Memory Tree

We have three Christmas trees in our house. I refer to the one in our upstairs loft area as the "memory tree:" 

It's decorated in traditional red and green colors and filled with handmade ornaments, as well childhood and vacation mementos:

My mom has given me an ornament every year since I was born. After I graduated from college, my mom passed along my ornament collection, which fills our tree today:

Each ornament holds a memory. For example, when I was in third grade I made this star ornament with glitter and macaroni:

My mom gave me this ornament when I graduated from

college in 1998:

I picked up this ornament when I visited Mexico in 1993:

And this ornament when I visited the coastal town of Southport

 in 2002:

My brother Michel gave me this ornament to commemorate

Savannah's birth in 2009:

For many years, my Grandma Rowell  (who is now 97 years old) made handmade ornaments for her grandchildren and gave them as Christmas gifts. She crocheted this angel in 1990:

Our family also loves how our tree is visible in our big window when visitors

drive by our house: