It’s Thursday and I’m still posting about the weekend.

We did a lot:
1. Dawg reunion
2. Learned to roll over
3. Jingle Bell 5k
4. We got a Christmas tree!

We had a busy weekend.

With so much going on, it helps to be organized, and the Tom and Amanda branch of the Krieger family tree is not particularly organized.

I’m a walking disaster, and Tom isn’t much better. Everyone THINKS Tom is organized because he’s a planner and so thorough about everything…but he’s not

Ask him about the time he lost his wallet before going on an international cruise. Or locked his laptop to a chair and lost the key. Tom’s a whirling dervish.

No one is ever confused about me. I look like a mess coming and going.

We do alright in our state of constant chaos, but when you add Christmas and a baby to the mix and our house doesn’t know what hit it.

I’m sort of a Grinch about SOME things (but only some). For example, I don’t like Christmas music. I’d much rather decorate the tree to “Laffy Taffy” than Jingle Bells. And I didn’t want to get a tree. Now that I’m a boring adult it’s just too much work, and we aren’t going to be home for Christmas.

(When I was in high school a guy constantly called me the Grinch because he said I looked like him. I wish I had a photo, because back during The Braces Years when I only smiled with my mouth closed…he was sort of right.)

Last year I got my way. This year, Tom’s Christmas spirit prevailed. Instead of a trip to the tree farm or a family outing, Tom just went to Costco and slapped it on the car. Now there’s a Fraser Fir in my living room.

(I do WISH I’d gone. When Tom tied the tree to the car he accidentally tied his car door shut. Wearing church clothes, he had to climb into the car through the window. See what I mean? He’d lose his head if it wasn’t attached.)

Look at all that disorganization!

I was in the other room when Tom undid the twine and started lamenting about how the tree was a dud. Costco leaves the trees all bundled so you can’t see what you’re getting.

My dear, sweet Tom can be a little pessimistic at times. I expected to walk into the living room and see a huge, gorgeous tree with a few pine needles out of place.

This time, he wasn’t exaggerating. It wasn’t a complete dud, but it was crooked and had branches sticking out in all the wrong places. I thought it looked a little like an awkward teenager. Tom said it was an overweight, middle-aged man.

I was sure we could camouflage it with a few strings of lights.

But my light-stringing was only so-so, so we hinged our bets on the ornaments.

All dressed up it does look better. Still a little off-kilter, but shiny and bright.

In case you didn’t see this little gem, here’s a close-up.

We don’t have a star or an angel so we improvised. I made this snowflake ornament at last year’s Neighborhood Outreach Christmas Party.

Even a Grinch like me gets nostalgic when pulling out ornaments.

My friend Elaine got this for me when Tom and I got married. The other side says “Tom and Amanda, July 3, 2009”. It might be my favorite ornament.

This one gives it some serious competition, though.

My sister sent this from Taiwan. I’ve never seen a more beautiful pine cone.

These are my 12 Days ornaments. Tom’s mom gave them to me on our first Christmas together. There are 12 of them, all different, all beautiful, all breakable. I love them so much I’m already preparing myself for the day one of them breaks. With a cat and a kid the odds aren’t stacked against the glass ornaments.

David loves looking at all the lights.

And Brigham loves it, too. We find him curled up with the presents every day.

We think he’s trying to earn his place back in the family. “See! I don’t mess with the tree. Please pay attention to me!”