embracing our tree!

I have been very quiet here.
I was really, really sick with bronchitis.  I won't bore you with the details, but I'm on the mend.
And I was inspired by Luke 2:18-19 to create this scripture silhouette print.
It's beautiful to imagine Mary treasuring her precious Savior and pondering all these things in her heart.  She's setting the example for us isn't she?  It's available as a print or a DIY download in so many fun color options!

Other exciting news around here, we cut down our first Christmas Tree.  We live in LA so this is seriously cool to me.  I had always wanted to do it, so last Saturday, we took the train from Fillmore to the Santa Paula tree farm.  It was beautiful and such a fun experience.  The kids were so excited.

This is our tree.  We thought we were being conservative, and picking a regular sized tree.

But because we were out in such a wide open area, our perspective was off, and this one barely fits under the ceiling.  Just barely.

But it was half the price we usually pay at the lot and is so so fresh.

I have to feed it water twice a day. 

Just hoping it lasts through the season.

It's gorgeous to me.

The kids of course promptly had to get the decorations out and on the tree.

And of course that means clumping them all together in one area.

I've learned to just let that go and not get all 'Martha' about it.

Do you know what I mean?

This is so exciting and fun to them.

I'll go in and tweak a little later.

But I don't say a word, because I want it to be special

and magical, as it should be.

I'm linking to embrace the camera today.

Head over there for more fun embracing moments!