Oh, Christmas Tree!

Mike and I now are proud owners of a 6-foot-something tree. We went out to a nearby tree farm a coworker told me about and, after walking around with the owner's daughter for a bit, found and cut down our tree. We took it home, set it up, and while listening to old Christmas records borrowed from my dad, decorated our very first Christmas tree the next night.

Before we decorated our tree, I wanted to have a tree topper. So we went to the store to see what they had. I really wanted an angel, but I'd keep an open mind. Target had no tree toppers whatsoever. Walmart had beautiful stars, but the stands, or whatever you call them, looked really weird. And the only angels they had were fiber optic, and not really all that pretty. So rather than going to any more stores, I decided to do what my mother did over 30 years ago...I made my own angel. Now, I didn't have any scraps from my wedding dress like she did, nor did I want to cut up my gown, but I used some ribbon and lace and satin for a dress. A styrofoam ball for the head. Silver pipe cleaners for the wings. And yellow yarn for hair topped with a golden pipe cleaner halo. She is not as nice as mom's, but she is my very own and therefore beautiful. Mike had the honor of placing her atop our tree.

And so, we, the newest Kestner family, are ready to celebrate Christmas!