I am the kind of person who, when choosing a house, bases that decision partly on where the Christmas tree will go in the house. One of the first questions I ask my friends when they buy a house is " where is your Christmas tree going to go".  It is a very big deal. I have been know to completely rearrange my living room to suit the tree. My very patient husband understands this, he accepts this about me. I love him for that. 

This year, was a bit rushed to choose trees (yes trees). We did NOT cut a tree down from a tree farm this year.  They were however beautiful and I was happy with our choices.

Every ornament I have has a significant memory. we do not put bulbs on the tree, unless they have a significant memory!   The first ornament we ever got together was this happy santa.  We we sort of dating at the time, and we were at this bar that had one of those machines with the claw. This was what we won. It is one of my most cherished ornaments and has a front and center spot every year on our tree. 

I also cannot have a tree without strung popcorn and paper chains. Its my family tradition, and I will pass it on.

The little sweetheart at the top of the tree was on my grandmothers tree. I adore her and she will always have a place somewhere on our tree.

My husband bought the santa on the flamingo for me I think our first or second christmas together. It was the start of my Whimsical Christmas tradition. It suits my personality. 

At 16 and 13, my boys will soon start to lose interest in the tree decorating tradition. They will be to busy with friends and girls and music. I have already seen the signs.  I hope that as they grow and someday start families and homes of their own that the traditions they grew up with will come back to them, and they will pass it on. 

The Annual Christmas Portrait

Like many people, I like taking a new portrait of my kids at Christmas time.  The last two years, I have taken an indoor portrait so this year I decided it would be fun to do something outside.

The day of the portrait, we were blessed with snow. What we didn't count on was the extreme cold and wind that accompanied it.   The first one is the picture we chose for Christmas cards, and the others are out takes of my boys being pelted with snowflakes, and wind.  They were troopers till the end when they couldn't smile anymore because their mouth was frozen!!!  We then went and treated ourselves to Pizza at Guys pizza to warm up.

Thanksgiving

                                                            

Thanksgiving  in my house always means lots of cooking starting early in the morning. Because of his work schedule, sometimes my husband is there, and sometimes he is asleep. This year he was up bright and early with me cutting potatoes and preparing for our feast.

When I was a little girl, I remember going to my Grandma's house and she would have cucumbers and onions  in vinegar and oil in a bowl on the counter. I would always pick at them until they were gone. This past year after my Grandfather passed I was given a couple of her bowls. My favorite food this year was a similar version  of my grandmothers cucumbers, served in one of her pretty green bowls. I added a few things to make it my own, but it still made me think of her.  Oh, and those pickles... they lasted all of ten seconds. My boys would rather eat pickles than candy!!!

Jade our kitten seemed very taken with the goings on in the kitchen. Could it be the bird in the pan???

Peace

This has truly been the busiest holiday season I have ever experienced.  I always thought that I understood what single parents or full time workers went through during the holidays. I couldn't have imagined that it was this hard.  I am truly, truly grateful to have a job. I am also extremely thankful for the Photography business, which I love doing. All of this however. made for 7 day a week working, sometimes 12 hours a day through the holidays. I am proud to say that I made it through. I may not have put up all the decorations that I wanted to, or bought the gifts that I wanted, but I did manage to stay calm, and focused on what the holidays meant.  I am proud of that. 

  That being said, I am just now getting around to posting from Thanksgiving thru Christmas. 

I hope that everyone had a peaceful holiday filled will lots of joyful moments.  I look forward to the coming new year which I pray is filled with patience, peace and hope.

Merry Christmas