At the risk of making the rest of you jealous, we/I/Glory Farm has the best Christmas tree ever this year.
One year when Team Offspring was young (ages 5, 7, & 10), my good friend was doing deep sighs about Christmas.
“The hard part”, she said, “Is that it is all up to me, up to me to create all the magic.” She had her own Team Offspring, with similar ages to mine. 
‘Don’t your kids give presents to each other?’ I asked. “That is my favorite part of Christmas, when I hear my kids saying to each other, “Wait, open the one I gave you.”
“Well, they don’t really have any money”, she said. (You should know that she and her husband were doctors, so they did have some flexibility in their budget.)
I like to hope, that I said this next part kindly, but I am aware, that sometimes we all have selective memory.
“Well, a Beanie Baby is only $5.00, give them some chores to do, so they can earn some Christmas money”….and so she did and so they did and they had the best Christmas ever and lived happily ever after…or something like it.
That is still my favorite part of Christmas, that and singing in church with them. Sharing the magic and sharing the work that can come with the Christmas season, which is why we have the best Christmas tree ever! We have had trees that had a few more needles. We’ve had trees that fit in the room a bit better, this is our first wall to wall tree. We’ve had more expensive trees. We’ve had a lot of trees that fall down, but we’ve never had a tree that Number Two Son and My Girl went off to procure together, to help, to surprise us and to be part of the magic/work that is Christmas…and I love it.
I hope you find joy in the magic/work that is Christmas…and I am blessed.
Oh, how I love the picture ornaments. I am going to have to get busy and make two for Cheyenne. I still have your pattern I think! That barn ornament looks like it was made specifically for Glory Farm! Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas! If you get stuck making her ornaments, give me a call. I’d be happy to help.
Have a blessed day!
Great tree!!! Merry Christmas!
Thanks, my friend!
Merry Christmas to you all and please give that boy a hug from me!
Without being a Laurel tree it reminds me of the trees at Aunt Amy’s. Any Jensen animal cookies on the tree? Have a wonderful Christmas!
It reminded me of that too, and Uncle Jim always brought one to Gramma, so they are a sweet memory. We do not have any animal cookies, but Riley (Number Two Son) made a Sour Cream pie as a surprise for dessert.
Merry Christmas to you both!