beginning to look a lot like christmas

We didn't have to wait long to get into the Christmas spirit. 

11/27, I sent the boys to school in the drizzling rain.

When maddy and i went to pick them up, there was snow at school (but none at home, a few miles away)!

So we made sure to enjoy it before we got in the car!

throwing a snowball at the camera. 

wiping off the slide, to practice throwing snowballs at the other stuff.

 We decided after the chaos of cutting down our own tree last year, which turned out to be a less than impressive tree, to opt for Home Depot. Quick and painless, and much more fun for these guys.

"It's TALL!"

making sure the tree stays on the roof.

helping to decorate.

making sure the tree will fit here.

reading the polar express to usher in the season!

It was so fun to watch the boys get into hanging ornaments this year. They hung them all around the bottom branches, and had no qualms about the rest of the tree not being evenly decorated.  Not sure why i forgot to take a picture of this... but it was precious! We got out our Advent Calendar, which we got from Grampy last Christmas, and they were much more into it (and understanding about only opening one door per day) than they were a year ago. But they were most excited to set up their "big train" underneath the tree. . . completing the Christmas scene and ringing in the season with joy and wonder.