Tannenbaum

Every year there is a part of me that has Christmas tree envy.  I see so many monster-sized, beautifully decorated trees with shiny ribbon and color coordinated ornaments.  The kind of trees that look like they could have come straight from Martha Stewart's very own tree collection.

But then I remember how fun I always thought our Christmas tree was when I was young.  It wasn't always the prettiest, but it was perfect because it had something that represented everyone.  And, to me, that's what makes our tree special.  It may not be the most beautiful - but my kids find it enchanting, and it smells divine.

I also remember that turning my back for three minutes can result in this:

and who wants to be mad at that happy face if she destroys the tree?

My point is - I have plenty of years to build the tree of my dreams, but so few where I can make it something that my kids love.  I hope they are able to look back and remember that our tree was special, because it represented them.

BDEM:  Playing Patty-Cake with my cute little chubber dubber.  She belly laughs every single time.  To the point of hiccups.  Heartwarming.