Memories vs. Hectic

I feel that it's my job to give my girls the best memories possible. To give them yearly traditions they can count on. Sometimes, I feel like I'm a huge failure at it. Take for instance decorating the Christmas tree. We brought the tree out over the past weekend but we waited till M was here to decorate it. We brought out the decorations last night. It didn't go as I saw it in my head. I know Lady had a blast finding the perfect spot for Dora and Buzz and Bug is too small to do much but enjoy the twinkling lights. But with a husband with jet lag from his recent business trip and teenager lounged out on the couch more interested in texting than decorating, am I giving my kids the memories they deserve? I think so and I hope so. I hope that Little Lady will remember we were all together, that she got to hang the ornaments up (which is why most are at her level on the bottom of the tree), that it was fun despite Momma getting upset when an angel broke (I hope she forgets that:)). And yes I know most families aren't drinking hot chocolate, and taking turns hanging ornaments while candles are glowing and Christmas music quietly playing in the background...is the memory just as lovely if Dad is holding the baby, the teenagers playing on her iphone, and the Momma is trying to clean up broken ornaments with SpongeBob playing in the background? That's good too, right? Because hopefully my girls will remember that we were together and that it was fun, hectic but fun. And I hope most of all they value the memory and think back on it with big smiles on their faces.