Ten Things of Thankful – Putting Up the Tree Edition
If it weren’t for the Ten Things of Thankful hop, I think my blog would be in hibernating mode.
I want to post lots of great things, but it’s been kind of crazy around here since Thanksgiving so I’m not getting in as much write time as I would prefer. Or anything else time, really.
Today, however, was a great day – productive and restful all at the same time.
First, let me say that I am thankful for pre-lit artificial trees. I know, I know – real tree aficionados all over the world are cringing right now. I get it – I love them, too. I grew up with real trees. But between our concern for killing off the living things and a house where we have three people and one cat with allergies, a real tree just isn’t the way we roll here. And besides – I hate hanging lights. What a terrible job. I would pass it off on the Fab Hub, but he’s Jewish – doesn’t have a whole lot of Christmas tree light hanging experience in his past. So we like our pre-lit just fine.
Homemade soup. I haven’t made soup in a whole lot of weeks, but today we did homemade tomato soup because the Fab Hub’s favorite snow day lunch is grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. And I’ve done so little real cooking these last few weeks that it felt good to stretch those muscles again.
Now here’s where I go all Clark and stretch the next thing out in to a whole bunch of stuff… I think this is allowable by the rules, but since I have never actually seen the rules, I’m really just guessing.
Anyway, today I am also thankful for…
Six stockings hung on our hallway banister. OK, nine really. We used to have four – one for me, one for the Fab Hub, one for Kidzilla, and one for the cats. But then Zilla got one in preschool a couple of years ago and has kept it. And someone else gave her one as a gift. And yesterday at the supermarket, Zilla spied tiny stockings with paw prints on them, so the Rotten Cats each got one. Oh, and there is the little blue “Hanukkah stocking” that someone gave the Fab Hub a few years ago, so I guess it’s ten. We have a ridiculous number of stockings.
(And here’s a little bonus – Command decorating hooks. I have never used these, but this year we got them for hanging stockings. These are AMAZING. How did I never use these before?)
Five cleaned out refrigerator shelves. And two crisper drawers, four door shelves, and the butter keeper thinger. My fridge is almost as clean as it was when we lost everything in it after a five-day power outage and the Fab Hub and I scrubbed it from top to bottom.
Four cleaned out kitchen cabinets. Not only did I rid them of all things that needed to be tossed or given away, but I actually cleaned the inside of the cabinets and doors.
Three cleaned out pantry shelves. Now I can find the food that I knew was in there, but was hidden behind other stuff that wasn’t in the right place.
Two cleaned out closets. Are you aware of how much cat hair hides in the tiny corners of a linen closet? Enough to make another cat. Clearly, I need to sweep out the bottom of that closet more frequently.
And one decorated Christmas tree. Hooray! This morning the Fab Hub tackled the tree assembly task. I did the “spread out the branches to make it look like it hasn’t been squashed in a box for a year” job.
I am also very thankful at the moment for Eucerin’s Calming Crème moisturizer. The blasted tree absolutely killed my hands. I am not yet positive if my hands are experiencing an allergic reaction or if the tree branches just scratched the hell out of them. Either way, they look terrible and they itch and burn. I suppose it could also be the universe smiting me for thinking in my head that the Fab Hub was a wimp for assembling the tree with leather gloves on. Who’s laughing now?
Finally, I am thankful that on Friday afternoon, Kidzilla came home with the joyous news that her name was pulled out of the hat to be next week’s Student of the Week in her Kindergarten classroom. She has been desperately awaiting her turn since September and I am certain that it has felt like forever. So we are thrilled that it is finally her turn.
On the one hand, my very stretched out list feels like kind of a lame-out for the last TToT hop of the year. However. I have accomplished a lot this week in the chores and cleaning and organization department so I’m calling it a huge victory. And I really am thankful that we have made such good progress because I know that continuing to work on these projects will help streamline our home and, as a result, also our lives. Clearing out the clutter and getting organized will hopefully help pave the way for my Focus project for 2014.
And so, with my TToT finally written (thanks to Lizzi for kicking me in the tuchus to get moving), I am off to relax and go to sleep. Come back for more TToT in 2014! And consider joining the TToT gang in the hop each week. I promise you will be glad you did.
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I am always thankful for those trees! And yes, it’s always good to have real trees, but the artificial ones make life a lot easier! Thanks for sharing!
I’m still not sure if it’s actually easier – all that spreading and fluffing of branches! But it is definitely easier to care for and much easier on our upper respiratory systems! 🙂
It sounds like you have been very productive. I am all for the artificial tree, too. I balked at first when my husband suggested it years ago. We’ve had ours now for at least 5 years and I love it. No watering. No pine leaves all over the place. No worrying if it is going to go up in flames. No having to pay for the tree every year, while already having a tight gift budget. The downside for me is no fresh pine smell. Oh, well. I can deal.
Those would be many of the reasons why we opted for the faker here, too. Although as sore and itchy as my hands are after the branch fluffing project yesterday, I’m pretty angry at that stupid tree. As for the pine smell, that can be easily solved by getting a really good candle and putting it in a candle warmer. Works great!
I always intend to clean stuff out of my house before the holidays and I never seem to get it done–so good for you! And our (pre-lighted, yeah!) Christmas tree gives me a horrible allergic reaction. I’d switch to the real stuff but that also gives me a rash. Aggg, I can’t win.
That’s exactly what I thought when my hands started getting red and itchy yesterday. Darn sensitive skin. But the pre-lighted tree is a definite plus.
I think the artificial tree sounds like a good solution for all the allergies! I mean if you broke out from the fake one imagine what an evergreen would do?! CONGRATS Zilla! I love the idea of focus…just wish I could latch on to some!
Yeah, can you believe it? Itching like crazy – cortisone cream seems to be helping.
Focus is a tough one for me – for all three of us, really. Which is why we need to work on it around here!
Okay, so I DEFINITELY ended up trying to sing your cleaning list to the tune of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ 😀 Love it.
I’m glad you made it in. And well done for having had such a productive week.
It’s an absolutely FINE last list for TToT2013 🙂 I enjoyed it.
Haha – that’s awesome! It’s amazing how much I actually enjoyed the cleaning projects – I wanted to be doing them. I’ve had so much other stuff to do, plus everybody being sick, that I just end up with no time left. So I was really glad to get to a few things. And now I’m inspired to keep plodding through and tackle some more!
me too…. glad to know it wasn’t just me!
I kept waiting for “. . . and a partridge in a pear tree!”
See, now I definitely think there’s a video contest hidden in there somewhere! Everybody can post their singing versions of my cleaning song. 🙂
I did not sing it the first time through, but after reading these comments I certainly did! Nice. 🙂 (And funny, seeing as how our Christmas card this year was done to the same song.)
this ‘cleaning’ you speak of..it seems to be a rather exotic exercise!
Actually I do some choring around the house… specifically I like the stove top cleaning, one of those solid surface things… nice ‘return on effort’ when I can get it all reflective and such
…and yes, you have invoked a legitimate Secret Rule (from the TToT Secret Book of Rules). We know that ’cause you got Lizzi to sing along while she read your Post! nice (I think that Rule is in Chapter 3 ‘get them to do something that they weren’t planning on doing’ Rule)
have a good Christmas
Can you please come to my house and clean the stove top? That is not my Husband’s favorite job and kitchen duty is his realm. So anytime you want to bring your cleanser, let us know!
I am thrilled to know that Lizzi was singing – clearly my list of thankful has inspired. 🙂
Happy Christmas to you and yours!
Ok….I can soooo relate to what you said about if not for the TToT hop, you feel your blog would be in hibernation mode. I keep thinking of things to write but don’t have the time or energy to write.
That said, how in the world do you find the time to do ALL that cleaning??? Ack! That’s a big accomplishment!! Feel free to come on over any time… I have a lot of cupboards that need to be done!
I don’t find time to do all that cleaning – that is the problem. It is always the thing that gets pushed to the back of the list of things that need to be done and then it piles up. But I just really couldn’t stand it anymore and something inside me clicked (or snapped) and I just decided to get done whatever I could. I really don’t know how or why I am that way about cleaning chores because I grew up with a Mother who was an absolute champ – single mom, full-time job and then some, two kids, and somehow (as if by fairy magic), everything always managed to get done and our home and lives were always in order. Maybe it was smoke and mirrors, but it looked pretty legit to me! It is probably the one thing I did not get passed in the genes that I really wish I had. I definitely have to work on it.
On the topic of having people come over to clean, I just invited Clark to come scrub our stove top any time he feels so moved. 🙂
Eucerin is one of the best inventions; nothing soothes dry, cracked, irritated skin better!
I think I single-handedly keep the Eucerin company in business! I have yet to meet one of their products that did not solve some skin issue. Maybe they should pay us to do commercials!
Ohmygosh, you are the most impressive woman! Simply reading your list of cleaning completed gives me a sense of satisfaction, and it’s not even my house!
You know, I’ve used Command hooks every year for our stockings, and this year I bought screw-in hooks for under our mantel. Weird that I switched, huh?
Yay for Kidzilla getting Student of the Week, and yay for lotion. I actually hate lotion. I hate the way it feels, but a few weeks ago I gave into my sister’s pressure (she loves lotion) and rubbed some in after my shower. And then I wasn’t itchy all day! It was amazing! My sister rolled her eyes.
Oh, I don’t know about impressive…the reason I’m so desperate is because I leave projects like that unattended for far too long. But I am choosing to be positive about the fact that I’ve done even a small part of my overall big goal and trying not to turn around and look at how much I still want to accomplish.
I am lazy about using lotion regularly and I really should. But on my hands, I am pretty faithful because they get so dried out. But this post-tree thing is driving me crazy so I’ve been slathering Eucerin lotion and cortisone all day.
I have been tackling cabinets and drawers in my kitchen lately too. It is amazing what a spring it puts in your step to get the chaos under control in at least one area!
Enjoy a week of Student of the Week! You have a great attitude about it. I would be grumbling….’seriously, this has been going on since Sept. and we get the week before Christmas!’ But not you! I am proud of you.
Yes, any attempts at controlling the chaos are making me feel good. Just have to keep going…
Our only frustration with Student of the Week is that it took so long to come around to Zilla’s turn and she has had herself convinced that it was because she was doing something wrong. It’s drawn out of a hat – she just didn’t have the good fortune to get an early turn. Oh well. I just hope the weather doesn’t cut her week too short since she’s waited so long for it. Really want her to enjoy it – she is so excited.
Nice work with the cleaning! It always gets pushed to the bottom of my priority list. Fortunately, decorating for Christmas usually means decluttering and cleaning, as I can’t decorate a dusty mantel. 🙂
We will always have real trees, since my husband’s grandparents were Christmas tree farmers. However, I begrudge no one of an artificial one. I liked your “spread out the branches so it doesn’t look like it’s been shoved in a box for a year”. So true.
Have a great week!
Oh, you are so right – decorating absolutely requires cleaning and straightening up! That’s pretty much how the whole thing started. Hard to sit and enjoy the tree lights with a pile of junk in the corner that needs to be put away.
Tree farmers? How awesome! The spread the branches thing is my Mom’s influence. And (as in many things) she was right! It looks way better if you take the time to do that.
I love having a real tree, but I do take your point about living things. We’ve sometimes compromised by getting one that can then be planted out. And gosh you’ve had a cleaning fest! Great list of things to be thankful for.
That is a great idea, Yvonne! 🙂
I think your list is fabulous and wonderful! Having 10 stockings totally cracks me up and I know what you mean about animal fur hiding and growing. Each time I brushed my dog, it amazed me how much hair came off without leaving him bald! And I’ve never seen the TToT rules either. I think I prefer it that way…
Congrats on all the cleaning and on Kidzilla being student of the week!
Thanks, Kristi! The ten stockings is so ridiculous, isn’t it? But it’s us and it makes us laugh.
I kinda like the secret TToT rules…makes it fun to discover them.
Way to go you!
Thank you! (makes small curtsey) 🙂
I tend to go back and forth about whether I like artificial trees or real trees. I grew up with artificial ones so that’s what I’ve known for most of my life. When I got married, my wife made me get a real tree. Then I realized that I liked that too.
This year, we didn’t get a tree because we’re both so busy and simply because we’re not going to be home that much. Oh well, maybe next year we’ll do one or the other. We don’t putting up decorations though. It’s kind of fun when you do that and have Christmas music playing. It seems festive.
I definitely have positive argument for both types of tree. We’ve had a year or two where we didn’t do a tree – the year we got married, we put a tiny tree in our new apartment, but nothing was hung on it because I had near pneumonia (or maybe actual pneumonia) right before the wedding and it hung on. That was a weird year. And I think the year Kidzilla was born, we were just too overwhelmed with being new parents, both working, etc. She was really too young to know or understand (or miss) anything, so we just skipped the tree and went low key. If it ends up being a chore or no one will be there to enjoy it, it seems sort of pointless. And the tree doesn’t make the holiday, really, it’s the things you do with the people you love.
On that topic, I hope you and your wife have a wonderful holiday!
First of all, congratulations to Kidzilla for getting Student of the Week! I know how hard it must have been for her to wait her turn. Does she get to do a special show and tell or anything?
We have 8 stockings and there are four of us: the two I got us when we first got married (they are too narrow to hold much so are now just decorative), my husband’s stocking from when he was a little boy, one stocking for each of us that we really use, plus one for the cats (they have to share).
Only about 1/4 of our pre-lit tree lit up this year, so I added lights and added lights and really dread taking it down, because I’ll never get all those light strings untangled! And I have trouble with artificial trees making my skin red and itchy, too. What up wit dat? And the stupid cats think it’s real and chew on it and barf up artificial tree bits for the first two weeks it’s up.
You are on such a cleaning spree! There are things in the back of my fridge that desperately need to be removed; I’m scared to open some of the containers.
I’ve never made homemade tomato soup! Sounds delicious!
She got to take in all kinds of cool info about her favorite food, favorite activity, etc. and a picture of her family. She also gets to take in some of her favorite items to share and at the end of the week, she brought her Fab Dad to play his sax and read to the class! It was a great week.
We now have two strands of pre-lit lights that aren’t doing their job right now – the Hub has to try replacing the bulbs – looks like they are actually burnt out. There has to be a way to fix it. We both reacted to our tree and I think my brother-in-law had trouble with one this year, too. Thank goodness the cats haven’t tried to eat it – the most they do is crawl underneath and play Cat Cave!
Homemade tomato soup is wicked easy and really good. I have a post going up later this week with our favorite recipe – give it a try!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Dyanne!