Oh Christmas Tree

What is Christmas without a Christmas tree?  To me a Christmas tree symbolizes family, tradition and memories.  There are so many decorations that have such sentimental value to me.  Some from when I was  a little girl, some from Karter's first Christmas and the family we continue to build. 

I remember as a young girl going out with my father into the woods to find that perfect tree.  I remember the excitement of finding the "perfect one", then to look down and realize it had two stumps :(  As you will see below, we definitely settled for second best. 

It has been fun for me to look back at these pictures and the trees and traditions.  Starting out with real trees, the traditional tinsel, candy cane and circle balls.  Really, decorations have not evolved that much over the years.  Then looking at my tree, pre-children.  It was perfect, everything matched and placed proportionately - the tree being a Walmart special.  Then, enter Mark and two kids later, the tradition has shifted back to a real tree stuffed with mismatched decorations and touching memories.  To me, this is now our perfect tree.