckily, the chorus had enough singers to stand right in front of the sign and completely cover it for the blessing :)

I love the Christmas season!