Decorating with memories

I'd like a real tree.  I wouldn't even mind watering it and vacuuming the pine needles up, but them I am reminded of the memory of 2005.  P and I decided to get a live tree to commemorate our first Christmas together.  I'd say it was "we" who wanted this live tree, but truth be told he could care less (cause he is Grinch-like, though admittedly gets better each year).

So it was me who wanted it, so that we could plant it at his mom's house, and watch it grow each year (we did, and it is still growing).  It was little, and cute, and perfect for our tiny studio apartment.  Unfortunately that little, cute, prefect tree spent the majority of December on our apartment patio outside - thank you asthma.  So we have been an artificial tree family ever since.  Last year our lights died on ours, so this year I was forced to be "a crazy."

"a Crazy" -
noun - someone who participates in black Friday shopping.

So I waited in line, for 45 minutes, at Michaels, on Thanksgiving, at 10pm, as "a crazy."  This was the day that I was woken up at 3:50am by teething Jovie, then went to work from 6:45am until 7:30pm, and then went out to get that stinking tree at 10pm.  I waited in line for 45 minutes to buy this tree, and then hauled that 50lb awkward box to the way back corner of the parking lot, trying to avoid the crazy drivers who were following me as I lugged this stinking tree, hoping to get my parking space from me.  I then swore several times as I thought about how stupid it was to take Razzle (the Sentra), and how this piece of crap tree sure would have fit much nicer in the stupid van, and how I wished that the idiots who were waiting to take my parking spot would just get out of their car and help me shove this tree in my car so that they could have this spot.  So I had a moment, I kicked that dang box, blew a fit, said shit and then...that sucker slid right in the back seat among the row of carseats.  What can I say, a girl on a budget has got to do, what a girl on a budget has got to do.  

So this dramarama tree now is up, and all our ornaments are scattered Ryker height, sans the 3 breakable ones, and they will stay that way until Kip takes them off and puts them even lower.

The breakable ones, those ones are my treasures.  It isn't my fault though, my mom made me this way.

She bought four Precious Moments baby's first Christmas ornaments, one for me and my 3 siblings.  They were the "special ornaments" that only she could put up until we were old enough to do so.  Then when we were old enough, she was meticulous about needing the floor cleared off so that we didn't accidentally trip and get hurt (though really I think it was so that we didn't trip, fall, and break the ornament - though she'd never say that because she has never once complained about her stuff getting broken/ruined by her kids).  Then we had to promptly put the Precious Moment ornament box back, to keep it from getting ruined.  26 years later, and my ornament and the box are both still pristine...

Anyway, so see, it is my mom's fault.

So when P and I celebrated our first Christmas together, it was only fitting that I go get an "our first Christmas together" one.

 and then I bought my next one for R's first Christmas.

 and then for K.

And so I was eager to get out and buy a baby girl one this year.  So I headed out last night to Hallmark, and well, they didn't have one.  After calling around to 6 different stores they found one.  They are having a manager drive it over from Indiana, and I get to pick it up in a couple days.

Anyway...

R put the star on with a little help from P.

This year was the first year our stocking were hung by the chimney with care...excuse the turkeys on the mantel, R isn't ready to get rid of them yet.  Our decorating is minimal and mismatched, but something about that makes me happy.  I like that we live within our means.  Part of me wants and wishes we could have all matching stockings, but then I'd be sad.

See I'm a sentimental gal, if you couldn't already tell.
                           
Those red stockings with the P & K, yep those were Paul and my first stockings that we bought for our first Christmas together in December of 2005 after we were married.  The hot green one with the R, I purchased special for our little baby R, who was just 2 months old Christmas of 2006.  I squeezed him inside of it and took a picture on his first Christmas.  That Green stocking with the K, well I purchased that one in hopes that I could do the same picture with Kip, but that kid was a chunk - 17 lbs at 4 months old Christmas of 2007.  We managed to squeeze his legs in.  Now the newest stocking for our newest little lady on her first Christmas, hot pink stocking, yep it is a keeper.  So what if Martha would want to vomit at my decorating skills.  It's not like we'll be having a huge elaborate Christmas party here anyway...

There are crafted decorations made by Ryk proudly hanging on the wall, which I'm sure will be added to as we get closer to Christmas.  There is a paper chain that R made all by himself, to count down the days till Christmas.  And that is it.  Simple, cheap, mismatched, but non of that matters to my kids.  See they think it is magical, and really they are the ones it is all for anyway. 

and because it has been a little while (sorry about the quality - no camera still, so cell pictures will do)...

Little miss Jovie-loo-who

 and her big brothers too!