Lights, Camera, Action

We have now had the newly acquired artificial tree in our living room for 4 days. It is lit - only because that's how it came out of the box. It is simple and pretty and looks surprisingly beautiful when you see it through the front window as you approach the front door. It's a 'plain Jane' but a pretty Jane, even with no added lights nor any ornaments to speak of. It's hard getting us all in the same place at one time - and/or the same mood at one time - tree trimming is something you have to sort of be 'ready' to do. We have not. The decorations are still in the rafters of the garage and I know J. will get them down probably Friday or Saturday. So we're still very much a 'work in progress' regarding Christmas decor.

I'm loving the white light tree - what I've always wanted, really but it gets vetoed by the men in my life. I think we will be adding lots of lights - some white and some color. And then ornaments, etc. Eventually. But for now, I'm enjoying the simplicity of it all. Sort of sets the mood for focusing on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place - a daily reminder that all the 'fluff and stuff' is just created by us - years and years of 'add ons' that we don't really need. We are, after all, celebrating a birthday - and a simple, white-lit tree is really a beautiful, daily reminder of what this time of year is all about. I kind of like it. If I lived alone, I'd probably leave it as is - maybe just add a few colored glass ornaments to reflect the light - but simple is good.

We have not had a single 'free' evening all week and we don't have any coming up - so I'm not sure when we'll get to it...probably just do a little bit as we can over this coming weekend.

I am officially on the downhill slope to 'vacation'. Excited about it - three weeks off - not quite all off, since I have a couple meetings I have to go to next week. But meetings are quick and easy and I don't mind attending.

Next Wednesday night, I'm attending a Michael W. Smith concert with my friend J. It's a Christmas themed concert with an orchestra and a choir (I think) and then MWS. We are both really looking forward to the evening - just a week away.

I took my team out for a sushi lunch today in honor of the season - and to celebrate a completely clean audit. Not an exception to be found! We had a great time, though we ate way too much and I spent the afternoon in a 'too many carbs' haze that is just now starting to lift. B. is at work, H. is working on his chemistry binder at a friends house and J. is hopefully on the way home and due shortly. He's had a three hour commute one night this week already - a bad accident that took hours to clear - so it is with some trepidation now that I think he'll arrive 'soon'. Soon may be awhile these days. Thankfully, in the 8 years we've lived here, we've only had a handful of those 'horrifically bad commute nights' to speak of. I was really feeling blessed about working so close to home the night he was calling me every hour or so to say he'd traveled 4 miles in that hour. So grateful to not have that be an issue for me anymore.

Heading upstairs to start wrapping. One way to stay vertical, I hope.