A few December moments

Last Saturday while I was at the coast David took the kids to get our Christmas tree. We have gone to the same place for the last few years and it is now a tradition to go there and get hot cider or hot cocoa after finding the perfect tree. He did a fabulous job! I think it is the nicest tree we have had in a while. Although all the trees from here have been beautiful, this one just fits the space perfectly. I am glad it was a nice warm day for them. I remember last year we got snowed on.

This year I did four trees. Noah's tree of course, but I decorated it this year. He usually has this one in his room because it technically is his "birthday" tree. But I had found quite a few ornaments to add to his tree last year and wanted all of us to enjoy it. (He was born on the 23rd of December so from his first Christmas on he has had his own "Noah" tree). Next is my Santa tree. This tree came about a couple of years ago when I noticed that I had quite a few Santas in my collection. I decorate this with more detail to the accessories added not just the ornaments and lights. It is in my living room which I try to keep a little more formal than the rest of the house. (Really most of the time it is filled with kids and toys:)). Next is our family tree which I do not decorate but the rest of the kids do. This has not always been the case but a few years ago I decided that it did not matter that the ornaments were on the tree perfectly but that they had good memories of decorating the tree. This I am sorry to say probably is not true for my older children. I usually was kind of "grouchy" about having the "perfect" tree. I must say with age definitely comes wisdom and so with that the last half of our crew gets a "nice mom" when decorating the tree instead of the "Grinch". I think this letting go came when I decided to do more than one tree. My last little tree is my doll tree. I have always collected dolls and three years ago my mom gave me a box of porcelain doll ornaments. They are beautiful and so this year I put them on a small tree all by themselves.

Last but not least today we had our first snow fall. It had been predicted by the weatherman but many times when they say it is going to snow it does not. There is not much now but this week is not supposed to get above freezing so I think there will be more and definitely it will be icy.I love the photo of the budding rose. I did not even realize I still had any flowers still out there. We have had an unusual warm fall so maybe that is why. But it just touched me to see that little bud with snow falling all around. Kind of the merging of winter and spring but at such an unexpected time of year. Snow always makes me want to curl up in front of a fire with a good book. But today I will be sewing a little more and nursing sick children back to health. I know it seems like we have been sick a lot but it just has gone through everyone including me and with 8 people left in the house it takes a while for everyone to have their turn. At least it is the older kids now and they do not require so much from me. I love this holiday season and am very grateful to all that I have been blessed with and also grateful that I recognize who has blessed us! Merry Christmas!