Spirit

It doesn't feel like Christmas in my home until we decorate the Christmas tree. I LOVE decorating the tree.

Each year, I make the children (and an unwilling husband who thankfully humors me) gather around the living room with ALL of the boxes of Christmas stuff and I happily reign as Queen -- Queen of All Things Christmas Ornamental. I challenge anyone in the family who dares to cast a crabby glance. I willfully inflict my "Christmas spirit" upon them. Sometimes that "spirit" is lovingly referred to as Sybil by my adoring peasants [er, rather family], but whatever... We play Christmas carols cheerily in the background. I bark (politely) orders about whether to hang an ornament higher or lower, a bit more to the left or the right. I insist that there IS more room on the tree when I hear complaints about there being no room. I escalate my Christmas joyfulness and festive intensity when I hear whining that someone is exhausted by the Ornament Marathon.

It's AWESOME!

Sounds enjoyable, right? Right? RIGHT?!?!

Shiny, Sharp Objects

This year we carved pumpkins in the house because it was so chilly outside. The weather has been so rainy and awful this autumn! While carving the pumpkins, Kelli & Company stopped by Carol's house and we promptly invited them over to carve away with us. Yahoo! We made a glorious mess and great fun was had by all.

For the record, Auntie Molly insisted upon carving pumpkins in rubber gloves because she doesn't like the gooey insides. I had to laugh at her here. Seriously?! Who carves pumpkins in RUBBER GLOVES?! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

D was all about the sharp, shiny objects. He was scary with the kid-safe pumpkin knife -- very gung-ho! He just wanted to keep cutting chunks out of the top of the pumpkin where Auntie Molly had already off the top of the pumpkin so we could clean it.

G kept staring inside her pumpkin as if she wasn't sure it was safe to stick her hand in it. I kept giggling at her and she kept frowning at me and asking, "Waz so funny?!"