Toile in the Family: "O Frif-ma-ree"

That is how my youngest daughter used to sing "O Christmas Tree" when she was 2. Precious I'll tell you. For those of you who have kept up with my blogs, two blogs in one week is a major deal. I'll chalk it up to being done with my master's classes for the semester (thank goodness).

I have two big trees in my house and each kid has a tree in his or her room. I have a few favorite ornaments on each tree that I want to share with you.

Here is the "family tree" that is downstairs in the den. On this tree I keep all the cute ornaments that I remind me of the kids and the things they make each year. We have a tradition that I buy an ornament every year that reminds me of something they participated in, did, or said during the past year. Each year when we decorate the tree I tell them the "stories" behind their ornaments.

This ornament is for my youngest daughter. She used to call Winnie the Pooh, "Winnie the Poot." It cracks me up every year!

My step-son is obsessed with Star Wars. This ornament represents him. He also used to call these two characters "Dark Vadar and Soda."

This is probably the ugliest ornament on the tree, but it has the sweetest memories. One year, my oldest daughter spent a day or so at Vanderbilt Childrens' Hospital. She turned out to be fine, but it was a little scary for a few days. At any rate, while she was on the mend, she and I made these bead ornaments. These ornaments remind me of those days with her, but they also remind me of my youngest daughter who managed to shove 8 of these beads up her nose!!

This ornament means a lot to me because it used to hang on my grandmother's tree. My sister-in-law passed it down to me a few years ago (thanks Elise!) and I am so proud to hang it on my tree every year.

I also hang pictures (in frames) and tuck unframed pictures inside the tree.

Like many of you saw yesterday, upstairs in the living room I have my Christopher Radko tree. To see more information about that tree and the rest of my house click here. I kind of become the "Tree Nazi" over this tree. I don't let the kids help hang the ornaments and (depending on the day) they are lucky if they can even look at it (just kidding, sort of :) ).

This is the first Radko I ever got, it was given to me by a dear friend.

Here are some other favorites. I typically like the ornaments that are funky shapes, not necessarily the "themed" ornaments.

Please note the toile ribbon and toile tree skirt. Have I mentioned I love toile, well, red toile??

I love flowers and sticks sprouting from the tops of my trees. I do; however, need to come up with a way to get more light in the top of the tree so my topper is not a big black spot.

Here are more pictures of the trees in the kids' rooms:

Oldest daughter, green and blue tree.

Youngest daughter, pink extravaganza tree. She decorated by herself. Ornament placement makes me laugh.

Little man's room, lego tree. We have some "official" Lego ornaments, but I love the ones hubby made even better.

Official ornament:

Hubby and little man creations:

I just have to share one last picture. You all should appreciate that anything that sits still long enough runs the risk of getting decorated...case in point

Millie and Toto: