The Tree

Our very first Christmas tree was decorated with a small string of white lights and some bows I tied on the boughs.

Following years brought a popcorn string or two, some ornaments made with applesauce and cinnamon, gingerbread cookies and candy canes.  I have some apple ornaments that my mom gave me, I think she might have felt bad for our simple tree. 

Sometime when the little misses were pretty young, my mr.'s mother was working at a Hallmark store.  For a few Christmases, she gave us ornaments.  They are treasures. In fact, when she didn't work there anymore, my mr. and I continued the tradition of getting a special ornament for each of them each year.  (Thank you my mr.'s mother for starting this tradition!) This year we have a flamingo, a cookie, a football that's a jingle bell and a soccer ball. Oh, and one dog ornament.

After 19 years, our little tree is pretty full.

Yeas ago, I wanted a pretty tree.  I wanted it to look all matching & froo froo.

I don't want that anymore.  A few weeks ago, after I put the lights on the tree, the kids opened their ornament boxes.  Then they decorated the tree-by themselves.  It was such a joy to listen to them banter, to hear them talk about all the ornaments past, and to "remember when."

I wouldn't trade this tree or this time in my life for anything.