rockin' around

Yesterday's goal was simple: retrieve Christmas tree and ornaments and other Christmas decor from mom's storage shed in Ralph and then put up Christmas tree and decorations. Normally I follow the "rule" and put up the tree after Thanksgiving, but we will be going out of town next weekend and so I wanted to go ahead and put it up (because I love to admire my tree every year for as long as possible!). 

Last weekend, I considered buying a new Christmas tree because the one I already had was old and kinda wimpy looking. Trying to be realistic about our budget, I decided we would just use the Wal-Mart tree I got on sale right before Christmas in 2005.

We arrived at home around 3 o'clock with the Christmas stash and got to work. I put up the stockings, our wreath, some of our little Christmas trinkets, and put the last touches on the tree. It was so pretty! We have some sentimental ornaments - and several that cost upwards of $20 (which is pretty expensive for an ornament, if you ask me!). It was so exciting to put up our tree with our ornaments. Blake put all the empty ornament boxes and the tree box in our storage closet and we cooked dinner. 

A couple of hours later, I walked into the kitchen (passing the Christmas tree on the way) to get a cookie. I was standing at the stove, where I could see the tree out of the left corner of my eye. All of a sudden....

CRASH!!!!!!

And the sound of ornaments breaking. 

The tree just.... snapped. The base of the tree broke under the weight of all of our awesome ornaments and down it came. Thankfully none of our "good" ornaments were broken - just the plain ones. But, the tree is now in two pieces in the dining room still half-decorated. 

After fluffing and primping and all that fun stuff.

 In a sea of ornaments.... 

       Some of the casualites (and a dog toy).....                            .....and there ya have it. 

That's what we get for trying to put up an early tree. Never again, I tell ya. Never again.