We generally wait until January 5th to pack away our Christmas decorations for the year.  As we boxed up ornaments and lights; I felt a little sad this year to put everything away.  I think I am getting more emotional with age...by.the.day.  When our oldest was a baby, I began slowly adding keepsake style holiday ornaments to the tree.  Each year, each of the girls receives a special ornament to either mark a milestone from the year--or one that simply made me think of them.  I thought I would share a few of my holiday ornaments & memories as this week's Wordless Wednesday link-up.

Hand-Made Ornaments Make Me Cry...and I LOVE Them


I love hearing the "I was so LITTLE" comments every year.  


The fingerprint snowmen may not be perfect--but, I will never have another set of Madelyn's 3rd grade fingerprints.


I even get emotional when the girls receive handmade ornaments from friends!

Milestones and Memories Make Me Smile Every Christmas


From tennis and soccer ornaments, violins and cellos, Dora the Explorer and Minnie Mouse attachments, to big events....most of our ornaments tell a story.  The one above plays "All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth".  Macy hates it--but, I love remembering the Christmas when she was actually missing all four front baby teeth!

Daddy is Finally Gaining Ornaments

 ....and this year, he admitted that the ornaments were really pretty cool.  (I think he's becoming more sentimental with age too!)

And the girls' 2014 Christmas Ornaments?



While these didn't have a special meaning this year--they are "fillable"--so every year, I can add something special to the ornaments for the girls.  This year--it would have been Sour Patch Kids candy and chocolate!


Our Christmas season is officially packed away--but, opening the ornament storage boxes next December is always my first gift of the season.

Now it's your turn to link up your latest 
Wordless Wednesday posts!