A Week in Pictures

Here's a brief photo update of life as of late:

This is my newest addiction. My iPod is a huge time saver, organizer, communicator and entertainer...all rolled into one. Just let me announce...I'm in love. Mesmerized. And whole-heartily addicted.

This week I began teaching my little sis how to sew a quilt. To which I'm really not an expert at myself, but together we'll make it work. Hopefully without losing fingers, breaking machines or wringing one another's necks. Just kidding.

Allow me to introduce you to my new dining table. A bit small for a family of five, you say? True enough. It just so happens to be a spare table, though. In addition to my larger one. I have been debating the purchase of a larger, new table for a few weeks now. (If you remember correctly, I despise making big decisions...totally a procrastinator when it comes to such things...) After painstakingly going from store to store, and website to website, I decided against such a large purchase. Instead, I chose to blend table families and buy a baby table for my momma table. Ain't she cute? She'll do well on Turkey Day and other such times where big momma table just ain't big enough. And I only spent a quarter of the money that I would have. I'm quite pleased.

This is my new/used Christmas tree. In pieces on the porch. I found it at the Salvation Army yesterday, and for a good steal. And it doesn't even smell like cigarette smoke. (Am I the only one whom hates that?) It did, however, cause quite the drama within our family. We have always gone and picked out a real tree each Christmas. Hacked the bottom off to fit in the house, trimmed up the sides a bit, wrested with the tree stand, vacuumed the pine needles for weeks on end, and remembered to water it. Actually, scratch that last one. I'm horrible at remembering to water it. In fact, the day after Christmas our trees usually heave a huge sigh of relief, and give up all their browning pine needles at once on the floor. And then I chuck it out on the lawn, where it remains until Hubby has room and energy to take it to the dump. I do so love a fresh, live Christmas tree. But the work? Not so much. So, when I saw a fake, full, tall and beautiful one for cheap, I snatched it up. The children were less than impressed. Correction. Two didn't seem to mind, but one nearly burst into tears as I eyed it. She made me call Hubs on the spot to make sure it was okay with him (for sure she was praying it wasn't). Hubs thought it was much grander than all the work he would have to do for a live tree. Said child then found a corner at the Salvation Army to cry privately. I did feel kind of terrible about the whole situation. (Don't judge me.) But I knew it was a good choice, and after a long talk and a promised pine-scented candle, my girl was okay with it. And now it sits on my porch, awaiting a temporary home until it is needed for assembly. It kind of gets us all in the festive spirit.

Is November 13th too early to decorate for Christmas?