Elvis and I Put Up Our Christmas Tree. . .

  It is that time of year when Elvis, Martina and I put up our Christmas tree.  Tommy doesn't want any part of decorating the tree. I understand and that is alright by me. I put on my favorite CD's, make fudge and think of all the Christmas' past. There is a memory for every thing on our tree.

   Tommy bought me this tree last year. Without a decoration on it, it is beautiful.  In fact last year I didn't decorate it. Tommy was sick with the shingles and there was no Christmas spirit.  Instead we enjoyed the beauty of the tree itself. However when 2016 rolled around, after two days I decided I wanted our story displayed on the tree again. Every ornament on our tree is a memory of some part of our life.  

    We have three decorations from our Christmas wedding that are always close to the top. Actually, every year the angel goes on first then our wedding decorations are randomly added next.  

    Beneath the wedding bells and Christmas balls, is Tami's first baby bottle.



                            The little red Christmas stocking to the left is 45 years old and was the only new ornament on our first Christmas tree. We were living in Yuma, Arizona while Tommy finished his last two years in the Marine Corps. We were pregnant and so broke.  We bought a small artificial tree about two feet tall and sat it on top of our black and white television.  We also bought a Christmas boot for our baby. We thought it was the prettiest tree we had ever seen. The bassinet was located by the t.v. and was filled with baby gifts from Mama and Daddy and family back home.  We were excited and extremely nervous. Lisa was due on Jan. 4th and I had no idea what to do with a newborn baby; but that is another story.

    As we move down the tree we find
Lisa's Christmas Santa that was added when she was almost two. We were living in Marietta, Georgia and she had a kidney infection with 105 degree fever.  We were terrified. The doctors performed a small bladder surgery and she was fine in a few days. We purchased this Santa Clause as soon as she came out of surgery.




   When Melodi was small she added a dragon to the tree. It always goes close to the top as if it wanted to eat a chunk out of the tree.

 This is Jacy's first ballerina shoes. She was about three when she took classes for awhile.  She was such a little doll.

      Logan's baby bottle is added. Now all we need is something for Rowan, Lacey and Lisle and we are all there somewhere on the tree. The rest of the tree is decorated with souvenirs from all our adventures. We have moose and wolves from Alaska. Starfish we found in Florida, and 40 million memories that would take to long to describe. Mama is there and I have a Christmas bell from Mamamae and Granddaddy's tree. It is priceless to me. In fact it is probably older than I am.

   While the tree is full, we still have a lot of places to go and things to do on our bucket list. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful Christmas. Much love to all. . .