The Holiday Season Begins

The holiday season is upon us.

So my goal for this day is to begin making the transition from Autumn to Winter, from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

I have lit a fire and, probably for the final time, the Autumn candles and will incrementally remove the Thanksgiving decor while simultaneously putting up the Christmas decor in an incremental fashion.

The braided wheat piece was removed from the door and Bishop's Christmas wreath replaced it.  That wreath is traditionally the first Christmas decoration to be put into place.

We put up the Christmas tree.

We took a trip down memory lane.  We recalled all the life events that each ornament represented.  We recalled the time and place in which they were given or made.
These are some of the ornaments made throughout the years.
Bishop painted the snowman and Maceo made the little star.  My mom painted the donkey.

 Beneath the doggy ornament that commemorates Bishop getting his dog, Ladybird, is a peppermint swirl ornament that he made at a homeschool event at Wonders of Wildlife.

This one was made by a six year old Christian while he was in the first grade.

 Here is a star painted by Maceo...

and another one painted by Bishop. (This one is painted a very shiny metallic gold, so shiny you can't even tell).

 Keegan made this sweet angel in Sunday School in December 2000.  This one was gifted to a sixteen month old Maceo.  A second one was made for a baby Bishop who was still in the womb.  He didn't arrive in time for Christmas but he did arrive before Epiphany!

The red and green ornament was painted by one of the boys and the button snowflake was mede by Bishop in Sunday School.

 The bedazzled pinecone was made by Maceo at a library program.  Bishop made one as well.

Bishop created this masterpiece.

Christian made the Go Steelers ornament for Dad and the painted ornament behind it was made by Bishop.

I love our family tree, so full of memories!