oh Christmas tree...

Life becomes pretty hectic for us in the first two weeks of December.  The Story is fast approaching so my days are filled with managing makeup artists and cast members, my nights are filled with lighting rehearsals and like the last two years, my dreams are filled with Story related excitement.

Amidst all that excitement, this weekend we dedicated some time to family and to decorating the house for Christmas.

As with most activities in Landon's life, clothing was optional.


Social media has been inundated with picturesque scenes of decorated trees and all things Christmas. I always see the trees that look professionally decorated, all the ornaments coordinating in color or having some sort of theme.  While they are pretty and nice to look at I much prefer the personal elements that grace the branches of our own tree.  Each ornament has a story or a memory attached to them.  There are ornaments that date back to the first Christmases Chris and I ever experienced.  There are Disney princess ornaments that remind us of how obsessed Ashlyn was with anything Cinderella or princess related.  Character ornaments like Bob the Builder, Buzz Lightyear and Shrek take us back to the things Landon loved as a much smaller boy.  There is even an ongoing joke about a Barbie ornament from my childhood that Ashlyn has nicknamed "Prison Barbie" due to her black and white striped bathing suit.

When we got married, Chris' parents and my parents gave us all of the ornaments we collected throughout the years.  There are some that are special to me and the kids know, "that's mom's ornament.  Only she gets to put it on the tree."

Among them are the brass ornaments that my uncle, Ed, makes every year.

The Mickey Mouse ears are one of my favorites...

As is the maple leaf...
Landon is fond of the SF Giants ornament from last year. 
Chris has his own collection of Santa themed ornaments and Landon liked the Santa Mickey.

Aside from the janky blinds, this scene is pretty cozy.

A few more of my favorite ornaments:
Caroling Kermit...

Peter Pan & Tinkerbell...
Dumbo...

and sledding Kermit (what can I say, I had a thing for Kermit when I was little)...


I love decorating the tree as a family.  I am also thankful for the giving spirit that I see in my kids and that the first present under the tree was a homemade one for Ashlyn, from Landon.

I wonder what it could be?