Trimming the Tree

 Typically we set up Christmas the first Sunday of December along with The First Presidency Christmas Devotional, but this year we broke tradition, or rather started a new tradition of setting it up the Saturday before! We have a few people in our house that are so excited about Christmas that they can hardly wait! Mr. Stannix even let me play Christmas music BEFORE his birthday this year (it's kind of a running joke between us). 

This morning we all pitched in and tidied up the house and bedrooms. Mr. Stannix did my dishes twice today which was such a treat! Once our jobs were all done we ventured out into the cold and picked up some new Christmas decorations for our new tree! After we arrived home we got busy setting up Christmas. Be prepared for a shwack of photos on this post!

 To kick off setting up the tree Joseph hit Finley over the head with the candy cane he was sucking on. It shattered and pieces of wet candy cane stuck in Finley's hair. Joseph started crying, and Mr. Stannix was trying his best to contain his laughter as he watched the whole thing unfold. Finley cried as I pulled pieces of sticky candy cane from his long toddler hair. It was quite the scene!

 This year we had the pleasure of fluffing the branches on our new tree! The kids were pretty good at it! I made this hat for Hyrum when he was a chubby eight month old baby. He excitedly put it on today and exclaimed that it still fit!

 Once it was all set up the littles eagerly grabbed the big Christmas balls and began decorating. For every ball that went on, two fell off. We quickly discovered they weren't glass like we had thought and thanked our lucky stars!

 This girly wasn't feeling too well, but wanted to join in on the fun of course! I can't believe how big she is getting.

 Joe's favorite part was climbing the ladder!

 Mr. Stannix was looking pretty handsome. Man, are we grateful for him! 

 I couldn't get over these chubby toddler toes as he sat and concentrated on getting the decoration on just right.

 Ollie sat beneath the tree mesmerized by the lights and commotion as we danced around to Christmas music.

 I really wish these kids would quite growing up already!

 Hyrum dug the Christmas star out of the box very early on in the decorating. He hugged it and waited so patiently to put it on at the end. He was sick last year when it was his turn and Camilla did it. This year he asked if it could be his turn again and was so excited all day! He LOVES Christmas and kept saying how beautiful everything looked and how good he felt inside. 

 We attempted a few family pictures with the camera timer.

 Mr. Stannix looked at it after and said, "That's one BIG family!"

 We adore every single one of these little blessings!

 This girl is such a helper! Her brothers adore here.

 After peeling Finley away from a tantrum on the floor he managed to show us his teeth for a quick picture!

 Finding this mistletoe to hang was a dream come true for me! 

 We spent the rest of our evening drinking hot chocolate, admiring the lights, and soaking in the magic of the season.

 Joseph was most enthralled with the newly decorated tree and stayed upstairs the longest to enjoy it.

 "Daddy can I please sit on your lap?" These two were so sweet together!

 Inside this house is a whole bunch of people that I love and adore! We are so excited to celebrate the birth of our Savior and spend some extra time together over the Holidays!