Okay....so here's the thing. I have always admired a beautifully decorated tree that looks like it came from the cover of a decorating magazine.....you know the ones they have at the festival of the trees that they auction off for charity. Well....this is OUR tree. We go each year and cut one down at Thorntons Tree Farm. Though I have always dreamed of having a perfectly coiffed tree....this tree is full of memories and love.
We've done different things...beads, tinsel, garland....This year Josh wanted to put this gold ribbon on it. Now I want to share some of our dozens of ornaments that have special meaning to us...please indulge me for a moment as I go down memory lane.
This is from the year I was expecting Josh and we traveled to Texas to spend Christmas with my sister Debi and her family. Jenny got the chicken pox while we were there...for the 2nd time and we weren't sure we would be able to fly home on time.
Jenny made this for us in 1st grade....sweet and toothless.
LaDena made us this one year along with a little stocking made of felt.
My friend Melanie made us quite a few of these needlepoint ornaments our first Christmas in 1983.
I got this from my Grandma Drew many years ago...I think she told me it was made by my Great Grandmother Robb....it's 3 dimensional.
One year a sister in Relief Society made these for everyone...and she taught a class on how to make them....it's a lightbulb!
I bought this at the National Archives in Washington DC when Josh marched in the Inaugural Parade.
We bought several ornaments on our Church history trip.....this one has the Nauvoo Temple on it.
Grandma Drew was famous for her snowflakes and other creations. We have ALOT of these on our tree and love thinking of her each time we put them on...she is missed!!
I was working in Josh's class the year he did this...I put the kits together.
Jon's in the 2nd or 3rd grade here. The pretzels are getting fragile.... we haven't eaten them yet!
Aunt Adele made this very fun Santa and suprised us with it one year....many years ago.
And what would our tree be without paper ornaments given to us by the grandkids...Maralee has grown alot since this was made!
Thanks for hanging (no pun intended) in there with me...STAY TUNED as I will post some more Christmas memories soon:)
For the past 16 or so years we have a special little tree that we set up in a corner on December 1st. Around it are 24 wrapped Christmas books and each night in December(before Christmas) the kids choose a book to unwrap and we read it together. Each year I add a new book and the kids always try to find it right away. Of course, it isn't such an easy thing to do because the books are put away the rest of the year and one tends to forget which book is which after a year has gone by. When all the kids were at home they would take turns opening one....searching hard to find the newest addition. Now it is just Josh....but still he loves opening the books...and true to form he only took about a week to find this years book..... Josies Gift...a sweet story about a girl, a blue sweater, and the true meaning of Christmas. All in all we have over 60 books. Santa books, nativity stories....paperbacks and hardbacks alike are always fun to read together as a family.
I love this plate. I have it proudly displayed in my kitchen...it was made with love by my missionary when he was 8 years old.
And THIS is my husband sporting his very special sweatshirt, made especially for him by my Aunt Adele. You see cousin Jane made all the women in our family red sweatshirts like this and we have been known to wear them to our annual "Esther Drew Memorial Scrabble Tournament" in December. Apparently Richard was whining last year how HE didn't have a sweatshirt.....Santa didn't bring HIM one. The other day Aunt Adele brought a package over....apparently Santa wanted him to have one after all. Thanks Aunt Adele....you are amazing!
