This past weekend was full of all things Christmas stuff, and some funeral stuff. All the the tune of a Buffalo radio station that proudly plays all Christmas songs 24/7 beginning shortly after Halloween, and lasting till approximately the time everyone sits down to Christmas dinner. I discovered this weekend that, that particular radio station has approximately 2 Christmas Cd's that they just put on repeat.
All of this was because no one could remember which cable channel the Christmas music was on, and also, no one could find the batteries to the remote, to scroll thru 4 million stations to find it.
Anyway, The Dick Family Tradition of Pizza Hut and a Christmas tree continued this year. It had been raining most of the morning before we went out, so, we slopped around the muddy tree lot, as the kids all screamed "THIS is the PERFECT TREE!!!!" at every single one of them. Except Joe. Joe walked around checking price tags until he found the least expensive tree on the lot. And the yearly lecture began:
"I FOUND IT! I found the tree! It's ONLY THIRTY DOLLARS!" He hollered across the lot.
Upon inspection, we discovered a tiny little tree, approximately 3 feet tall, leaning in a back corner. No matter what we said, Joe was not convinced. Spending even $30.00 for a tree that will be in use for a matter of weeks, shed all over the place, cause all sorts of mess, and be chucked out the front door shortly after Christmas, is completely illogical. It makes him crazy every year, that we spend any sort of money on a dead tree. We spent half an hour of listening to Lexi shriek "THIS is IT!!!!" at all the trees, while Joe shrieked "HOW MUCH???!!!!! NO." While the boy scouts that sell the trees followed my 13.5 yr old daughter around adoringly. Memories and stuff.
We ended up with "William the tree", "Billy" for short, and the whimpers of a 9.5 yr old boy after he discovered that I donated an extra $5.00 to the Boy Scouts, to have the tree wrapped. And eleventy million reasons why that was a bad idea. Someday, I am going to hand that boy my checkbook and the bills, and I am sure he will make me wealthy. Meanwhile, I am not sure if we are more "Christmas Story" family, or "National Lampoons" family.
Also this weekend, was Sunday School, and Christmas Eve Christmas Pageant practice. Kaila and Joe decided to sing in the kid's Angel Choir, while Lexi decided to be in the pageant. George followed along because he had to. When the head of Religious Ed announced "Who wants to be Mary?" Lexi jumped up and volunteered.
"Now we need a Joseph!" and George bounced up "I will be Joseph!"
"Okay. George will be Joseph!" agreed the Head of Religious Ed.
"Ummmmm..... I am not so sure... I mean, shouldn't you at least have a TALLER Joseph?" I asked, thinking about my two squirmiest children front and center during Christmas Eve Mass. I had flash backs of the times Lexi had me in stitches at Christmas pageants past, and I wasn't too sure the two of them should do this together.
"Nope! George volunteered first, so George will be Joseph!" Insisted the head of Religious Ed.
"Now you have TWO Josephs, Mom!" George announced excitedly. Lexi is less than thrilled, to be seen with a husband who is half her size AND her brother. Lexi also decided she should wear the ice blue ball gown that was recently bequeathed to her sister and herself, by their Aunt Meghan. It was worn during a high school prom or ball or something, when Meghan and her sister were still in high school, years ago. "Lexi. Mary gave birth in a barn. She CERTAINLY was not wearing a ball gown, and you are not, either."
Once we practiced the pageant a few times, it was time to get back to Sunday School. Yesterday was supposed to be one of those horribly uncomfortable days where we talk about Love and relationships etc. However, the 5th grade class was without a teacher, so Lexi brought them all into my class room. Where, there was a quick change of lesson plans, and we decided to decorate the dead tree that came with my classroom, and talk about Advent stuff. The best comment all morning was "I like to draw pictures of flying toast. And marshmallows. Can I put a flying toast picture and a marshmallow on your tree?" From one of the 5th graders. "Absolutely!" I told him. "You should probably make them kind of big, so that we can help cover the WHOLE tree, don't you think?" So, my little dead tree has flying toast, marshmallows, tinsel, a string of lights, paper chains and whatever else their imaginations cooked up. I completely love it. Best Sunday School ever!
Also this weekend, the kids wrapped up their teacher Christmas gifts, their school Christmas gifts, and George acknowledged that he really was probably on the naughty list up in the North Pole.
"My HEAD tells me 'Be good, George!' but, my body just never wants to listen! My head says "Don't do that, George!" but, my feet make me go do stuff." he explained. Last night, in a last minute attempt to get onto the good list, he cleaned his room after he went to bed, and even made my bed. I think Santa will probably take it into consideration....
Also this weekend, Bearded Man picked up his third deer from the guy who processed it for him. I didn't really think about the logistics of this, until I attempted to put groceries away, and discovered there was no room for anything in the freezers. Also, I am pretty sure he is driving around with the head of his deer in the back of his truck, as he decides what to do with it. I suppose it could have been worse. he could have had the entire thing stuffed, and stuck it in a corner someplace. Meanwhile, we continue to debate where the head will hang in the house. I pointed out the house full of plaster and lath, and lack of supportive wall studs, so, I think that will limit where the dead head can go to some extent. I suppose we will know more about it after it's stuffed and ready to be hung someplace. I think that takes a few months, so, we have time.
All kidding aside, his Mother's funeral will be this Saturday, December 13th. Sadly, this will be only 5 days before what would have been her 75th Birthday. Please keep her family in your thoughts. Thank you.
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