Decking the halls and the biggest Tree in the forest

Decorating the biggest tree in the forest is always a ceremony of sorts. We start by letting Big Daddy adorn the tree with those magical lights that make the tree come to life. He always wants to stop at 3 strands but we 'encourage' him to stay on task and put as many as it takes to cast giant shadows. Once the lights are on and glowing enough to put off warmth ... we adorn the tree with our ornaments. Every year I try to find the kids an ornament that signifies something of meaning in their life for that particular year. Sometimes its hard and I do not always hit my mark....but I try desperately to find something meaningful. This year.... it was one of those OFF years where I just couldn't find anything on the shelves that clearly reflected them to the point that I felt satisfied with my purchases. I guess some years are just that way.

Notice the wall in the background with pieces of paper and cardboard taped to it.......'The Wall of Smiles' had just gotten under way...more to come in a later blog.

Wormie got ANOTHER snowchick that was named...'On the go'..... the snowchick was drinking Starbucks and chatting on the cell. Now... I know for a fact that Wormie is always on the cell....as she clocks in about 4500 minutes a month (wow!)...and I know she loves her Starbucks...something has to wake her up to get to class.....but seriously Wormie.... 4500 minutes a month??? .... you must have a LOT to say ;) I wont even discuss the number of text messages that enters and exits that particular cell....busy busy girl! Again... not really any significant meaning to her ornie but it was one that made me grin when I saw it perched up on the shelf at the Hallmark store... I did think of her immediately when I saw it! She wasn't overly excited but gracious as always none the less.

2Shaye's ornament was another hard find. 2009 will prove to be a better year for her ornament selection as she gets ready to graduate from high school and enters into college in the fall..... but for this year..... I settled for a High School Musical locker that plays song snippets from the 3rd (painful to endure) movie. While the entire house PLUS Sam hates the thought of HSM we know it is a special love of 2Shaye's....so we grin and bear it...but it is NOT easy. Got to love her ability to find entertainment in so many genres though!

If you will notice that RED HMS3 locker is strategically placed so it appears in about EVERY picture...That is our 2Shaye at work for you!

Now its time to find something for the Xbox Junkie. And go figure... I hunted to the ends of the earth and did not find one that was symbolic to the hours he clocks in on Xbox. But if you remember the numbers from Wormie's cell usage....he probably doubles her cell time. So again.... this year... Xbox Junkie ends up with ANOTHER ESPN ornament. His life is based on Xbox playing and watching ESPN Sports Center updates. So until he does more than those 2 activities he'll be stuck with ESPN ornaments. Hopefully this year he will find more to accomplish and his ornament for 2009 will show some signs that his life took on some other type of positive growth. As I am blogging at this moment.... I can hear him yelling from his room... 'WOW", "I'M TERRIBLE", "that gun is Nasty", "That burnt his biscuit", "I hate stupid video games". .... maybe its time to intervene and get him away from the controller. If I wasn't just plain scared to think of what I'd see..... I'd take his walls down and put in sound proof glass because with his loudness he has to be entertaining to watch....but being a smart mom....I'll elect NOT to change out his walls.

I do get an ornie for Big Daddy and me as well. Ours is usually some type of normal Mom and Dad ornament...or maybe 2 cute animals riding a sledge or cutting down a tree....or maybe 2 pink flamingo's standing together. Ours isn't as significant as the kids but we do have our own collection. The kids always put on their ornaments while listening to Christmas music....I can't get enough of Christmas music during the holidays and by the time Dec 26 rolls around the Xbox Junkie is to the point of slitting his wrists. After the kids do their ornaments, Big Daddy and I hang ours always starting with the newest one and ending it with a simple kiss.... yes... its a cheesy event but he has always been a sport...and besides it takes all of 10 seconds to hang the ornament and seal it with a kiss....not to much to ask!

After our special ornaments, the kids crafty elementary ornaments go on with special love. After all those are hung we add all the other things we have collected over the year. Lastly the put the angel that 2Shaye made in the 2nd grade (Sam's mom was her teacher that year) on top of our tree.

We also get a new nutcracker each year and the new one always takes center stage. Somehow we neglected to get a picture of our nutcrackers this year... NOT COOL!

Wormie will not be happy with all of these pictures of her....as she got straight out of bed to participate and has already threatened me if I put these pictures on here....oh well if she decides to have children of her own someday, she can torture them as I have mine and do exactly what they ask me not to :)

Luker and Reese under the tree!

This is my "Believe' sign....and to think... I did not watch Polar Express once this year....now that is tragic!! That happens to be my one request from the kids....to watch that movie with me every year.