The Ornament Dilemma

It's official.

The tree dubbed Noel is up and dressed. 

It only took a week. 

I sent out a group text, which is sometimes the best way to get ahold of my crew. 

(Whoever said "it'll get easier when they all get older?")  

Maybe easier to corral and keep in one place, but certainly not less hectic. 

At least, that's how it is with us. 

All of my children, in one place at the same time. 

(Better than a soap opera.)

With live music too. 

So, after eating steaming hot hamburger soup, the ornaments were gathered from under my bed where each has a box labeled with their name. I had most of the lights on the tree already and out of the 4 strands that I pulled from the closet where they had been neatly coiled and stored, two of them worked and the other two joined the ever-growing pile of discarded lights. I really am not blessed when it comes to Christmas lights. 

There were some mixed feelings this year as we put up ornaments. You see, this is the first Christmas with one of the cubs out of the den and on his own. Well, not alone because he has found his perfect match and this is their first Christmas as man and wife. The dilemma was over his box of ornaments. 

I always intended that when my children grew up and moved away, that these ornaments would go with them. Like taking a piece of home with them wherever they went. Aaron thought I would want them to stay on my tree as it has always been. Neither of us wanted to step on the other's toes.

Actually, I think he just needed to hear it from me that it was okay to take them. It is a good thing to be starting out with Lisa-Anna and establishing their own traditions. As for the ornaments, well, I hope he puts them up somewhere but if not that's okay too. He still has them and the memories attached to them.

I will miss all the camouflaged snowmen though.

And if he looks sad, it was only because he put all the Christmas balls in one place on the tree and his sisters picked on him. Some things never change, even when they grow up and move away.

(And he likes to tease back. Don't let that pouty face fool you.)

As for the rest of us? No pouty faces here. Except for Adrienne who was still perfecting "the look". 

Don't worry, I don't know that the masks will become a new tradition, but this is what happens when I have too little sleep and too much night shift. 

Which makes it all the better to enjoy the Christmas tree...

Love,

Dianne and Noel, the finely festooned Christmas Tree