Tis the Season

So Christmas is 2 weeks away.... and I'm FINALLY done with the shopping, the decorating, and now on to the wrapping... I have to say my favorite part of this time of the year is our annual family photo for the Christmas card. As devote Blackhawks fans, last year we donned our red jerseys (the boys had fake jersey T-shirts) and that was the formal fancy picture. Our caption: "May your cup runnith over in the new year." In honor of the 2011 Stanley Cup Champs.. This year I wanted to do the Cubs and say something like " All we have is faith....." seeing as it has been 105 years now since a World Series. Hey at least if you suck you do it well right?!

Again, for year 2, Nate has been BEGGING for  a Blackhawks Jersey- begging. His favorite player is Brent Seabrook. Not Kane or Toews like every.other. kid. in. Chicago. No my son has to like Seabrook. Do you know how hard it is to FIND a Seabrook shirt?! Let me tell you. See the NHL has limits and they only make a certain number of shirts per player for a certain time. Seabrook is not to be found and I will not shell out 75+ bucks for a 5 year old. So I go calling... no one will put Seabrook on a kids shirt (too big)... but Target had these GREAT fake jersey shirts. I get one (20 bucks!) and go to our local t-shirt maker place and plead my case. Who really wants to disappoint a 5 year old on Christmas. THANK GOD the lady  said it was not a problem and in 3 minutes WHAM the back said SEABROOK 7 in jersey letters.

Now I have to wait 13 days to give it to him. Christmas will rock. The simple things.

Tis the season for decorating as well.... It all started out simple, put lights on the bushes. So Saturday afternoon I venture out with Nate to put said lights on said bushes. We take the 1 year old lights (8 boxes) and try all the lights out to make sure they work. Yes success! We bundle up (its like 20 here) and go outside where for 2 hours we carefully, skillfully and artistically wrap lights about 2 5 ft/6ft tree bushes and 6 shrubs and our tiny porch meanwhile Nate is my "wingman" helping untangle--yes every December we vow this year we WILL put them back nicely to avoid the December tangle.. but then in January we get lazy and toss them in. We light up the house and BAM.. white light perfection. and satisfied we go in for hot chocolate. Hubby and Logan admire our work and we are satisfied. 2 hours later hubby looks out the window and says "hey honey you know only one bush is lit up...." yep.. all those lights DEAD. So I will head to Menard's to replace said lights and repeat the decorating.

Next year I think hubby will do the outside!