Decorating the Tree

We actually got our tree a couple of weeks ago, but I'm just now getting around to looking at the pictures.  John was very excited about getting a tree this year and he wanted to pick it out with Hans.  Hans, who is very picky about his Christmas tree, was glad to have John help him out.  But this would be a time when Hans actually tuckered John out.  Our poor boy actually fell asleep in the car after looking at two or three places, so Hans picked the tree out himself...maybe next year we will go in the mountains and cut down our own tree.

This is before any of the real decorating was done.

John loved putting on ornaments.  After he went to bed, I had to move some around as they were all piled on one section of the tree.

We even let John put the star on the tree...but I'm not sure he totally grasped that concept...

because this is how it ended up.

 

Yep, I have an ornament shaped like Texas.

This is John's favorite ornament.  He kept telling me it was the perfect size to go in his room.  After finding him with it in his room several times, I finally moved it higher up on the tree.

 

The progression of presents

These were the presents we already had wrapped or were sent by family the day we got the tree.  And, yes, I know I'm crazy for putting them under the tree so early.  The boys are actually doing very well avoiding temptation.

This picture was taken just a week later, when I finished wrapping and grandparents finished sending gifts.  Pretty ridiculous, huh?  What you can't see in the picture is there are actually a good number of presents sitting behind the tree.  Christmas day should be fun.

I said before the boys were good about avoiding the presents.  All but this one.  This present came with a big shiny bronze bow.  It was a really cool looking bow, so cool in fact that Gus couldn't keep his hands off of it.  He managed to tear the bow to shreds and still goes after the tiny piece stuck to the paper.  Your bow was a hit Grandma!