O, Christmas Tree!

Two of the cutest things ever: a fresh tree and my hubby.

Yes, it is that "Most Wonderful Time of the Year", where "Silver Bells" are ringing, neighbors "Wish you a Merry Christmas" and where, at our house, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (plus, with all the snow we've been receiving, we just sit by our windows, warmed by the fire and think, "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!"). Who doesn't adore Christmas? From the songs, so cheery and bright, to the breathtaking Christmas tree, with the smell of freshly cut pine and the twinkling white lights. This year our tree is lovely as always. However, we have found a wee bit of a dilemma with said tree. Unfortunately, it now blocks our view of the television from our dinner table. For you this may not be a problem, but for us, it is a very, very serious predicament, for you see, at our house, come dinner time, we like to sit around the table and bond together all the while watching "Jeopardy." We even add up our points at the end to see who won that night (fortunately, we don't subtract points for wrong answers, otherwise we'd always be in the hole and never make it to Final Jeopardy). Sadly, though, this nightly ritual cannot now continue because the view of our television is blocked by the beautiful tree. A few nights ago, while trying to watch "Jeopardy" at dinner, it was quite frustrating since I couldn't press mute with the remote (the tree was blocking the signal) so that we could say our prayer for our dinner. So frustrated was I, that I broke out in song, expressing the tree vs. TV dilemma. And since I thought this song so funny and clever, I now will share it with you, sung to the tune of "O, Christmas Tree!"

O, Christmas Tree
O, Christmas Tree
We cannot see our TV
Our favorite thing at Christmas time
Is watching Jeopardy at dinner time
O, Christmas Tree
O, Christmas Tree
How can we answer Final Jeopardy?

Yes, at our house, we love Christmas--just as long as it doesn't interfere with "Jeopardy". So, this Christmas, "All I Want for Christmas" is not "My Two Front Teeth" or a "White Christmas" or even the chance to say "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (because I won't be), but all I can really ask for is to sit with my two beloved men (Josh and Alex Trebek), eat a good meal, and watch a rousing game of "Jeopardy"--oh, and, of course, beat Josh at Final Jeopardy.... Is that too much to ask for?

The view of the television from our dinner table. As you can see, there is no beholding Alex Trebek from this angle.

Our fire place mantel all decked out for Christmas.

That Bites.......

I have a little riddle for you. What's two-and-a-half feet tall, barely thirty pounds, cute as a button and has razor sharp teeth that can pierce through heavy denim? That's right, my friends, the answer: little Jackson Palmer. While babysitting some of our favorite people, Kaylee & Jackson, little Jackson, not quite two, snuck up behind Josh and feasted upon his inner thigh. Suddenly, when Josh felt a sharp pain in his leg, he screeched, only to turn around and find Jackson's jaws clamped down on his leg. Wrestling away from the sharp-toothed child, Josh was astounded that such a small thing could cause such pain. Josh quickly forgot about the incident, though, and the pain, until two days later when he was getting in the shower and I saw this over-sized, dark purple, oozing bruise on the back of his thigh. I asked Josh if he had gotten hit with a hockey puck at his last hockey scrimmage. He replied no and then asked why. I pointed out the bruise to him, to which he responded, "Jackson. Grrrrr." Yes, below you will find the damaging injury incurred from a two-year-old child and his death-like, jagged-tooth jaws.

The picture does not do the injury justice.

In reality, though, Jackson loves Josh. When the kids came over, the first thing Jackson said, with his limited vocabulary, was, "Josh, Josh, Josh." Since Josh wasn't home from work yet, we called Josh at work, so Jackson could say hi. Then when Josh came home, they were sooo excited. He chased them around in circles until they were a bundle full of giggles. This is just proof positive that Josh is going to be the best dad. All children prefer Josh to me and this is because, as his niece Beth says, "I like Josh. He plays fun games with me." The entire weekend that Beth was here, she and Josh played some bizarro skunk game that he made up (he even made up a song to go with it). When asked who her favorite uncle is, Beth's response is always, "Josh because he plays fun games with me." When asked who her favorite aunt is, it is always, "Kara. She makes me sandwiches" (Kara works at Blimpie and gives her free sandwiches. How can I compete with that?). I can't wait until our little Willy gets here, to see the bond that will surely form between my two boys. And, as will be inevitable, I am sure that Willy will prefer daddy to me because, after all, he'll play fun games with him.