Christmas Blessings!

You know… I sat down to write this blog, and was like… how in the heck do I write down everything from the past 10 days?  I think going forward, I should have taken the time out of the day to write down all the funny moments.  Looking back, it’s hard to remember what made you laugh (or cry) and why it was so funny at the time.  So, down below I have listed out all the things we did on each day (which mostly included baking!!!) and try to throw in a few humorous anecdotes.

Saturday the 18th - pack up car, leave at 8:30 AM, randomly find my friend Diana (who lives not far from my parents in Arkansas… Fort Smith to be exact) on the road in Huntsville, TX where she follows us for a bit.  Lose her for awhile, but we meet up in McAlister for some ice cream so she can walk her dog.  Total fluke of luck that we found her and were able to have a quick chit chat.  Get to the house around 6:30 and just chill and unpack.  Mom made enchilada’s for us for dinner, yum yum!!!

Sunday the 19th- we all went to 11:00 church which boasted a fabulous choir and Christmas story.  We ate lunch at Mad Pizza, saw the Burlesque movie, Katie went back to Springfield, and we shopped for a new Christmas village at Melody’s Choices at the Pinnacle Promenade.  For dinner we just had regular ol’ sausage and crackers for dinner.  We ended the night playing the Wii. Robert spends an hour doing the Wii Fit Ski Jump (you squat down the hill then release to fly through the air… the goal is to go the farthest in the air).  Never fear… Rob did set the record.  As a matter of fact, he set all 10 places.  Funny thing is though… he did it as “Debbie.”  Poor kid, he’ll never be given the credit!

Me and my sisters before we see Burlesque

Monday the 20th- we slept in, Kirstie went to track practice, my parents worked and mom took off work early.  She graciously decided to eats lunch w/ Robert and I at Taco Bueno.  I freaking love Taco Bueno.  It took like 12 years for Arkansas to get them… and then I moved to Houston where they don’t have them!  It’s grossly unfair!!!  Two party burritos every time baby!  Rob rand errands for the afternoon (his parent’s weren’t back yet from their business trip… and as it turned out, the Maguires were busy, our niece and nephew were sick, and grandma Joan was sick..so basically Rob just ran around haha).  While Rob ran around,  mom and I baked ranger cookies.  These cookies consist of your typical cookie dough, oatmeal, and rice krispies.   The tough part was rolling them into balls… it was the funniest thing though, the cookies stuck to mom’s hands like glue, while they rolled off mine like water runs off a wall.  Kirk came home and then we quickly baked plain sugar cookies.  When dad got back from work, we all ate dinner at Guido’s.  I also freaking love Guido’s.  BEST PIZZA EVER.  I’m not joking here.  You can’t go wrong w/ it. Later, we iced the sugar cookies using new recipe we found on Google.  We wanted an icing that would dry hard and make the cookies stackable.  Kind of what you see at professional cookie icing places (haha).  Our recipe included: confectioners sugar, corn syrup, milk, and almost extract plus any food coloring you wanted.  For a future note:  X-nay almond extract.  It was nasty!!!!  It did harden up like we wanted it to!  Very shiny too.  You’ll see later that we re-do these using Vanilla extract.  It was much better!  While we were icing, dad found his favorite Christmas movie on TV:  Christmas vacation.  Dad laughed so much, it was hilarious.  It wasn’t just like a “Ha. Ha.”, laugh… it was more like a “HEHEHEHEHEHEHE” laugh.  The.whole.time.

Me, mom and Kirk working on our icing skills.  So, they
are a little pastel... we tried!



Dad getting his giggle on during the Christmas Vacation movie



Tuesday the 21st- We sleep in…again!, Kirstie goes to track practice, parents work (no take off early).  Me, Rob and Kirk make homemade rice krispie treats once Kirstie came back home.  They were delish by the way.  Of course, we played the Wii some more.  Kirstie and Robert took Scout on a walk by themselves so she’ll go “poo.”  I had dinner with two of my bestest friends in the entire world: Michelle Hurst & Lindsey Bain at Olive Garden.  We chatted about work and other amusing topics.  Dad and Robert went eat at Schlotzcky’s together because Mom and Kirk took off to run errands and then later made snickerdoodles (w/o me, tear).



Rob and Kirstie about to take Scout for her 'poo' walk!



Wednesday the 22nd- We packed up all our stuff and moved it over to the Meier’s house.  The Meier’s came home from their business trip late that day.  Mom came home early again from work.  She loves to see her daughter!!!!  This time we make peanut butter balls.  This includes: 2 POUNDS OF PEANUT BUTTER, 3 POUNDS OF POWDERED SUGAR, and 1 POUND OF BUTTER.  It was kind of disgusting.. but amazing all at the same time.  When mom put it into the Kitchen Aid mixer.. I was just waiting for it to all go ‘poof’ when she started it.  But it didn’t (I did have my camera ready though).  Turns out… the ol’ mixer could barely handle all that peanut butter.  It was awesome.   And you know… someone had to make all that peanut butter (can you even call it dough?? I don’t think so) turn into peanut butter balls.  Well, that would be me.  Then they had to be frozen.   Later that day, Nana & Pop arrived from Sinton w/ their extremely old dog, Susie.  How Susie is still ticking, I’ll never know.  Mom cooked up a hearty stew for dinner.  She even found the spare time to make Take 5 candies (pretzel, peanut butter, chocolate, and caramel).  Robert and I have dinner w/ Joe (Rob’s old college roommate and good friend) and his fiancé Laura and his family at Guido’s.  As stated above, I NEVER turn down a chance for Guido’s when I am home.  We head back to my house where Rob also eats stew.  Rob can never turn down a good stew (I usually can).  Then, we visit with the grandparents.  Mom, then dips the butter balls into chocolate.  The chocolate recipe called for Paraffin wax.. we all had a serious debate on whether or not that was safe to eat.  The ruling was:  Per Google, it is safe to eat!!!   After that, we headed back to Meier’s to visit w/ them and go to bed.



This would be the making of the peanut butter balls.
That is with only a pound of sugar.  We had to add it slowly.





Mom and I working on the Take 5 candies.



Thursday the 23rd- Not too much goes on… mom does not have to work, but dad does as well as the Meier’s.  We have brunch with grandparent’s Maguire’s at Cracker Barrell.  I love Cracker Barrell pancakes… though I do usually have to head to the loo afterwards.  But enough about that….    We played the Wii a lot and even get Nana and Pop on the Wii.  Funnies t thing ever.  Seriously.  Just look at the picture below.  They bowled and played the ski jump game.  Both were quite good bowlers.  We all took turns doing the ski jump… and rob had set the record so high, that none of us were ever able to make it into the top 10.  Neither could Rob.  Whatever he did the few days before was gone?  Hmm… did he cheat?!?  Never!, he says!!  Dad plays the bird game where he has to flap his wings.  Also funniest thing ever.  He just stands there w/ his arms a flappin’!  And afterwards, he’s breathing all hard.   Mom made chicken parmesan for dinner…which is also another favorite of mine (and Rob’s)!     Kate arrives before parmesan from Springfield.  With her, she brought really cute Christmas cupcakes.  We are talking almost professional iced cupcakes.  They were awesome… she even had a special cupcake carrier.  I was a little jealous of that.  However, I should probably not own a cupcake carrier b/c that would require me to make cupcakes and then I would just eat them all.  After dinner, we headed to the Fayetteville square where we walked the lighted square.  Sarah Johnson (family friend) gets proposed to on the square the very same night… only a few hours earlier.  We were sure sorry we missed it!  After that, Robert and I headed back to the Meier’s were we  baked even more sugar cookies… except this time we proceeded to eat almost the whole box as soon as they come out of the oven.  Ooops!  They were sure yummy.  They were the kind of sugar cookie that comes in the box w/ either the tree, snowman, or reindeer inside of the cookie.

Pop getting his bowl on!

Nana working on her ski jump skills!



The whole gang at the Fayetteville square!



Friday the 24th (Christmas Eve)- Rob and I helped wrap presents for Chris Meier, we visited the Meier’s at the store while they worked the Christmas Eve crowd, and later headed to my parent’s house where we iced a new batch of sugar cookies using Vanilla Extract instead of almond extract.  Two words:  WAY BETTER.  Dinner was Tortilla Soup, tamales, and chili.  A good Texas style Christmas Eve dinner!!  Around 7 o’clock we head to Christmas eve service.. first we stop in on Denny Bell (mom’s boss) and drop off cookies.  Then, we head to Johnson’s (family friend) where we watch Sarah’s daughter, Avery, open her Christmas present and check out their new puppy, Bella, a shih tzu.  Then, we finally head to the actual Christmas Eve service at nine o’clock. We all really enjoyed the church service, Robert Cupp was the preacher and Mickey Rapier the head worship leader.  Very low key and wonderful.  Ran into some old friends, too.  We then ended back at the Meier’s house to prepare for a three Christmas, Christmas day.

The Ladies on Christmas Eve

Saturday the 25^th (Christmas Day!)- There’s really way too much to document here so I’m going to do it in the Jessica’s shortest version:  Wake up early, head to my house for Christmas.  Open presents, eat a fantastic lunch consisting of ham, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit salad.   Have chocolate pie, pecan pie, apple pie, peanut butter balls, and sugar cookies for dessert.  Head to Maguire’s household around 12:15.  Eat lunch around 1:00.. eat the amazing noodles that grandma Maguire makes, watch a little kid run wild, visit with Ryan & Stacy, admire Grandma Lori’s Christmas Village.  Play dirty Santa w/ gift cards, open up presents from Kathleen.  Lori, Sam, Tristan, and Maddison show up.  Visit w/ everyone a little longer.  Head to Meier’s around 5:30.  Eat a dinner consisting of salad, steak, and twice baked baked potatoes.  Meet Scott’s new girl... Amy and her son Julius.  Open up a lot of presents.  Say goodbye to all the little kids as they go off to bed w/ their parents…  Play a game of dice w/ Chris, Randy, Jordan, Ryan, Stacy, and Robert… I win the first game and Robert wins the second.  I might have set a record w/ the longest dice roll of 6,300.  It was kind of amazing.  Should have headed to the Casino.  Take a bubble bath to unwind from the long day, and sleep blissfully.

On a side note:  Robert and I did get wonderful things for Christmas, I got a purple pea coat and a new James Avery ring (thank you Mama Hesseltine!), our first piece of our Christmas village, scarves, razorback shirts, Christmas decorations for the apartment, movies, gift cards, handy items for the kitchen, and assortment of other items and bags.  And probably most important…  cash!  J  We were truly blessed by the gift giving this year.  Thank you everyone!!!



All of us in our new pea coats!!



Lucy & Ricky on Christmas Day



Sunday the 26th-  eat a brunch w/ all of the immediate Meier family minus Scott (Rob’s older brother).  Chill around the Meier house, play some Wii games including, shuffleball, darts, and bowling.  I also won darts.  Maybe I should quit my day job??  Robert even played a Dora the Explorer game w/ Maddison and Christine.  Christine worked on our recipe book from our wedding shower and finished that up and then Stacy & I admired our new found recipes.  Later, we headed to dinner w/ Kathleen (one of Rob’s moms), grandparents Maguire, and Anne & Mike Newell, friends of grandparents Maguire, and Ryan and Stacy.  Robert and I split a NY Strip (11 oz) and a baked potato and salad.  Sour cream on the side, of course.  Filled up on wonderful butter rolls, too!  We had some excellent conversations and enjoyed catching up w/ everyone.  Head to my house where mom, nana, kirk, and I head to the NW Quad, Kirstie’s dorm so that Kirk can do her track practice in a long hallway.  Too cold to do outside.  She is probably the only person in the world who actually hard core practiced the day after Christmas.  But she did!  I saw her!  Mom also vacuums and cleans her dorm room… now I know why Kirk was so adamant about practicing at her dorm!! Hahaha!  We head back to the house where Kirstie packs for her trip to the Rodeo w/ Josh in Memphis.  I never could find evidence of this rodeo on the internet, so he might have been pulling her leg.  She tried on multiple outfits.  We finally decided on one for her to wear.. blue jeans, cowboy boots, white polo long-sleeve.. with a blue sweater.  You can even check out her facebook... she did wear it! And then we visited w/ the grandparents for one last time.  Later, we headed back to the Meier’s around 9:45 at night where we packed it all up and went to bed.

Monday the 27th- pack up the car, eat a breakfast burrito, and drive home!  Left at 8:45 AM.  Get home around 6:45 PM. 

The End.  Phew!!!!  I know, I know.  It was a lot.  But, it WAS A LOT!  Now that you read it, imagine typing that whole thing and trying remembering back!  But, as I read over it… I know I’ve left out some of the funniest things… for example, Robert and I have become so used to Houston’s humidity that we had to put lotion on ourselves every 2 hours b/c we were so dry.  I was telling Stacy (sister-in-law) this, and she looked at me weird… because we are going up there to Colorado to visit them on the 31^st and if we were dry now.. just wait until we go to CO!  I told her to have a jug of lotion ready!!! 

Or.. how my cute little niece, Maddy, went around saying “puppy.” For two days straight.  Maybe more than that.  She knows other words, but puppy was her choice of words.  Or how she tried to tell Uncle Bob and Uncle Ryan apart.  She couldn’t. But she did like to say Uncle Bob… to both of them! Or, if she just got too confused, she would say… you guessed it, “puppy.”

Overall, it was one heck of Christmas though!  I love my family.



I had to show Kate's cupcakes... AWESOMEness!



And of course, we had to get our pic by the hog on the square!

SILENCE! I KEEL YOU!!!

Robert and I are currently working less than 1 mile apart.  This won’t last for long… only through Thursday.  So, I got the brave idea that we should carpool to work together!  We got up this morning… I made sure that he got up early enough to leave with me.  If I just let him be, well then.. he probably wouldn’t stroll into work until 9.  Ok, he corrects me… 8:30.  I’ll compromise… 8:45.  So, we head on out… I even had to grab my gloves… awfully cold here in Houston!!

Good thing we took Rob’s car.. he has seat heaters!!  Being the kind gentleman that he is, the first thing he does when he plops down in the car is turn mine one for me.  He’s my sweetie.  We continue on our merry way… and I soon discover, man I could fall asleep like this.  Heater blowing, butt warm, feet toasty, and just all bundled up w/o a care in the world on the passenger side.  I feel quite certain Robert does not feel this way, but I personally am having a hard time not falling asleep.  He drops me at 8:03 and heads to work himself.

He texts me and says be ready at 5.  Little does he know I usually work until 5:45 or 6.  But, I told him if he would come at 5:15 I would be ready.  He showed up at 5:08.  I made him wait until 5:15.  Then, we head home.  Traffic is bad.. we sit at these lights for hours… we ask each other how our day was… talk about the weather… talk about our upcoming vacation… talk about the traffic… talk about which way we should cut around the traffic… sit in the traffic some more… and then we get on the highway.  We are finally moving at the decent pace of 55 mph and I realize I have this sudden urge to fall asleep again.  I could TOTALLY GET USED TO THIS!  This carpool thing rocks my socks off.  I even have to yell at Rob to exit b/c he’s so relaxed himself. Hehe.  We don’t usually see other until about 6-6:30 when we each get home, so it was nice to have someone to talk to.  Of course, we had dispensed w/ what we had to say each other and it was silence by the time we got to I-10.

We get off the highway and head towards the apartment.  We each talk about what lanes we like to drive in and we each have our particular way of winding down the street.  We get close to the light we turn at, and I ask Rob:  what are we having for dinner?  Rob says he’ll probably just have a Lean Cuisine.  I say I’ll just have bowl of cereal.  (See Dinner for Two post for further clarification).  I see Escalante’s up on the corner and ask Rob, want to go to Escalante’s?  Rob says, “I don’t know.”  I say, “well then.. it’s up to you.  I’m down for it.”  He pulls in, they seat us right away.  We dive into the chips & salsa. 

NOTE:  I’m justifying all this because A) I stayed under budget while Christmas shopping, and B) we just carpooled and saved whole day’s worth of driving on one car.

We continue scarfing down the chips & salsa.  We don’t really speak.. b/c well we’ve already talked about our day.  We sit in silence.  Chomp, chomp, chomp.  Food comes.  Munch, munch, munch.  Pay bill.  Leave.  Come home. Finally.. we have something to say… because our apartment STINKS.  It was quite horrible actually.  I immediately lit my Home for the Holidays Yankee candle.  We change our clothes, Rob re-washes the pot that was sitting in the sink.  I put on the pajama pants and the house-shoes.  I turn on the TV.  Look at the time:  it’s 6:45!!!!!!!!  You’re kidding me! 

I know, this whole time you thought we had sat in traffic for hours… but no, only about 30 minutes.  Dinner only took about 45.  People have to love serving us, we can get in and out in 30 mins flat if we wanted to.  We stretch it to 45 mins or an hour.  We even leave a nice tip.  Easiest money anyone ever made. 

Anyways, I ask Robert if he can buy stamps at work.  I have all the Christmas cards that need to be mailed and didn’t have enough stamps.  Sorry guys.. some of you are getting a Adopt a Pet stamp and the others Christmas stamps.  Rob says no.  I think secretly he can.. but he doesn’t want to be embarrassed.  Then, Rob gets this great idea to go to Target and he can buy my Christmas present (the Eclipse DVD) and I can buy stamps.  I immediately said BUTTT ROB, I already have my pajamas anyways.  He said in a quick voice “Nope, can’t go to bed at 7 pm, so we’re going.”   I put my real pants and shoes on as I can see that I cannot win.

We head out.. I get this awesome idea to kick up the volume to Usher’s OMG song.  We used to be huge fan’s of Usher back when were in high school, so I purchased the song not that long ago.  Picture us.. two very young looking, white people busting out w/ Usher… Oh My Gosh.  This gets us to Target.  I’ve only repeated the song twice.  I also speak in plural’s here, but I guess I should probably speak in terms of one person b/c kid yourself not:  Rob does not sing or ‘bust out any moves.’  We pull into Target where Robert bypasses the closest parking spots, almost hits two people and their cart, and drives past a very scary person.

Side note:  Both Wal-Mart and Target are on Westheimer where I would not really recommend going after dark.  Especially if you are woman, alone.  By this point, Robert has turned down my Usher as “he can’t even hear himself think” and I make him drive back around the parking a lot b/c it feels a bit safer on that side of Target.  We go in, they do not sell stamps.. I TRIED TO TELL HIM THIS BEFORE WE LEFT, but sometimes when Robert is on a mission… he is on a mission.  Or probably like any man… there was no stopping him.  I look at the check-out lines, they are so long and I immediately want to turn out of the store and head back home.  He, of course, heads to the back of the store where he finds my DVD.  But, he can’t pay for it because he left his wallet at work.  So, not only am I attending the purchase of my present… but I am also paying for it.  Yes, I know we have a joint checking account so its ‘our money’, but really… that’s just not the point of it.

By now, I’m starting to lose my cool.  I don’t really know why, other than I JUST PURCHASED MY OWN CHRISTMAS PRESENT.  But, Rob is on a mission and now it’s on to Wal-Mart.  This is where I start to get my groove back.  Rob almost misses the turn into Wal-Mart and I’m like TURN!!!  He’s like “Well, why is the sign way up there for?”  I immediately burst out w/ “SILENCE!!! I KEEL YOU.”  If you haven’t heard this phrase, you need to You Tube Jeff Dunham and Achmed.  It’s “Ach (phlegm) med.”  You really got to get your throat into it.  Imagine, deep & throaty “SILENCE, I KEEL YOU.”  Well, that was me.  The first time.  Rob bursts out laughing, b/c let’s face it… I don’t have a deep & throaty voice.  But, Rob does an excellent imitation.  It’s hilarious.  So, he responds “Silence.  I keel you.”  That’s us going into Wal-Mart.  We pick up the stamps and head back home. I almost want to tell the Cashier "SILENCE.  I KEEL YOU."  But I contain myself.

No more Usher and OMG.  On to SILENCE!!  I KEEL YOU!!  Each trying to best the other.  For those of you who know me… I can do a pretty hilarious British accent… So, now it’s a deep & throaty, British “I KEEL YOU!!!”  Rob can’t compete w/ that one.  Nope.  I rule.

So, now… we are back.  Replaced the jeans w/ pajama pants and my house-shoes.  Watching the recorded Sing-Off.  It’s kind of amazing.  These people harmonize all together (I don’t even know what that means), but there are no instruments and they make up all the background noise and sing these old songs.  For instance, a group of black men are currently singing Backstreet Boy’s “I Want It That Away.”  It’s quite impressive.  Seriously.  Check it out. Anyways...  Rob is Googling (why doesn’t spell check recognize Googling??-- they should know it’s a verb by now) the meteor shower and we’ll go to bed soon.  9:30 EVERY NIGHT!  J

SILENCE!  I KEEL YOU!!!

The Perils of Christmas Tree Decorating!

Two years ago I bought my first tree.  It was 6’5 feet tall and cost me $35, pre-lit.  I got it from Wal-Mart.  I then picked up some ornaments that cost me $5 for 12 ornaments.  I picked up four of those.  Then, I decided I needed some garland to go around the tree… so I picked up a paper chain.  All from Wal-Mart.

Yes, I bought a paper chain.  If you can’t remember what a paper chain is… think back to elementary school.  You would cut strips of paper out and glue them in circles to make a paper chain.  The typical colors were red & green.  You enjoyed as school kid, so why not enjoy it now.  I however, decided to create my own… well… I’m this working girl now so I can pay some poor kid to make it for me.  Or in this case, it was probably an adult in China that I paid .12 cents to make paper chain.  But, in either case, I hung it on my tree.

Then, I bought a tree skirt.  However, I was really surprised at how expense most tree skirts are.  In retrospect, I bought a really expensive one that I wish I hadn’t bought… but, in my defense, I thought it was part of the $20 tree skirts.  I found out later that it was in the $40 tree skirt section. 

So, that was year one.  $ Ornaments > $ of Tree.  Hhmmm…..

$35 tree

$20 ornaments

$40 tree skirt

$15 paper chain

$110 total costs to decorate tree    

Well year two rolled around.  I got married.  But we kept the tree!!  But, I decided to go with something a bit different.  Those $20 ornaments were no longer good enough and I threw away the paper chain (my thoughts the year before, well, were it was cheap enough to buy again if I wanted it again). 

This time around, Rob and I went shopping together… and we went to Garden Ridge.  Hmmph Wal-Mart--- hello Garden Ridge!!!!  Umm, that place is slightly ridiculous.  And my husband went crazy.  God, I love him.  He just kind of took over and started dropping things in the basket.  We bought new garland for the tree, this type these silver bead things.  (Side note:  we neglected to buy enough & had to wrap the tree twice before we were clever enough to get it all the way to the top).  We bought pink, green, blue, gold, and silver ornaments of various sizes and variety.  Our rule was, just buy two of you know… everything.  HA! Oh, and we didn’t replace the tree skirt.  That was $40 bucks you know.

So, that was year two.  $ Ornaments > $ of Tree

$35 tree spent in year 1

$75 on ornaments spent in year 1

$150 on ornaments spent in year 2

Yes… let’s not forget the important thing here people…. $35 tree!!!

So, now we are onto year three: the current year.  Last weekend we put up our tree.  However, I knew we had enough ornaments.  And Dave (our Budget Nazi-- also known as Dave Ramsey--keeping us financially sound, so I can’t really talk bad about him, hehe).  But, this year…  I decided I need to up it up a notch.  I decided to try the whole mesh thing.  I found some at the Houston Nutcracker Market--- which is kind of like this huge craft fair type place--- I bought the color purple to go with my multi-color tree. 

And then, I bought this red & green color mesh on a separate roll….for a separate tree garland that I decided I would buy.  Note… I bought the decorations prior to the garland.  WHOOPS!

Our only problem…. We had no idea how to get it on the tree. Or the garland.  Yes, we did go and buy the garland from Garden Ridge.  We also picked up more silver bead garland for the tree (I had not forgotten our problem from last year!)  We looked at several trees online, called my mother-in-law… but I was too afraid.

My brave Robert took that mesh and just started going with it.  It was AMAZING!!!  He got it going and then it just took off.  I had to ask, “can I do some?”  He did the first mesh section on the tree.  Got me started on the second and I finished it up.  We even did all this while watching the

Mississippi St.

game that went into over time.

Once we put up all the ornaments on the tree (w/ NO new ones), I decided to start on the garland.  We bought cheap garland.. had to string lights on it first.  I couldn’t find twinkling lights like I wanted, but Rob said he could fix that.  He traded some “regular” light bulbs for “twinkling” light bulbs.  The only problem.  It didn’t really make them twinkle.  Instead, they blinked.  On, Off.  On, Off.

I decided to do the mesh myself on the garland this time.  I did the red & green mesh on my garland.  I started off real well, but the middle and the end didn’t look so great.  By this time it’s double overtime in the Arkansas game and getting late at night and I’m so over this Christmas decorating.  I just leave it alone and give it my immediate approval and then… GUESS…. I use the Wal-Mart ornaments I bought two years ago! YES!!!  They finally get used again!!!

THEN… The game ends (HOGS WIN!!!) and we try to hang up the garland on the lower section of our entertainment center.  Only problem… it won’t stay up there w/o some assistance. So, I decide that we MUST make a quick run to Kroger (never going to Wal-Mart at ten at night in Houston) to get the command hooks to hang up the garland.  At like 10:00 at night.  My ever supporting husband accompanies me and we get the hooks.

We hang up the garland and then head on off to bed.  As you can see here… we don’t do too much at night.  This Christmas tree decorating was the highlight of our weekend!!

The final result
P.S.  I did buy an Angel for the top, but she was
to big for my tiny tree and wouldn't stand up. So
she sits on a bookcase instead.

Then a few days later, I just can’t stand looking at the “On. Off.  On.  Off” lights.  Neither can I stand how my mesh looks on my garland.  I make some “quick fixes.”  Wrapped a couple of limbs (one of those “sticky out things”) around various areas of my mesh to make it look better.  I wish I had the patience to just start things over instead of “quick fixes.”  But I just don’t.  It does look better now.  Rob turned off my “blinking” lights and now they just stay on.  Phew.  I think every time they blinked, I blinked and they just mostly seemed off.  HAHA… Ok, small joke.  Probably not funny.

[I would insert the garland here, but it's not that great, so you aren't missing out]

To break down this down in dollars:

$35 tree spent in year 1

$75 on ornaments spent in year 1

$150 on ornaments spent in year 2

$24 on mesh spent in year 3

How is that I just keep adding to my $35 tree??  I can only think of the day that I buy a really nice, tall Christmas tree.  If I can outspend my tree by three to one w/ a $35 tree… imagine what it will be w/ a more expensive tree?  Hhmm.. I’ll save that for maybe next year.  J

Anyways, that was the perils of my Christmas tree decorating.

Us in front of the tree!  We had to kneel.. or else it loked like crazy stuff
was coming out of our heads!

On a random side note:  I took this picture after my Company's Christmas party.  This in a really nice neighborhood really close to our apartment.  It's the kind of house I can only dream of living in.  But the outside all decorated is beautiful. 

This is the only part that I could fit in my camera frame.  The whole
house is dressed like this.

Hmm.. if I can triple the price of my tree... I wonder what I will do when I have the outside of a house to decorate... we'll save that one for another day!