Since 2002 (when I bought my townhouse), I've always gotten a Premium Frasier Fir tree at Whiting's Nursery. After marrying Steve, we've continued the tradition because the staff at Whiting's make it so easy to pick out and load up a tree and they've got a beautiful selection of quality trees.
We typically will put our tree up in the corner of the living room near the window, but Steve wanted a BIG tree - nearly 9 feet tall! So, we tried out the tree in front of the bay window and I think we'll put it here every year. I didn't go nearly as crazy with the lights this year, only because a few of our strands weren't working anymore and it was a near blizzard out and I didn't want us trekking outside to Wal-Mart to pick out more. I think it only has about 800 lights on it this year, but it was still beautiful!
Amaya was pretty excited to help decorate the tree and a lot more helpful than last year.
Even Steve got a new ornament this year and helped decorate a little.
Amaya enjoyed decorating so much for Christmas, that we decided to get her very own pre-lit tree for her room. She really wanted a pink tree, but the couple of places we checked were all sold out. She was just as happy though with this little tree.
While I was growing up, my Mom bought me a new ornament each year so that when I had my own tree, I'd have a good collection of ornaments. It was such a great idea, that we decided to continue that tradition with Amaya too! Her very first ornament was the one on the left with her picture in it. We gave her Abby last year and this year we gave her a Dora ornament. Mom bought her the cookie sheet ornament and it accurately reflects our 2010 Christmas season - lots of cookie making and decorating!
Amaya was so proud to decorate her own tree and did a fabulous job! (And I refrained from moving any of the ornaments to "even things out.") Throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas, I would notice our big Christmas tree looking a little bare of ornaments near the bottom. Sure enough, Amaya was sneaking ornaments off our family tree to put on hers!
Amaya - Christmas 2010 - and her tree all decorated.
The picture is a little dark, but here is our completed tree! Probably one of my favorite trees so far!
We just got the tree and decorations down today. We've typically taken it down the weekend after New Year's, but because my sister and her family were still in town, we waited until this weekend. It's a little sad putting away all the decorations, but it's good to get our house back to normal.
Since her "Big Party" with her grandparents, aunt and uncle, cousins, and friends wasn't until Saturday the 22nd, we had a small party just the three of us on Thursday. We took her out for pizza at Godfather's. Yummy!
... and WON!
Can you tell this little girl looks up to her Daddy?
We headed back home in the bitter cold to open presents and have cupcakes. Amaya opened a few from us, one from her aunt and uncle in Colorado and one from my co-workers.
Amaya and my co-worker Pauline share a common interest....
... they both LOVE CHEETOS!
She got quite a few books from both her aunt and uncle and from Steve and me. She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES books - especially when they are Fancy Nancy!!
After presents, we had cupcakes. Amaya picked out which ones she wanted at Wal-Mart. No surprise here that she picked out Dora.
Happy Birthday, Amaya!
Delicioso!
