Setting up the @#$% tree

Monday, Russ set the tree up and we were all supposed to decorate it for FHE. I heard a few choice words while he was putting up the tree but I didn't realize what a mess it was until tonight (when the kids and I were trying to take it down).

See Russell's grumpy face 

Earlier tonight, Torri came over to finally help me decorate the house and the tree. However, when she plugged the tree in, 50% of the lights didn't work. Torri, Jordan and Weston decided they didn't like that tree anyway and they decide to take it apart and set-up our other OLDER tree. The problem is...they couldn't get the first one apart and the older tree takes hours to put together and is NOT pre-lit (What? Not pre-lit...is this 1980)?  The kids worked and worked to get the older tree put together. We wondered if it would just be easier to go buy a fresh tree. If we lived somewhere that we could actually cut down a fresh tree than we might have chosen that option but we live in the desert...no fresh trees...and NO TREES period!

Setting up the tree is ALWAYS Russell's job. I do the shopping, baking and decorating. The family usually puts a few ornaments on the tree. This is the way it has always been. After tonight, I now have a new appreciation for setting-up these darn fake trees now. Trust me, I will be hitting the after Christmas sales to buy a NEW pre-lit tree for Russ. Call me crazy or whatever but I need to do my guy a favor.

The kids trying to put the pieces together

There are 1,000 pieces

This is how we all felt tonight

It took several hours but the kids finally got the other tree put up and most of the lights put on. Russ will have to finish the lights the kids and I couldn't reach. I'm not sure how happy he will be about having to take the other tree back down either (he's at work and he doesn't know we are throwing his tree OUT). My house is a complete MESS with two trees in my living room and boxes of decorations everywhere. We can't get to the front door so I'm hoping Russ goes through the garage when he comes home.

TWO Christmas trees

Torri did get a few presents wrapped for me

Thankfully, Torri is coming back to help me again tomorrow

Is it just me or did 2010 fly by? I am in complete denial that it is December 1st. I feel like Fall just started...I need a few more months to adjust to Christmas coming.  I have been playing Christmas music for 2 weeks and watching Christmas movies but I just need time to stand still for a minute. I need a minute to process everything going on around me. There are important things I need to concentrate on right now but I want this month to go slow so I can savor every minute of it.