It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at our house!  Well, actually we bought and put up our tree just before Thanksgiving so we could enjoy it for a looonnng time.  Yes, we are those people.  Well, really I am that person.  Richard just goes along with it because I can be a little bit of a nag... shocking, I know.  Hopefully, the tree will last that long.  I am sweeping up lots and lots of needles.  I mean, lots people.  I'm a little nervous about this tree.  When I was telling my mom about all the needles, she proceeded to tell me about a tree of theirs once that lost every single needle by the time they were back from vacation.  Thanks mom - comforting!  It is beautiful though!

G was super excited to decorate this year, and makes sure to plug it in each day when we get home from school.  He is so proud of his hard work!  

 My cute Santas!

 Our mantle - my favorite thing to do is stay up late (trademark Laura - I am a night owl) and turn off all the lights but the Christmas lights and watch lifetime Christmas movies.  I am a loser, I know.  One of the benefits of being up by myself is that Richard nobody makes fun of the cheesy movies.   

 Our elf, Smitty is back!!!  He is leaving little rhymes for G to read this year, along with his other shenanigans.  

Pretty clever if you ask me...

 This past weekend, Richard put up the outside lights.  They look really good.  We had to retire our snowman that we've had for 8 years or so, and we also dumped the inflatables... they always blew over.  

This is our new addition...

Nothing says Jesus' birth like Yoda.  

Yes, we are those people.  Cool parents, or white trash?  Maybe both. 

Here are some other happenings from the past week or so...

These two are really starting to play together.  G is so good with Cole most of the time.  Pretty rough, but loving.  Cole can hold his own.  I have a little fear that he is going to be the handful...

 This is the most - true - comment - ever.

 Matching winter pajamas!

 Found this message in my classroom yesterday... LOVE this kid!

 Report card comment from this 6 weeks...  LOVE his teacher, and boy does she know him well! 

 G has been picking out ski hats to go on his helmet - he is counting the days until Utah!

 Ice cream at Spring Creek BBQ after some Christmas shopping

 Silly boy...

 Look at that cheesy smile!  He looks really skinny from the camera angle, I promise he is not.  He is made of solid rock though... I swear that kid looks like a muscle-baby! 

This is also a proud parent moment... check out the 10 pound diaper.  At one point crack started to show, so we had to change it.  Cole doesn't care one bit.  He is so rag-a-muffin!     

The Christmas countdown is on... only 13 more days of school and 19 until Christmas!!!!!!!!