A tour of me: through my Christmas tree

So today I put up our Christmas decorations around the house.  Jeff's family doesn't give each other ornaments like mine so all the stuff is from me; or what we've gotten since getting together.  As I have done since 1981 *when I got it for my 3rd Birthday*...I put on John Denver & The Muppet's Christmas Album (now on iTunes instead of the original record *yes record youngin's!*) and got out all of my ornaments.  I thought it a little sad that I am the only person that knows the stories that connect me to each of them.  My tree is filled with memories!  And every year I love taking the time to take each one out and remember.  So I decided to share some of my trip down memory lane with you, my sweet readers (the few of you out there). 
First off...let me tell you that I collect Penguin stuff.  The earliest penguin ornament I can find has the date of 1986 on it.  Which would make me nine years old.  This would make sense since I started liking penguins in 2nd grade ('84/'85) when I had to pick an animal to write a report on.  So I always take out every ornament and separate it into Penguin & non-Penguin so that I don't have them clustered all in one area of the tree.  I decided to take a pic of the assortment to give you an idea of how much I've accumulated over the 25 years. 

23 ornaments, two of my eight stuffed animals & 4 table top carvings.

Next, I took a picture of my very first ever ornament. I was born on December 18 - exactly one week before Christmas. In the hospital, they put on my bassinet: this Ginger Bread Man. On the back it has my birth stats. I always put this one on the tree first.



 
 
 

Next comes one of my favorite ornaments and it is special this year.  My third birthday I was all about the Muppets!  I got the album, a stuffed Kermit & Miss Piggy.  And this ornament.  I saw the new Muppet movie last week and teared up when Kermit was saying "I guess everyone's forgotten about us."  Because for me...I fall in love with them all over again every Christmas through their songs and this Miss Piggy Angel.  She always gets a spot closest to the top of the tree. 
 
I have one other that's places up towards the top and is my second fav from childhood.  1982's Eskimo icicle climber.  And one that I got in 2008, but reminds me of being a child of the 80's...it's Strawberry Shortcake!  And she even smells like the dolls did.  I place her at the easiest place for me to get a daily "whiff" because as I proclaimed to my parents when I opened her "She smells like my childhood!" 

The third picture is a Ginger Bread house; that has a funny story.  In German class in High School our junior year we had to make one with a partner.  My BFF Barb & I (aka Isle & Uli in German) made one that looked horrible!  We even put a little sign on the door saying "Isle & Uli's school for the retarded" on it. extra credit kids if you remember the Far Side cartoon that we stole this from!  My mother kept it and put it out at Christmas for five years.  Nasty.  We still laugh over how bad ours was!  My parents bought me this one a few years after we finally got my mother to throw the original away. 
 
And finally a few from the years of Jeff & I together!  This will be our 5th Christmas together.  Our families have each contributed to our tree now.  Our first "couple" ornament was from Jeff's sister the winter before we got married.  These two penguins with our names on it (note our last name is covered to protect the innocent!)

And last year, aside from our individual ornaments.  My parents got us a Blackhawk's hockey Patrick Kane with tickets to a game inside!  It was a clever gift & wonderful way to get it.  Now every year when I put up this ornament, I will remember my parent's thoughtfulness & the wonderful date night Jeff & I had seeing a game of our 2010 Stanley Cup winners! There are a hundred more like these but these are special to me. 

When we finally beat infertility, I plan to carry on my mother's tradition of giving an ornament every year.  And searching to find that perfect one to tell a story of what that child is into or doing that year.  And I cannot wait to see the ornament my mother picks out for me that first year I am a mother! 
I am very proud of the penguin ornament my 3T Bump Elf (FarmerLynda) bought for me (larger size penguin with green hat & scarf in top pic).  And I love what I picked out for my elf, I hope she'll love it too! And, like me, think of 3T every year she puts it on her tree!  But for now...the claymation Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer is on so I must go...and spend more memory time with my younger self.  This year I hope you all can locate your inner child & enjoy the holidays instead of letting IF get you down!  <3