Oh Christmas Tree(s)!

I told you before, I love Christmas!

Every since I was a child and put out decorations with my mom I have loved the sights, smells, and sounds of Christmas!  I remember my mom painstakingly arranging hundreds of lights on our Christmas tree each year.  I loved to look at the tree through squinted eyes so you saw just one big blur of color.

Now, in my own home, you can squint your eyes and see several big blurs of color!

We have an Americana tree that we have put up for years.  There is something about the red, white, and blue ornaments that makes me smile.  It also helps us to remember the military members who are deployed and the families that are celebrating without them.  We have been that family several times and we know how hard it can be.  We are thankful for those who serve along side of us!

 

Then there is my cross tree. I do not remember how this got started but I love adding to it each year.  It really is a good reminder to us that Christ is indeed the whole reason for celebrating Christmas, without Him, there would be no holiday at all!

 

 

Next up is our family tree.  This tree has taken many different paths throughout the years.  We had a monstrous artificial tree for the past few years but finally decided it took up way too much space so we passed it on.  I just recently found a small tree with pinecones and berries that I adore.  For now it remains empty, but when our college girl, Riley, gets home we will decorate it with her!  This year I hope to weed through the years of collected family ornaments and downscale, keeping only the ones we really love and adore.  I want this tree to speak of the memories we hold close to our hearts!

 

Next- the kid's tree.  The three olders used to decorate this together and have it in the hall near their bedrooms.  Our youngest, Colby, has now taken it over and decorates it for his room!  I think he just likes using the lights as a nightlight, but hey, if it works... right?  Most of the ornaments were given to the kids by friends and grandparents or are homemade from church and preschool.

Ashton and Riley both now have little trees in their rooms as well.  Ashton had hers in college and when we saw a pink one it screamed Riley's name.  She will decorate it when she gets home next week!  (ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!)

This white, ceramic tree was made by my Aunt years ago and always finds a special place in our home.

My cardinal tree sits on our front porch most of the winter months.  The little red birds bring me almost as much joy as the real ones on the back deck!

I do have one more small tree I think (shhhhh, don't tell my hubby!) that I may put our angel ornaments on if I can find a place to put it, but we will see!  Until then, just imagine me walking around the house, eyes squinted, enjoying the lights!

Wanna join me?

Next week I will share the rest of the decorations!

Blessing,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

EVERYWHERE you turn!

Yes, I do have a slight obsession with Christmas trees.  Do not tell my husband!  OK, he knows, but please do not mention it or ask how him many we have, as it tends to get him started on a speech about his crazy obsessed wife.
It all started with this...

Actually, it was a lot smaller one (now our Angel tree, but I digress) and stayed up year round with a few Americana ornaments on it.  I loved it.  We lived in Colorado at the time and it just felt homey to me.  Then a few loving friends started to feed my fetish and we HAD to get a bigger tree.  I mean, no one wants a crowded tree, right!  And for the record, I do not leave it up all year anymore, though I may have been tempted once, or twice.

The Nutcrackers started in my dancing days.  My mom gave me a new one each year I danced in the ballet.  I have fed my own fetish since then, thank you very much

Then there is this one..

My cross tree.  It actually started out smaller too (see a trend here?), but because friends love me they have helped me cover a bigger tree.  Not blaming them; just saying!  I love this one too!  Makes me smile every time I pass it.  It reminds us of the Savior for whom this whole season is about!

"For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord!" Luke 2:11  NEVER FORGET why we have a reason to celebrate!

Then came this one...

Our angel tree.  I just had a lot of angels, friends, and they needed somewhere to go.  So I put them on the once-Americana tree.  See, re-purposing at its best!

Then there is (stay with me), the kid's tree.

 This is where we put all those homemade ornaments- think glitter, sequins and lots of glue and all the Disney and Sesame Street ornaments that have been given to the kids.  They eventually will take some of those with them as they leave the house, but let's not talk about that now, please.

After years of spending a ton of money on fresh trees, my wonderful hubby bought me the tree of my dreams for Christmas a few years ago.  hmmm. Maybe he thought that would stop me from buying more.  Anyway...

Here is a picture of it from last year.  We have not put it up this year yet because I REFUSE to do so until our oldest gets home from college in 4 days!  4 DAYS YA'LL!!!

There may or may not be a small tree on the front porch and there is one in my oldest's room, but that is it!  Really!  For this year!  Next year I am thinking a forest of a few trees together could be really cool.  Don't 'ya think so?

Then there are the nativities.  Well, next year I will show you those.  ;)

And just so you do not think we are all about decorations and stuff let me tell you a few little other tidbits!  We love the Advent season as a time to be quiet, reflect on God's love and to remember that He came to earth as a baby to save us all.  Every year that time looks a little different for us, but this year we have begun a new book called Jotham's Journey.  So far- LOVE IT!  There are a few in the series and I know you can rotate through them for several years.  Even our olders love read-alouds by candlelight at Christmas.

And as far as gifts...
I am an only child, so I grew up with a lot of presents everywhere.  My mom and step father spoiled me, in a good way, and I have wonderful memories of Christmas with them.  That being said, we have FOUR kiddos, not one, and knew we needed to scale back.  So in the past few years we have cut presents down.  We try  to stick with:

Something to WEAR, WATCH, WANT AND WISH!

 Now granted, sometimes the wear or watch (also read) is sometimes a few things wrapped together, but we want the children to understand that it is not all about the gifts.  The "wish" is often their special gift.  In addition to that concept, we have asked Grandparents to keep things small and contribute money to our vacation fund.  The years that has worked we have given them photobooks with pictures of our fun as a thank you.  Our goal is to create memories, not collect things!

Things!  Oh, don't get me started because that is a whole new series I hope to attack in January!  Jesus did not die on a cross so we could have things!  He did so so we could have life and have it abundantly.

So while I assemble and decorate my many trees, may I never forget that true joy is not in the pretty things that please our eyes, but in the ONE that holds our hearts!  JESUS!

This post is part of a Sharing Christmas blog hop that will go live Saturday the 15th.  Come back and enjoy all the links to wonderful Christmas posts by my CREW buddies!

We are also linked up to The Modest Mom website today!  Check out her 12 Days of Christmas sale and giveaways!