An around the world tree...

Last year I decided I liked the idea of an around the world tree. So, I asked friends and family from all over the country and world if they would consider sending us an ornament from where they live. I had a lot of people get us something and this year we had a lot of fun pulling them out of the storage boxes and talking about who and where the ornaments come from. I am not sure how much Amelia understood this year but I look forward to the future when we can maybe get a map out and point out all the places. This past summer we even picked up an ornament while in Colorado, but since we loved this summer I can't find where I put it. A little disappointing but there is always next year. :)

A star from my cousin in The Philippines.

A rabbit (the year Amelia was born) from a friend living in Taiwan

A snowman ornament I picked up last year on the day after Christmas. 

One of the ornaments we inherited from My Great Grandmother and Gigi.

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

I meant to post this 3 days after Thanksgiving. I assumed that the schedule feature on blogger would work but apparently not. So, better late than never...

I am a Christmas person. I just am. When I was younger, I was a member of the Texas Girls Choir. Since the fall was such a busy season (We had a concert in November and then started performing for corporate Christmas parties all through December) each year we went to Christmas Choir Camp. For a whole week in July we would go off to what would seem like summer camp. There was arts and crafts, swimming in the lake, campfires, and also several hours of daily choir practice in which we learned the material for our Christmas concert. This was heaven to a little girl who dreamed of being an Opera Singer (seriously, I know) and who loved Christmas. It was literally Christmas in July.

I have never really gotten over my love of Christmas music, to my husband's chagrin. I love that a local radio station every year at midnight on Thanksgiving changes over to all Christmas all the time. Don't get me wrong, this does not mean I am okay with stores putting out Christmas decorations in October and that I want to just forget Thanksgiving. I think that part of what makes Christmas so special is that we don't have it year round. It is a part of the year to look forward to and to savor. If it was Christmas everyday we would take it for granted. So, I didn't rush to put up the Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving. I waited a whole 3 days!

I put up the Christmas tree and a few Christmas nick knacks. I kept it simple this year because having a toddler makes life dangerous, not only for the child but for my decorations. My great-grandmother and Gigi made some stuffed ornaments years ago and last year I inherited them. I thought it was a good idea, very kid friendly. The problem is that is might be too kid friendly, she doesn't understand that the ornaments are supposed to stay on the tree. So, I keep finding a nutcracker or angel laying around the house and a half naked tree. While is it annoying, I would rather deal with that than not have a tree at all. :)