Is it Christmas yet?

I'm being completely serious when I say that this has been the longest month of my life. I am trying to enjoy it, go to parties, see Christmas lights, Elf on a Shelf, yada yada... I just want it to be Christmas Eve, so my whole family can be together in San Diego!

Now that we live in the Northwest, we have the option of doing this hilarious thing- cut down our own Christmas tree! Kyle has talked about his childhood memories of cutting down a tree since we were dating: a sleigh ride, hot chocolate, and the perfect tree on a hillside in the mountains. It seemed so romantic! In reality, we drove about five miles from our house, walked around for a few minutes, and I picked the tree like always. Kyle did look extremely manly cutting it down, hauling it and strapping it to our car.

Kyle carried the tree up three flights of stairs and set it on the tree stand. We fell to the floor, laughing. ------Have you ever seen Christmas Vacation? You know when they cut the bands and the tree is so enormous that the branches break the windows in their living room? Use that image as a reference point. I spent over an hour cutting all the branches down to size, and Kyle sawed two feet off the top, and it finally fit in our home!

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Elle unpacking Christmas decorations

Just before Christmas, a friend of ours invited London over to her parent's house to go horseback riding. I thought she would be nervous and timid, but she got right on the horse. She rode in circles with the brightest smile on her face, striking up conversations with the horse and whoever was leading it.

London sat on Santa's lap for the first time this year. She was completely star-struck. Without looking him in the eye, she sweetly whispered, "I would like a trumpet." Santa laughed, told her to be a good girl, and handed her a tiny bag of M&Ms. Elle cried.

Watching "Cipperd"

And Kyle and I went to his work Christmas party...

Christmas Sunday!

Is it Christmas yet?