Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful...

Who ordered the white stuff???!!!??? It's cold, it's snowy....did I mention, it's cold???? Here in good 'ole Pennsyltucky, you would think that after thirty five years, I would get used to bundling myself up for twenty five minutes to take the dogs out for ten, but, not so much. I would prefer to throw my flip-flops on and have it done. But, we live where there are four seasons, and you take the good with the bad.

I would much prefer it if it would only snow two days before Christmas, and then stop once New Year's Day arrives, but alas, I don't get a voice in the matter. Oh well, it is pretty. Something about a recent snowfall makes the world look clean and new and untouched again. I would be much more enthusiastic about it if I didn't have to give up my four-wheel-drive vehicle because the cost of gas was more than the payment! Now that I'm driving a rollerskate to work, I'm not as excited about snow. (Stupid oil speculators! If I ever run into you, I'm giving you an asswhumpin'!)

Looking outside at the white landscape turns thoughts to Christmas, and all of the stuff that is not done yet for the holiday. As of right now, Mike and I have bought a grand total of one Christmas present (Michelle, I got your back, at least you know you'll be opening something Christmas morning!) Nothing else is done...oh wait, that's right, I hosted Thanksgiving this year at our house. Due to my quick-thinking, I used the "free labor" and put those kiddos to work! The tree in our Family Room is done!

Here's a picture of the kiddos that were used in my "Christmas Sweatshop". Clockwise from Top left is: My nephew Tyler, my great-nephew Isaac, My nephew Tanner, and my great-niece Tola. Cute kids huh? Enough chit-chat! To work with you! No pumpkin pies until that tree is done! (I'm such a meanie!)

Here I am putting hooks on the ornaments. I look thrilled, no? That would be because after searching and searching, I couldn't find the hooks to put the ornaments up with...but because my Mom was Mrs. MacGyver, I didn't let that stop me. I made hooks out of paper clips...there's a hint for Heloise!

So, because I was fashioning hooks out of paperclips, it took a little while for the kids to get the ornaments to put on the tree, so they waited somewhat patiently in line for their turn.

Tola was so funny, she is a definite Christmas Nut, and wanted to hang all of the ornaments up...If I had a nickel for every time I heard "OOOOOh that's pretty! Can I do that one?" I would be on an island in the Caribbean right now instead of in the frozen tundra.

This picture is Tola in heavy negotiations with Tyler for a purple-glitter snowflake. She loved those snowflakes, so I'm going to get some for her for Christmas. Shhhhh! Don't tell her!

My elves, busy at work! They really want some pumpkin pie huh?

Isaac was so funny, you could tell he wanted to be the "cool boy" and not get excited about the pretty ornaments, but when I would unwrap each one his eyes got really big and he got this expression of Wow! Too cute.

Work my minions, woooooork! Bet you didn't know that I had minions, did you?

Ahhh, getting closer. More ornaments than room on the tree...

A lot of Tola's hanging was very low on the tree. I wound up moving them after everyone left. Due to the four-legged children I have.

The finished product. One of the prettiest trees I have ever seen.

I'd like to thank my minions for a job well done! "Can we have pie now Aunt Minnie?"

"Sure, once you get the lights hung up outside!"

"We're going home to have pie Aunt Minnie. Mooooooooooooooom! She's trying to make us put up the outside decorations now! Aren't there child labor laws????"

Well, it was worth a try. I don't have free labor like this often.

I'd like to thank one of my "former minions" my cousin Elizabeth, for taking all of the photos. She's a freshman photography major. And, because she is now nineteen, she's over listening to me when I bark out orders...all good things must come to an end I guess.

But, she did a really good job helping to corral the "staff" and help them get the ornaments on higher branches. Plus, she took some nice candids of the day.

This is Elizabeth, who used to be tiny and wore pigtails and thought I was cool...now, she's grown up and arty and ridiculously smart. (Runs in the family.)

Thanks all of you, because if you hadn't helped, I'd be putting that tree up today. Thanks!