The Sophia Chronicles
everything i don't want to forget…
Fred…
7 years ago i was at the grocery store & decided to buy this tiny little “christmas tree” they had in the floral dept.. i took my tiny little tree home & we all decided that “he” really was going to be our christmas tree. that was our first christmas all together as a family & i didn’t realize it then but i had started our first real family tradition. somewhere along the line we decided to call him FRED, so now every year Fred goes from his spot in the sun upstairs down to the living room & get’s strung in lights & little ornaments. for the first few years Fred was so small that we would put him up on a little table just so we could have presents “under” our tree. every year we would ask jarred & mikayla if they still wanted Fred to be our christmas tree or did they want a BIG tree like everybody else has… every year they didn’t even have to think about it, they wanted Fred.
i love that jarred & mikayla have always embraced this tradition & this tree & i so love that now sophia is part of our family traditions. i know that all 3 of their child-hood memories of christmas will always have Fred in them… it is something that will always mean family & christmas to them. (and to shane & i).
watching her big brother & sister, she really was so focused on them & what they were doing & once she hung that first ornament she was sooooo happy & laughing & just wanted to do more.
i love watching these 3 together & seeing how close they are… sophia loves & adores her brother & sister SO MUCH.
and i adore all 3 of you.
The Sophia Chronicles 
I love love love these pictures of Christmas decorating with the 3 kids. Fred has definitely grown into a beautiful tree. The picture of all three of them hanging ornaments is my favorite. I remember so well the three of my children decorating and the magic of Christmas when you are a child. When you grow then those memories make you smile. And the reason you love starting your own traditions is because you had those happy times as a child, teen, and adult. The love keeps on going and now Jarred, Mikayla, and Sophia are learning those tender, fun, loving traditions that are family. You and Shane and family, that is Christmas.