Ashley came over tonight and we put up her tree. It's an annual event with us.

Several years ago when she was still very young she got upset because she wanted to help Kristie and I decorate our trees. We put up several each year, but were finished by the night she thought of it.

So Kristie and I searched our boxes of decorations and found a little 18 inch tree she had used in her office some years ago. It was a little worn but we set aside a night and took Ashley to the store and let her pick the decorations for it. Then we went home and let her do it herself. She surprised us with the great job. So now every year while her mom and dad shop, we have her over, sip hot chocolate and let her "fix" her very own special tree. Kristie plays the piano, we sing carols and read the real Christmas story. It's one of our greatest nights of the year.

That is building a Christmas memory that will last forever.