It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

The Cook Christmas Tree 2012 is up, baby.

This year we decided to put our Christmas tree up the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  Mainly because the following weekend was going to be a little on the chaotic side with celebrating our 3rd Thanksgiving with Jer's family.  And who doesn't love being able to celebrate Christmas early anyway?!  It's never too early in our eyes.  Maybe next year we'll put our tree up the day after Halloween.  ;)

That afternoon/evening was another awesome family night for El Cooks.  We blasted the Christmas music, Jer burned a fire and we all got to decorating.  

As for our tree.....well, we are one of those who reuse our tree.  The tree that we've had since Jer and I first started dating back in 199....something.  Two words: it's OLD.

Our tree assembly goes something like this: Jer assembles it while I go right behind him and fluff it up a bit (being stuffed in a box for a year does a number on this older-than-a-decade tree), Boston detangles the string of lights, Jer wraps the tree in lights and then we all get in on the actual decorating.

Boston....he's our light guy.  He takes all the kinks out and stretches the string of lights and gets them ready to be put on the tree.  He takes his job very seriously.

He had the same job last year.  

And I couldn't resist a picture of his back side.

Where's Waldo Boston?

His daddy is a dancer so it was only natural to take a mini break to jam out to some Christmas music.  

Oh there's me!  Its tough work being the tree fluffer.  #intense

Jet is the photo bomber of the family.  

New years resolution: loose about 50 pounds.  Geez why don't y'all tell me these things?!

I've said this before that Boston is mildy obsessed with brooms.  He can spot them a mile away and always wants to sweep.  It was a must to help dada clean up his firewood mess.

This years big excitement was the button for the Christmas tree lights.  He thought it was the coolest thing ever.  Now, every morning he gets to turn them on and if we leave somewhere he turns them off for us.  He lights up every time.  Such innocence.  Love.

The main Christmas tree decorating tradition: our picture putting on an ornament.  Here's this years picture: 

He loved decorating.  Jer would give the balls to him and he would put them on the tree.  He did an excellent job.  It didn't hurt that he was all smiles and so happy to be helping.  

This was the fruit of some of his work.....(a bundle of balls).

Placing balls right next to each other builds an appetite and makes for a hungry boy so he stopped to take "an after dinner" snack break.  These baby apples are the cutest things I ever did see.  They are the perfect size for his hands and belly.  

Then it was time to help daddy assemble the balls for mommy to hang.  

All the while this guy takes his 80th nap of the day wondering why we were around this tall green thing in our living room putting lights and balls on it.  I often wonder if he thinks we are off our rocker sometimes.

And its donzo.  I love how it turned out.  Despite our tree topper bow not being fluffed before I took all of these pictures.  So divert your eyes away from it, mmkay?  

Our tree skirt that we use every year even though it drives me nuts because it has an apostrophe before the s.

Without any lights on in the house except for the Christmas lights (and the blurriness going on) at night.  Love how it looks in real life.  :)  Need to adjust my settings next time.

The next day I took some in the daylight.

There you have it.  Our tree-putting-up-night run down and too many Christmas tree pictures.

Christmas Tree 2012 from Jennifer Cook on Vimeo.