Hillcrest Cottage Christmas Tree Arrives

Once upon a time before there was a Hillcrest Cottage and when the family lived in another land, in another life, seemingly a lifetime ago, Mom and young boys were paraded in front of a very large church along with the other pastors' wives and children and were asked to share Christmas traditions and it was so awkward that I can not even look at the video and have contemplated destroying the evidence that this event ever actually occurred...oh the embarrassment and the cheese-factor.

However...

in the moment it was either make up stuff about our family in order to sound like Martha Stewart before there was even a Martha Stewart or opt to tell the truth, which we did, of course, as we were literally before God and the whole world it seemed. 

And my creative boys came up with some truly creative traditions: Every Christmas our family puts a tree in our house which we decorate. On Christmas morning, we open presents. 

Somewhere in the story it was added by my youngest that we always make gingerbread cookies, which we did not, 

but 

guess what I am doing after I write this story, as I have ever since that day?

And guess which tradition we have always kept? 

The tree... and it is real... because just like your pearls, I believe all Christmas trees should be real. 

There, I said it.

The following is another story which needs no words, except to say that a couple of important people will be missing from the Hillcrest Cottage Christmas this year. 

Insert sad face, but carry on.

And... the picture of our family in from of our car was so incredibly bad of me that it could not be included. I am going today to get my bangs fixed as my new haircut is a bit of a disaster. (Fil, if you read this I hope you will be better soon and get back to cutting my hair.)

And... I want to explain that I did make the executive decision to go "lights only" plus some simple silver tinsel... and I love the look and the simplicity. It goes quite well with my favorite brown paper wrapping.

BTW, I did make those gourmet marshmallows about which I had written earlier, and they are incredible!

Favorite books from my childhood.

Off to make the annual gingerbread cookies... and to get a bangs-trim-fix... fingers crossed.