O Christmas Tree

Welp with less than a week left until Christmas I have finally finished the tree. I've never had quite as much of a debacle as this year proved to be...we've had the tree for at least 2 weeks and holy mother of pearl I thought the thing was trying to take me down.  First I had to visit 17 stores for lights after most of the ones from last year decided they were no longer in working order and store after store was sold out.  Then I opened the lights, tested them out and a couple strands didn't work.  Then they did.  Then they didn't (you see where I'm going with this).  So I went back out to get replacement strands and finally managed, after 3 hell-filled work days, to get them all on the tree...only to plug it in and one strand went dead.  Then another.  Did you hear screams coming out of the west last week?  That was me.

I swear that mother stood for 2 days with no lights as I strolled off to bed in tears at 2:30am carrying a fist full of my own hair!!

Perhaps it was kismet for all my tree tricks at the lot. Whatever the case may be I am calling it a year (and a shot of tequila).  Serves me right, too - that's what I get for getting all wound up at the tree lot over a too big tree.  I'm lucky the ornament police didn't haul me over for not enough-itis.

After all the shenanigans that comprised tree trim 2010, please allow me to share some of my faves of what has turned out to be a very fun tree...

It all started in Seattle...

I saw this cat ornament and it was on like Donkey Kong!

I had to fly through Seattle a lot that holiday season.

Every time I did I made sure to get another cat ornament!

And another (note fur coat in background!!)

And another!!  It actually went on for a 

couple of years this cat ornament collecting game of mine.

(I'll spare you the rest) 

How about this cute hot air balloon?

Could only be better if a cat was in it. hehe

 And then there was fur!  

 

This year I added some xo's courtesy of the kind

people at West Elm...who gifted a couple sets

to me when they saw the frazzled look in 

my eye around Thanksgiving.  Love them!!

 There she is in all her glory...bearing enough lights to kill the breaker if you

try to vacuum and dry clothes at the same time.  Oy

Only a couple more gifts to buy and I am done - Woo hooo!!!  If it keeps pouring and people stay off the road it could happen today.  Here's hoping for victory.  How's it coming along for all of you?