SHE STARTED IT!!!

That's right, Sondie a digital, blogging buddie of mine (as well as a very creative CT member) has stared a great challenge for you all! Show us your favorite Christmas Ornaments, and tell us Why they are so Special! Here's Sondie's Blog so you can see hers! Sondie's Blog!!! I'd love to see your's too. There's a forum post over at DSS that you can add a link to your blog to so we can all see. You can find it RIGHT HERE!

MAX's TOP PICK
Not even sure about why he picked this one, because I think it was the new ornament I added last year, not him. He picked a very pretty one this year, I was surprised he didn't point it out, but those of you with young children know how the young mind operates. He picked it on a whim, and that's it. "I like this one," he said, "because it looks like snow, and I like snow". Plain and simply stated!

JEFF's TOP PICK
Jeff picked this one out years ago. Or maybe it was even a gift from a relative I'm not sure, but he says he likes it best (and I know he does because it's always the first one he pulls out of the box of oranaments) because it reminds him of "down time" with the kids during Christmas. Lots of book reading time and lots of togetherness. Plus he's a bit of an "astronomy lover", a "science guy" so to speak, so I'm sure the star figure doesn't hurt any!

ZOE's PICKS
These two ornaments are very special to my Dear Daughter. She is of the sensitive type (like her mommy, and her grandmommy) and is very partial to sentimental values! My mom gave me this first ornament (on the left) when I was barely pregnant (at about 2 1/2 mo. along) as "baby's first ornament", even though Zoe wasn't even born yet! The next was given from her the next year, and we put a picture of Zoe in it (her first time on Santa's lap). Zoe loves these oranments so much and makes sure that she is the one to hang them year after year.

MOM's PICKS
I get two, since I'm the blogger, right? Actually I have many...mostly ones I made wihth my kids back in my daycare days when I actually did crafts and activities with my own kids. LOL! Here's two of my favorites.

This one was so easy to make and makes me smile every time. The body is made from quarter folding a doily, sprinkled with glitter if you wish. The halo is made from a pipe cleaner and all pieces (including a printed out face) are glued to a clothes pin. Thank you Family Fun Magazine, years ago, for this idea.

This one is a small cardboard box that I had the kids paint and decorate for their parents (we used seed beads and glitter), and tied a bow and a ribbon to them and attached a note, "I took an ordinary box, as empty as can be, I filled it with a special gift and decorated it carefully, but please don't ever open it, just leave the ribbon tied, and hold it tightly near your heart, for my love for you is inside". OK I just tear up reliving that moment. You should have seen all the crazy, sweet gestures and funny noises the kids all made putting their love inside those boxes for their parents for me before we tied the ribbons on. LOL, so cute and such a happy memory.

I've got many other favorites, maybe I'll get a chance to share those with you later in the week! Wow I blogged two times in one day, that's amazing!