All that know me and know me well know that I am particular. I like things just so. Things have a place you know! Well this morning I was reading a fellow bloggers story and it really made me think...
I had decorated our tree while the older girls were in school, Trent was at work and the little one was downstairs playing, all because I did`t want them to make my tree tacky. I had a vision (ok- I lied- I saw the most perfect Tree in a Country sampler Magazine) I had purchased each and every ornament carefully and am quite happy with how it turned out. Although the girls said they liked the tree it felt like some thing was missing.
When I was young we would all go out together as a family and get our tree, haul it home and we piled gobs of tinsel and school made decorations on it and my dad would strap a string of lights to EVERY branch! It had 20 different color ornements hanging- sometimes 2-3 per bow! Looking back... they were beautiful tree's!
A few nights ago Maddy and Peyton spent hours in the office printing Christmas pictures off the Internet and coloring the pages and then cutting out the pictures and taping them to a long blue string. They did a beautiful job and were so proud of their creativity. But I thought to myself (Where can I hang them? But they will not go with the theme of the rest of the house!) So the string of beautiful drawings and the hard work of two little girls hung in the office.
UNTIL today! I decided to hang it front and center in the living room and it looks wonderful! I think I may even be brave enough to go get another tree (small) and let the girls decorate it any way they please, of course this year it will have to go downstairs!
Today is a good day! Peyton and Maddy will be proud as punch with their artwork hanging front and center (where it should have been all along) Carliegh will be happy to go get a "real" tree with us and decorate it with what ever she wants. I am going to try and not be so anal about where things are put and what goes with what and just enjoy my children's creativity.
4 comments:
Your decorations ARE beautiful and so well thought out and the girls' addition is a beautiful touch.
I must admit we had a discussion at work the other day about the 'theme' of Christmas trees....didn't know they had to be themed. Hmmmm...now what? We've got boxes of 'stuff' that goes on it - none of it really matches though. We have special (to us) ornaments and lights and ribbons and bows.
Every single year the 3 of us spend the day putting the tree (ah, yes it's FAKE, 3 pieces, millions of bright blinky lighs)together, decorating and listening to dopey Christmas music. That's our 'theme' and we love it.
Oh, Tanya. You're turning over a new leaf!
It seems like you've been really reflective lately. It's funny how we start to re-evaluate things that have always been the core of who we are. It's been happening to me in different areas over the last few years. It's been hard for me to leave my 'comfort zone' - it would be so much easier to just stay the same - but I have grown and life is becoming richer and richer to me all the time.
The girls will appreciate your letting go. These little moments of sharing their contributions will be what they remember - not the perfect tree that Mom always put up.
BTW...are you coming to the Ladies Christmas Tea on Thursday?
Your house looks lovely - especially with the handmade row of Christmas colouring! They will remember that you liked what they made. :)
i always let the boys put up the ornaments that we make every year and that is what goes on there may be gaps things a bit uneven but they think they have made a masterpiece and as far as I'm concerned that is the most important part there faces light up when they look at there tree. I remember when I was a kid gerry and I always made really tacky things for the tree and thought our tree was the very best one there was and I remember it being very special hense the reason why I let my boys do the same thing. I hope they do the same with theres.
SO as hard as it may be for you enjoy the moment and the looks in there eyes and faces when they make somthing that is theres
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