The Tree That Shall Not be Named

Two days after we cut the tree we managed to get it in the house. Two days later we managed to decorate it.

We only put on a few of our ornaments, because our tree isn't quite studly enough for many more.

Unlike last year, the kids did not name our tree. It's a poor sad tree that doesn't even get a name. Cutting our own tree seems to be losing a bit of it's charm.

After a little research it was determined it was Ethan's turn to put the angel on the tree. We also realized that this may be his last turn with this family tradition, as it comes only once every four years for each child. Ethan insisted Michael lift him up to crown the tree.

Michael obliged, although he may have wished he hadn't. It took several minutes to get enough branches bunched together to even support the angel. They managed though and the angel is proudly gracing our Christmas sapling.

For context, Michael is 6 feet tall, Ethan is slightly taller than that, and our ceiling is 7.5 feet tall.

Bad Decisions

Sam is in 4th grade. That means Sam gets a permit to cut a Christmas tree, courtesy of the National Parks Service! For free! He was very excited. The rest of us have the memory of previous year's tree cuttings to temper our excitement. Sam would not be deterred. 

Bad Decision #1

Letting our nine year old convince us to go get a free tree.

We did find some new tire chains on Craigslist for $40, so we bought them before we headed up (making the tree totally not free).  Which leads to the next bad decision.

Bad Decision #2 

Not putting the chains on when we turned off the main road.

As we continued into the mountain Michael kept commenting on how great our van was handling the snow and I just clutched the arm rest. (Michael's note: It was!)

Bad Decision #3

We just kept going.

Further and further up the road we went. The road started to get pretty steep and there was a lack of places to turn around. So we decided to do a careful U-turn and head back down the mountain. The careful U-turn was much more difficult on a slick mountain road than in town. Thankfully we didn't slide off the mountain, thanks to a giant berm of snow, which our front end was now buried in.

Bad Decision #4

See #2. We now could not get the snow chains on the second wheel and we didn't bring a shovel. 

Ten minutes later, as Michael is attempting to put chains on a buried tire, two forest service personnel showed up. They offered us a shovel and we started digging. Another person going up the road, which we were sideways across, stopped to offer help. He had a winch in his truck. He hooked the winch to his truck and to our van. We were now completely blocking the entire road! It was awesome. He slowly started inching us out while Ethan, the forest service employees, and I pushed the van into a downhill position. Despite my severe embarrassment, we did manage to start heading downhill. Michael drove down the hill with the three younger kids and after I found Ethan, we followed on foot and met up in the large, easily accessible pull out we had driven past.

We marveled at the beautiful snow. The kids loved that on the top layer you could see each individual snowflake.

This is a bad close up of the snow. It was quite beautiful in person, but alas my photography is lacking. By this point, happily, we were past the majority of the of our mistakes. Now it was time to find a perfect tree.  Ethan hiked up to then followed the ridge as it climbed above the path. Michael hiked far up the trail.

Meanwhile everyone else was giving up.

Ethan finally found the perfect tree (or the least-sad looking one) and deemed it good. Michael had the saw though, so I went to find him. I got the saw and Michael, but climbing to the ridge was a futile task.

Sam kept going up and then falling back down. He persevered, though, and finally made the climb. Michael climbed part way and then threw the bow saw to Ethan. Despite all expectations to the contrary, nobody was harmed.

The boys worked together, cut down the tree, and managed to slide themselves and the tree to the path.

As Michael tied to tree to the van the kids pulled out the sleds and enjoyed a few runs on a very fast track (no pictures).

We finally made it to the van and poured hot chocolate for all the peoples. And it was good.

We got home only a mere two hours behind schedule and had a whole 20 minutes to untie the tree, shed our winter clothes, get three people showered, get everyone cleaned up and changed, make our food contributions and high tail it to the family dinner. We managed to make it only 15 minutes late. We will call it our Christmas Tree Miracle.

Brand New Things

With all my kids in public school this year, I wasn't sure what to expect for myself. I still watch my great nephew, help my mom, and run the household, but I wanted something outside the house. I finally applied to be a substitute teacher, primarily because the schedule is so flexible. 

I filled out an application online and had an appointment to complete new hire paperwork within four days. No interview, no resume, no nothing. My employment was contingent on a background check, but it seems a bachelor's degree and a clean background were the only qualifications needed. I attended a three-hour training seminar, where I learned the answer to all problems is to "call the office" and they released me into the world of subbing. It seems our school district is pretty hard up for substitute teachers.

The first day I packed a lunch, my badge, some headache meds, a crochet project for if there was down time, a book, and headed into the world. I subbed for a 5th/6th grade combo at my kids elementary. It was a pure, unmediated disaster. The regular teacher is a first year teacher, so he was still working on classroom management. At least four of the kids spoke almost no English, while another four kids spoke passable English. I was constantly mixing them up. The class was constantly lining up for 5th grade PE, then 6th grade PE, then 5th grade orchestra, then 6th grade orchestra, then band, then reading groups, then math groups. These kids spent all day lining up and I couldn't remember which ones were in 5th and which were in 6th, and the English language learners didn't even know which class they were in.

When we all had to line up (in alphabetical order) for school pictures, two of the boys decided they had no patience left and grabbed each other and starting tussling. I asked the photographer assistant in the hall to get someone from the office to help (remembering my "Call the office!" training), as I separated the fighting boys from the rest of the class. The boys heard "office," jumped away from each other and docilely followed the woman to the counselor's office.

I did not find any time to read, but I found plenty of time to take some Excedrin Migraine. By the end of the day I was a hot sweaty mess and the kids weren't doing much better. I went home, took a bath, and cried. I was determined to never substitute again.  Since then I have subbed at the junior high several times, the high school a couple, various elementary schools and a lot of special ed classrooms. Special ed are my favorite. Some of the kids have a hard time in a regular classroom, but I am never responsible for more than three or so at a time. They are heaven after my first day experience.

The pay is lousy, some of the kids are awful, and some days are horrible. But most of the kids are pretty awesome (at all ages) and some days just fly by.  Also I can choose which days to work, so I will continue to sub for the foreseeable future. But I'll never, ever accept a sub position for the 5th/6th grade class. I'm not quite brave enough to try it again.

Staying Active

I started training for a 10k this fall. I was pretty excited and even convinced a couple people to run with me. I started training and was impressed each time I increased my mileage. I was up to running almost 5 miles on Saturdays, when my slightly gimpy knee became a hot flaming mess.  I let it rest for a month, and did all my assigned physical therapy. After the month, I was still struggling with walking. I finally limped my way into my sports medicine doctor, where I was informed that running was no longer an option for me. He said I should explore swimming and elliptical machines.  He also gave me a lovely shot of cortisone. Cortisone is amazing. I am currently writing a love song to cortisone. My knee went from screaming with every step to mildly whimpering when I exercise too hard! I know it isn't a permanent fix, but it's an amazing short-term solution.

With my new marching orders (or no running orders) we decided it was time to try a YMCA membership again. I've been availing myself of the pool and elliptical, while the kids have been loving the climbing wall. They love climbing so much, that we finally went in and got belay certified, so we could climb without having to wait for an available staff member.

Ethan still hasn't mastered this particular wall, it's a beast.

It only took Grace a couple tries to master this wall. It requires a pretty intense pull-up to get over the ledge.

Ethan, Grace and Libby have all beat this wall. Sam and I have not.

Between the machines, the classes, the pool, and the rock wall, we have been spending a lot of time at the Y. Here's to a long and fruitful relationship.

Halloween

As the kids get older, I get less pictures of them. As evidenced by the complete lack of pictures I have of my older kids. Ethan dressed as an old man (again) and Libby went as a blue M&M, her friends went as the red, green, and yellow M&M's.

Libby and I did do a craft projects which we then delivered to our church friends.

I don't have a picture of Libby in her costume, but I do have a picture of cookies that Libby decorated for a school party. I talked her out of hand-cutting ghost sugar cookies and painting them with icing. I can't even manage to take pictures; we sure as heck ain't got time for that kind of nonsense.

Sam decided to go as Gandalf the Gray this year. We cut down a graduation robe from the thrift store, added a beard from a different thrift store, got stick from my mom, and I crocheted a hat. He was well pleased with his costume.

Grace went as Hermione. Thankfully we already had everything for this costume, as it is a recurring favorite in our house.

My birthday happened to fall on Halloween this year (much like it does every year). The kids bought me a crazy amount of chocolate and Libby made me a paper mache pumpkin. I think having kids is making me fat, but I love them all.