We like to have our Durso pack Thanksgiving dinner and put up our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. But this year the big family Thanksgiving dinner is the Saturday after. So this weekend we decided to do it a few days early. I made a pumpkin pie, roasted a turkey breast and made homemade stuffing for the first time! The dinner was a smashing success. I should have taken a few pictures of Allie eating her pie! She's definitely developing a sweet tooth!
We didn't put up the tree last year. We had our big Thanksgiving the weekend after and then it was the following week Doug and I went to San Francisco and Sacramento. By the time we got back December was half over and it didn't seem worth it to spend the time, especially considering we didn't know how Allie would react to it or if she would mess with it.
But we put it up this year, and Allie helped! Dada brought the box up and had the bright idea to have Allie help him sort the branches. This worked well... for about 5 minutes. Then she just threw them around.
So rather than going bottom to top, Dada just took the branches she gave him and put them wherever they belonged. Allie was a very good helper.
Once there were more branches on the tree, Dad moved it into the corner before it got too heavy.
Then Allie decided it was time to clean up and she started putting the branches back in the box!
It was a long process. We always have grand illusions of putting the Christmas tree up and getting it all decorated in the same day. It never happens. We got the tree put together and waited until Sunday to do anymore work on it. Besides, by the time the tree was together, it was time to eat!
So Sunday morning Dada brought up the two gray tubs from the basement that have the Christmas decorations. Since we didn't put the tree up last year, the tubs were on the bottom of a big pile of other stuff stored downstairs. I've been needing to clean and organize the basement and that need is even more urgent now!
But on to the task at hand. Dada brought the tubs upstairs and Allie started working on opening them. Turns out the tubs are Allie-proof, at least for right now. There's not a whole lot left in this house that is Allie-proof!
She was quite fascinated with the bag that held the door hanger and the wreath.
After putting up the wreath, the big test ensued... the lights! We had actually bought a couple new strings two years ago when our old ones died. Those lights worked and I thought we were in the clear, but the star didn't work! Well we need to have a star! So Dada went to the store to get a star and he ended up getting some new lights too.
Dada and Mama put up the star, lights and garland and Allie helped with this part too! She held to extra lights and garland and had fun running around in delight at what was going on around her. It was so adorable to see. No pictures of this part though, as we were all participating!
We didn't really care for the star at first (it was the most OK one that Dada decided was in our budget, that stuff's expensive!), but once it was all put together, we decided it looks really nice!
See for yourself! My camera when it flashes doesn't show that the lights are even on. I can't turn the flash off because the pictures turn out blurry. So the picture doesn't do it justice, but it gives a decent representation! As you can see, we didn't quite make it to the ornament phase. So far Allie hasn't messed with the tree much and usually stops when we ask her to. I don't know how she will be once the ornaments are on though.
Allie is so cute. Every time she comes downstairs or in the house she shrieks with delight at the tree in our living room! I can't wait to share more Christmas fun with her!
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