I’m not sure what we’ve done in the days since Christmas, but I know that I’ve spent most of that time being cold. However, this summer when it was 126 degrees for three months straight, I vowed that I would never again complain about being cold. So I’m not complaining, it’s just an observation. And I guess we could turn on the heat, but I’m not a fan of the heat. It makes me feel like I can’t breathe and I’d rather just be cold.
Not that I’m complaining about being cold. It’s totally fine.
(I think the fact that I just talked about the temperature for that many consecutive sentences is a good indicator that I haven’t done much in the last few days. Maybe I should actually leave the house or something.)
I did manage to get the Christmas tree down on Sunday. Normally I’ll leave the tree up until around New Year’s and I definitely would have left this one up because it was my favorite tree EVER, but it had been dead for the better part of a week before Christmas and reached a level of dryness that I felt certain was going to lead to spontaneous combustion.
(I just used a lot of words to say I was afraid it was going to catch ON FIRE.)
(Also, P and his friend George used to take our Christmas tree out in the backyard after Christmas each year, put it in our fire pit and light that sucker up. I always thought it would be immediately engulfed in flames, but the trees would always just smoke and smolder. Highly anti-climatic.)
(I’m not sure that it was legal for us to try to burn our tree in the backyard but that’s before we had a child and needed to set a good example. Clearly we had a lot of time on our hands.)
(I kind of want to make fun of P for setting our Christmas tree on fire, but who was the idiot who stood outside to watch him do it?)
Anyway, I’d hoped to convince Caroline that taking down the Christmas decorations is as much fun as putting them up, but she didn’t buy it. I guess watching me attempt to untangle twelve strands of Christmas lights from a dead tree with needles of death didn’t create a persuasive argument. Especially when I debated just throwing the whole thing out, lights and all.
But, eventually, I got everything put away and all that’s left of Christmas are the battery-operated animals and a few random pine needles that embed themselves in my wool socks and impale my feet. Next year I’m wishing for a male six-plumed bird of paradise.
That may seem like a random wish until I tell you that we watched the Planet Earth movie that Santa brought and learned the male six-plumed bird of paradise is a meticulous cleaner. It’s how he woos his mate. Unfortunately for the bird in the movie, his lady friend was a no-show. I guess she didn’t want to go on a field trip with him even though his house was spotless. She obviously wasn’t a woman with a house covered in the remnants of Christmas.
So that’s what we’ve been doing around here. Taking down decorations and watching Disney documentaries on nature.
(And I don’t want to ruin the ending of Planet Earth, but it doesn’t turn out well for some of the animals. Of course given the way Disney is never afraid to knock off a parent for a good story, it’s hardly surprising.)
On a brighter note for animals everywhere, yesterday was rainy and COLD so Gulley and I took the kids to see Alvin and The Chipmunks “The Squeakquel”.
Spoiler Alert:
It all turns out okay for Alvin, Simon and Theodore.
Of course my ears started bleeding from listening to them halfway through the movie, but that’s not really important.
It’s not like I really need them, except for when I want to hear.
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First, can’t believe that I am first and that I am still awake at midnight. Hubs and I took the boys to see the Chipmunks on opening day. Hearing Hubs try to do his best Brittany/Christian Applegate singing All The Single Ladies by Beyonce keeps bringing tears to my eyes. Tears of laughter and pain. It’s painful to hear him try to sing like that and so funny I can’t do anything but laugh!
We have skipped the Chipmunks to see the Princess and the Frog. Duncan is holding out to see Toy Story 3. We also saw a trailer for Disney’s latest “Earth” movie, “Oceans”. I could see a seal or two snatched by a polar bear in that movie. I can’t bring myself to watch Bambi for that reason.
Our tree has needles of death while still being much alive. I’m dreading taking the ornaments down. Someone around here mulches all the Christmas trees.
My mom took my sister, who’s almost six, to see The Squeakquel. She said she was happy because she managed to fall asleep.
I want to see Planet Earth! I have been meaning to since it came out- gonna netflix that sucker!
My tree is staying up indefinitely. Maybe til next year. LOL.
I could never sit through Alivin & Co. They make me insane!!!
Oh my, I hear you! The house is still full of Christmas remnantage…I need to get it all sorted, stat, before New Year’s!
Cxx
“And I guess we could turn on the heat, but I’m not a fan of the heat. It makes me feel like I can’t breathe and I’d rather just be cold.”—- REALLY? Like, cold as in it’s supposed to be 8 degree’s here this morning? And our high for the day won’t go past 25? Yah, that’s cold! Add in the wind chill and it’s freezing! I love the heat, turn it up! I just had the heat set on *hell* all the way to work
LOVE IT!
We burn our tree each year too, but we never have the smoke and smolder problem…we have 48 acres of fields so we go out in the middle of one, douse the tree in whatever flamable liquid we might have on hand at the time and light the sucker!! We usually have some pretty good flames. It always marks the beginning of our New Year’s Eve bonfire…but this year my husband may need to tone it down a little since our now 3 year old remembers vividly watching our tree ‘die’ last year and keeps telling his daddy that he’s not allowed to ‘Kill Christmas’ this year!!
PS: you want cold??? today our high will be 3 with a wind chill of -15 to -20
Ha! I love Monica’s comment above me “I just had the heat set on *hell* all the way to work.” I keep my office like that all day! Which poses a problem because then I get sleepy. You can come chillax in my warm toasty office Big Mama…and keep me awake by telling me funny jokes and stories you’ll later use for blog material
LOL re: the bird of paradise! We watched Planet Earth this week, too, and I so loved the black bird of paradise who who puffed himself out and flashed a wicked blue smile pattern in his attempt to impress the ladies!
While I love the smell of a real tree, I go artificial. The reason: the needles. As much as we try to water it and not have it dry out, by the time we need to take off the lights and decorations, I need to wear heavy work gloves so that my hands don’t get poked by the needles.
I saw Princess and the Frog and the Chipmunks. I’ll take the Princess any day. I actually cried at one point during that one (of course I also cried my eyes out during the trailer for the Blind Side, so it doesn’t take much). I was OK during the Chipmunks, but that is just because my kids rented SHORTS the other day. That is the most horrific kids movie created since the torturous SHARK BOY AND LAVA GIRL (both by Robert Rodreguez who should be banned for life from making kids movies).
Long time lurker… first time posting. But, I had to say that my husband told me the other day that I am hot natured… this couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, I am freezing. However, I hate heat (especially, in the car). It makes me feel like I am suffocating!
30 degree temps, heat on low (on the floorboard of the car) and a window cracked… please and thank you.
oh on the squeakel movie..just be thankful your kids dont want the soundtrack..today i had a dance party with my 4 year old singing all the single ladies.put a ring on it!
ba ha ha
12 degrees here in upstate New York, heat cranking away………… and I so agree that it makes you feel like you can’t breathe! The weather report is 23 for today that will feel like a heat wave! I have to say though that I’d take this anytime over the summer humidity!
I am the anti-you. I never complain about the heat. In the summer, in the car, at the beach, in front of the fire, anywhere. Whenever anyone up here in MN complains about the “Heat” in the summertime (which by the way doesn’t really ever even get NEAR 126), I remind them that it could be 30 below. I’m just saying.
We saw the Squeakquel yesterday after having lunch at Cracker Barrel and taking my James (8yrs.) to spend his gift cards. Taking down the rest of the tree today. Started yesterday and left partway through to watch the movie. That’s how we roll! =)
Since Sophie is going to see Alvin & the Chipmunks not once, but twice, beginning today with her big sister and her brother-in-law, I’m just so relieved to know about the outcome.
*Grinning.
I may bring my earplugs when I take her with my mom and niece and nephew this Saturday.
Your burning of the Christmas trees story got me thinking that maybe we should start a huge New Year’s Eve bonfire with all of our Christmas trash.
Except that’s illegal here now.
I think I am ready to “deornament” as well. When no one plugs the tree in except me, I figure it’s time.
Loved the question posed in yesterday’s blog. I have 4 young adult, unattached children and I am passing along that tidbit. “Would you go on a field trip with them?” Profound.
We obviously didn’t see the chipmunk movie, but Holmes and Avatar were worth seeing.
Happy New Year!
I would rather get my feet impaled with pine needles than suffer through the Chipmunks. You’re a good mom. Still looks like Christmas hurled all over my house around here – not pretty. It would be nice to start 2010 with a clean house but the only way that will happen is if I get the six plumed bird of paradise over here. Love Rena’s idea of a New Year’s bonfire with all the Christmas trash. HA! But the smell of a burning Elmo TMX might be offensive to the neighbors…
Leaving the lights on the tree would’ve made the fire interesting…just saying!
Every year on New Year’s Day we burn our Christmas tree too! It’s a family tradition, and we always say it gives new meaning to the phrase “light the Christmas tree.” Ours really does burn, in a huge ball of fire, because my husband and boys douse it with gasoline first…
Went to see The Blind Side last night with a friend and just loved it. I was thinking about taking my 4 year old to see The Princess & the Frog tomorrow, but I’ve heard it’s pretty scary with the voodoo stuff. Now I don’t know. If I cancel on her, there’s sure to be a big fit thrown. :s
Our tree is holding on by the last thread. I think I can make it to New Years Day without it combusting.
First, you need to wait until SUMMER to burn your tree. By then, it is nice and crispy and when burned, has 20 foot flames!
Probably one of my favorite posts.
Seriously, what’s the deal?? When did Texas decide to have winter? Nobody asked me… and I’m NOT okay with it.
Also one who is compelled to post our temperature. It’s currently -16F/26C. The government controlled heat in our country is on!
We got (um, I bought my husband) the Planet Earth series for Christmas and since we were snowed in Christmas Day and the day after, we’ve been riveted. However, if you are referring to Planet Earth, that is a multi-DVD documentary by the BBC, who are obviously not concerned with showing animals meeting their end in violent ways. The Disney movie is just called Earth (I think…). Do you watch those animals who obviously don’t have long on this earth and secretly wish the camera crew will save them?
Our tree is beyond dead too, and I just can’t muster the courage to undress it.
Good post. I’m dreading taking down my fake tree with the colored lights I strung around the pre-lit lights that don’t work anymore.
Sorry about your ears
Girl, we ALWAYS take our tree, lights and all, and toss it into the lake!!!! I love simply packing up the ornaments, then watching Britt drag the tree out to his truck! Easy, peasy! I decided years ago that Christmas lights were just included in the price of the tree! I refuse to untangle those things next year, only to have half of them work! OR WORSE…..half go out, after they are ALREADY on the tree with ornaments!!!!! My sanity is worth the additional $20 a year for tree lights!
We watched Disney Earth several months ago and while I loved the cute cuddly babies, I was a little (okay a lot) shocked by the reality of it all (tongue in cheek). I don’t think my kids need to see how an elephant… nevermind I don’t want to ruin it, but it was very real- I’ll leave it at that.
Took the grandkids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks 2….the first one was better.
If you have not seen The Blind Side, you must, ASAP! BEST movie in ages!
We moved into our house when the road was just being developed and the families were all about the same age. Every year about the middle of January the guys would get together, gather up as many Christmas trees as they could fine, even resorting to driving around and collecting any for the taking and then make a big fire to burn all the Christmas trees complete with beer to keep them warm. A necessity in Upstate New York. As families moved away, new ones moved in and they kind of didn’t buy into the Christmas tree burning thing. But I thought you should know that you weren’t the only one to do it.
I usually leave my ornaments up till after New Year’s, too, but I also usually get out of the house during that time. I’ll be taking mine down today, I think, just for something to do and because the van’s already parked in the driveway so my son could practice using his new Heelys in the garage…
Those Planet Earth videos are great. They taught me that my tiny, innocent young children are really blood-thirsty, vicious carnivores at heart. They absolutely love the Cordyceps fungi in the Jungle episode, which freaked me out.
Oh, and I don’t think Disney had anything to do with them. They’re originally produced by the BBC in connection with the Discovery channel. It’s always possible that Disney owns them by now, I suppose, but I don’t think so.
Your “just a lot of nothing much” is still so much fun to read. Thanks for sharing…I had the job of “undecorating” all by myself too…where were those crazy kids of mine who were knee deep in garland, ornaments, ribbon, and advent calendars way back at the beginning of this life-draining but oh so exciting month? Oh…right. They were playing with all their great loot they received…
If you are giving away a prize for answers on this blog, which I am pretty sure you are not, but just in case, my vote goes to Monica…heat set on “Hell”–love that! I do that and I live in the south…sometimes my kids almost pass out before I am willing to turn it down… three snaps to Monica!
Happy New Year!
paige
My son was 7 or 8 when The Chipmunks were a Saturday Morning Cartoon fixture and he ADORED them. I’m trying to con him into taking me to see The Squeakel (how in the heck do you spell that?) but he’s not buying it. I guess the rose colored glasses are off by the time you hit 27.
Planet Earth – circle of life. I am okay with the ending being bad for some animals. Keeping it real, yo!
Just alot of nothing about sums up our last few days. I was actually clawing at the door today, desperate for some sort of excursion..change of scenery…etc…until I realized it is freezing here in NC too–and when I say freezing I mean about 40 degrees BRRRRR! (anything under 65 is freezing for me too, so I have been cold for months) And, I WILL complain about it. Was very happy to catch up on your last few posts!
Took my kids to see the Chipmunks movie yesterday…they loved it…Have a Happy New Year!
What types of after Christmas sales do you like to hit, if any?
Bless your heart, I’m so glad my kids are too young to want to go to that Chipmunks movie. I think my ears would bleed too.
Temperature is all relative to where you live. I would be in heaven if it was 45 degrees. I believe we live in the Arctic, well not really, but it feels like that.
I am so glad my kids are too old for Chipmunks. That is one part of raising kids that I DO NOT miss. Now we are on to The Office and American Idol. YES!!! Teenagers are a total BLAST!
We saw the squeaquel this week too. It was cute, a little racy in parts!
The squeakquel was cute, liked those sassy chipettes, but didn’t think it was as good as the first one! Also, want those planet earth videos, everyone says they are so good!
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