The Tree Skirt

It's really the little things in life that trip you up. I thought buying a tree skirt would be an easy affair. I mean how expensive could these things be after all? They're just a round piece of cloth sewn together. Then I went to Target. Not only do they give you more choices than needles on a pine tree, but they are expensive. I don't think I saw a skirt for under $40.

My mom tells me to wait until after Christmas. Yes, then they'll be on sale. That's what her and my Dad did. As I'm on the phone with her, I could hear her walking into the living room to look at the tree and confirm this fact, at which point she followed up with, "Oh your grandmother made this for us!"

Well, if you know me, you know that I love tradition and family. So if something homemade is coming down the family line from a deceased and beloved relative then I'm figuring a way to move it into my house. My mom told me to just put presents under the tree and no one will notice until I can buy a tree skirt after Christmas.

I wander if my parents will notice if I buy a new tree skirt after Christmas and switch it with the family heirloom tree skirt in their house. Alas, I think my scheme is ruined as they read this blog every day! So yes, I have presents under the tree.

Let It Snow

So yesterday was the first snowfall of the season for us and it was beautiful as you can see from the photo. The view out of the back windows, now that the leaves have fallen off of the trees, is fabulous.

This shot was taken as the sun was rising and the snow hadn't yet melted. Now that the kitchen is about 80% of the way done, we can actually sit in there and enjoy the views!

Nerves

I don't know what possessed me. Kevin said to wait until Matt (our future nephew-in-law, the Electrician) came down, but if you know me at all...

On Thanksgiving Matt showed me how to install this very complicated (its complicated to me) electrical socket. He had to do the demo 4 times before I even grasped the concept and then I was still nervous. Well this particular electrical socket is the last one on the TOP two floors. You can only imagine how badly I wanted this done. Epecially since its the first thing you see when you walk in the kitchen.

This procedure involved twisting 4 wires together, creating tails and generally making me nervous. The photo shows you all of the 'complicated' wiring. At least its done and I tested it and it works! Thanks Matt!

The Coolest Tree in the World

This is our new Christmas tree. It looks fairly ordinary, I know, but it has one of the coolest features I have ever seen on a Christmas tree. But let me start at the beginning.

I've been wanting a full-sized artificial tree for some time, but we agreed to wait until after the holidays when we figured we could get a good deal on one. Then Linens n' Things ran this fantastic deal on a remote controlled Christmas tree. Yes, you heard correctly, remote control. And it gets better.

I've never been able to decide between colored lights and white lights. While one is more elegant and the other more fun, I didn't want to tie myself to a tree with lights already on that was one or the other. And then there was the LNT tree that had both! It was one of those crazy Black Friday deals, but by the time I got there not a twig remained.

So I started looking online, because as Kevin can tell you I'm stubborn and determined. As luck would have it I found one on Amazon.com that was the same only you could have white lights, colored lights or both sets of lights on as options for the remote. Love at first click is all I can say. After much pleading and pointing out the great deal we were getting Kevin agreed and our new tree arrived on Friday.