Christmas Crafts and Huge Trees

Of course- we've found even more uses for those craft sticks! To decorate my Grandmother's tree this year- each of the kids, grandkids (and great grandkids) were to make an ornament with a picture of them on it to decorate her tree. It reminds me of a great picture book we love to read at Christmas Time- It's called Great Granny Rose and the Family Christmas Tree. In the story a boy is helping his Great Granny decorate their tree. As the boy's dad places the tree in the stand, she comments how the tree isn't "alive" to which the dad replies- yes- it's a real tree, it's alive. Later the boy helps decorate, as they do, she has a short story or memory to go with each ornament, and finally when all those memories are placed on the tree, it's "alive" at last.

Here's Doodle's ornament- gotta LOVE glitter!
Ben's and My ornaments- paint the craft sticks green, decorate with assorted "ornaments" glue a stick on the back for the trunk, and glue on a ribbon to hang it with.

Next comes Bug's ornament- he didn't feel like getting out the paint- so he used crayons to color his sticks, glued them together and used a pipe cleaner to hang the ornament.
Then there is Roo's snowflake. Glue 3 sticks in a snowflake shape, Paint the sticks white, sprinkle with glitter, then glue on a picture.

On Saturday we went to cut down our Christmas tree. We went with Ben's sister Amber and her husband and their 2 little boys. We had a blast! The tree we found is HUGE!- sorry- you'll have to wait til it's all decorated to see it in it's fullness ;) But it's 20 feet tall! Yes- really and truly!

Bug and Doodle sawing down the tree