Oh Christmas Tree, Oh! Christmas Tree

Setting up the Christmas Tree has not been picture perfect this year. In fact it has been an adventure that all started about a week ago. As soon as Thanksgiving was over the kids were begging to put up the tree. So when Sunday rolled around and we had nothing to do and got out the tree and told the kids they could decorate after I put the lights on. So I started plugging them in to see if any of them were burnt out and sure enough I only had about 3 strands that worked. I got the lights at Roberts Craft nearly Ten years ago and every year a set would go out and I would have to go out and buy another. They are pretty unique I had never seen anything like them and so I thought it was worth it to go back again this year to replace them again. I told the kids sorry they would have to wait until tomorrow for family night to decorate. Early Monday morning I got the kids off to school and bundled up the little girls to take them out with me to buy more lights. I only had about 1 hour in the morning to get them since the store opens at 10:oo am and I would have to pick up Audrie from Kindergarten at 11:00 and then get the kids home for lunch and naps. Well I had to go to plan B when I learned that Roberts Craft no longer carries lights. So I decided that generic white lights from walmart would do just fine but I would not be able to get out again until after naps and by then it would be time for Paige and Reed to get home from School. This meant I would have to take all 5 kids to walmart that afternoon and as you all know I really don't like to do shopping with all the kids. I always pay for it when I do, but I did promise the kids they could decorate the tree that night so I gave myself a pep talk and was ready to take on the task. Our shopping trip started out just fine until I decided to go to the grocery section and get a few food items. This is where it all fell apart. Everyone was hungry and whining about how they didn't get an after school snack. So they started begging me to buy all kinds of treats. I tried to be patient with them but I told them before we got there that I was not buying them anything and that we would hurry and get home for snacks. I was determined to stick to my guns on this one, but things only got worse. The line was long and Meridee wanted to look at some dolls on an end cap. So I asked Paige to watch her. When I got to the front of the line I called the kids to come and help me put all the items up on the conveyor belt. They all came except for Meridee. Paige didn't know where she was and I was still arguing with kids about buying candy and treats. I told the checker I was missing a kid but he just looked at me and didn't offer to make an announcement or anything. I was extremely frustrated and beginning to loose it. Luckily the lady behind me said she would watch the kids while I took a quick walk to find her. After looking for a few minutes I was getting worried and went back. Finally the checker suggested that he could make an announcement. Finally! Thank You! I went off again for one more quick look and sure enough here she comes. Anyway long story short. I left in tears and kicking myself for bringing all of them when I knew it was a bad idea to begin with. Okay, so back to the tree. We pulled out the lights and I plugged them all in and well, what I thought was white lights were really blue and For my red and white themed tree it just was not going to look good. So I convinced the kids that we could decorate the next day after I exchanged them for white. They all agreed. Thank goodness. The next day I exchanged the lights and started to light the tree. When I was all finished I plugged it in and would you believe that 2 strands right in the middle were not working. I had to undo everything and start over again. I redid the lights and just gave up on the two that were not working. I didn't even return them because who has time for all of this right? I sure don't and I was not going to put the kids off one more time. So the tree is decorated and beautiful and for one whole day I convinced Meridee and Aida that they should not touch the tree only look at it, but that was only one day. Next thing I know Reed comes in screaming MOM!!!!! you have to see this. I could tell by his voice that it was urgent and well this is what I found:

No I didn't scream or yell. I think I was just in shock. I simply picked up Meridee and carried her to her room and told her to stay there until I came back to get her. Secretly I was screaming inside and as I cleaned up what I found brought me to tears. Underneath the tree was a very special ornament shattered into a million little pieces. This ornament was given to Danny and I from the staff at Club 33( a secret restaurant in Disneyland where we got engaged). It had the date on it and was so beautiful. We just loved putting that ornament on our tree every year and telling the kids all about it. Well that wasn't the only thing broken. The tree stand snapped off and so we have created a temporary stand for it but I still have not been able to redecorate it since we have been so busy ever since. As soon as I get it decorated again I'll post a picture so you can see the tree in all it's glory.

The Moral of the story is: BUY A PRE-LIT TREE!