It has been a fun and crazy week! Lots of driving, lots of family time, and it's good to be back home.
I didn't realize so many people would be interested in the meanings of our yearly ornament purchases. I love purchasing each new ornament, and as we pull them out of the Christmas box each year, we discuss what each one reminds us of as we put it on the tree.
1st year: Our First Christmas Together 1997 - self explanatory.
2nd year: Mouse holding a chile pepper - Christian served his mission spanish speaking in NYC; we went back to visit his mission in July of that year.
3rd year: Treble clef with an angel - By this time I was teaching around 40 piano students.
4th year: Winnie the Pooh - My best friend was a Winnie the Pooh lover (not in the literal sense) and I went to visit her in Des Moines, Iowa that winter. (I also made her a Winnie the Pooh cross stitch for her Christmas present.)
5th year: A fishing turtle - Christian's younger brother came and visited us for a month from Maui. His 'aumakua is a sea turtle, and they spent the entire month ice fishing. (If you want to know what an 'aumakua is, click on the link. If you're just too darn lazy to click, I will do a post one day this month talking about them.)
6th year: Blue stocking with "son" - I had my 20 week ultrasound done on December 23 of that year. We had the ultrasound tech write the sex of the baby on an index card and seal it in an envelope. Then we put the envelope in my stocking to open on Christmas morning. It was two days of torture! I was sure I was having a girl...and then when we opened the envelope, it said "boy" in small writing. I was shocked. The day after Christmas we went and purchased this ornament.
7th year: Crazy sweater with tree lights that light up (the name of this ornament is "Merry Glitzmas") - It was Ethan's first Christmas. Christian's dad and stepmom went absolutely crazy with presents for him. This ornament reminded us of the craziness.
8th year: John Deere tractor - By this time Ethan was 20 months old, and very into tractors and anything green.
9th year: Winnie the Pooh that says "Baby's First Christmas" - Aidan's first Christmas.
10th year: Bob the Builder - Both boys were obsessed with Bob the Builder. They also got tons of presents that year with a Bob the Builder theme.
11th year: Our Family picture - This year we lived in Ames, Iowa and this picture was taken at Ledges State Park. We loved our time in Ames, and every time I see this picture I think back to the fun times we had there. (And yes, my hair was nearly to my waist. When I cut it up to my chin last January, I cut off 16 inches and donated it to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths.)
12th year: The key - we bought our first house in July of this year.
I love this tradition. It's fun to look for an ornament every year that highlights something from that year.
Wednesday, December 31
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Thanks for the explanations, Erin! I wish we had started this tradition 5 years ago!
What a great idea! I wish I had started this earlier, too, but there's no time like the present, eh?
Thanks for sharing.
That really is a neat idea and great to read a little about your history this way! :)
I love the memories. The one about the blue stocking warms my heart. We haven't pulled our "memory" ornaments out since I had the kids...there are too many that date back to my childhood and I didn't want them broken with two toddlers running around the house. It makes me want to pull them out, just to see them!
I am so excited for you to have such a load of fond memories that you are compiling. I was such a slacker on those early years of memory making. I am so proud of all you mothers that do that. I hope you have the best year Erin. Take care.
What a great tradition!! Thanks for sharing!!
Sorry that I have been so absent--so much going on and too little time!! I will be back to normal after this week is over (thank goodness)!!
I hope that you and your family have a Happy New Year!!
I love this tradition. thanks for explaining them. Most of them I kind of figured out, but I was especially curious about the sweater. :)
Wow that's awesome! What a neat tradition!
Wow that is pretty cool
we have a few ornaments, but I can't say they are designed for each year!
liz
That is so cool and such a great way to hold on to your memories!
Happy New Year
Thanks for sharing! You have lots of great memories!
Plus new wonderful ones to come.
Happy New Year Erin!
So cool, my husband served his mission to NYC also way back when. I also teach piano students, currently 39 to be exact. That's a big undertaking as you are very aware :) But so delightful when the kids excel right? Cute memories with all those ornaments. Thanks for sharing.
Remember when we would help Grandma decorate her tree and she would talk about her ornaments? That's what made me want to collect Hallmark ornaments.
Here's the question. Do you limit yourself to one each year? I always say I'm going to, but I end up splurging and by three or four.
Very cool! I'm glad you guys are home safe!
We were sad you didn't make it to Idaho! We have this tradition but I buy an ornament for each kid so they can take theirs with them when they move and have a tree of their own. It is a great way to remember the years! Thanks for sharing yours.
ummm 6th year- best Christmas present ever! I'd never last 9ish months without knowing the sex, so that was a great idea!
What a fun tradition to have!! I love the engagement photo. You guys really do look so young. Hope you had a great holiday season!!
You're home! Glad you're back and that you lived to tell about driving through all that crazy snow. Thanks for posting the ornament meanings. Most of the them were self-explanatory, but a few had me wondering.
yes, a totally fun tradition, esp. if you limit it to one ornament per year (unlike moi who does more like a dozen) ANd limit it to tree ornaments, unlike moi who had to buy a Double Delight rose bush b/c one is on the cover of my book that came out this month (appropro, no?) AND a charm for my charm bracelet (a rose, natch) AND something for my dollhouse and the list goes on and on. I tend to overdo things. Just a tad. Yes?
I don't buy ornaments unless they are cheap. I guess I should stop being a cheapskate and start thinking of it as a tradition. Did the mouse remind Christian of something on his mission?
I love this tradition. My Mom did that for me growing up and when I got married she boxed them up and sent them with me. I love decorating the tree now. Each year I buy an ornament for each of my boys that reflects something from the past year. It is so fun!
Happy new year!
I love this idea. I wanted to start this tradition when I first got married, but hubby was not as excited about it as I was. (He can be such a party pooper sometimes.) I love your ornaments!
that is the highlight of my christmas season, finding ornaments that match the kids and a family one that holds meaning...very cool on yours too, that was fun, and funny that so many people wanted to know, huh? LOL
happy new year
This is a great idea. One that I wanted to start last year with our first Christmas, but didn't.. then I wanted to do it this year but haven't gotten the ornament. I guess if I find some that remind me of that year I can still pick them up.
I think I'll do that.
Very cool. Really. My kids pick out an ornament each year, but my husband and I should too.
What cool meanings! I am impessed you remembered them all:)
I just had to tell you that I LOVE this tradition . . . thanks for sharing it! We collect ornaments from the trips we've been on which is fun, too.
I love the key ornament the most.
I don't know why. It's just so full of meaning for me. Still don't know why.
Maybe I'll figure it out.
Happy New Year!
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