Decorating our Christmas Tree

Disclaimer: Lance and Jude were here! I'm not sure how they each ended up in only one picture (and a blurry one at that).

The kids LOVE decorating our tree every year. They each have their favorite ornaments (usually the ones with their pictures in them) and enjoy finding the perfect spot for each one.

Lexi finally understood the concept and liked trying to hang up the ornaments by herself.

Cole's favorite: a train, of course!

Lily wanted to hang a star at the top of the tree. Big brother Lance to the rescue!

Lily, that picture is of Cole!

We ended the night by reading some of our Christmas books!

 Bring on Christmas!

Snickers Gap Tree Farm

Man, REALLY missing my Mom and Glenn this year. It feels strange doing all our family traditions without them.

As usual, we drove to Snickers Gap a couple days after Thanksgiving to pick out a Christmas tree. Aunt Amy came with us!

This place really does feel magical and is the makes the perfect way to ring in the Christmas season.

Lexi thought it was amazing!

We borrowed Lance from Scott and Abbey for the day and he brought Falcon with him. He's such a good dog.

We found our tree in record time this year! I think we were on the mountain for all of half an hour. I'm not complaining!

Watching...

Each of the kids took turns trying to cut the tree down.

And everyone had to help drag the tree to the wrapping station:

Lance is getting so big! He was able to heft that tree all by himself!

Thank you for coming with us, Amy! 

Bryce is so good with the little kids. He and Jude are really good buddies and he is so kind and patient with Lily. We are lucky to have such a great family!

Teaching Lily to bottle-flip.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Man. No matter how many years we have lived in our current house, I'm always amazed at how many leaves fall in autumn. It feels like we can never keep up. It's nice we have so much help!

Thanksgiving break found us up in Ashburn, enjoying our families. The Chens were in town and staying with the Scholz. It's always so good to see them!

These cousins sure did enjoy each other.

Bryce tried to teach Jude the art of bottle-flipping.

We were able to see Laura's family a couple times, too! Lily and Lexi both thought baby Cassidy was pretty neat.

Helping Grandmom make the stuffing!

Yay for Uncle Nate! We are always happy to see him when he comes home from Colorado.

These kids LOVE to help stuff the turkeys. 

Thanksgiving morning I usually join my family in the Ashburn 5k Turkey Trot, but this year (since I was pregnant and not feeling well), I bowed out. Callie and Bryce ran with the Chens, Nate, and Eric and Laura was the sole representative from the Allred clan.

She posted this picture after her run (top was from last year, bottom from this year):

Thanks for keeping the tradition alive, Laura! Next year I'll be running!

Time for dinner! The Scholz hosted the ~40 people that came.

Afterwards, we joined the Allreds at Laura's house for some dessert.

Cole loves babies.

Love these boys!

Happy Thanksgiving!