REDNECK CHRISTMAS

How do you decorate a redneck Christmas tree?  Get a strand of icicle lights and drape them over the front side of the tree.  The green wired strands are best, but the white ones will work in a pinch.  Its much quicker and easier to just decorate the front side of the tree since that is the only side that anyone sees, just be careful not to make too heavy on one side because it can and will fall over!  After a while we decided to just leave the fallen ornaments off. 

I should have known when I got my shopping done early and made it home long before the stores closed for the holiday that something was wrong, something was terribly wrong.  Unfortunately I didn't pay attention to that little twinge in the back of my mind that said "hey stupid... this is too easy, you've forgotten something!"  I wouldn't find out what it was that I had forgotten until 10:30, when the last child was finally in bed.  Steve and I pulled out the bags and boxes of gifts that had yet to be wrapped, pulled out the boxes and bags of ribbons and bows, the rolls of tape... and NO wrapping paper... NO gift tags!  I thought for sure I had stocked up on them during the after Christmas clearance sales last year... but in fact it had been the year before.  The kids had used the last of the wrapping paper on their gifts... we had nothing left to wrap all the other presents with!  Quick thinking had me hauling out our mega roll of butcher paper which we buy for packing our deer and elk meat in.  Quickly designed address labels served as gift tags and we were in business. 

This is Rocky's present... for waking us up at 6:45 am! (we went to bed at 1:30!).  I don't know what time that child woke up, but she had coffee brewing and had already torn into her stocking.  None of the big gifts were wrapped since neither Steve nor I had the will to piece together the butcher paper to cover them, so she knew what she was getting, she just couldn't play with them until we officially handed the gifts out.  She didn't mind that the pile under the tree looked more like the counter of a meat market... she wanted her loot!

And Santa and Mrs. Claus made their traditional visit to the house bearing even more gifts.  None of the kids believe anymore, but its still a very magical visit that they look forward to each year.  The Stites are very dear friends of our and sadly we had to share the tragic loss of their son Nolan in 2000 while he was going through Basic Training... My heart ached for them as we celebrated the return of my son in a way that they were unable to with their own.  Words were not spoken but I know many thoughts were on Nolan on this day.  I miss him still... God bless my young angel.

I actually began this entry hours ago but was interrupted when Steve got a phone call from Gabe, he had been out visiting some friends and the car had been hit by another vehicle that had slid out of control on an icy turn.  I can't begin to describe the fear I felt... and I can't explain why but for some reason I didn't want to go to the scene of the accident with Steve.  I knew Gabe was okay, he had said so... but I knew my mind would go crazy when I saw him and the car... and it did.  But he really was okay and I tried not to embarass him with too much of the mother-hen stuff.  As for the car, it is now offically UGLY!  A dented driver's side door, busted lights, and the window won't go up.  Its going to be a long cold winter... I wonder if there is a dealer who buys ugly cars?