Naughty Christmas Tree

We didn't realize how long it could take to put up a Christmas tree... I mean, I have done trees several times, but not for awhile.  And last year we had midget tree (4 feet!)...  We searched and got a good deal on a 7 foot tree.  And we decided to string our own lights (David seemed pretty confident, I wasn't that sure, but figured we could do it each year or try and string them good enough for a few years).


So after our Thanksgiving trip we got out all our boxes, bought our tree, lights, and decided to start decorating.


I unpacked the nativity while David started the tree.  After awhile we checked on each other's work and I started helping David.  The funny thing was that instead of spreading out each branch up and down and left and right.... he had each row flat and spread out flatly.  (Found out this is how his mom does it so that ornaments fit all through the tree)  I thought this was rather silly and so I helped "fluff" up our tree.  Even though I guess that is a style, we haven't flattened our branches yet.  I'd stick with it looking more like a real tree....  We both got poked and all that but finally got our tree all fluffed up.  Lights were for another day.

Next up we started the lights.  David began while I fixed dinner.  After over an hour I checked out the tree but there weren't lights on it yet??!?  David was doing great at trying out HOW to put them on and would put them on and then off and just would keep starting over.  So, after dinner I started over.  I got up a few branches and we realized that one of our new light strands went out!?!!?  And it was on the tree all integrated in the branches.  So there we proceeded for at least 2 hours trying to figure out what light bulb was loose, what fuze broke, etc.  We pulled in and out each light and tested with another one.  Oh my gosh - at that point we were about ready to box up the tree and go buy a pre-lit one!!  Forget saving $$ huh?  But we stuck with it.  We took off the strands and started over again.  Now the tree is almost ready except there's one section missing still since we only bought enough lights exactly for the tree.  I went and exchanged it today but found out it was a white cord - what??  I had no idea there was such a thing!

The frustrations continue.  Someday we'll win and you'll see our wonderfully finished tree, but for now you just see us struggling :).  But it's our First Christmas - and we love it!!!!!