This is how the Rosses do a Christmas Tree

We were heading to Arizona for Christmas this year and I was feeling a little overwhelmed thinking about putting up the Christmas tree and all our decorations when we weren't going to be here to enjoy them. Anyone who knows me really well knows that I'm not a huge fan a scrapbooking and crafting. I have nothing against these activities and really admire those who at excel at them, I just don't really find the same enjoyment out of them. I'd rather be cooking! Anyway, I have tried to participate in scrapbooking and crafting over the years and have accumulated a collection of paper, stickers, and other do-dads. I rarely use them so they sit in a closet and gather dust. Well, I thought I'd put all the green papers I had together and cut out a giant Christmas tree and tape it to the wall and then let the kids color and draw on it for decoration. It was fast, didn't have to be perfect, the kids would LOVE decorating it and we'd still have a little Christmas spirit in the house without having to drag out all the decorations. I thought I was pretty clever and when I talked to my friends many of them mentioned they'd seen stuff like that online. I still thought it was a fun idea and a great solution to my laziness. I cut and hung the tree one night after the kids went to bed and the next night we decorated it for Family Night.  The kids loved it!  I got a huge kick out of watching them work on their Christmas tree.

Scarlett made it a project everyday.  She'd add layer upon layer of marker to the spots she could reach.  She and Nate had so much fun that I'm thinking of doing this every year.  That way I can be my obsessive compulsive self and have a beautiful tree and the kids can have fun with their own tree.  Everybody wins!

Nate was super creative.  We had Texas shaped ornaments, "I love Jesus" ornaments and ornaments of every shape and size.  Can you see the Spiderman ornament?  I was my favorite.

I love this picture of them working together to decorate the tree.  I couldn't have been more pleased with the success of our first paper Christmas tree!