MAKING MEMORIES

let Christmas begin......

we started putting up the Christmas decorations including the kid's tree upstairs. this tree is one that we put all the kid's ornaments they've made throughout the years. it's a colaboration of paper/paper mache/pictures/and any other adorable ornament they've made in school. this year we let the kids take charge of it...from start to finish (with just a little help along the way..)

so i just wanted to give you a glimpse into the Christmas spirit at our home....

LUKE: that's not the part that goes first

CALEB: get outta my way, i think i know what

i'm doing!

MOM: boys.....

ANDREW: can i have this ornament for my tree?

MOM: yes

LUKE: i'm going to put the branches down now

CALEB: stop it stupid....they don't go down yet until we screw in these screws to tighten

the tree down!

MOM: boys...

ANDREW: can i have this ornament for my tree?

MOM: sure

GRACE: i don't think that works like

that...the cords have to go together in

order for the lights to go on

CALEB: no duh

LUKE: i'm going to put the branches down now

ABBY: look mom, my ornament from kindergarten!

GRACE: can i have this ornament for my tree?

MOM: sure

ANDREW: i made this one in 1st grade

LUKE: no you didn't I made that one

ANDREW: nuh huh...i made it

LUKE: did not

ANDREW: did too

MOM: boys!!!!!!.....

GRACE: my christmas tree is going to look so cool

ABBY: so is mine

CALEB: where's that one tree that light's up on the ends,mom....can i have that one?

MOM: sure

LUKE: but i wanna have one too...which one can i have

MOM: we'll find you one, bud

ANDREW can i have this ornament mom?

MOM: sure

LUKE: look i'm a professional juggler (as we watch him throw 2 ornaments up in the air and

step on a third)

MOM: pick up the broken pieces, luke!

CALEB: (putting about 16 ornaments all in the same area)

GRACE: caleb...you need to separate these ones

CALEB: you do it then!

ABBY: look mom...i found seth's kindergarten ornament!

MOM: yea, look at how little he looks!

ANDREW: can i have this ornament mom

MOM: sure honey (wondering at this point WHERE he's going to put all those ornaments!)

ABBY: i want this rope thing mom (beaded strand)

LUKE: no i want it

GRACE: what are YOU gonna do with it?

MOM: merry christmas, merry, merry christmas from your favorite kmart store!

ABBY: did you just make that up?

MOM: nope, it used to be a commercial when i was growing up

LUKE: that sounds like a really old commercial

MOM: thanks, luke!

CALEB: good goin' butthead

LUKE: yea, like you know what you're talking about

CALEB: more than you

LUKE: well....

MOM: BOYS!!!!

DAD: are you guys just about done so we can get this picture done? ben is getting way cranky

down here!

MOM: just about done!

GRACE: we are no where close to being done, yet dad (said in unison with mom!)

GRACE: i get lydia out of bed when we're done for the picture!

ABBY: no way...i'm gonna!

GRACE: you got her out from her nap!

ABBY: no i didn't that was yesterday!

MOM: girls!!

.....ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER......


GRACE: we're done mom.......whadya think?

MOM: i think it's just perfect!

ABBY: so do i

LUKE: i think it's the most beautiful tree ever

ANDREW: mom, can i have this ornament for my tree

mom: sure

CALEB: not bad....for our first time!

MOM: you guys did great!

(notice abby hanging onto seth's

kindergarten ornament)

so...this is how we started our Christmas season....i hope that we're just a normal family trying to make memories with our kids. when everything and everyone had calmed down i went up to look at the tree closer and found this....i think purposefully placed...........caleb had hung his kindergarten ornament right next to seth's. took away all the "bad" of the night and just reminded me that we are all still family. through all the arguments, non-encouraging words, and always having the last word....we're all still family - whether here together on earth or apart from us in Heaven.

Merry Christmas everyone.....God's blessings