Sharing Thanks

Love this Tuscan garden I saw at the Hick's Flower Show! I'm sharing this little piece of heaven. One of my goals is to visit Tuscany and tour Italy. Two of my favorite films feature scenery from this beautiful area "A Room with a View" and "Letter's to Juliet." I enjoy visiting quiet places with natural beauty. Sometimes when I am visiting some of the parks on Long Island I am struck by the vast number of people that are walking, running with their ipods on. I love music very much but I invite you to turn your ipod off and to tune in to the natural music all around you in a quiet place. I was walking at the Norman Levy Preserve and once you get into the trail, man made noises disappear and you can listen to birds chorus, the sound of a soft bay breeze, the music of nature. Here is what I was thankful for: I was thankful for listening to the sounds of nature. Hearing bird calls, my footsteps on the path, and enjoying the peace that silence can brin

Thanks mother nature for providing us with clean air, drinking water, delicious food and love! Mother's day is Sunday May 12th! Want to thank your mom and show your appreciation! You can thank your mom in the comments section of my blog or on my twitter @sharingthanks using hashtag #thanksmom!       It was a beautiful Spring weekend.  Here is what I was thankful for! I am grateful to my Mom who has always been there for me encouraging me every step of the way! Thanks for your love, your boundless energy, and your creative spirit! I love you MOM!!!!! I was thankful to enjoy seeing Iron Man 3 with my daughter Becky! We loved Robert Downey's performance of Tony Stark and the great script with some memorable lines! I was thankful to my Mom for throwing an instant party which allowed us to have an impromptu family gathering to wish my niece Chelsea a great trip to Spain!I I was thankful to give a music lesson on Saturday morning to Sam. I really enjoy teaching kids to rea

Let's Go Duck's! We have been having some beautiful Spring weather out on Long Island. Last Saturday we headed out to see a minor-league baseball game for some family fun. I love being outside and watching a sporting event live. Here is what I was thankful for. Thankful to enjoy a beautiful evening outside with my daughter Liz and her friend Kavita! Happy that the ticket prices for the game are $10 - $12. Every seat in this small stadium is a good one! Love that the parking is free as well. Thankful to see a few people in our section have the thrill of catching a foul ball. This may be a lesson in life that there is a silver lining to a mistake. Let's face it a foul ball is a strike and when a fan catches a foul ball it is a small miracle for them. They have a huge grin on their face and they leave the stadium with a happy memory and a souvenir. Thankful for the amazing Grucci Fireworks after the game. It was a clear night and the fireworks were dazzling!  I love th

Kids climbing trees with spotters at the Arbor Day Festival Ahhh to be 10 again. I enjoyed watching these courageous kids climbing this tall tree and have the experience of being among the high branches. It was a gorgeous Sunday at the Arbor Festival at Planting Fields Arboretum. I was so so happy to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Here is what I was thankful for! I was thankful to see families enjoy this beautiful state park. The magnolia trees were beautiful shades of pink and purples. I was thankful to see 5 happy wedding couples getting there wedding pictures taken at planting fields. I was thankful to see kids running around the great lawns and enjoying the simple joys of nature. I was thankful to see so many people going home with small tree saplings to plant. I invite you to share a small joy of nature that you are thankful for!

Love this video of Michael Buble singing in the 66th Street Lincoln Center NYC Subway station. This is what I love about NYC you never know what you are going to see and hear when you ride the subway. Love the acapella group and the tile acoustics. What a way to visit Lincoln Center by subway!

Enjoy this Ocean Guided Meditation video with Deepak Chopra. I watched it, and it took me to a state of beautiful calm! Namaste! Little Buddha from Hick's Spring Flower Show I loved taking this picture. Looking at this peaceful Buddha statue meditating next to his tree provides me with an instant moment of calm. What is amazing is that these instant moments of calm are available to us everyday if we choose to stop and savor a moment, take a deep breath and count to 4, repeatedly. Studying music gives us the ability to learn to count measures. There is something very relaxing about counting measures with people who gather to make music together. The harmony and the counting provide relaxation and the joy of coming together to create beautiful music. I believe by counting measures we are tapping into the rhythm of life. Here is what I was thankful for yesterday. I was thankful to the waitress at Chili's who found my cell phone for me. What a relief to call the re

Dandelion wildflower at Norman Levy Preserve Last week I got to walk at one of my favorite parks the Norman Levy Preserve. It had closed for a while after hurricane Sandy. I was happy to see it open again and wanted to explore the park. I was thankful to be able to walk and look at the beautiful bays toward Jone's beach again. This huge dandelion caught my eye! I love bringing my camera to the park. This dandelion looked like a beautiful flower next to the purple wildflowers around us. We all need the courage to stand out. Our differences are what make us more beautiful! Here is what I was thankful for when taking my nature walk. Happy Earth day everyone! I was happy that the fishing pier at the park withstood the hurricane. I love walking out to the middle of the bay. Sometimes I will lie back on one of the park benches and enjoy meditating and breathing in the sea air. So refreshing! I was thankful to see the Nigerian goats. They got a new barn. They are green energy wor

Scary family fun at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History We had a fun family weekend in Pittsburgh. My daughter Becky is a junior at the University of Pittsburgh. We enjoyed going to see her Symphony Band concert this weekend. Every time we visit Pittsburgh we visit someplace new. This photo proves museums can be fun to experience. We enjoyed taking these scary snap shots! These crocs reminded us of Flotsum and Jetsum in the little Mermaid. Here is what I was thankful for! Thanks to the museum we had some family fun. The dinosaur statue outside the museum always we reminds me of dino from "The Flintstones." Enjoyed seeing dinosaur fossils, and even a tarantula! I must admit I loved the gemstones exhibit. Totally recommend taking silly snapshots at the museum! Thanks to Pitt band director Jack Anderson! Congratulations on his retirement. Thanks for fostering my daughter's love of music and the Pitt Marching Band. Thanks for also including all the out of town band

Love these colorful watering cans on sale Hick's I am loving watching all the gardens in neighborhood start to bloom. I've seen pansies, tulips, jonquils, daffodils, magnolia tress. The world is bursting with beautiful colors and floral fragrances permeate the air. Enjoyed a walking meditation breathing in all of spring. I am thankful I am not an allergy sufferer. I am thankful for all the kindnesses I have received recently! I'm feeling so supported and loved. It is easy to list my gratitudes today! Thanks to my parents! Congratulations to them for getting a new car. I was so surprised when they called me and told me they want to gift our family there old car. We have 4 drivers and 2 cars so this extra car will really help us all get where we are going a little easier. My daughters are so excited! I am thankful for my daughter Becky who celebrated her 21st birthday this week. Where did the time go! I am proud of her and the young woman she has become! She is a fun,

Love these pastel lilies heralding Spring Even though it is a little brisk out I love basking in the April sunshine today. Spring is showing signs of bursting of life! I am soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the burst of energy it is giving me. I would love to hear about the signs of Spring that you are thankful for! Here are some simple joys that I am appreciating today! I am thankful for doing a little Spring cleaning. My mom will be so proud I woke up and loaded up the dishwasher, vacuumed the living room, and even changed the cat litter box all before 10:00 am. I enjoy writing and taking beautiful pictures better than cleaning. Although there is nothing better walking into your clean and lemon fresh smelling home! Alright maybe the added aroma of freshly baked scones would make being at home even better.  I am thankful to donate! Yesterday I gathered some items to give to Goodwill. It is a great feeling to simplify and give clothes, shoes and gently used household items to

Liz making a wish for Spring weather in front of the reflective Chicago Bean! I just got back from a wonderful short trip to Chicago. My daughter Liz was accepted into Columbia College Chicago so we went to tour the campus and this beautiful, friendly city! So many wonderful experiences to be thankful for, it will be hard to just write about four! Here goes: Sharing thanks for safe travels. Thanks to my Mom for giving us a ride to the airport on Thursday morning. Thanks to my husband Spencer who picked us up from the airport with a hug and a smile. Thanks to United Airlines for smooth on-time flights. Can I recommend more seating room? Very cramped seats even for small folk. Thanks to Columbia College Chicago for the wonderful program for accepted students. We enjoyed touring the amazing media arts facilities with state of the industry equipment. Enjoyed sampling a meal from the dining commons. Thanks for the trolley rides to get to the buildings on time. Loved the apartment sui

Hope you find your pot of gold!, Shamrock's from Hick's Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day, the day when everyone puts on emerald green and dances a jig! I enjoyed reading some Irish sayings yesterday on the Huffington Post.  My favorite Irish saying: "May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks. May your heart be as light as a song. May each day bring you bright, happy hours. That stay with you all the year long." If you want to read some more Irish wisdom you can visit  A Bit of Blarney . They have Irish toasts, blessings and quotes from famous Irish writers and poets! Here is my favorite Irish blessing: "May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields, And until we meet again, May God hold you In the palm of his hand."  I found this fun you tube video of Conan learning to Irish Step Dance! Enjoy watching. Here is what I was th

Word art by Daniel Patrick Helmstetter I want these beautiful plates and sayings for my kitchen! I was lucky to grow up in a house where creativity was encouraged and appreciated. My mom is an artist, photographer and teacher! I am also fortunate to have good friends who thrive on creativity and love to go to art shows and museums. My friend Liz was fortunate to get passes for us to go to the Fountain Art Fair at the armory on Saturday. The Fountain Art Fair was founded in 2006 and showcases the talents of smaller independent galleries, collectives and artists so they can reach a wider audience of collectors and critics. What I loved about visiting the show was the opportunity to talk to some of the artists themselves. It is fascinating for me to hear about the process that goes into their works. I met an artist who paints on fire treated papers.I met an artist, Joshua Knoblick who creates sculpture from pictures of sounds of famous quotes. It is uplifting to meet people who are pa

English Garden at the Hick's Flower Show I went to see the Hick's Flower Show on Friday, while it was snowing. Seeing the beautiful displays put some Spring in my step. The theme of the flower show is Gardens of the World. Going to Hick's made me feel like I was in Tuscany, England, Ireland, Japan and Mexico! I will be posting pictures from the show the next few weeks on the blog. Here is what I am thankful for! Thankful for the Spring weather over the weekend. I enjoyed two beautiful days in Manhattan which I will tell you more about tomorrow! It was wonderful to be walking around in a light jacket. Thankful to see two purple crocuses in my front yard today full in bloom! Thankful that my daughter Becky is home for Spring break. Her bus was late so I picked her up at 1:45 am! We had fun staying up late talking about her college semester. It is nice to have her home! Thankful to spend the morning enjoying the vibrant colors and sweet fragrances at the Hick's fl

My husband and I had a double date night with our good friends Liz and Tom.We all love seeing great films. We have been trying to see a film once a month together. One of our favorite theaters is the Cinema Arts Centre . They have wonderful films and The Sky Cafe is a great place to get a snack or some coffee before or after your movie! We saw Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut, "Quartet." If you love classical music, Verdi, and great acting you will absolutely love this movie. Being a violinist myself,  I love the message of the movie. When we perform at any age we forget our age completely.  My friend Liz also got me a perfect birthday gift! I'd like to be famous for Gratitude blogging! Table Topics the Happiness edition was the perfect birthday gift for me. After the movie she gave me this gift and we enjoyed so fun conversations answering the questions. I love good conversations and laughing together about exploring what makes us happy and gets us to thin

This is a wonderful video to raise awareness about bullying. The poem is inspiring. This is issue is close to my heart as my daughter has been a victim of cyberbullying and bullying in school. We need to become a kinder gentler society. I am thankful for Anderson Cooper for airing another great 360 piece on bullying. I pray that we can live in a society where: Differences are respected and tolerated. Kindness and deserved compliments flourish Education is focused on creativity and skill building for kids with all abilities. Families create living environments that are supportive where everyone thrives. Please watch and share this video.

The magic of tea time!  I heard about MAKERS a documentary that aired on PBS earlier this week! I was so thankful to see a documentary focused on strong courageous women to have changed the world. I am grateful my daughters are growing up in a world where they can dream about doing or being anything thanks to the efforts of these brave women! If you missed the documentary you can go the link above and watch the documentary on your your computer. They also have a blog and an archive of amazing women telling their personal stories.Yesterday was a cold rainy dreary day on Long Island. I love a good hot cup of English Breakfast tea to warm me up. I loved this beautiful tea set and thought I would share it with you. Here is what I was thankful for yesterday! I'm so happy for my daughter Becky. She was accepted to a study abroad program in London for the summer. She so excited to study in England. I hope she learns a lot, and gets an opportunity to travel in Europe while she is t

Vanilla Hot Chocolate with a homemade marshmallow from The City Bakery  I had an Oscar worthy weekend! My husband and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary on Saturday. On Sunday I met my friend Ellen in Manhattan to go to a movie screening sponsored by the International Center of Photography, which is where I stumbled upon The City Bakery ! So many reasons to be thankful it is difficult to just pick 4! y The City Bakery on W. 18th St. just south of Fifth Ave. I got so excited seeing the chocolate room my hands were shaking when I took this picture! Goodies from the chocolate room at The City Bakery Enjoyed a romantic dinner with my husband at one of our favorite restaurants on Long Island, Rattlesnake Jones in Merrick. They had a live blues band and the southwestern themed food is always out of this world. It was fun reminiscing about 22 years. It was also good to have a date night out. Thankful for saying yes to an invitation from the International Center of

I have been enjoying finding pictures and videos that are joyful to watch. I discovered this video on a website Cute overload ! If you love adorable pictures of animals this site is sure to make you smile. I found this cute animals video on their site by The Humpy Observer. I hope watching it brings you some joy. In honor of the Oscars I have been featuring some joyful and inspiring short video's from You Tube this week. Here is what I was thankful for today: I was thankful for an unexpected visit from my friend Sue this morning. I was having a rough morning today, kind of in a funk, when the doorbell rang. I was thankful it was my good friend Sue with her dog Perry! I invited her in for a cup of tea. After some good conversation, a spot of Yogi green tea my mood lifted. Oreo and Perry enjoyed a dog playdate, and we also took them for a walk. I am so thankful for good friends and real conversations! I am thankful for the school administrators today for helping my daughter add

This video is very touching. It has a simple message be grateful and find joy in each day. Zach is dying of cancer and has chosen to live the time he has left to share his music. "Clouds" is a beautiful song and legacy. I am grateful to hear his beautiful music and share a message of hope. He has courage and lives each day with joy instead of focusing on his pain.  Please share!

Potted Herb Garden from Trader Joe's! I love shopping at Trader Joe's! They always have some new healthy new items that I enjoy trying. I went in to the store to buy some Extra Virgin Olive Oil and came out with 2 bags of  groceries! I had a quiet reflective Presidents Day yesterday. Here is what I was thankful for! I enjoy reading the Huffington Post and was inspired by these quotes by some of our past presidents they posted yesterday! Huffington Post's : 12 Quotes to honor country's leaders . Thanks to Trader Joe's for adding spice to my life. Found this gourmet herbs potted herb garden. Enjoying the smell of lemon basil, sage, rosemary, marjaram, thyme, and lemon grass. Love cooking with fresh spices. They enhance the flavor of every dish.  I am thankful for my daughter's podiatrist who's office was open yesterday. He was able to see her yesterday to help ease the foot pain she is in. I was thankful to have a nice family visit with Grandma today

South Shore Symphony at the Madison Theater. Can you find me? It's been a windy cold weekend here! Good music and home made cooking have been keeping me warm! I am so blessed to play in the orchestra with the South Shore Symphony . If you live in Long Island check out the website for our spring concert dates and programs.  After a concert I love lingering listening to the lovely melodies that are in my head. Our conductor Scott Jackson Wiley, brings out the best in us! Here is what I was thankful for this weekend. Thankful to be able to play the Gershwin Piano Concerto in F with the beautiful and talented Karen Faust Baer. Bravo on her engaging performance and for the lovely Gershwin encore. Thanks to the timpanist, who met an aspiring classical timpanist after the concert to talk about percussion and music conservatories. Our orchestra loves mentoring high school students and has several students playing with our group. Thanks to my good friends Sue and Mike, and Stella S

I was thankful to see this video today. The kids are adorable and it is sure to make you smile! 25 children share thoughts about Valentine's Day

My daughter Liz is an aspiring deaf film maker! Show some love today by watching and sharing her short romantic video. Let's take it to 1000 views! To everyone who has gotten their heart broken. You are not alone!  Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Tip  46: Teach the Four Magic Words, "Please" "Thank you" (My personal fav!) "Hello" and "Goodbye" I was thankful to be invited to Penguin Press and Go Mighty's book launch party for Bebe Day by Day by Pamela Druckerman. It was wonderful to have a girls night out and learn some easy actionable parent tips. The event was held at the Pasanella & Son on South Street. I am happy to share some of my favorite tips that help develop kids gratitude. I think kids excel at enjoying small moments of wonder, getting excited about bubbles, splashing, chasing fireflies. We need to learn from them to be in awe of the beauty and fun that is always available to us. Pamela recommends in Tip 52: It's Not Just About Outcomes,  "Learn to identify and enjoy what the French call moments privilegies , little pockets of joy or calm when you simply appreciate being together." So many moments to be thankful for yesterday that it is hard to c

Spring tulips It's a dreary rainy day on Long Island that is washing away the snow. These beautiful spring tulips brightened my day. I am so blessed to have a wonderful group of college friends. Sometimes it takes someone visiting from out-of-town to bring our group together! Yesterday we met in NYC and enjoyed seeing the Matisse Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Here is what am thankful for! Thanks to Lynn and Chris for visiting New York from Bermuda! It was wonderful to see you and Amanda. You give us a reason to get together in NYC and do something fun. It was inspiring to see the Matisse exhibit with the famous blue dress. Thanks to the wonderful spaces at the Metropolitan museum of art. I love the spacious American Wing Cafe where you can feast your eyes on Tiffany windows and then look at the winter wonderland of Central Park. There is a small sledding hill next to the museum. It was fun watching the kids enjoy sledding down the hill. We even saw a small dog

Blue Diamond Orchids at Fairway! I am hoping that these beautiful blue orchids will cheer up my friends in the Northeast preparing for Blizzard Nemo! The colors are vibrant and exotic. I am so happy they built a Fairway in Westbury! I remember shopping in Fairway when I lived in Manhattan in my twenties on the upper west side. That first taste of Bon Amie Raspberry jam, awesome tea assortment and freshly baked baguettes! Here is what I am thankful for today. I am thankful for my power, my heat, the gas in my car, and the groceries I bought from Fairway yesterday. Settling in for some rest and relaxation as I am getting a blizzard on my birthday! I am thankful for the beauty of Spring flowers sold at the Fairway market. I love seeing fresh flowers. They remind me that Spring is around the corner! I love the fragrant smell. Ahhhh! I am thankful for more early birthday presents. My brother and sister-in-law sent me a beautiful Kate Spade Passport Case! Now I just need to plan a tr

Oreo with her heart toy. February is one of my favorite months! I am sharing thanks for everything and everyone I love! I am feeling very loved. My birthday is coming up this Saturday and my friends and family have already begun showering me with love, cards, gifts and wonderful meals! Here is what I am thankful for today! Thanks to Mom and Dad who sent me an early birthday card with a wonderful present. I loved the adorable princess cat on the card. Thanks to my good friend Stella who I met for lunch at Panera yesterday who gave me a lovely card and chic comfortable fabulous pajamas. Now I am ready to curl up with a good book and a hot cup of tea! Thanks to my friend Sejal who treated me to a wonderful birthday lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. I love the Chicken Chipotle Pasta there. I was good and got the strawberries and whip creme for desert instead of the Cheesecake. Do I get extra Spark points for that? Thanks to Kohl's, JC Penney's, Venere's Restaurant, Red

KarmaTube: Love Language - A Short Film About How We Connect Sharing thanks for this adorable short film. Love is the universal communication

Sunset at Jones Beach Field 10 I love watching the sunset over the water! One of my favorite winter things to do is to take a beach drive before sunset and go to Jones Beach Field 10 by the fishing pier and watch the sun set over the bay. I took this picture on Sunday. It was so relaxing to just sit for 10 minutes and watch the sun sink into the water. I love the purple reflections dancing in the water! We got a light dusting of snow earlier in the day and you can see some of the snow on the rocks. Taking the time to enjoy a tranquil moment of beauty can really boost your mood! Here is what I was thankful for yesterday. I was thankful I mustered up the energy to write a difficult letter. I am thankful that I was able to stop the procrastination and face the music and just write my final letter as a girl scout leader. I loved being involved with girl scouts for my daughters and the wonderful girls I mentored. Now it is on to a new chapter in my life! I was thankful to go to orche

Pink floral heart at Micheal's! Happy February! I love taking pictures of hearts. February is a perfect month to celebrate love. I thought it would be fun to share some heart pictures I have taken this year. Looking at these heart pictures brings me joy! I also have a Pinterest Board called  Hearts . I always have fun this time of year finding hearts that make me smile. I am always thankful for the love in my life! Love from nurturing parents, romantic love, loving my daughters, unconditional love from loyal pets, love from friendships. When you perform a loving act it generates warmth that you feel deep down in your heart! My favorite Heart Pictures! Heart in Stream Heart tabletops at Homegoods. Love this store. Daisy Heart Heart Teddy Bears! I was so thankful to get a lovely phone call from my daughter Becky! She called to tell me about a new piece of music that they are doing in her concert band that has a soprano part. It was wonderful to hear her so

Winter Sunset. Love the fiery orange colors! I loved "Silver Linings Playbook". I am rooting for it to win some awards at the Academy awards! It is a wonderful honest movie about coping with bi-polar mental illness. I believe there is a gratitude lesson that would be helpful to everyone. It is easy to be grateful for the good things in life, it takes a wider outlook to try to see the silver linings in life's difficulties! Sometimes things are not always what they appear to be. Difficulties can offer opportunities to grow and change if we can flip they way you view them! Here is what I am thankful today! I am so thankful for my 2008 Honda EX! Just last week I thought the car's engine was gone.  A local mechanic told us that it could be a $7,000. repair. This lead me to see a new car dealer to see if it might be wiser to get a new car. This helped me to talk to my husband and we came up with a plan together. We decided to take it to the Honda Dealer! Low and behol

Impressionistic Clouds. Makes me want to paint! I love finding something beautiful in an unexpected place. Let's play a game. Here is a question of the day! Guess where I took today's photo! Just list your guesses in the comments along with something you saw that was beautiful! I listen to the Pulse on XM radio in the mornings and they have a question of the day game with no prizes. I am always amazed how people enjoy just playing and calling in to see if they have the right answer. It is so important to play in life! I appreciate being around people who love to play! Here are my thanks for today! I am so thankful to get my car back from the dealer today. Last week I thought my car's engine was dying. I love my Honda Odyssey! We have had so many great road trips with this car that I was heart broken. Millennium Honda was able to diagnose the noise and it turned out to be a timing problem. I loved driving my car home today. It was so quiet and felt like a brand new car

Adorable Heart Ducky I saw while shopping at Target! Sometimes your body tells you it's time to rest! I caught my daughter's cold and have been enjoying staying at home resting. Instead of feeling miserable I have decided to take this message from my body and get some good hard earned rest. If feels good to get tender loving care from my family while I am recovering. Before I got sick I was at Target doing some grocery shopping earlier this week and saw this adorable heart ducky. I enjoy this time of year where we celebrate love. I believe we should celebrate love everyday and I have a    board totally dedicated to hearts on Pinterest ! This is a fun time of year to pin great heart shaped items. Here is what I am thankful for: My husband washed all the sheets and blankets in my house! It is wonderful to fall asleep with clean sheets and blankets. This made me feel better! I was thankful to make home made chicken soup for my family. They say chicken soup can help cure yo

Donated $1 to JDRF today at Jake's Wayback Burgers I love when I can perform an act of kindness, by donating to a worthy cause. We have a few good family friends who have Juvenile Diabetes. It's a tough disease and I admire the two young women I  know who live with it courageously and gracefully. It always feels good to perform acts of kindness! I was thankful today for Jake's Wayback Burger's in East Meadow who participated in this JDRF fundraiser and made it easy for my to donate! If you want to be truly be inspired about Random Acts of Kindness you should read about Ryan at  366 Random Acts of Kindness   Ryan performed 366 Random acts of kindness for one year. His acts had a ripple effect and inspired countless other people to be kind! Here is what I was thankful for yesterday!  Thanks to Jack's Wayback Burger's for raising money for JDRF. They make a great fresh hamburger and I enjoyed being able to perform an act of kindness by donating to JDRF.

2012 Davidson Family Christmas Tree I am grateful for my Christmas tree. We took down our beautiful tree after Epiphany this week. This was one of the fullest trees we have gotten and just looking at it every morning got my day off to a great start! We get a live tree every year. Our family piles into the car and heads off to 10000 trees and walks around until we find "The Tree!" The reason we have a real Christmas tree is a good story. When we first bought our house over 20 years ago we discussed whether we should get a real or an artificial tree. I love the smell of pine and wanted the beauty of a real Christmas tree. My husband is more practical and wanted to buy an artificial tree, they are safer, and in the long run more economical. Mother Nature settled our argument when a tree fell down during a Nor Easter in our backyard. We cut off the top of the tree and it was our first Christmas tree! We have gotten a real tree ever since. January has gotten off to a wonderfu