Christmas Memories

While cleaning up (and taking down Christmas),

I decided to document some of my favorite Christmas items and memories.

Like this first "original artwork" by Austin and Logan. 

Ornaments they made and we then sent to all our friends and family

the first year they were home, Christmas 2007.

I remember Gary and I sitting at the dining room table

(which we had moved to the living room in order

to make the dining room a play room - which Mason and Evan hated!)

We were emotionally spent, knowing that my father was approaching his final days

and yet we felt so amazingly blessed to have Austin and Logan in our laps,

fingers covered in paint

and through our tears, we each laughed several times

as we watched the twins have a ball creating these!

And this year's Preschool Creation:

Hand created and hand wrapped by each boy

and delivered to us with much delight Christmas morning!

One year, I did an all white theme.

And these white stockings I made (and had embroidered) are still my favorite!

And this picture below does not do these stockings justice,

But a sweet, sweet  little lady from church made the twins these stockings.

They are lined and super plush - I LOVE 'em!

A Guatemalan "keychain" ornament!

And thanks to a special woman at Gary's office,

Aunt Fran has generously decked out my tree

With lots of beautiful ornaments that look like this:

I will never, never tire of seeing ALL our names on the same ornament.

Little ole' me, who didn't "find" my family until I was over 30 years old!

Thought I'ld be single and alone forever!

;-)

And this year, we added two more beautiful ornaments.

Another woman at church decorates the children's tree in the Sunday School section. 

This year, I saw her putting these beautiful wooden owl ornaments

- handmade in Peru, all over the tree.

She has travelled a lot and has picked up some very unigue treasures.

On Christmas Eve, she told the children they could each take an ornament off the tree.

It was her gift to them.

Is that not the sweetest!?

I was THRILLED when Logan brought down one of the beautiful owls: 

 I mean, tell me you didn't just gasp! 

I asked Austin where his was, I didn't want him to loose it.

And my precious, unigue son, with glee all over his face said,
"I didn't get a bird, Mom.  LOOK!! Look what I got!!"

"It's GREEN!  My favorite color!!  Can you believe it!?"

And while I would have LOVED (LOVED) to have had

two gorgeous Peruvian wooden owls on my tree,

I think this ornament

will always hold a soft spot in my heart

as I place it on the tree for the next many years to come.

It completely represents a moment in time

where a Green Ball of Yarn

(handknitted, no less!)

was far more precious

in his eyes!