Trimming The Tree

Last night we finally decided to put the ornaments on the Christmas Tree. Corey and I put the tree up on Saturday while the girls were napping but we hadn't gotten around to actually decorating it.

As you can see from the pictures below, the girls had a great time. Corey on the other hand enjoys decorating the tree about as much as you can enjoy a colonoscopy (not that he's ever had one, but we've heard they're not fun). So he was recruited to take pictures.

Ashley was mesmorized by all of the "pretties". We would take the ornaments out of their boxes and she would make these "oohh" and "aahh" faces. Our tree is pretty feminine. I collect Barbie Ornaments and we have two girls so what do you expect. Corey made a comment about needing a more masculine tree, maybe if he enjoyed it a little more I would buy him "masculine" ornaments.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions from growing up was that Mom & Dad would give us a new ornament every year for the Christmas tree. We got to open our "treasure" the night we trimmed the tree. It was kind of like Christmas coming a little early. We always knew that it was going to be an ornament but part of the Christmas morning excitement was wrapped up in that little box. Mom saved the ornaments for us and then when we had a place of our own she gave them to us so that we would have something to trim our own tree with. One of my favorite ornaments is my Baby's First Christmas ornament from 1978. I actually have two Baby's First Christmas ornaments, mom has one and I have one. In the long run, having two was a smart idea because Mom hasn't been able to part with hers. I think it's a little reminder to her of one of the four most special days of her life.

We have also started the ornament tradition with our own girls. They each have at least three Baby's First Christmas ornaments and when they get older, I will keep my favorite one and pass the rest on to them. This year Aly got the "Barbie and the Island Princess" ornament and Ashley got a "Disney Princess Cinderella" ornament. We had a lot of laughs (and a few tears, sisters fighting over who got to open and put up which ornament) and made some great memories.