undecking the halls

I had to take a picture of "Snowball and Tuxedo"

these are Alex's and he loves them

I keep thinking he will want to stop his collection but every year he can't wait to see the new edition

while the boys were away at there cousins and grandma's
Grace and I took the tree down
I was really sad to do it this year
before new years it looked ok
when we got home 2 days later
it didn't look so good

I love how Santa looks like he is waving goodbye!

final moments by the tree

she loves making puzzles these days
and so proud that she can do them herself
as long as mom does the outside!

one year when we went to California for Christmas we came home to find a very brown tree
the only way to get it out of the house was to cut it into piece (well maybe not the only way)
ever since
eric

and helpers

cut the tree into pieces and take it outside to be used a fuel for our s'mores

sad
just after this picture that from bulb broke
so sad it was one of my favorites

but now Christmas is all cleared away
I had big plans for the first week of the kids being back to school

but instead we did the sick kid thing
this was her brave face
she actually had a fever and a headache

so maybe next week I can start on those big plans
 :)