We're getting there.

The tree is up and decorated! We got our tree at IKEA-not really the first place you think of to get a Christmas tree, but they have EVERYTHING else, so why not? They run a special program for like two days in December where you can buy a tree for $20.00 (including tax!) and you get a coupon for $20.00 off your purchase in January. We got a 9 ft. Douglas Fir-the kids picked out the type. (That tree anywhere else would have cost way more than twenty dollars!) We didn't even look at it until we got it home because there was a HUGE rainstorm about to pour on us and we still had to get the tree on top of the car before it started. We would have used the truck, but I heard the ad on the radio on the way to pick Maya up from school and there was no time to go get the truck from Daddy at work and then drive to IKEA, get the tree, and not get rained on. Wasn't gonna happen! So off we went (Did I mention Logan fell asleep on the way to pick up Maya-and changing cars would have meant waking him up? Not a good idea.) to get a tree. After it was up on top of the Volvo (wonderful customer service at IKEA) I secured the kids in their seats first and the tree on the roof second and took "least use of freeways" home-WOW! Am I glad there are freeways! I was afraid the tree was going to slide off or something so I didn't want to go too fast. We got it home a long time later and left it on the top of the car for Daddy to get down and set up when he got home-too heavy for my healing back. Maya was a great help in the decorating of the tree and Logan, well, Logan was a great help in the playing with and breaking of a few of the ornaments. He has his own tree in his room that he can touch, and the new rule is "don't touch Mommy's tree".

The gingerbread house has been repaired. The insurance adjuster approved our required items (we found the icing mix at Michael's) and the contractor showed up (between other Mommy duties) and the roof is repaired. That red candy hanging down in the front is supposed to be at the top, but it wasn't going back so we left it.