Have a Holly, Jolly Thanksmas

Mason in front of this year's winner.

Will examined the branches to make sure the tree was fresh....

While Hays decided to hide in the tree.

Will had no problem sitting on Santa's lap. Hays, however, was a different story...

Mason liked Santa. But poor Santa looks quite weary. Was it Mason's list? The post-traumatic stress of the twins? We'll never know, but I think Santa could use a drink.

Hays loves animals- especially donkeys

Hays was laughing with delight at the donkeys

I know this is blurry, but it was too funny not to post. Will was looking at the chickens, and every time they would shake their feathers, he would laugh and slap his knees like it was the most hysterical thing he'd ever seen!

Hays likes chickens! (But not as much as Will!)

Will decided to help Daddy with the lights

The tree in all of its finery!

We're still decking the halls, but I can definitively say that Thanksmas was a success. The weather didn't really cooperate with us, but we refused to let rain, wind, falling temperatures, and a whole lot of mud get in the way of our Christmas tree mission. We didn't make it to the tree farm until mid-afternoon, so we spent the morning assembling the giant tree cage, pulling out boxes of decorations, and doing the fancy garland around the front door.

Once we got the tree (we picked the first one we saw!), the kids saw Santa- some enjoyed that more than others- and they checked out all the animals at the petting zoo. Hays was particularly taken with the donkeys, while Will thought the chickens were the funniest darn things he'd ever seen. We got the tree home, unloaded, and upright in the giant tree cage with remarkable ease. We were actually surprised at how well everything was going- until we remembered that we had no lights to hang on the tree, because we threw out all of our old, half-burned out strands last year. Sigh. I knew it was too good to be true. So Matt had to make a light quest to Walmart while I whipped up a pot of butternut squash soup for my decorating crew that would be arriving shortly.

We had a lovely dinner with my parents and Matt's mom, then after we got the twins safely tucked away in bed, we decorated the tree. Decorated may, actually, be an understatement. This thing is dripping with ornaments- almost to the point that you can't tell there's a tree under it. But it's sparkly and pretty! Now I just have to finish all the other stuff and we'll be ready for the holidays!