Looking for some holiday spirit

So, as I've shared before, I'm a creature of habit. I take family pictures at the same time each year (except maybe Thanksgiving this year), I've had the same bank account since I started babysitting at age 14 (except now they are charging fees) and I always put the Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving (except this year when there is a lack of holiday spirit).

We've had a rough few months. Jason has been home a lot, we've had a lot more homework to deal with and the kids seem to be getting lazier and lazier and I.had.had.enough! The straw that broke the the camel's back was when Tavis couldn't find his shoe. Well, of course, he couldn't find it. Have you seen his room?

Let's just say, I had a "Mommy Moment". Not a proud one, but I had one. The kids were looking forward to doing the tree, but instead, in severe frustration, I grabbed two huge (45 gal?) garbage bags and made the kids fill them. Broken toys, old lego boxes and kleenex boxes and whatever else in one bag for the trash and toys that no one plays with in the other.

I think they thought I was kidding at first, but it was no joke.

So, we didn't do the tree. We didn't do it Saturday. We didn't do it Sunday. I just couldn't find the 'oomph' to get it done.

Today I cooled off enough to do the tree. I wanted to put the tree up and the lights by myself, even though I know the kids like assembling (sorry for all you real-tree-people) the tree. I was afraid, if I didn't put it together myself in peace, we might get delayed another night. But I had had a long weekend with Thanksgiving and a lot of paperwork to catch up on. By the time I got started, was about the time Jason went to pick up the kids.

So, I started without them, but they got to help assemble the tree - mostly! Mollee is all about the decorating and I'm sure the four day wait almost killed her.
We did it in stages. We put the tree together and put the lights on
then had cocoa and some ham and eggs for dinner.
After dinner, I pulled out their individual boxes of ornaments and they got busy decorating and telling stories about different ornaments, which I love.
I like the pictures when you can feel the mood of Christmas, but this is what I get with my 6 year old camera:
There might have been some iPhone play during this family time? I'm just sayin'.So, the tree is up! And I love having it up! And, it is November, and it snowed today - no accumulation, but it definately snowed. And the kids are on Christmas Countdown - 27 DAYS!

Two things I've learned this weekend:

One, my kids can bite their tongue and they know that if a 'Mommy Moment' happens, don't ask! (eg. When are we going to do the tree?)

And two, don't let the kids be in the car when you haul the big bag of toys to the Thrift store - after I dropped it off I noticed Mac was crying. When I asked him what was wrong he said, "That was my favorite (doubtful) train toy!"

*sigh*