A little family tradition.....................

So, Thanksgiving weekend always includes lots of extra calories, In-State football rivalries, and a trip to the Big Lots parking lot for a very special Christmas Tree.........

Now, this years tree might have had some pretty big shoes to fill, but traditions ARE traditions. Last years tree was approximately 12feet tall (although they swore it was 10feet) and an unbelievable girth (not unlike my belly after thanksgiving dinner), this years tree needed to be a bit smaller!! We went from 24foot ceilings to approximately 8!! And a living room that was a tiny bit smaller................ok, pretty much like a closet!! However, us Williamsons are making the most out of it and a Tree was a MUST!!

So we loaded the kids and headed to HOME DEPOT..........What????.............I thought I said Big Lots?? Well, I did but that visit was later............First, we needed to get us some Icicle lights. Decided we needed some new traditions to add to our old ones...........New house, New lights!

Many pennies (and actually 3 trips) later we had all the necessary items for displaying quite a fancy light display! We had to keep up with the Porters (our new neighbors)..............

So then it was tree time. And although it was way past lunch and nap time, and against the urging of the hubby, we headed to Big Lots for our traditional photo op..........And photo op we got!!





Now, due to these tough economic times, we actually ended up taking the kids home, putting them to sleep and I snuck back to Home Depot to save $15 dollars on a tree .............. Yes, I know, but $15 dollars is actually 3 trips to Starbucks.........And I do love me some Starbucks :)

So we got a lovely tree, kept with our traditions and spent a great day welcoming in my favorite Season of the year...................
Although the picture does NOT do it justice, here is a sneak at the hubby's amazing work!!

Puts a smile on my face every time I come home and I love to listen to my little monkeys tell me how OUR lights are the BEST!!

And speaking of monkeys.............My little ones did an excellent job helping me put up our tree.....



Sometimes it just wears me out counting all my many blessings.................