It's not going in the yard, Russ. It's going in our living room.

Mike and I decorated our Christmas Tree for Family Night this week! For treats I had a cup of egg nog...1 week expired. What Mike failed to explain was that it came out of the gallon a bit chunky. I thought it looked a bit funky when I went in for a big creamy (and lumpy) gulp - and I was right. Not to worry - after a failed attempt of trying to regurgitate the nastiness that I had consumed - I washed my mouth out with soap. Mike and I purchased some fresh Nog at Smith's that night. What's a new Christmas tree without egg nog???

It's so cool to see a real live tree in our very own living room. Up until now, Mike and I have had almost mini-trees that barely hold our ornaments. I actually had to have a stepping stool to get lights on the near the top. If you'll notice, the tree topper is missing. We're in search of the perfect Angel to adorne the top of our tree. Also, I need to make our Christmas Tree skirt. When my parents were first married, my mom made them a Chrstiamas Tree skirt. I want to do the same thing! Here's a tree tour.

This is a silver sleigh bell. Patricia and I get one
ever single year. I really enjoyed polishing them and

getting them ready to go on the tree this year.

This is my favorite ornament. It was one of the first ornaments I ever got. Kathy Hinckley (our neighbor) gave it to me when I was a baby. I used to cry when my parents made me put it on the tree. Then I would sneak it off the tree and hide it in my room and sleep with it every night until it was time to take the tree down. Them my mom would explain I needed to put it away until next year. One year I actually got to keep it out all year long. I don't know why, but this ornament is very special - part of me still doesn't want to put it on the tree.

This is what I do with my bike medals. I have 3 LOTOJA medals on the tree a swell as the duathalon medal from last March and a SLC Marathon Bike Tour medal. Mike thinks its bad luck to cut the ribbons and make the medals ornaments. I think its cute.

This is one of Mike's favorite ornmaments: Santa Claw. We bought it in Boston last fall when we went to visit Patricia, Patrick and Alex.

Almost every year my Grandma gives me a piece of the Dicken's Village. Here she is - all lit up.