6 Crazy Kids!: GEEZ!...It's almost Christmas!...

This Christmas, I have been trying my best to simplify. Which is why I did pretty much nothing all month, and now this week I might lose my mind! I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off (and trust me, that is craziness--I have witnessed what happens when you cut a chicken's head off--and it's not pretty) trying to get ready for Christmas in 7 DAYS, and even though I work best at the last minute--even I am struggling to get everything done that I wanted to do. Oh well, as my motto for the year goes, "It is what it is." We are in yet another house this Christmas. It feels a little foreign, and not so much like "home" yet. I should be used to this feeling as many times as we have moved, but this move has been a little rough for me. I have struggled a bit getting settled, and feeling at home when I know that we are renting, and nothing is certain. I hate that feeling. As I decorated, I struggled with what to get out, and what to leave in the garage. We still have so many boxes out there that it's a pain in the butt to try to find things. I did the best I could inside, but didn't get everything out. It seemed like I had just moved everything IN! Outside, I just didn't have my heart in it. I usually do the outside lights, (except for along the roofline--I let Todd do that part), but I just didn't feel like getting them all out this year, so Todd put Homer up instead. Here's a picture of him--he was a white elephant gift a few years back, and the kids love him.

Me? I think he's pretty white trash, but what can you do? If you could see the trash pit that is our garage--you would know that the white trash label pretty much fits us right at this moment in time, so there Homer stands in all of his glory this year. Maybe next year, we will feel a little more at home (wherever that home is), and I will feel like doing a little classier job.

I did manage to set up not one, but TWO fake trees this year. We bought another one last year, thinking we would use it this year at our store--but since that went belly up, we have an extra fake tree that I set up in our family room. I miss our real tree. Fake trees are a pain in the you know what. It took me like 6 hours (no joke) to get those stupid things all straightened out and ready to decorate. And don't bother asking the kids for help, because the only one that lasted longer than 2 minutes was Erin--and she only made it an hour. Sure, they look nice when you're done, but man are they a lot of work! The new tree is super pretty though, and the kids loved helping decorate it. I started a new tradition last year, getting them an ornament that represents something they did that year, and it has been fun to get them out and remember. Our tree is looking pretty full. Here are some pics of our adventures in decorating...
This one is my tree in the formal living room:

Then the kids decorated their tree in the family room: Don't you love that my boys NEVER have a shirt on when they're home relaxing. Hey, at least they have shorts on. Sometimes it's just the boxer briefs...but I classed it up for you and made them put on shorts. Making them put on shirts would have been a fight (thus...the white trash image I was talking about).

Emie's cute friend Taylor helped us out! She lives right across the street now!

This is Todd trying to console Jack during one of his many Christmas meltdowns. He has one at least every day. Santa is definitely not quick enough for Jack.