O Christmas Tree...O Christmas Tree....

I just realized that I wrote this way back in December, but never published it!  Oops!  
Well here you go... here is the Christmas tree story of 2015.

Yesterday I told you the story of the year our fully decorated Christmas tree fell over.  Today I have another story to tell, this was the year the tree HAD to GO.

I'm going to rewind a little, to December 2014.  For years we had purchased our Christmas trees through a local seller.  Unfortunately this gentleman's property was seized via eminent domain.  Basically the government forced the owners to move off of their property (they were paid) so a new freeway could be paved in its spot.  Since they were gone, we were left looking for a place to purchase our perfect Christmas tree.

I recalled a friend of mine raving about her Christmas trees throughout the years.  She would tell me how good they smelt, how full and pretty they were, how they lasted from Thanksgiving until well after Christmas had passed.  Where did she buy these wonderful trees?  Costco.

Of course!  Costco has everything!  So, in December of 2014, we purchased our first tree from Costco.  She was right, the tree was pretty, tall and full.  It had a great pine scent that permeated the living room and its branches stayed soft and flexible through the new year until alas, we took it down.

(Action and Smiley decorating the Christmas Tree in Dec. 2014)

So this year, we decided to go to Costco again to find our perfect Christmas tree.
Hubby had time over his lunch to help us find and load up the tree.  We climbed into the car (2 of them actually ~ needed room for the tree, you know!)  We purchased our tree inside the store, then drove around back to pick it out.  They had just received a new shipment of trees.  They were all bound up in netting so we chose mainly by height and whether or not it looked straight.

The tree was loaded up and we headed for home.  When we got home, hubby cut a few inches off of the base of the trunk, put it in the tree stand, brought it into the house, gave it some water and cut off the netting.  We made sure it was straight and he went back to work and I began decorating in a different area of the house.

About 30 minutes later, my son yelled,  "Mom!  A worm just fell out of the tree!"

And that it did.  I worm about 2 inches long and the width of a piece of spaghetti was squirming around on my hardwood floor.  I swiped it up and went back to decorating, only to be interrupted with another shout out about another bug.

I started by picking up one slug....and then another would fall.....soon I would see another wriggling on my floor.....5...10....

My hubby and I took the tree outside.  Gave it a good shaking and brought it back in.

11.....12....13....

NO WAY this tree was staying in my house!

We took it outside not quite knowing what to do with it.

After talking to my dad, we decided we would try to return the tree to Costco (I've been told they take everything back).

We carried the tree to the driveway, removed the stand and shoved it into the vehicle.  My 11 year old and 7 year old jumped into their seats.  They looked at each other, then down at the tree trunk that had been pushed into the vehicle between them and noticed the 5 slugs stuck to the bottom of the trunk.  They jumped right back out of the car and told hubby and I we were on our own to return this one and find a new tree.

(dark + driving = a blurry picture)

We returned it at Costco ~ the employees were a bit shocked at our story ~ we were given our money back, no questions asked.  They didn't even ask us if we wanted to simply exchange it.  Which was wise, because we wouldn't have.

Then we went across the parking lot and found a nice little tree at Lowes.  It was smaller and a little more expensive, but it was bug FREE!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches!

As Wil Smith says....

It's Summer Summer Summertime!

We've been savoring the days although they have been flying by.  Thankfully my kids don't go back to school until after labor day so we still have a few more weeks to create some more summer memories!  

Here is what we've been up to ~ in pictures:

Dance Party

By no means are these pictures of high quality.
The lighting is bad.  The composition is bad.
Just so you understand, they will not be entered into any photo competitions, but they will be entered into my memory and hopefully into Smiley's memory, forever.  Because, this is us.  This is what we like to do.  We dance, and we play.  And like these pictures.  We aren't professionals, but we do have fun!

A bit of jumping, twirling and grooving.....

And lots of laughing and smiling!

Enjoy your day friends, and don't forget to get in front of the camera and capture some fabulous everyday moments with your loved ones so they can see and enjoy those memories over and over.

Finally ~ a Christmas Review... in pictures

Smiley, our goofy girl, who truly does makes us smile :)

Christmas Morning

Snow Tubing

Back to the 80's ~ Crimper Style

And,

Welcoming 2013 ~ in High Fashion

Baking with my Girls

The before school bickering.
The endless questions.
The interrupting.
The whining.

Oh, but.....

The love.
The smiles.
The joy.
The carefreeness.
The easy laughter.
The snuggles.

These are the things I have been thinking about lately.  Especially when the top four seem so prevalent some days.  Because my kids are still on this earth.  Still here with me, while so many parents and families are unable to say the same.

Like all of you out there, my mind has been reeling and my heart breaking over and over and over again the past few days.  Why, why, why...........  The tears have come and come some more.  We will never understand ~ what, why or how.  We will never understand the depth of pain too many families are feeling right now.  And all I know to do is to pray.   I am praying hard ~ and I am loving and holding and cherishing every minute.

As I wrapped presents today, I thought of the many that will go unopened.
As I baked cookies with my girls, I prayed for the families who won't hear the laughter and "sprinkle" debates fill the air of their kitchens.  Noises that should be there.  But are not.

And while I feel so much sadness, I am reminded in Matthew 24:36

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, 

but only the Father." 

So I will continue to pray.  Pray for those families who lost their "babies"their son's and daughters, the staff and teachers, they are daughters, girlfriends, mothers,  wives and so much more to so many.  But that is not where my prayers will end ~ there are so many who hurt, who need, who are lost, hungry, abused, and forsaken.  Many who need forgiveness and love.  But there is also so, so much to be thankful for ~ for people ~ for things ~ for words and actions.

And I will continue to love ~ love those I randomly encounter throughout the day (a bag of chocolates for the mail man, a door held for a stranger, a smile, a compliment) and especially for the family I have.  The ones who are always on my mind and completely in my heart.

And we will continue to love, laugh, learn and make memories.  As we did tonight.

Friday Funnies

Here are a couple of the things that made me giggle this week ~

The other night  I made a new recipe for dinner.  It was some mexican casserole dish I found on Pinterest.  We said "grace" and began to eat.  This little girl:

Looked at me quite seriously and replied, "It's ok Mom, but it's kind of insipid."

Ummmmm WHAT?!  Little 6th grade smarty pants :)

Second giggle of the week.

Yesterday at preschool, each student was individually asked what they were thankful for.  Many children replied with the names of siblings or simply Mom, Dad or brothers, etc.  My lovely 4 year old daughter

Said she was thankful for "dress up"

Nice.

What made you laugh this week?

Me... embracing

Embrace the camera (definition) stepping out from behind the camera and getting in front of it so your family will remember you and all of the time you spent together.

In Emily's words :

"One day, we won't be around.

Do we really just want to be a distant memory?  Or do we want pictures to remind our loved ones of what we once were.

Regardless of how we look or feel, I promise that they will treasure those photos one day.

They will not think "man, my mom was ---(insert horrible adjective that you use to describe yourself)."

They will love the photos.

I promise."

I've not been very good lately at posting this pictures.  It's not that I haven't been living in the moment with my kids and embracing those moments we have together when we are not running here or there.  I have.  So here I am embracing.....

Hot tubbing with my girls at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Pheasant hunting ~ don't we look fabulous in blaze orange?

(click here to see more hunting pictures and get a yummy recipe)

And election day.  Me after casting my vote.

Have you been embracing the camera?

No time for anything except.... Family and Friends

Our weekend was busy, but was wonderful.
Friday night started off with dinner at our friends house.  The kids played, the adults conversed it was a great relaxing evening.

Saturday was state tournament day for Sassy.  They lost their first game.  Won their second game and lost their third.  The game they won was a great game.  Their defense was on, their bats were swinging.  All systems were a go!  The game was tied, and they won by stealing home.  Sassy had great hits all day long and made some awesome plays.

After the tournament, we headed to a friends (parent's of one of Sassy's teammates) house for a impromptu team get together.  Another fun night, conversation, cocktails, laughs and a couple intense games of shuffleboard ;)

Sunday, off to a gorgeous lake home.  Many of the girls from Sassy's softball team were there as well as their families.  We dove right into fun and relaxation.

 It was a beautiful day spent on the lake.

Needless to say, after such a fun/busy weekend (including sleepovers for both Sassy and Action) the kids were wiped out :)

Action's baseball season and Sassy's softball season have come to an end.  This means we have a few weeks of nothing (nothing scheduled anyway).  No rushing here or there in the evenings and weekends.  I am looking forward to relaxing evenings, long family bike rides and whatever else comes up.