Vivie's 7 month old photo shoot

I'm a little obsessed with my Nikon D40x camera. Best investment for my kids, handsdown! At least for Vivs. 'Picture Day' is a little insane....I transform whatever room has the best natural lighting at the time and go to town creating my backdrop. Curt was laughing as I hung the black fabric from a lamp and draped it over a chair then shoved her car seat underneath it all for the set. Beats paying a couple hundred to achieve nearly the same results. I need more 'setting' ideas though..any thoughts, my photographer family/friend gurus?

I spend WAY too much time with photoshop and my camera. Case & point...today Lex & Iz came in from playing outside wearing spring tank dresses and flip flops. They think that just because it's sunny outside, it means dress for spring/summer. (It's 55 degrees outside, folks--yes, that's cold for us San Diegans)! They're whole faces extending up to their hair was sticky with candy residue and peanut butter (nice concoction). And then the dirt and whatever else their little hands touch sticks to that residue...and their little arms and faces were freezing cold! I didn't even feed them lunch...they helped themselves to breakfast leftovers and whatever they could find in the snack bin. They really looked like nobody loved them...this is what happens when I get in my 'zone' and put my nose into my computer! Good thing I have an understanding hubby with a sense of humor and neighbors who don't judge me....I guess we'll know for sure if CPS ever gets a phone call:)

ENJOY VIVIE'S LATEST PHOTOS!

Chronicals of Christmas 2007

The Reason for the Season...

Merry Christmas from The McLaughlin Clan

...And on the Santa note...

It was a scale-back, sit-back and relax kind of Christmas...the gifts the monkeys received meant a little more and didn't get thrown to the wayside. It's hard to do that sometimes with all the commercialization not to mention the kids want-lists. Usually they're small and simple, but as the kids are getting older their want-lists are becoming longer and more expensive. Monson went across the street this year to get some help composing his from his 14-year-old friend, Mackynzie. I saw it for the first time today when Santa put it back in his stocking and I laughed out loud so I thought I'd journal it on my blog. It went like this:

Dear Santa,
This year I have been a good boy! For Christmas, I would like a guitar. I would also like a BYU basketball and a sweet sweat band. I would also like it if I could get an ipod nano. I know I sound greedy, but I am only 7. And lastly, I would like it if you could bring me an ipod nano case for the ipod I want.
Love,
Monson McLaughlin

p.s. But don't forget this. I want a Shadow Hawk. I would also want a board sharks surfer. The very last thing I want is a journal. The two very last things I want is world wrestling entertainment. The very last thing I want is a transformer ultimate bumblebee. Thank you Santa for all of the toys you gave me through my hole life.

Okay, so what is a 'sweet sweat band' Didn't know they came in flavors. Or maybe he's just describing the sweat band. I have no clue what anything is in that last paragraph. Can you tell that his 'p.s' was done on his own and not with the help of his 14-year-old friend?! He sure has a lot of very last things. I'm happy to say that Monson received a guitar, basketball and journal...that's pretty much it from Santa, Mom & Dad. All a 7 year old needs!

And I'd like to add, that while the kids are generally good, this last month they've been pushing all the wrong buttons and Santa could have brought a few of them coal once again---This momma isn't a push-over and a few of them came really close at times to experiencing a stocking full of coal for the 2nd time as Mom & Dad checked in with Santa & his elves!

It was nice to be with just our family, but I have to say, I did miss being with extended family members as in years past. Not living in Utah anymore means our home is no longer Grand Central Station and there is an element to that that I miss.

The kids came downstairs one by one, youngest to oldest and this is sheer anticipation-torture to the older ones (I speak from experience-we used to do the same thing). We took turns opening and we were done doing gifts in like 1/2 hour flat. The tornado that whipped through this house just stayed all day while I attempted to nap (yeah right) and the kids came and went as they played with their neighbor friends.

• Bray snapped photos all day with his handy new digital camera--I deleted some pretty nasty ones of me. I really should get out of my pj's more often.
  
• Kenz listened to my ipod all day with her boyfriend i-pillow (crazy name for her pbkids pillow that has ipod speakers).
  
• Mons fiddled with his guitar and managed to break a string already.
  
• The little girls took orders for making fake-baked meals in their new kitchen and talked on fake phones and received pedicures from big idol-sis, McKenzie.
  
• I finally did Viviana's 7-month-old photo shoot....update soon to come.
  
• We all gorged on pastries, hoot-nanny pancakes, muffins, OJ, egg nog, english toffee, peppermint bark, pecan bars and so much more.
  
• I'm adopting Allison's puzzle tradition---so it's gracing our table and keeping McKenzie, Izzie & me busy tonight.
• The boys are watching movies after eating pizza...more like a normal McLaughlin dinner! Sad, but true. It is the #1 staple in our home next to chicken dinosaurs. Yes, I'm 'that' kind of mom.

Merry Christmas to all! Can't wait for the clean up tomorrow!

The Sounds of Christmas Eve

I felt like it was a scene out of "The Best Christmas Pagaent Ever" starring our children. We're not formal dining people. I don't know a family with six little ones that really is. But once a year we attempt it and once I year I get really ticked off when after spending all day preparing a beautiful and lavish meal for my family, I hear the belch, the toot...heck, in unison...it's a regular bodily function choir at my house. If me and my five brothers were to act that way as little ones our fannies would have been kicked to high-heaven for sure! And I know Curt's would have too. Are we creating little monkeys that just don't have manners? Some would think so. We should have dressed up for Christmas Eve--that would have probably made a difference in their manners.

At one point, Izzie was dancing around the table (not on the table, yeah, I know, surprise) while Monson had his feet up on his chair stuffing a roll into his pocket (they're REALLY yummy), but hey, we don't ration things around here, so what gives? And Bray was letting out a belch so loud (thanks to the sparkling grape cider) I think we woke up the mice in the garage while my sweet McKenzie was tooting, yes, tooting!! I think for me it's just spending so much time on a meal that gets partially picked at in like 2 minutes flat and goes appreciated only by Curt...which is why I miss cooking for my extended adult family on holidays like this. It's the shouts of "we want chicken dinos and pb& j!" that are the worst! Or, "Mommie, can we be done yet?!"

Everyone wanted to move on to the 'good part.' That is, the Christmas Program: The Nativity Puppets and Scripture account of the birth of our Savior along with the hymns we sing. Then of course Curt reading Twas The Night Before Christmas, and opening Christmas Eve jammies and our gift exchange with each other. It's all the anticipation, and eating was a mere formality at that point. They could have skipped it and gone with cereal and life would have been just dandy...for all of us! Maybe that will be our new tradition...breakfast on Christmas Eve. Doesn't take 3 hours to prepare!

We sang together out of tune and off pitch, but I love it that our kids love our Christmas Eve program and that they really get what it's all about. How grateful I am for the humble beginnings of our dear Savior, for the simplicity of the story and message. Oh, and on a commercialized note, for NASA's Santa tracker...my kids were all over that! He had already visited the cousins in Palm Bay, Florida and Boston, Mass by the time the kids went to bed. What fun technology brings!

On a side note, I was actually proud of my kids Sunday night when we had the opportunity to be Santa's Elves and deliver good cheer and bring a sense of happiness & hope to several women on bedrest at Mary Birch Hospital, where I was 8 months ago. They were really well-behaved and so excited to cheer up these women that were in a difficult place on Christmas. That's what Christmas is about and I'm grateful that we can do simple things to get everyone involved and serve as a family. I hope they each remember what that feels like and that we can do big projects more often than just in this season.

This Little Piggy

Last night Izzie and Lexie took turns telling their version of The Little Piggies to Curt with his fingers. It went like this:

This little piggy went shopping to da store
This little piggy played in da mud
This little piggy took a bath cause he was smelly
This little piggy went to da hospital
And this little piggy went all da way ta home...waaaawaaaawaaaa (in Izzie's hillarious fake cry voice) -had to be there I guess. My girls are so funny-they keep this house a-hoppin'!

...In hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be here...

They're finally done...well almost. I've been putting off this project for 3 years now--since Lexie's 1st Christmas. Only personalized stockings for Mom, Dad, and the three oldest have adorned the fireplace --poor Lexie & Izzie! I wanted antique- looking stockings with the traditional red velvet...so 7 years ago I purchased enough fabric for 8 stockings knowing that #'s 4, 5, and 6 would come someday. I drew out the design and figured out how to put them together--lined and all. I mis-calculated and had to hunt for more fabric, trim, and ribbon this year. Each one is a little different, but not on purpose--only because I am not a perfectionist, and because I'm just not as intelligent as I used to be. Not that I ever was a genius or anything.

The bigger part is that I just feel DUMB. I'm serious. Pregnancy does something to the brain and you never regain those cells again. I've been pregnant seven times so I figure that's a lot of lost brain cells. Am I alone in this feeling of dumbness? Is that even a word??? I need to read some more books! Hopefully my lost 'smarts' transferred in-utero to my kids. I just couldn't figure out how I once-upon-a-time had put these stockings together with the fold-over cuff, the lining, etc. I literally had to take mine apart in order to put the little girls' together. It's not like they're a difficult needle-point or anything! After two days laboring on them, they're done...and I swear they weren't this difficult the first time around!

Once I put them up I just stood back in amazement. I don't know why it doesn't just sink in--I have SIX beautiful children! (and we need a new portrait, Katie!) Six plus Mom & Dad makes eight. Eight stockings on our fireplace---not room for even one more. At least I know simple math. Maybe I'm not so dumb. But I am tired. Eternally tired...or so it seems. But that's a pretty grand picture of a complete family of 8 stockings. At least it is to me. Santa has been REALLY busy this year. Hope he makes it to the McLaughlin home to fill those little labors of love!

Harbor Parade of Lights

Sunday eve we joined the SD crowds to experience the parade of lights on the boats cruising the harbor. The kids had a blast playing around with the Searles, but the lights weren't at all fantastic... Next year we'll head to Newport Beach's parade of lights for a real show! We were in good company and the kids were happy, so parents were happy...the end. And since we're not sending out a lovely Christmas card this year, this photo in front of the massive tree made of poinsettias will have to suffice. Wow, they're really all ours!

Christmas Stories

Curt has always been the 'story-teller' in the family. I have memories of him reading to Brayden while rocking him when he was a little bean at 3 days old! Most nights in December Curt will read a Christmas story to the kids. Our favorite one is "I Believe in Santa Claus." It compares Santa Claus to Christ and just gets one to think about Santa in a different light...after that, how can one NOT believe!!??!! On another note, Isabella always finds something to dance about and does her thing--- merrily. LOVE HER!

Little Christmas Treasures???

Now that half our kids are literate (that sounded bad...like they ever were illiterate?!) Let me start again. Now that most of our kids are old enough to express themselves by writing/drawing, etc. we started a new tradition this year that I HOPE will be a treasure.

Every Family Home Evening in December (starting last night) we will set aside time to write notes/thoughts to each other and place in one another's stockings. We all started writing a note/thought to Brayden. Next will be McKenzie. The kids can stick little random notes in each other's stockings throughout the week, but everyone is to receive one from each family member. No one is to peak at them or read them until Christmas morning. The main idea is that along with Santa's loot, we will all have special notes from each other to read when we open our stockings!

This way, Christmas day is filled with treasures and special thoughts...along with all the gifts. My hope is that this will help our children to think about serving and helping each other and to look outside of themselves during this 'all I want for Christmas' commercialized season. My aim is for this to bring an extra feeling of happiness, togetherness, and peace to this household that I typically refer to as organized chaos!

It will be nice to have these little treasures for years to come...if they can be civilized enough to write thoughtful notes to each other instead of expluratives that often come out of their mouths to each other! Why is it that during November & December the kids seem to test the boundaries and Mom & Dad's tolerance? Every year! Last year McKenzie & Monson got COAL in their stockings...no kidding. We'll see if we can avert that craziness this year!

Last week I HAD it with the things they were saying to each other and how they were treating one another. So, for FHE we made a LONG list of words and phrases that were being banned from our home. I won't share them on my blog because you might just think we're terrible parents (no, they weren't swear words, but when you read them all at once in a row they're pretty offensive and made me laugh out loud in bewilderment because it's amazing the things they learn to say).

Anyway, the incentive was that if they could get to Christmas Eve with only 5 offenses then they would earn a 'prized gift' that they each picked out and really wanted. Bribery? Yup. Sometimes it works. By day THREE two of the kids were out already. Any guesses? Our neighbor brought over his cool air hockey table for the kids to use and that caused 1/2 the problem. We know now that Santa isn't bringing air hockey anytime soon! I tried. Any other ideas? It's hard to be a parent to so many age groups! My fear is that my three sweet little girls will turn out demented by listening to and watching their older siblings much of the time. They're all growing up MUCH TOO FAST! Help!

Peppermint Bark, Anyone?

Peppermint bark, anyone? This has become one of my favorite Christmas treat specialties and traditions over the last few years. It's simple to make, but there are a few key things you have to do for it to set up correctly. I think it rivals Williams Sonoma's version and even comes out on top...just ask Curt & the kids who got to be my tasters tonight! And it has a better price tag for sure! A big key is to let the kids stir the chocolate, unwrap and crush the candy canes with a mallet, and the best part, lick the bowls...otherwise I will! For those that didn't come to my cookie exchange last year or the year before (my Utah buddies), here's the trusty recipe. You may just be one of the lucky recipients of a special tin full of Shay's peppermint bark this year. The assembly line has begun and this is my way of spreading some cheer this year (since I'm breaking my SIX YEAR tradition of hosting my annual Cookie Exchange (weep, weep--kind of sad for me...gotta know when to say WHEN though!) Chocolate & peppermint don't have calories or fat, right? Just checking.

Peppermint Bark

1 1/2 lbs. semi-sweet chocolate (high-quality like Ghiradelli)
1 1/4 lbs. white chocolate
1 1/2 cups crushed candy canes or peppermint candy
2 drops peppermint extract or to taste
parchment paper

Cut parchment paper to fit 12x17 jelly roll pan, place inside. Slowly melt semi-sweet chocolate in double broiler or microwave, at 30 second intervals--stir and repeat until melted and smooth. Add a few drops (to taste) of peppermint extract to the chocolate and stir until well distributed. Chill for about an hour--(very important step). Crush the candy until there's a mixture of chunky and finely crushed pieces. Once the dark chocolate is chilled, melt the white chocolate in the same manner. Add about 1 cup of peppermint candy to the mixture and combine well. Let the white chocolate cool to almost room temperature, but still fluid enough to work with. Spread evenly over the dark chocolate layer, then dust the top with the remaining candy. Chill to set. Use the blunt tip of a table knife to cut the bark into desired pieces. Store in an airtight container--in the fridge or a cool place and spread some holiday cheer!!!! Yield: lots!

Helpful Tips: I recommend Trader Joe’s Ghiradelli chocolate. For the white chocolate try the Trader Joe's white chocolate chips. All these amounts are really approximate. Sometimes I use a bit more semi-sweet chocolate, sometimes less. Do what works for you! The dark chocolate comes in ½-¾ lb. chunks...shave them with a sharp knife before placing in the microwave. The key to the layers not separating is chilling the layers completely before adding the next, and before cutting. My best batches have a mixture of regular bittersweet chocolate (Ghiradelli) and semi sweet chocolate mint wafers made by Wiltons found at Michaels Stores. I still add a few drops of peppermint extract for that extra umphhh! The mint chocolate UFO's once found at Trader Joes are the best, but no longer available--I think I cried when I learned that this year:) And don't forget to bring me some too:) Ours will run out all too soon.

Being Graceful is Overrated Anyway

It must be a rite of passage in the McLaughlin family that at some point our children MUST bang their heads so hard that they actually have an indent from whatever table, chair, stool, bed, floor, etc they hit that immediately swells to a goose egg. And there's a requirement...it HAS to be in the middle of the forehead--you know, a place that hair doesn't typically cover. It doesn't quite draw blood, but I'm sure it shakes that brain of theirs to either make them smarter and wiser or maybe lose a few brain cells? Jury is still out on that one...

Sometimes the war wound stays...forever, as in McKenzie's shiner - right smack in the middle of her otherwise beautiful forehead. I don't remember how she even got that one...probably as clumsy as her mom (aka ME) and ran into the corner of a wall or something when she was a toddler.

Brayden took a dive when he was not quite big enough to sit on his own. I decided to be the cute mom and got excited to take an Easter picture of my first baby...he was 7 months old and capable of sitting, well, sort of. I got him posed all cute on a chair, stepped away to snap the photo, and waalaa...wasn't as balanced as I thought...PLOP..head first onto the hard floor without anything to break his fall but yup, you guessed it, the middle of his noggin. Curt never forgave me for that one--GREAT Easter Pics we got that year. Luckily his wasn't as bad and went away. Now it's just comical and expected when it happens to the younger ones.

Mons spilled out of so many cars, off skateboards, playsets, tumbled down so many stairs over the years that I can't even remember where his war wounds are--I'm sure he takes the cake. In fact, if you feel the back of his head there's a bump so big you'd think it's part of his skull...nope, goose-egg that never went away.

Just the other day Mons pushed Lex (he says it was a 'hug' push..whatever that means!) and she fell smack dab into the edge of the coffee table. When she came up from the fall everyone in unison went "aaahhhhhhhh" because it was that bad. Total indent on the forehead and as we stared we could see the goose-egg form and turn colors. Pretty cool. Nothing a little motrin & DMSO can't help! Just a tidbit...growing up my gma & mom always had this handy dandy supplement called DMSO on hand. It's what is used on racing horses to help with their bruising and sore muscles...it's a little miracle thing you rub onto a bruise or a closed wound and it just heals faster and doesn't bruise as much.

And then two nights ago...Izzie decides she needed a stool for something so she began to pick up this stool that's as big as her (have I told you how strong all my girls are? they have their mommie's genes:). So she trips while carrying it and goes tumbling HARD onto the stool and yup, big 'ole shiner on the forehead! OUCH!

Luckily, we're still waiting for Vivie to declare herself!

Update: We're carryng that clutz theme over to arms, etc. Bray was playing hoops across the street yesterday...tripped over a skateboard, and landed on his wrist in the gutter. I just thought he was being a wuss when he ran home screaming and continued complaining ALL NIGHT! Curt took him to the ER thinking it could be a fracture with the throbbing pain he had still this morning. He sprained it...it's his right hand so no more violin, no writing that book report due Friday (he's boo-hooing about that one!) And no more baseball at recess & P.E.!

It's An Apron...It's A Smock...

This is what I've been up to lately...besides saving a baby mouse and making our home look festive for Christmas. I borrowed Bailey Searle's little apron and made a pattern for it...then went to work! How cute are these little apron smocks?! Of course, the lovely Isabella is modeling hers for me. And they're completely reversible so if one side gets too stained, flip it! I figure all my girls can wear them for art projects, helping in the kitchen (which they LOVE to do), and eating sloppy foods (since they won't wear bibs)

Although, they're so cute, I don't know that I want to see them get stained!!! Sometimes we just have to let things go... They're actually cute enough to wear with a tee underneath with jeans... maybe I'm on to something! I have to say though, it wasn't my idea---saw how darling and practical it was on Bailey and I also saw a similar one on mayfly.com. I kind of went all crazy with the pockets all embellished and cutesy. Now, I just have to figure out how to adapt the pattern for big people! I want one!

Meet our new live-in named MICKEY

update: I came home today & the mouse had already died...maybe it was the glass shards from the fall, or a broken rib----or a broken heart! Just kidding, but now at least I don't have to look at it and wonder what in the world we're going to do with the baby rodent!

It's no secret that with the beauty and comfort of So. Cal. also comes residents of the rodent variety aka mice. They've lived here even long before we moved in and apparently find it quite nice. We have set out traps (yes, the inhumane kind) and recently we put out bait. The whole idea is that they're supposed to nibble at the poison food and then go off to die. So the trick is finding dead mice in nooks and crannies they call home and I call MY STUFF!

Right before Vivie came home we pulled her cradle, stroller and bouncy chair out of the garage only to find that a mouse had eaten through each of these items, leaving months worth of poop along the way--embedded in my fabric. We found the culprit crushed at the bottom of the cradle. GROSS! I had to ditch these baby items and scrounge to get replacements.

Through the summer the battle of the mice not only cost me those baby items, it cost me a handbag (it was left in the garage with diapers, etc. to grab & go.) And I'm sure we've yet to find other goods the mice have adopted as their own.

This morning Curt walked outside and found a mouse scurrying about the kids toys strewn on the garage floor and chucked it into the trash just in time for the garbage truck to take him to his new home at the dump. Apparently the more humane poison doesn't work fast enough because the boogers are multiplying like rabbits and then leaving their babies to fend for themselves.

I must be a very compassionate person. This afternoon as I walked outside to take Lexie to preschool, I was stunned to see a baby mouse huddled on the driveway slowly turning in circles, but still brand new (I'm certain it was a preemie like Vivie!!!) enough that it could not open his eyes or move much. I grabbed my camera, and as I slouched to shoot the pic little Mickey cried! I do not have the heart to send this baby away to the dump so I grabbed a mason jar and he has found a new home. The only problem is Izzie & Lexie are INTENT on petting this creature.

UPS came with a huge delivery so I had them deposit the goods in the garage. The brown-uniformed guy accidentally knocked my baby mouse jar and it went splattering to the ground! I'm sure they thought I'm just a little weird housing a critter like that in a jar. I'm just sure the poor thing now has a broken rib or something--I feel SO bad! As I scooped him back off the ground, he let out more cries--I couldn't bear it! It's now in a new jar-home with little slivers of glass on its furry back and a few cheerios to nibble at.

Curt thinks I'm demented because no matter how much destruction those dumb little mice have caused, I can't bring myself to hurt this one anymore and chuck it. You'll see...when Curt gets home and sees this refugee he will take pity on it too. I know the other kids will love to see it to. And I guess I already know what mice eat---pretty much anything in my garage!

I don't know what's worse--watching the baby mouse die while trying to save it or letting it die at my own hands by leaving it in the trash can!!! Can't do it! Maybe the green poison food will find its way into the jar this afternoon---at least then it will die with a full tummy!

Things they can't do without

I was thinking about the little girls' daily routines and how there are certain things that Lexie & Izzie must have for their world to seem right...or we have a battle on our hands! I started to list those things for all the kids.

So I asked each of them to see if I was right-on. I was....except for they began with naming the gospel, prayer, Christ, & Book of Mormon, health, family, etc. I had to bring them DOWN to the light-hearted matters....I was so thankful for that! It was one of those moments when I felt as if we just may be succeeding as parents of six! That feeling quickly ended when an argument broke out and one of the kids 'stabbed' the other with a freshly sharpened pencil...nice!

This is not meant to be a Thanksgiving post--just a window into the 'things' that make our 'worlds' seem right---(the spiritual and weightier matters are all givens for each of us... duh!!)

as I locate pictures on my hard drive I'll add them to the post! Like anyone cared anyway! This is really for my 'blog book' that I will eventually make...

Curt

• armchair
  
• HDTV
• helmet collection
• diet coke plus (it has vitamins I'm told)
• church books

Shay

• family
• computer/internet
• camera
• project of some sort

Brayden

• football jerseys (namely BYU, Pats, & Notre Dame...they double as a trusty nightshirt too!)
• computer to check the scores
• ipod
  

Mckenzie

• friends to play with
• Rachel
  
• Kayla
  
• High School Musical
  • 

Monson

• blankie
• hoops
• Dunya
  

Lexie

• chocolate milk (carnation instant b-fast)
• sleeping beauty polly pocket
• blankie
• Being rocked by Mommie
• all princess movies

Izzie

• paci (which is causing buck teeth--joys..we've cut the ends off 2 of hers only for her to keep 'adopting' Vivie's pacifiers).
• blankie(s) x 3
• chocolate milk
• dancing
• Caillou, Little Bear, Dora--at least once a day

Vivie

• thumb
• mommie
• bottle

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

This year our smell of Christmas will have to come from my "Christmas Memories" scented candle and the 'live' wreath that will eventually adorn our front door! Picking out and purchasing a Christmas tree in San Diego just isn't the same as in Utah. No signs of falling snow that makes the ground a muddy slush to wade through--no freezing kids running around just to stay warm and then taking a dive in the snow getting the mud slush all over their clothes, no trying to get the tree strapped to the top of a mini van that was already falling apart. And, no stumbling with it into the house while leaving a huge trail of spiders, critters, and needles all down the hallway along with the slushy mud snow foot tracks. One trip to the local 'tent' on the dirt lot here in San Diego and 150 bucks later it seemed a lot easier, but lacked the memories and fun (and cost twice as much as in UT) so I said NO MORE! We kept our $150 and off to Costco we went.

It was the most painless process this year--no more spending hours to lay out the strings of lights to see which little booger was making the whole string worthless! And the best part, no more vacuuming up the fallen needles daily! Not to mention how the tree is an obvious fire hazard Christmas morning after 1/2
its needles are shed and the scent is long gone and what is remaining is a lovely shade of brown. Or, screaming after each needle-poke when removing the lights and decorations--I got smart one year and wore gloves.

Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better for giving up on a long-time tradition now gone. This is a budget-friendly decision and now I think I'll sit back, pour a nice frothy cup of Stephens hot cocoa and enjoy my gorgeous tree and my "Christmas Memories" candle...
That really sounded nice!

Or I'll just clean up Lexie's puke every 1/2 hour and hold my breath so that my gag reflex doesn't get the best of me...and glance at my beautiful tree once in a while. Merry stomach flu..I mean Christmas to us!! I can't remember a time between Thanksgiving and Christmas that we didn't have the stomach flu at some point...here's to hoping it doesn't get passed around for 3 weeks! Vivie thinks the Christmas tree is pretty too...gives her something to slobber & smile about.