Trees and things

Sorry, Gang, I've been awol again. We have our computers downstairs, and we do school UPstairs, and well, unless I take a pitstop here at the computer on the way out of the laundryroom, (which happens, I have to confess), I just don't get to actually "sit" with the computer until after the kids are in bed. And then I've been doing other stuff.

Like Facebook! I never even knew what that was a month ago. Now I can't wait to see who is doing what. I've connected with friends I haven't seen for years and years through Facebook, and it has been a blast seeing what has happened to whom. If you haven't, you should try it!

Been a little sentimental this year - first Christmas without either of my parents. That's a little rough. Plus, the sale of the house is final on Wednesday. My brother wound up not being able to buy it. *sniff, sniff* He did wind up with an absolutely adorable and perfect-for-him house anyway, so I'm very happy for him.

A few weeks ago I had mentioned to my siblings that I was looking for a thrift-store Christmas tree for our familyroom. Already had a big one for our livingroom, but wanted something downstairs as well. My brother mentioned that Mom's tree was still in the basement "at the house" and was about to be sold with the house unless I came to get it. I came that very weekend. As luck would have it, I got not only Mom's big tree, but Dad's 4' "little" one as well. I have them both up and lit. And I love 'em! My livingroom has one tree on one side, and one on the other, and then Mom's tree downstairs. I love decorating for Christmas anyway, but it has been fun to have LOTS of decorations.

Except that I kind of forgot that we have a one-year-old in the house. We had Mom's 7-foot tree fall over one day. Nobody got hurt, but it was sure enough to make my kids think that Mama was probably going to have a Cow in a minute... the room got suddenly completly silent and everyone stared at me wondering if I was going to keep breathing or not. I did. But it sure took me a while to get that thing up again and looking nice.

And besides the falling over tree, my livingroom tree is bare on the bottom because the baby either walks off with the ornaments, or we catch her touching them and then re-hang them on the TOP of the tree. So the top has too many ornaments and the bottom is bare. I love it! :o) Ok, I didn't much love it when the 7-footer fell over, but hey, nobody got hurt, and I did get to rearrange the candycanes a little more evenly after that... ;o)

John and I have been learning a lot about 13-month-olds in this "tree/baby" season... We've been needing to say the big "N" word to Abrielle more than she's ever heard it before (aside from when she goes after the electrical outlets, which she's also terribly curious about), and the other night after we said "No-no" a few times, Abrielle found two clothespins from who-knows-where, and she slooooooowly moved the clothespins over to the tree as if to find out whether she could get away with touching the tree if she only touched it with the clothespins. We could just see those little wheels turning in her head! We've also watched her slowly back herself up next to the tree to find out if she could touch it unnoticed that sneaky way. Lets just say that we Fishers are getting our exercise hopping up and redirecting our busy, busy little toddler, who we love to pieces and could just eat up she's so adorable and fun...

Hope everyone is having a terrific Christmas season!