Heather with Ryan picking out the tree. We actually did buy this little tree to put on the deck to decorate. That's the first time we've ever done that, so I'm excited to see what it looks like when it's finished. We didn't have time to put that tree up tonight too.
Nanna, Heather, Ryan, Laura, Kara, and Leah
Ryan & Laura
Leah is hanging angel ornaments on Lainey's picture
Murphy, our "little" 6-month-old Great Dane puppy, is going to help Leah with the tree. Between him and Ryan this year, I hope the tree is still standing and decorated by December 24th.
As we were decorating the tree, I enjoyed telling the girls when we got this or that ornament or who it was from. Almost every ornament has a story....the glass beads that were on Gary's grandparents' tree...the cardinal ornament Gary's mom gave us our first Christmas for good luck....the ornaments I exchanged with the ladies I worked with the first year we were married....the ornament that was hand painted by a lady from our seed corn company....all the ornaments the girls have made over the years....and the angel that has topped our tree for the past 25 years. We alternate every year with a Frazier fir and a white pine. This year it's the white pine. We strung popcorn again for garland. The tree isn't complete yet because we need to pick up some icicles for the finishing touch. Ours isn't a tree that just stepped out of a department store or out of a magazine. None of the ornaments match. There is no theme or color scheme. It's a homespun tree filled with 25 years of memories.
Your tree and the story that the ornaments tell is more precious and beautiful than any department store tree! Thanks for sharing your special tradition with us!
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