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

The Friday after Thanksgiving has been our decorating day for the past three years. I love decorating for the Holidays - I usually can't get out the decorations fast enough. The "boys" put up the lights and Carson was especially willing to help daddy up on the roof. Disclaimer for all those who just let out a gasp: daddy was already done putting up the lights and Carson only sat on the roof with daddy though Carson considered that helping. ;-) I was inside decorating the banister and setting up my Willow Tree Nativity. I love this nativity - I think it is so simple and beautiful. I got it last year for Christmas and was thrilled to put it out at the beginning of the holiday season this year.

Up on the rooftop, Click, Click, Click

We joined grandma and grandpa at the Mission Inn for the Festival of Lights later that evening. This year was better than ever because we got to sit in the pool area of the Mission Inn through a friendly connection and didn't have to fight the enormous crowds out front. We were sitting at a table around the pool and the fireworks were let off from the roof right in front of us. We have never been so close to fireworks in our lives! We smelled like smoke and were covered in firework dust better known as ash. Many of the tops of the fireworks landed in the pool and around us. It was a lot of fun and the fireworks show looking amazing despite a required shower when we got home. The kids loved it! Cassidy was too young to be scared and Carson was a trooper. Most of the time we were laughing (nervously) because of how close they were to us. The laughter distracted Carson's rising fear.

Before the show

Oh, mommy my eyes! There was quite a lot of firework dust floating in our eyes.

When we returned home we decorated our Christmas Tree.

Of course, both children wanted to help. ;-)

This picture was taken right as both children dropped an ornament that shattered on the ground. We were all supposed to be saying "cheese." Leave it to a mother to not be distracted by an occasional shattering of glass.

Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree