we need a little christmas

Just thought I'd share some of our Christmas traditions with you:

 This photo snow globe has a picture of grandpa hiking in the grand canyon.

He and grandma gave us the globe several years ago.

We stuck that picture in because it was handy

and we wanted to see what something inside the snow globe would look like.

We never thought to take it out and put a different picture inside.

Now it's just part of our tradition to look at grandpa's snow globe, I guess.

Our Christmas tree is full of tradition.

We add things to our tree (as long as they are red, gold, or silver, usually) that have meaning to our year or our lives.

Chris's boss used to give us a new ornament at the Christmas work parties each year.

Believe is one of my favorites.

 This was an ornament from my family's tree when I was little.

I loved staring at those kids in their hard wooden bed and wonder what it was like to be them.

I also have some shabby loved Raggedy Ann and Andy ornaments,

but everyone thinks they're creepy and they always end up in the back of the tree

where nobody can see them.

 When the Olympics came to Utah in 2002, Chris was heavily involved with it through his job.

So involved he was almost never ever ever home.

But because of that, we earned some great memories.

We got to meet amazing people and go to unique events.

My mom found this little golden decoration with the mascots for me.

I love that little ornament.

 A few years ago Chris's dad built a cabin.

He studied our plans in architecture books, he helped draw up the plans, and he even helped build it.

He and Grandma attached the key to a rabbit pinecone ornament and wrapped it in a fancy box.

The cabin is one of our favorite places in the world, and the kids smile when they hang it on the tree.

 Our time in The Swamp has given us a whole bunch of new memories,

so we hung a few seashells on the tree to help us remember our time here.

Josh (who is playing with his new Christmas train here) is too young to remember many of the stories that go with nearly all of our ornaments, but someday they'll mean something to him, if we tell the stories every year. Whether he likes it or not...

This holiday post is coming from someone who hates decorating for any holiday. But now that our kids are big, they put the ornaments on the tree and I sit back and listen to them.
"Hey I remember this one!"
It makes me smile.

Now these two random pictures are just for fun. Chris's mom sent us a package with the train (in Josh's picture), and some goodies, and this nightlight. Unfortunately, all of the outlets in our apartment were installed upside down. So santa gets to hang there until January, when we'll relieve him of his duties.
His upside down-ness will be another holiday tradition as long as we live here.

And Ashley loves trying out new hair styles. She wanted me to make this bow-bun we saw on Pinterest. Totally easy and pretty cute. Maybe it will become a holiday tradition, too...