Clark Grizzwold Would Be Proud

I cannot say that I have anything thoughtful to blog about at this very instant, but I am looking for any excuse to STOP THE CHRISTMAS DECORATING MADNESS FOR THE LOVE.

We have collectively been at it since last night/this morning (they are running together) and I still can't see the floor(s) in any of the rooms. Probably would've helped to put away the Fall Stuff first, but I got so excited about the Christmas Stuff that I thought, "Oh, it will be easier to decorate with EVERY DECORATIVE ITEM I OWN at my fingertips.

Not so much.

Also, not sure if y'all have tried this, but it is SUPER PAINFUL to decorate for your first Christmas at a new house. I am tight in the shoulders from indecisiveness and reaching up to really high places all day long.

Putting up around NINE Christmas trees might have contributed to that, too. Did I say nine? Because it felt like seventy thousand Christmas trees and it's so hard because I don't know where to put them!

I can say with confidence that the front door looks spectacular because Brad and his skillfully toolish ways hung this gorgeous garland we found at Costco and mounted a smallish Christmas tree in one of my urns using many loud power tools. Now we just need a spotlight because the black door (which I have dreamed about for many years and am so thankful is now a reality) makes the wreath a bit dark and the wreath is definitely worth spotlighting.

Brad, of course, wants to turn the spotlight into more of a pyrotechnics display, but I have politely declined.

We are probably one of the last families in America to have an artificial Christmas tree from the early 80's that is neither pre-lit nor easy to assemble. Sure it looks beautiful after I spend hour after painful hour fluffing individual branches and stringing together over 10 strands of lights, but a beautiful newborn baby does not make labor less painful. (Those who tell you otherwise have forgotten.)

Another "challenge" (I am trying to remain positive) about this new house is the disproportionate size of the Christmas tree to the ceilings. As in, our aged Christmas tree looked a little puny with the vast indoor sky. Luckily, Brad is a great problem solver, so we created a down-home tree stand with plastic bins and moving tape. Make that a LOT of moving tape. Apparently, I will also be constructing a new tree-skirt because there's a 2 inch plastic storage bin border at the bottom. Sure is lovely and not at all distracting.

On the plus side, we've been powered by The Godfather Parts I & II in combination with an obscene amount of college football. We already got our first dose of Christmas Vacation last night. Mmmmm....just as good as we remembered.

Tomorrow my plan is to dig out from under this Ho-Ho-Holiday Cheer and address a multitude of Christmas cards. There is pressure like an elephant standing on my chest to get them out EARLY (which for me is any day before December 24) since I never sent out any change-of-address cards and people are emailing me asking "Where on earth do you live?!" and "I had no idea you were moving! Do you still live in Colorado?"

Also, I absolutely adore receiving Christmas cards (mostly those with pictures, but if you opted for no picture this year SEND THEM ANYWAY!) and I am fearful that without sending out my cards first, my mailbox will be empty because our forwarding time is about to expire.

And I have less than one week to plan a birthday party for fifteen 4 year-olds.

Which is why I am blogging.