decking the halls, etc., etc., etc., and whatnot and so forth.

We were really on top of things this year and got our tree pretty early in the season, even though we've been guilty in years past of being pretty delinquent about it.  We've definitely had our share of tree-drama in the past, like the year I cried because it was too small, or the year we waited so long we literally got the last normal tree Menard's had, or all the many years we've had to revisit the 'fake tree v. real tree' death match. 

But this year was pretty drama-free: we spent our recent date night at Lowe's, taking our pick from a wide selection of trees and watching a teenage employee in very, very too-tight pants cut all the bedraggled bits from the bottom of the one we chose.  Todd was super happy he didn't have to do all that himself, and while he strapped the tree to the roof of the Kristy Chrysler, I spent time in the plumbing aisle, getting more than I bargained for when I asked an employee to cut some copper pipe for me.  (It is nothing other than a Christmas miracle that he still has both arms after the way he was cavalierly and indiscriminately shoving his limbs into the gaping maw of a running power saw with zero obvious idea of how to use it.)

Anyway.  Tree: home.  Kids: stoked.  Ornaments: locked and loaded.  Lowe's Garden Center Employee: probably hasn't peed in a week; he's still trying to pry those tight pants off himself.

After church yesterday, I pulled out the kids' bins of ornaments, and we all buckled down to decorate.  This used to be suuuuuch a stressful (albeit hilarious) process, but we've streamlined: everyone gets their own bin, they bring each ornament to me for a hook, hang it on the tree, go grab another from their own bin, etc.  No more stress.

Rocco had four ornaments he was responsible for.  He did not want to hang them on the tree, nor did he want to leave anyone else's ornaments on the tree.  He also did not want to be told 'no.'  It was fun for everyone.

So he eventually got relegated to the confines of his bed to entertain himself for about ten minutes while we finished up.  Everyone was clearly happier with that arrangement.

After the tree was successfully decorated, we got some decent photos of the kids: first, the four biggest kids, who survived the entire process without a meltdown and subsequent reassignment.

Then, all six of them, after the smallest two had been fetched from their beds.

Annnnnd, sad faces, just so Rocco looked like he was supposed to be growly and uncooperative.  Callista, however, didn't get the sad-face memo.

And that was our tree-decorating process this year!  Todd and I will take some time soon to hang our ornaments, and hopefully redistribute the ornamental wealth over the face of the whole tree, as it seems the bottomlands have received more than their fair share.  But isn't that always the case?

Christmas is fun, but exhausting.