Putting up the Christmas Tree

Dick put up my Christmas tree last week so today while he was gone, I decided to decorate it. What fun I had!! I really do love Christmas and especially enjoy putting up the tree. Last year we were in Paris and it made me so sad not to have my tree up. There were years in the past that I had to fill up the empty spaces with glass balls or "generic" ornaments. This year I actually had trouble finding space for all of our ornaments, and it got me thinking. You can tell alot by someone's Christmas tree. Here are some of my fave ornaments that we've collected throughout the years and what they mean to us (descriptions read from top row left to right)

First Row:

1. Clay ornament from Crested Butte - my parents brought it back from a vacation they took there.

2. Top Dog Waldo - Dick and I's very first dog together...our beloved Great Pyr.

3. Mickey bell from a long ago trip to Disneyland with the Morgan family.

4. Pair of riding boots from when we were in Virginia and I was taking riding lessons.

5. Ornament from the 2001 Bush Inauguration

6. Clay ornament we got when we were first married...with Dick's two daughter's names included.

Second Row:

1. New York Taxi from one of my trips to NYC

2. Provincetown ornament from a trip Dick and I took to see Danielle & Sydney

3. Dutch Shoes that Dick got years ago in Holland

4. One of my favorite White House ornaments - I now have 10 years worth but this was always one of my faves

5. This year's White House ornament....

6. Ornament sent to me from Marie when they were stationed in Hawaii

Third Row:

1. Champagne Bottle & Bucket Glass ornament - cause we like the bubbly stuff

2. Wooden Berner ornament for our love of our dogs!

3. Mount Vernon ornament - Martha welcoming George home.

4. Another from a collection...The Library of Congress...this has one of my fave T. Jefferson quotes: "I cannot live without books."

5. Crystal Champagne bottle & bucket - see a theme?

6. Wooden skis from Vail 2000

Fourth Row:

1. Adorable snow globe ornament I got from our book club ornament swap (thanks Kerry!!!)

2. Hard Rock Paris - you'll see another theme here shortly!

3. Brass Eiffel Tower ornament

4. National Cathedral ornament - most of the DC/political ornament collections were started when we lived in Northern Virginia.

5. Glittery Eiffel Tower

6. Crystal Champagne Glass......

Fifth Row:

1. Paris ornament from one of our many trips - can you tell what our favorite city is?

2. This year's Library of Congress ornament

3. Glass Eiffel Tower and Poodle

4. "Handyman" ornament given to Dick by the Patten family after helping them with some home stuff.

5. "Travel Girl" ornament

6. Cafe Du Monde ornament from a trip to the Big Easy.

Sixth Row:

1. Skier Guy that I bought for Dick one Christmas.

2. Another Paris ornament!!!

3. Our very first ornament together - Hallmark 1992...our first Christmas

4. One of our recent acquisitions - from Key West for Jason & Regina's wedding. I love the glittery sand dollar!!!

5. Another Eiffel Tower...

6. Our very last purchase - a pewter ornament of the Munich Maypole...purchased last month on our weekend trip.

So, there you have it...a small sampling of our ornaments. Now you know quite a bit about us!!! What does YOUR tree say about you?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!