Enumerated Update

Happy Monday, friends.  This is a belated version of the update. 

1)  The Game:  I am at a loss for words about the SEC Championship game.  I didn't even watch the game and am still speechless.  We decided during lunch that we would purposefully busy ourselves during the game.  Therefore, we decided to pick up our Christmas tree instead of watch the game.  True story.  After running some errands, we even rode around for a bit to keep from coming home.  When we were out of things to do, we came home, and Skip checked in on the game during the third quarter.  He was immediately sucked in, whereas I continued to deflect information about the game and divert my attention. 

Deflect and divert. 

Once Skip confirmed the win, our evening was much more calm. 

2)  Trees:  As of this writing, our main Christmas tree is still not up.  This is unthinkable.  The upstairs has been decorated for two+ weeks.  George's tree and the girls' trees have long since been finished.  We tackled the exterior illumination this weekend.  Our delay is mostly due to contemplating getting a real tree this year.  After going back and forth on the decision, we are delaying the live tree for when we need to inject some new energy into our holiday festivities when the monkeys are older. 

3)  Bears Repeating:  Today is December 3rd, and our main Christmas tree is not yet up. 

UNPRECEDENTED.

4)   Over/Under:  I am aiming for a tree lighting ceremony by noon tomorrow.  Does anyone want to take the over/under?

5)  Christmas Cards:  We received our first card at the beginning of last week from one of Skip's friends from work.  You know the type... a total overachiever... insanely competent.  Needless to say, our card is a mere figment of my imagination, and the thought, the very idea, of trying to wrangle all three of those monkeys into a single photo frame makes me twitchy. 

The problem with Christmas creep... with stores bombarding us with the Christmas spirit... is that by December 3rd we feel woefully behind. 

6)  Shopping:  On the bright side, I am almost finished shopping. 

7)  Apologies:  This has devolved into a think-out-loud Christmas to-do list, hasn't it?

8)  Inspiration:  We had our rescheduled (due to George's illness) Thanksgiving lunch with my Dad and Stepmother yesterday.  Their home is a Christmas wonderland, and my children are revolting over the lack of main tree.  If they get wise to the fact that their other grandparents have also finished decorating, I will never hear the end of it. 

How is your list coming?  Are you finished with decorations?  Cards ordered?  Mailed???  Where are you in the shopping continuum?