So my family's always had a tradition of decorating the tree all together, and when we finish, we sit and sing Christmas carols and drink egg nog (or hot chocolate, for those crazies who don't like egg nog). We still do this tradition with as many people as can be there for it. Unfortunately, living as far away as we do, we don't always get to be a part of it, but it's AWESOME when we can! It's gotten much more...interesting? frantic? crazy? since we added kids to the mix, but it makes it more fun, even if it takes twice as long! This year, not only were the boys and I able to be there, but so were all my other sibs, and my niece and nephew! Sophia and Josiah were old enough to "help" hang the ornaments this year. Whew, that was exhausting! Josiah REALLY wanted to take the ornaments OFF the tree, and was very good at it!! So we had to keep chasing him to make sure he didn't take them all off. Sophia was mostly just disinterested...but did hang one or two shiny ones with her Mommy. Josh is an old pro, but hasn't quite got the concept of hanging the ornaments in different spots around the tree...he put more and more all on the same branch until we made him put them somewhere else, and then he lost interest shortly after that. So poor Beth ended up doing a lot of the decorating herself, as the rest of us were running after our children! But still loads of fun! Next year should be...interesting, to say the least, if we all are able to get there together! Two boys about Sam's age, a newborn, a 4 yr. old, and 2 two year olds! Yipes!! Oh, and during all this, Sam was trying to take off the lights on the tree (the kid is obsessed with wires and cords, and anything that lights up, of course, and actually succeeded in pulling some off, though the pix I have of that were taken with my Dad's camera, so I don't have them)...he was quite a handful though, crawling around getting into things! Anyway, here are some pics of the event!
Sophia had some important phone calls to attend to
Sam and Uncle Nate were doing "technological" boy stuff on his itouch
Sam loved it!
Josh got to play with a branch we trimmed off, so he was also rather thrilled!
Sam being Sam...
...and Josh being Josh! Being silly with Uncle Nate!
This was one of the places he "hoarded" his ornaments. 
Hanging a shiny ornament with her Mommy
Aunt beth, cold, as usual, and looking gorgeous, also as usual!
Sam loves to grab anything covered in skin...especially noses and mouths!
"No, Josiah, leave the ornaments ON the tree!!"
Josh, dressed in a stylish outfit consisting of shirt, boxers, and Santa socks!
Mmmmm...cherry vanilla Blue Bell ice cream being devoured on the couch...Sophia helping hang another ornament.
He looks so much like his Daddy!
