Trimming the Tree

Once Daddy finished his exams, our circus spent a sweet afternoon trimming our Christmas tree.  The girls were very excited.  They could hardly wait for Daddy to get home -- they kept prying the top off the Christmas storage container all morning long.

But eventually, Daddy arrived, and the festivities began.  We popped some popcorn, heated some cider, played some carols, and began unwrapping ornaments.

Kathleen took her task very seriously. She was careful to place her ornaments in precisely the right place. Usually, she'd set three or four ornaments in the same, "perfect" spot.

Madeline was excited, too. She just seemed to be more excited about the popcorn than the tree!

When every ornament had been placed, Kathleen and Daddy set the angel on top of the tree.

And then we all settled onto the sofa, turned off the lights, and basked in the tree's beauty.   For about two minutes.   And then our girls were off and running again.  But it was a beautiful, peaceful moment -- the perfect ending to a fun afternoon!