Getting Ready for Christmas

We reached several important Christmas-prep milestones over the last few days.

• We bought a Christmas tree. A real tree! It’s the first real tree we’ve had since the horrible cinara aphid incident (I can still see, in my mind’s eye, the legions of bugs marching across my floor. Ick!). This new tree smells beautiful, and it’s one of the best-looking trees I’ve ever had. The kids did an awesome job picking it out. I just hope it doesn’t have any bugs lurking in it.
• We decorated the tree. We probably didn’t put up even half of my ornaments, but the tree looks pretty enough.
• I finished and ordered my annual photo album. It’s a relief to have it done.
• Charley arrived the morning after we decorated the tree. The kids were thrilled to see him. And I was thrilled, because I had given the kids permission to hunt for Charley in the morning, so they were awake, dressed, and downstairs before I got up. Not having to roust them out of bed made my life so much easier!

Now if only I could magically finish up the Christmas shopping…