Oh Christmas Tree!

Ah yes, the time for enormous Christmas Trees is upon us again! Next year we will get it perfect! We went yesterday to a church in Issaquah that sells Christmas Trees of all shapes and sizes and uses the profits to build houses in Africa and Mexico so at least we felt that our money was going to a good cause.

We remembered that last year we had had a tree that was about 11' and we thought that was a good size and so we asked if they had any that large. The men were very excited for us and even showed us a newly arrived tree - so at least we knew it was fresh! - and we agreed that it looked about the right size. Well, something happens to the trees when you get them home as this one definitely grew about a foot by the time we had got in indoors and had got it upright on its stand. However it is quite sturdy and less likely to get pulled over by Silas than a smaller one we feel.

The other mistake we made was to keep the netting surrounding the tree on until after it was upright. We thought that we were being clever as it was definitely easier to move with the netting on but getting the netting off the top of a 12 - 13' tree is quite a challenge that involved Tim standing ontop of the ladder with me holding it tightly at the bottom.

Still, it looks magnificent and Tim is putting the lights on as we speak and it will look splendid when the decorations are up. We know that it is one of these things that we can't ever have in England and so we are making the most of it whilst we are  here!

Silas has been a little amazed by the tree and was very confused that there was a tree indoors rather than out. He kept on saying "tee" and looking out of the window  a little mystified as to why there is one in his lounge. The girls were intrigued that there were wriggling worms on the floor from the tree whereas I was just relieved that a bird didn't fly out of it when we got it up as I had seen little birds flying in and out of them in the tree lot! The tree is shedding a lot of needles at the minute but we hope that it will settle down. It is very thirsty and is drinking a lot of water too but I remember that that too settled down as the weeks went on last year.

We had a good day today too. We went to church this morning and I met someone from St. Albans who attended the same Guides as I did at more or less the same time as me; she is more Helen's age but I forgot to ask her if she remembered Helen. She has moved here from Ohio and has lived in the States for 8 years but only the last 2 months in Seattle. What a small world!

After Church, Chad came with us for lunch and then onto the Nordic Heritage museum as I had seen that it had a Christmas event on. Unfortunately it was almost over by the time we arrived but we saw Father Christmas and the girls made a cracker before coming home. We called into Target on the way home to buy some more lights for the tree but still not enough!

We had a peculiar day on Thursday, however. Esther and Silas and I did the shopping in the morning whilst Naomi was at school and then we went to the library in the afternoon. WE had had a good afternoon and I was pleased that we were back early enough as I was expecting my book group at our house in the evening. Tim was coming home from work early so that he could help get the children into bed before people arrived and then he too was off to a meeting.

All was going well until the children were about to eat their tea when Naomi suddenly started to cough and complain that she didn't feel too well. She really wasn't well and I thought she was going to be sick but after a while she calmed down and had a honey sandwich and went to bed fine. I put it down to the fact that she was all bunged up with a cold and that was why she was feeling funny. Anyway, around 9pm she was suddenly sick everywhere - being in a top bunk is really not helpful when you are sick, let me tell you - and I had to leave my guests and go and sort her out.

The guests left soon after and Naomi was sick again but after that she was fine, she fell asleep on the futon in our room and slept well until morning. She woke up and was fine and although I kept them off school, by mid morning she was eating as normal. We went to the park, to the bookshop and to the pet shop in the afternoon and had a lovely time. So now i am waiting to see if anyone else gets it!

So that has been our week really! Silas still isn't walking although some days i really think he is going to! He is very affectionate though and loves to sit on my knee and read stories. He is even starting to bring me a book if I am reading one to the girls or if I sit down to fold up the washing which is really sweet! He was laughing and laughing this evening as the girls were in the bathroom with the door shut as the bath was running and he was poking his finger underneath the door and they were poking their fingers back at him. It was causing much merriment!

I hope that this finds you all well and I will write again soon!