Christmas Tree with Memories

Growing up we always had a tree full of hodgepodge ornaments.  I loved decorating the tree because my mom would explain where each ornament came from.  Each year my parents would pick out the perfect ornament for each of us.  When my parents got married and had their first Christmas tree they didn't have any ornaments to decorate it with.  They wanted to be sure that wasn't the case for the three of us.  Sure enough, when I graduated and moved out, I had my memory box full of ornaments for my tree.  It was such a great gift.

We have carried on that tradition.  Each year we get a family ornament and each of us gets our own ornament.  When the girls move out and start their own families they will have a box full of happy memories too.

I know lots of people that have a beautiful, color coordinated Christmas tree each year.  It is perfection, for sure.  But I wouldn't trade our tree full of memories for anything.

I need another strand of bead garland.  But I love it!

Hours of fluffing

Um, how come no one warned me about the hours and hours of moving the tree branches around to get it just right?!

The Hubster put the tree together while the rest of us slept last night.  I walked down and stared at the tree in horror this morning.  That is not what the tree looked like in the store!  I really thought that I made a $180 mistake!  So after running around all morning, I started to fluff the branches as they call it.  Heh.

Of course Little One was sooooo excited about all of the pretty lights.  She exclaimed that the tree was "beautiful" as soon as she saw it all it up.  And I told her "No touching" every time she came close to it.  Well, later in the afternoon I continued to fluff the dang tree.  And it was like LO had radar.  Anytime I started she would run into the room and say, "No touching, mama!"

And now you know why it took me hours!

So it appears that we won't be actually decorating the tree today!  Sigh.  Tomorrow.  Maybe.