the ghosts of Christmases past

the other day, the boys and i put up our Christmas tree...

i'm not sure if i've always been too preoccupied with making sure the bubble-wrap gets put back in the right Hallmark box, or whatever it is that i seem to stress over. because i don't think i've ever noticed that the boys were remembering the ornaments like they did this weekend.

some times i wish i was one of those gals who has it all together (as if!). you know, the ones who have inspiring halloween/fall/thanksgiving front porches, and whom probably have festively decorated their whole home with glamorously themed items... including their Christmas tree(s). there is something so beautiful about those trees, they seem so grown-up and elegant. and i want one!

but on the other hand, there are the decorated trees with reindeer made from fun-foam and traced little fingers. or the Christmas trees, interestingly, also made from tiny hands traced
on fun-foam. there are ornaments from school, that remind us of favorite teachers. we have ornaments from places we've been (like our new disneyland ornament) and trips we've taken, ornaments from when i was little, boxes and boxes of goodies from my mom and dad when they liquidated, and the ornaments we've started buying to build the boys' collection for when they have their very own trees. when the rubbermaid tubs were opened this year, it's a treasure trove of memories... and not just for me anymore.

it made me smile to listen to the boys talk about when they made the sparkly snowman in 1st grade, or that mrs. taylor gave them the snowflake last year. and they both commented on the hot wheel flaming hot rod ornaments they both got from their nana and papa when we lived in colorado--that was a long time ago!

and, this was also the year, when the boys took a good look at the ornament my mom gave dave and me for our first Christmas... as i am unpacking the boxes, i heard:

ryan: oh, look, here's santa and mrs. claus... and they are in the... uh, {giggle} jacks look at this...
jacks: {snort}
ryan: {giggle}
jacks: {furtive glance, snort}
ryan: mom...
me: yeah...
ryan: {giggle} did you know--
jacks: they are NAKED!
me: yeah, i know... nana gave it to me
both of them: {wide-eyed and belly laughs} NANA!


especially good memories this year!

miss ya, babe!