the back door

i've been in this simplify mode.  and christmas is something i wish to just make sweet, simple, and enjoyable.  including collecting the christmas tree! last year we found this great family owned small tree farm that had beautiful trees and very cheap.  it was the most pleasant experience we had had in a long time.  excited to head back this year we loaded up today to get our tree..... ...then you know the scene in the national lampoons christmas where they drive and drive and drive and drive on their way to cut down the tree.  that was us today.  all was rather joyful until we discovered our beloved tree farm no longer existed.  one child wanted to get a tree no matter what, so hubby sucked it up and headed our car towards "christmasfest" to get a rather expensive tree with the complete experience. it was during the drive when all those inside the car fell apart.  she was pushing his buttons, he was biting back.  the hubby was frustrated, and i was holding t

gee, when my aunt said she still reads my blog i felt a bit of guilt.  july was my last post!  so, i thought i'd get back into this whole blogging thing.  i could catch ya up tonight but instead i'll just do some thanksgiving wrap up! each year we watch charlie brown thanksgiving and prepare the feast charlie and snoopy fixed.  this was our night before thanksgiving fun!  in case you have never seen it, we eat popcorn, jello, jelly beans, toast and pretzels.  it is a tradition i hope we still have when our kids are bringing home their future spouses! (by the way - we are in our state of refinishing floors so the room is a bit crowded!) on thanksgiving day we always head to my in-laws.  this year was no different, except for the trip the kids and i took to my folks to catch up with some cousins and my dear aunts and uncles! at the garner clan my sweet mother in law started this tradition the first year i joined the family.  we pass around this ear of indian cor