Christmas Crept In

December kind of crept up on me this year, it's been like that for most of 2008. I am hoping that 2009 can be a fresh start and I can get back to my regularly scheduled organization! I decided that instead of escaping to the beach (or wherever) that we would stick close to home. The snow and now ice definitely helped with that decision. So to bring a little bit of the Christmas spirit into our home, I had Joel and Noah pick up a tree on Friday. After playing in the snow yesterday, we came home, warmed up and decorated the tree. I have collected Hallmark ornaments for quite a while now and am at the point where I almost need two trees. Noah helped a lot this year and I have some sections of the tree that are HEAVILY laden with ornaments to prove it, but that makes the tree even more special. I thought I would share a couple pictures of my favorite ornaments that I have collected, inherited, etc. over the years.

This little Christmas fairy loves to help decorate the tree.

A lot of my ornaments, like this one, are from when I was a kid.
I love the sparkly, snowy roof.

Hold on little guy!

The small details, like the mouse-sized bite taken from the donut, are what endear me to the Hallmark ornaments.

This was a series of ornaments that highlighted different churches. Each church can be lit up to show the details of their windows.

Just cute!

I used to hang this ornament and wish that I could ride too.
Fine, I still wish that I could hop on for a ride.

This ornament (the picture does not do it justice) has always been my favorite. Wynken, Blynken and Nod sailing away in their wooden shoe. The pearly water, their tiny toes, the buttons on their pajamas, the moon laughing at the three that seek fish...all details that I love. I like this ornament so much that our first three fish were named Wink, Blink and Nod! The nursery rhyme is below...

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe--
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"
The old moon asked the three.
"We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Said Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea--
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish--
Never afeard are we";
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam--
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
'T was all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought 't was a dream they 'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea--
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken, Blynken, And Nod.