The tree is up...

After MUCH work...and I mean MUCH work...9-10 hours of shoveling, vacuuming and mopping of debris and construction rubble, the basement is for the first time since we moved into this house....habitable!  Still concrete floors and bare framing BUT it has 2 couches and the TV up!  So, we have a clean place to sit and have some quiet family time.  The other blessing is this gives another area in the house where the girls can roam without becoming dust and debris covered monkeys. 

I also ventured and put up the Christmas tree.  I debtated back and forth for quite awhile before determining it was worth the effort.  Put it up yesterday afternoon during the girls' nap so that they could check it out once they woke up. 

Ari was fascinated, as I expected.  She wandered up to it over and over touching it and the ornaments.  Mommy being the wise woman she is, placed only ornaments that could not get broken or harmed by playing with, at child height.  They quickly found a snowman I received as a gift a couple years back (as you may recall I do collect snowmen...and my tree is no exception) that is fashioned in the style of an old toy...you know the kind, you pull the little cord underneath him and his arms and legs flail like he is dancing.  He was a definite favorite...Cordi carried him around for quite awhile, bringing him up to daddy or I to pull the cord to make him dance. 

Cordi checking out the tree...

Ari was jealous so we gave her her gingerbread man ornament...a gift from Grandma Toomey last year on their Christmas gifts...she then walked around making him dance on the couch....proving her toy could do the same thing as Cordi's.

Ari carried around her teddy bear while checking out the tree as well...It was SO picturesque.  I tried desperately to get a good shot of it, but the ligting was not quite right...I will post one nonetheless, but it's not perfect.  It was one of the cutest things I have seen.  And no...they are not in jammies though they look that way...just one piece fleece outfits...practically jammies...

She loves her teddy...the odd thing is it's not her teddy...their gift from us last year was they each got a teddy, mommy remembers who got which teddy because she gave the dark one to the dark haired child (Ari) and the light one to the light haired child (Cordi)...apparently Ari doesn't remember that and has chosed to adopt Cordi's bear as her own. Cordi doesn't mind, but it's amusing nonetheless.

Don't mind the nose...she gets bleeds due to weather...loving on teddy...

BIG teddy hug...

So, the tree will be about it for decor this year...nowhere to put anything else at this point...though I may try to break out the stockings.  I have started shopping, and am done with the girls' gifts...now to just find time and maybe someone to watch kids at some point so I can finish!