TToT – Decking the Halls
Want to know what I really hate?
I hate how crowded the house feels when it’s decorated for the holidays.
I know, bah humbug. But it really always does and that makes me feel like the holidays are somehow…oppressive, no matter how enjoyable. But not this time!
With the new hardwood floors in place this year, the house feels less cramped overall (who knew carpet was so much of a space hog) and the house feels pretty open so far. I’m very happy about that. We are trying a new location for the tree this year, too, so we’ll see how that works.
![20141206_135328[1]](http://www.themeaningofme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/20141206_1353281-e1417892340323.jpg)
At the moment, we are in full-on decorating mode. (Boxes everywhere!) Kidzilla wants to steamroll through every single thing like gangbusters. Her parents simply don’t have that kind of stamina. So we’ve come to a pretty fair meeting of the minds on how much we will rush through the process. (Hint: we won’t.)
I understand her enthusiasm. In fact, I am thankful for her enthusiasm – it’s so contagious! In fact, I feel more Christmas spirit-y than I have in years. I suppose that could be due to so many factors this year. I still insist on no decorating or Christmas music until Thanksgiving weekend has received its full and due attention. I like to enjoy Thanksgiving as its own thing, despite my Husband’s opinion on the whole thing, and not as the gear-up for Christmas. I do not judge anyone who does it differently – this is just my thing.
That said, Kidzilla waited less-than-patiently for me to lift the ban and put on the Christmas music, but on December first, we cranked it up. I am frankly surprised it hasn’t worn thin already. Zilla sings Christmas songs non-stop. And by non-stop I mean con-stant-ly. But you know what? It’s OK. And I find myself singing along, which is really not me at all. My particular favorite is her rendition of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in which she shouts one word at the top of her lungs when we get to the line, “…voices singing, let’s be jolly, DECK the halls with boughs of holly…” Cracks me up every time.
I’m thankful for simple joys. And coffee. I like to grab a coffee when I do the grocery shopping, especially when I’m alone. It’s just a little treat for me. Friday morning, I went for the candy cane latte. I was not expecting the top to look like this…
![20141205_085049[1]](http://www.themeaningofme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/20141205_0850491-e1417892028902.jpg)
I thought it was so fun and festive that I let out a little “Ooh so cute!” right there in the produce section. Yes it was as delicious as it looks! And yes, I intend to have another one next week.
On Friday night we put up the tree and hung some of our ornaments. I’m thankful none were broken, given the combination of Zilla’s excitement and the hard floors. They are representative of people and events in our lives that are so precious. Sure, they are things and can be replaced. But still, they are of great sentimental value. We ordered pizza because trying to put on a full meal AND put up the tree was not going to happen so I’m thankful for our favorite pizza place and their delivery guy.
The Rotten Cats are thankful that the tree is up because they have their kitty cave back again. The minute the tree is upright, all three cats head underneath.
![20141206_142748[1]](http://www.themeaningofme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/20141206_1427481.jpg)
I am very grateful that my Daughter and I have established a pattern of chatting at bath/bedtime at night. I can’t tell you how many things I have learned from and about this child while sitting on the closed toilet lid supervising her bath or drying her hair or sitting on her bed at reading time. I think I have a whole separate post brewing about last night’s chat, so I’ll just be glad we do this and pray that these bedtime chats will continue long into the future when those really scary moments in the process of growing up start to show up.
I think I failed to include it anywhere at the time, but I am thankful that the Hub and Zilla got to build a snowman together last weekend. Somehow, neither one of them had ever actually built one. I was floored. So while he turned out to be a bit more of a snow lump, it was still great. You can almost see the lump with arms in front of the Fab Hub’s feet.
![20141129_123808[1]](http://www.themeaningofme.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/20141129_1238081.jpg)
I am glad my hair stylist was able to fit me in with absolutely no notice to fix my most recent haircut. Somehow, when I went two weeks ago, we decided it would be a good idea to cut it for a center part, despite the fact that my hair has always and forever parted on one side. It was clearly a bad choice because my hair has not been quite right since that cut. Not only did she fit me in right away, but she did not charge me for the fix-cut. She’s getting a mighty big tip when Zilla goes for her haircut next week!
What have been your moments of gladness and thankfulness this week? You know the drill…share ’em or link ’em!
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Your drink IS cute! I like treats when I grocery shop, too, though you get a Wegman’s and I do not.
How in the world did FabHub make it to adulthood without ever having made a snowman? I grew up in TX, and I’d made several.
Yes, but you have a Trader Joe’s and I do not. So there’s that. I understand we are getting a Whole Foods here…I’m more than a little excited about that.
I have no idea how the man never made a snowman. He will have to weigh in on that one.
Not in TX, though.
Haha – I would think not! 😀
That coffee does look good.
I am actually kinda with you on the decorations. I like the change at first but I normally get fet up with it prior to it being time to take it down. WHICH was not always the case. Previously I have left a tree up until March….yes it was mostly dead and bare.. I was lazy.
Great on the haircut.
I find the putting up decorations long and tedious…we finally have the tree decorated and my Daughter wanted to move right on to Nativities. Need a break!
I find that if we don’t take the tree down right after Epiphany passes, it will stay for a long time until it is most unwelcome. When I was single and had my first tiny tree in my first tiny apartment…it was up until June. I kid you not. I just never quite got around to taking it down. Of course, I was also working full time and going to school full time on an overload, so time was at a premium! Thank goodness it was artificial!
I’m glad your hair-cut got fixed, Lisa! Dealing with a cut that just doesn’t work right is a pain! I’m somewhat jealous of the snow you already have. We’ve got some flurries with white roofs on the morning, but that was it so far! I’m looking forward to putting up the tree next week. Our friends got a most beautiful tree at a local farmer yesterday, and we’re going to get ours at the same place. Even though the trees are less expensive at the large stores, our money will stay local and their trees are beyond beautiful. No idea yet where the tree will stand, but I’m excited already 🙂 Enjoy your weekend, Lisa!
Our snow was lovely – the first snow always is. It’s pretty much gone now. Today is damp and rainy, but that’s OK, too. I love a good rainy day. On a cold one like today when I can stay inside, it’s just fine by me! 🙂
I always love buying local – can’t wait to see pictures of the tree!
excellent photo of the cat under the tree… Phyllis is the one, in our house, in charge of the decorations and tree and cards….and, guess pretty much everything Christmas! lol
snow looks great….through windows and/or standing on the deck near where it’s warm!
That is by far not the best cat under tree photo we have – there is one from previous years where the lights are perfectly twinkling and whichever cat got caught on film (they’re all black so who knows) is looking into the light. Very cute.
I quite enjoy snow…from a very warm distance!
Your tree is beautiful Lisa. And I like the new floor.
So glad you are not feeling holiday “oppression” and enjoying the feeling of open space. Funny how subtle, and not so subtle decorating choices/decisions can change the feel of a room.
Here’s to 24/7 Christmas music!
Thanks! I like our tree quite a bit. It is probably too big for the house we have but when we bought it we got it for like 80% off and it’s a great quality. So I’ll deal with the overcrowding, I guess. But I think this new location may be just the thing.
AW!!! I just love reading all you thankfuls and ‘catching up’ on all your decorating and snowman building (bty- I would have been the one inside taking the pic too! LOL)
I love the excitement Zilla has and oh, do I know it!!! Mine are both on FIRE for it all.
Glad you had that puscious looking coffee and got your hair fixed too sweetie!!
(Cass was sick- asthma triggered- pretty bad but has been much worse (grateful) and after lots of breathing treatments and steroids two weeks later, finally coming around)
Are we FB friends? We MUST be!!! I don’t think I know your last name…. FIND ME!!! :).
Oh poor Cass! That asthma thing is no good – that’s what put me out of commission back in September and October. Glad she’s starting to come around.
We are not FB friends because I am not on FB. I’m thinking about it. If I do, I’ll stalk you out! 😀
Hooray for a good week! The kids and I put up our tree a couple weekends ago. Well, they put it up while I supervised. Christmas is for them, so I let them decorate how they want to.
Your drink reminds me that I need to get out to Starbucks and get me a PSL.
We do a bit of both – we let Kidzilla do her special ornaments the way she likes and pretty much most of the rest. But I have a handful I like in a particular spot on the tree – some about tradition, some about not wanting them to get inadvertently knocked off.
By this time of year I am kind of pumpkin-ed out (not entirely) so I switched to that candy cane latte. Fun. And DD has a sugar cookie latte that I just may try.
I’m not a delighted decorator either, Lisa. But once we make the effort, I thoroughly enjoy the lighthouse ornament collection my husband bought over a 10-year period. Most years we string them across the fireplace mantel. I am grateful for a coffee/dessert invite we received today at church from people we have been wanting to get together with and a spontaneous breakfast out after church with friends we don’t see often. Love the mist and fog that creates a different beauty in my world and how it stimulates a different type of writing. Not enough room for the rest of the thankful moments, but I welcome the opportunity here to focus on them!
Yup, it’s the process that is kind of a drag, although not entirely. I do enjoy unwrapping the ornaments and remembering where they came from, why we got them, etc. I definitely enjoy the whole thing once it’s finished, though. There is something about sitting in low light with the tree lit and the Christmas tunes playing softly on a winter’s eve…
I don’t notice the “oppression” of Christmas decorating, but I do notice how empty the house feels once the tree is down and the decorations put away!
My husband is the one with the ban on Christmas music until after Thanksgiving–although he has made exceptions for me when I’ve needed to practice choir music! I’m more like your daughter: all Christmas music, all the time!
I definitely feel fat less of that this year. I think the hard floors and new tree spot work.
Choir music is definitely an exception!
My cats love lying under the tree too so the tree skirt has to be washed every year before putting it away. This year with an energetic one yr old shepherd in the house who loves to play with those same cats I’m probably not going to put out my most favorite ornaments.
My Mom had a shepherd with a very enthusiastic tail. Definitely put your favorite ornaments above tail height!
The tree looks fab! I also wait until after Thanksgiving to start my Christmas decorating but I look forward to it every year, and my cat also loves to set up camp ‘neath the tree. I just love the tingly Christmas spirit feeling! That candy cane latte looks AH – mazing. I find that bedtime is always the time my daughter opens up and talks about anything that’s on her mind, good or bad. She is still doing it at 10 and the subject matter is more adult now. I hope it continues through the teen years, too. Wishing you and your family a wonderful week!
What is it with cats and trees? I suppose it’s pretty and cozy under there. I’d probably take a nap there, too, if I could. Since we don’t have carpet this year, we gave them a nice cushy quilt under there to curl up on – partly for them, partly to protect the floor from the bottom of the tree stand.
We’re happy with the tree – and that photo was not even halfway there! All the ornaments are on now. Once we get the burned-out lights fixed and the final touches on, we’ll be all set!
Those bedtime chats are so important, I think – glad these girls are doing it.
Have a great week, Jen! Oh, and the latte was quite good. Now, the sugar cookie latte I tried from DD yesterday? Not so much.
What is it about kitties and the spot under the tree? Our three are so blissfully happy under the trees right now. Silly kitties. 🙂
Around here, I suspect it’s because it’s the one place Kidzilla can’t quite get to them.
Where does one get a candy cane latte? I’m in. I love that you took the photo of your husband and daughter and Lumpy the Snowperson from up on the deck. I’m imagining you sitting at the window or slider with a big smile on your face and warm and cozy until you stepped outside to take the shot. Enjoy the Christmas season. The excitement of Kidzilla IS contagious. DECK the halls!
That particular latte came from the coffee shop at our local supermarket. I’m sure you can get one at any number of coffee places at this time of year.
Yes, that’s about how the photo happened! They went out to do their thing and I watched from the big window in the dining room. And yes, it was mighty cold out on the deck! 😀
Oh that drink IS cute!
Yesterday I had to chase the cat out of the tree twice. I hope it will hold until January.
Cute and delicious! And I don’t even really like candy canes…go figure.
Despite how our cats love the cave beneath the tree, none of them has ever tried to climb it. Good luck!
I know exactly what you mean about decorating for the holidays. I have a love/hate relationship with it. For me, I wouldn’t mind if we didn’t decorate at all. I’d rather just not have to deal with it. My wife is the one who insists on it. But then, after it’s all up, I have to admit that it looks pretty good. My wife knows me too well and can tell that I’ll actually like it once it’s all up.
That’s the truth, Steve – worth it once it’s done. The year we got married (right after Christmas) and the year Kidzilla was born, we didn’t do very much at all. I’m pretty happy with how the tree looks this year – Kidzilla’s excitement is catching!
You seem to be feeling better. That has to help add to the Christmas spirit. It sounds like things are going really well with your family. What a blessing.
I’ve never built a snowman either! I guess that goes with being a Southern California kid. I have been in snowball fights. I don’t think that counts!
We are all feeling better, Tammy, and the Christmas Spirit is definitely thriving here! Kidzilla is SO into Christmas this year – more than ever, it seems. We’re having a wonderful time!
I think it makes sense if you grew up in California and never built a snowman. But my Hub? Grew up in Pennsylvania and went to college in Boston. How did he never get out in the snow and make a snowman???