It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

Burr!!!  It was nearly FREEZING outside today!!!  All this sunny Arizona weather we have been having was no where to be seen today!!  It was cold and windy outside. Snow began to fall on the rim and the valley had some rain. Suri and I started our morning off with a stop at Kohl's on our way to Grandpas house. I was looking to find some items for our family we adopted for the holidays. Suri was almost asleep in her car seat when I headed inside Kohl's. Sure enough, as I began to shop, Suri began to fuss... her fussing turned into a full blown SCREAM within a matter of minutes. She was getting tired and nothing but a nap was going to quiet her. Unfortunately she has gotten accustomed to nursing in order to go to sleep. I must admit, it is a bit difficult to nurse, push a stroller and shop all at the same time. I have seen some mothers do it and more power to them however it is not my style! With that being said I had to abandon my basket with the few items I had selected and leave the store with my chorus of noise which was clashing with the holiday music that was playing throughout the store. ha.  Sure enough, about a mile down the road, Suri was sound asleep in her car seat. Little stinker.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas out at my Dad's house... as tradition has it, on Thanksgiving weekend, we begin to unpack and begin to decorate the house and the yard with the vast array of holiday decorations my mom has collected over the years. Once Suri and I arrived at my Dad's house I began to tackle the Christmas tree as my dad and Ashley began to decorate the outside of the house. In the years prior, I always helped my mom and grandma put the tree up and this year it wasn't the same without my Mom. I did my best to make the tree look as it has in the years past. It turned out nicely however not quite the same as when mom put her magic touches on it.

Before

Taaa Daaa

 Suri enjoying her fist glimpse of a Christmas Tree. . .

Grandma kept busy by decorating the rest of the house. Everywhere we looked we had Christmas decorations that needed to find a home on the walls, in the display nooks, on the doors, in the tree etc... yikes! She scurried around arranging and rearranging everything until she had it just the way she wanted it.

Ashley and Grandma trying to decorate the family room cut outs

Yikes!!!  All this clutter will soon find a home on the walls, in the cut outs, on the tree etc...

Big trees, little trees, solar powered trees...

Ashley and Dad were in and out of the closets finding just the right jackets to keep them warm as they were outside battling the cold weather stringing lights in the trees and on the roof!!  A cup of hot chocolate was
soon to be made :)

All that is missing is the snow!

As the day came to a close, we all made progress however there is still quite a bit left to do before we can say it is complete. A couple of more days and we should be able to sit back and enjoy all the hard work ( for a few weeks anyway before it is time to take them all down again.... time flys when you're havin' fun!!)
Suri and I will come back later this week to help finish up.

After dinner (prepared by chef Dad...AKA Grandpa) Suri and I headed home. Suri enjoyed a warm bubble bath before dozing off in her nightly slumber. There is nothing better than the smell of a clean baby.

Tomorrow the cable company is coming to hook up the famous TV that Aunt Ashley worked SO hard to get this past Black Friday! This TV is going in Suri's bedroom (more for Me to enjoy than anything...) Thank You Ashley for battling all the crazies that were out during the wee hours of the morning on Black Friday, the craziest shopping day of the year!!

Stay tuned for pictures of the "finished product"