Christmas Decorating 2018

 This year's color scheme was inspired by the outside lights that Mark hung especially for Betsy & Kyle.

Skye thinks I've got something more than just that tea that I'm drinking.  We've spoiled her into thinking that we've always got a treat for her.

 My mom has made so many ornaments for me over the years.  One of my favorite Christmas gifts ever was a set of red & white checked ornaments from my mama that she made for my first tree in 1974 after Tommy and I were married.  I can still remember how happy I felt when I opened that box. 

So many of the ornaments on the tree were made by the artist Peggy :)

The dove is one of my special memories too--it was on one of the sympathy flowers that we received when Tommy died.  It has survived all these years.  It was especially bittersweet this year.  The hope ornament came from The Farm.

Isn't he cute?  You can't really see, but he is holding a paper gingerbread man in his hand.  By Peggy, of course.

It's hard to have a favorite of these ornaments by my mom, but I'm pretty partial to this little Detroit News bear.

 Remember the Christmas when we were all running around trying to find beanie babies?  We had a ton of them, most of them gone, but I did keep this little peace bear for the Christmas season.

 Little boy angels and raggedly andy-s from my mom.

Kyle gave us the bacon & egg ornament "cause you're keto" which made my heart happy.  And the avocado came from my keto friend Pam.

Cookie monster.  When he was a baby, Judson loved his cookie monster stuffed animal.  It had rattly eyes and he would just light up when we'd show it to him.

A snowman and reindeer from Peggy, along with a commercially produced Fievel who was one of the boys' favorites in the late 80's.

And these came from The Farm.  V and I are going there today for their open house.  More Christmas ornaments to come.  I'm feeling nostalgic and so thankful this morning.