better not pout

The girls were again playing "Christmas morning," and using my wrapping paper and bags to wrap up anything they could find in the house in order to "surprise" the other with their Christmas morning gifts.

I overheard Kirsten say to Jenny: "Jesus knows if you have been naughty or nice, you know."

next EC payment due: January. =)

christmas tree past, present, future

What says celebrate more than a freshly cut (fresh part is questionable) Christmas tree and it's lights and beautiful ornaments?

Growing up, getting our tree was always a family event. Dad would take his gloves and about a mile of rope and mom got the tape measure. My sister and I and eventually my little brother would search for the biggest tree which inevitably mom would measure and say it's too big, we would buy it anyway, Dad would rope (and by rope I mean masterfully tie that tree down for the mile drive home) the tree to the top of the station wagon. Dad then got out the mighty saw that he used one time a year, and would take about 2 feet off the bottom. Then the fun began. Christmas music, hanging ugly ornaments to annoy my mom, and Christmas chaos took over our living room.

When we were first married, the search for the "perfect" Christmas tree turned into days of trimming the "perfect" tree. I had strict rules about which ornaments coming from our youth and our moms would be "allowed" to hang on our tree. If they were allowed, most certainly they were only "allowed" to hang far in the back. Year after year my Adirondack inspired rustic tree was to me, a picture of Christmas "perfection."

. . . my favorite glass snowflake balls . . .

. . . . the rustic stars and snowflakes . . .

. . . bears and evergreens . . .

If we move along about 5 years down the road, Christmas became even more meaningful with the addition of each of our kids. My Christmas tree decorating days with little ones was finally upon me! Everyone warned me of the crawling kids and the "feed line" my tree would have with toddlers. It did, but now it just meant my tree was "perfect" about 1/3 the way up the tree, while the bottom third stayed empty. I was fine with that!

Moving a little further down meant school. Oh boy. Remember those egg carton ornaments? How about the ones that were gifts from teachers? Or, the ones with our class picture in the middle, and then artfully constructed tissue paper glued on with the bottoms of our pencils? All of those ornaments that my mom and mother-in-law "handed over" when we got married? You know the ones! But, now these ornaments are MY kids ornaments. And, now MY kids are old enough to REALLY help decorate the tree.

This weekend, with the girls help, we decorated the tree. In the process I lost a few more of my favorite snowflake ornaments . . . but gained so much more . . .

like the tissue paper ornaments . . .

and this beautifully decorated snowman . . .

and some slightly scary ballerinas . . .

and lots of initials . . .

and the father/daughter ornaments . . .

Even Matt's thumbprint mouse made it to the tree this year after a LONG time in the ornament box!

Last, but certainly not least, Jenny pulled out her baby Jesus ornament. After debating where to hang it (and me trying my best not to let my inner cringing at this point be noticeable on my face), Jenny chose top and center, right under our star. "You know why mom? Because baby Jesus was born under a bright star so that the shepherds and the wise men would know where to find him."

And with that, my Christmas tree is complete.

Cannot argue with that!

Another year, and another Christmas celebration. Another time to try and "be still" and remember that baby Jesus was born under a star, for all to find peace and salvation.

I wonder what my Christmas tree future looks like . . . Kirsten's tearful request for "rainbow" lights?!?