O Christmas Tree

I thought the boys had a bad case of the "Christmas Crazies" after Ryan's birthday and breakfast with Santa. OH NO! It has gotten exponentiaily worse now that the tree-trimming has begun!


We finally got our tree on Saturday. We usually go to the tree farm between our parents' houses. This year, I think we started a new tradition. We went accross town to a Catholic school that was selling trees as a fund raiser. Short drive. Good cause.

Since we waited so long to get our tree, they were pretty well picked over. There were a couple "passable" trees. Colin grabbed on to one and would NOT let go- so we bought it. I thought it was nice and full, though a few lower branches were a bit scragly.

The nice volunteers gave our tree a nice fresh cut and then 4 of them attempted to run it through the bailer. It didn't fit. They tied it to the roof. We drove home.

Todd took it off the roof and left on his errands leaving me to get the tree up (Don't get mad at him- it is better for our marriage that he just get the hell out of my way!). I dragged it in the fron door- barely fit. To get it into the living room- I pulled and the boys pushed. Once in the stand, I stood it up in the center of the room. It took up the ENTIRE room. Some quick work with the pruners on the sad little branches and I was able to push it up against the wall- with a few branches poking through the stairs.


I am so Impressed with our lovely tree that I wanted to make sure I got some good pictures.


I backed up as far as I could without going through the window and yet I could not capture its full girth.


Notice the tree skirt? It is about 6ft in diameter. It is also one of my favorite things about Christmas. A tradition I started the year Todd and I got married. I made the skirt that year- blue felt with white sparkly felt snow drifts and embroidered stars. I add an element every year.

• 1999- I made the skirt
• 2000- I added the house- which looks like ours because we moved in that year.
• 2001- I added the train (and I still need to buy more buttons to finish the wheels!) to represent Andy and his love of Thomas the Tank Engine.
• 2002- Ryan was born Thanksgiving weekend. I photocopied a snowman from one of his outfits and made the pattern for the snowman.
• 2003- The Christmas tree was added to represent our family growing stronger.
• 2004- The year of "the fire". I added the angel that was watching over our family that night.
• 2005- Is noticably (to me) absent. It was our first Christmas home after a long battle with the insurance company. We had high hopes and great expectations for that Christmas, but it turned out to be one that Todd can't even remember and I just want to forget. Looking back now, I think I am going to add a "Tree of Life" because life does go on.
• 2006- Gifts were added under the tree to represent Colin- a true gift from God.
• 2007 - I haven't added anything yet, and I'm still not sure what it'll be- maybe a penguin?

Shown here with toddler* for scale.


*Said toddler had his 15m check up yesterday. He is now around the 50th %ile for both height and weight!