the year of the real dead tree...

On one of those crazy de-junking days in mid-July our took our artificial tree to D.I. sure that it would be replaced with something taller, fuller, and pre-lit. I didn't think twice about it. I bought it when we were in college and it's seen us through quite a few seasons. Somehow up to this point, Christmas trees have not made any of my lists, priorities or shopping.

But somehow it is already December 8! I managed to find all the decor, only half of which actually found a spot in our small home. But the girls have been relentlessly bugging us about a tree. Personally this year, I could have managed o.k. without one, well, maybe not, but we do have a one year old residing with us. That didn't excite me too much. Last night Cody found one and brought it home. Today while assembling the stand and putting in up I told Noah we have a real tree this year, but he insisted it was not real, but instead dead. Wise. I guess he's right and the thought of chopping one down every year just seems silly when you can have a perfectly good fake one.

I found it impossible to string the lights or bead garland on in any graceful or organized manner, the branches poked out or were missing entirely in all the wrong places. I then surrendered to the inevitable. The kids loved it. Once I got the lights on I just let them have free reign to put whatever wherever, which isn't my style at all. I don't need a designer tree, but I have been known to hide away a few of the school made ornaments (shame-but tell me you haven't wanted to also!) (See the lovely bead wreath.) I usually rearrange some of the "ornament clumps", but nah, not this year. It's going au naturel in all of it's clumpy glory. It was a decent enough tree, there are a few spots that look as if a large animal took a bite, but it's tall and thin and fits the little space it was alloted in our living room. Sometimes it's refreshing to just let things be, perfectly imperfect. Hey, it's only a month right? And it does smell terrific!