the tree deliberation

We are in the market for a Christmas tree. Our faithful fake from the past six years finally shorted out while Caleb was in Iraq last December. See, you only THOUGHT I was joking about nearly burning down the house. So for the past few weeks he and I have been debating between a real tree (which we’ve never done) or another artificial. Actually, to call it a “debate” would be inaccurate. Because there’d have to be two opposing opinions. Which there are not. Equal-weight pros and cons for each option means we can’t swing one way or the other without changing our minds ten minutes later. This is so out of character for us, too. I mean, we picked our kids’ names in half this time.

The decorations have dribbled out of the attic and taken over the table while they wait for a tree.

ps. Dad, you wanted a picture of the hanging branch. It fits in this house quite nicely. 

In other news we had our first frost. And our second. And a third.

Tucker was way not impressed. In fact, I’m sure he would have taken his morning pee on the driveway if I hadn’t been watching. BUT. The extreme cold means he now does his outside business in record time. AND. The weather is now much more conducive to getting in the Christmas spirit.

Which means a lot of hot chocolate making, huddling in front of the space heater, watching Christmas specials with a sleepy spaniel in my lap, and wishing there was a tree… of any sort.