Christmas Tree

It was going all according to plan.  We went to the Ward Christmas Party and then headed over to a Christmas tree lot to pick the perfect tree.  The weather wasn't freezing, it wasn't dark, and we weren't in a rush.  So instead of it taking 20 minutes to find the perfect tree it took about 4.  There was a minor snafu when we realized the lot didn't take cards but our bank had an ATM just a couple blocks away.  We ran to the ATM and the the nice guys at the lot strapped the tree to the top of the van and we drove on home.  I pulled out the Christmas decorations (all handily stored in red and green totes) and I took a moment to marvel at how smoothly this was going.  Then...the kids told me Michael couldn't find the Christmas tree stand.

So we looked in the shed, then we looked in the other shed, then the other shed, then we looked in the crawl space, then we called everyone to see if they had an extra stand.  Our stand had completely disappeared.  Our huge, green, plastic Christmas tree stand had gone AWOL.  Michael checked craigslist for a replacement without much luck.  I started to call thriftstores.  On call number four I got lucky.  Goodwill assured me they had six.

I loaded up Ethan and Libby and drove back across town (scarcely three blocks from where we got the tree).  After searching high and low and with the assistance of three employees, we found the tree stand.  Mission accomplished.  Then we ran home to set up the tree.  Michael grabbed the stand to put on the tree and commented, "Did you notice the bottom of this is cracked?"  No, I hadn't.  I'd like to think I wouldn't have bought it if I had noticed.  So Michael and Ethan made one more trip to Goodwill and we were ready to rumble.  Unfortunately the babies were now getting up from nap.  Toddlers do not help set up trees.  But it is hard to hold it against them because they are so excited and confused that there is a tree...in...the...house. 

While Michael was gone to Goodwill I untangled the lights.  The kids came home and "untangled" them some more.

Sam just stared at the tree when he woke up.  He couldn't figure out why there was a tree in the house but he thought it was a good thing.

He was also excited by all the balls we had hung on the tree for him.  They were the perfect size to carry and throw.  Rest assured they are plastic and that we didn't hang any of my breakable ornaments on the tree this year.  Also Sam has made sure the bottom half of the tree is now bare. 

Merry Christmas to all.