I love family traditions. It’s a little ridiculous. I try to make a tradition out of everything. And I see the eye rolls that I’m given by the male folk in our family when they hear me say the words “It’s a tradition”, but I know that really they love it. This year we almost didn’t do this tradition, one that’s been a favorite of mine since 2009. I felt like I couldn’t quite get things together in time and I knew our pictures would arrive super late in the month, so I made the suggestion that this year we just do our traditional tree with ornaments in place of our picture tree. And then my sweet CB exclaimed “WHAT?! No!! It’s a tradition!!” Ahhh, that’s my girl. So we ordered the ornaments, albeit a couple of weeks later than normal, and they’re now up on the tree in our den and I’m SO glad we didn’t skip this year. There are fewer pictures on our tree this year than there ever have been. I blame Instagram. I have a love-hate relationship with Instagram. It’s so great for easily documenting everyday memories, but I definitely find myself using it instead of my big camera quite frequently. And that I don’t love. I’ll try harder next year.
But on to the decorating. When the photos finally arrived and I got them all cut out and the ribbons attached it was in the middle of the day on Wednesday. Collin was super busy in the studio but the kids were finished with their school work so I suggested that the three of us go ahead and do the decorating in the afternoon. This time it was the boy who piped up “Huh?! In the afternoon?? Without Dad? Without cookies and hot chocolate?!? That’s not how we do it!” Ha. See? He likes my traditions too. So we waited a couple more days until we were all at home together one evening with no work. I’m glad we waited.
Every year people ask me what these ornaments are and how we do them, so here it is. Back in 2009 I got tired of having all of these photos of our everyday life stuck on a computer. We had giant professional portraits all over our walls, but the more candid photos of us just being us were missing in printed form. So I asked Collin if we could somehow come up with a way to print those photos and put them up on our tree. He figured out how to do it and after Christmas is over I put the ornaments in an album and we have a little mini scrapbook of that year. As far as how to do it? I have no idea. I select the photos that I want, convert them to black and white (because I like the uniformity that it offers), and give them to Collin. He takes it from there with some fancy computer deal. Wish I could help you more with that.
This is my favorite photo of him from the year. We were sitting in Hollywood Studios eating lunch with my entire family and he was just so genuinely HAPPY. I LOVE that smile.
And here’s my favorite of her. We were at Collin’s parents’ house back in January and she was sewing a nightgown with Ma-Ma. Her love bucket was overflowing and she laid her head down on the fabric and looked up at me with the happiest smile.
And my favorite of the two of them. Also from Disney. She is whispering a secret in his ear and he is letting her. One might even say he is enjoying listening to her. Melt me.
I include this next pic only because it shows that beautiful tree topper on the sunroom tree. I laugh at that wonky star every time I see it. No way am I fixing it!
During the tree decorating this year they also did a Gingerbread camper.
It was so cute at this stage! Then it got progressively more and more tacky.
Appetizers and cookies for supper. You know that line in Tommy Boy where he says I can actually hear you getting fatter? That’s what I’m feeling like these days.
Nice, right?
Emme just gets so perturbed with us. Eating in the den? Food SO CLOSE and she gets none of it? Not a happy dog.
Our Jesse tree! Another favorite tradition!
And this next series of pictures just makes me laugh because he’s being a complete dork, mimicking the way he used to get excited over the hot chocolate maker.
Late or not, I’m so glad that I get to stare at this tree for a couple of weeks!
