Christmas time is here

Being our first Christmas together as a married couple Katie and I have had the opportunity to learn a few let's call them quirks about one another. First instance, in my opinion Christmas is not Christmas without a real tree...real in the sense that it grew out of the ground and once lived. I will be the first to admit a real tree is a hassle. For one they are not cheap, not easily transported, you must find a stand that fits it, then hurry to find another stand that fits it after the first stand you thought would fit it doesn't and you are taking turns holding the tree up in the living room while help is on the way (it's nice to have parents two minutes away sometimes), string the lights yourself, water it three times a day, and after all of this it dies and you toss it to the curb only to do it all again the following year.

After typing out that list I hesitated a moment and thought to myself, why do we get a real tree...and then it hit me, it literally hit me, it's the smell! The very smell of Christmas that you can't ignore every time you walk into the house after a long day.

(it's an 8 foot noble fir purchased from the Whitehouse High School band fundraiser)

(hard to take a clear picture of the lights without the flash)

What I have learned about Katie through out this process is that Katie doesn't like Christmas. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true, and yes it is sad. Working retail ruined her on Christmas music all together which next to the tree is one of the best aspects of the holiday season. She could care less about the tree real or fake at this point, claims that Christmas colors do not "go" with our house decor, and is already tired of fighting the holiday traffic that appears in Tyler every Friday after Thanksgiving and continues non stop until Christmas. So none the less I was given the duty of blogging about Christmas for this year, and until her heart grows three sizes, every year in the years to come.

As much as I have given Katie a hard time she did put together our tree skit after giving up on finding one anywhere in town which is my opinion came out looking awesome.

Our stockings which were purchased at eleven thirty on a Tuesday night. We almost didn't get to have stockings this year.

Finally a plate of holiday cookies from Beth Hopkins annual cookie party. Thanks Lola!