deck the halls ...

well we've finally got our christmas tree up ... we went out for breakfast yesterday and then headed to a local tree farm where we got to choose from a huge variety of trees in a range of prices ... i'd have to say it's one of our best trees yet ... jake was pleased because this year the tree did not fall on him as it was being felled ... but that's a story for another day ...

so we put on the christmas music, hauled the boxes of decorations out of the attic and got to trimming the tree ...

i love opening the boxes and thinking about the person that gave us a particular ornament ... or reliving a "moment" ... like the lovely pink "Baby Girl's First Christmas" ball given to us by nanny the year amy was born ... amy who is now almost 14 ... or all the lovely ornaments about friendship given to me by my dear friend karen-anne ... we've got the american christmas decoration given to us by sherrie for our first year living in the united states ...

well at some point in the afternoon, jeff and jake left for a birthday party ... and ...

perhaps you heard me scream ...

inevitably a new real tree from the tree farm brings with it a few friends ... or perhaps the "friend" caught a ride in with one of the pets ... but ... doesn't matter ...

i'm not particularly fond of spiders and i know many of you faithful followers feel the same ... so when i picked up a rug covered in tree needles to shake it out the back door and found an 8-legged friend dangling from the under side of my arm, you can understand how my screams shattered vintage balls on the tree ...

are you familiar with the giant house spider ... giant ... GIANT house spider ... well it lives in and around buildings waiting patiently for some poor unsuspecting soul to open a door ... and it doesn't matter how it got in ... what matters is the GIANT part ...

i screamed and ran for the vacuum, shaking uncontrollably the entire time ... i turned it on and gently guided my daughter to where the beast had scurried ... and when i say gently, it went something like this ... in a very loud commanding (screaming) voice ...

"amy did you get it amy point it closer amy make sure it got sucked up amy amy is it gone amy don't point it at me!" ...

ok you are probably getting the picture now ... me hysterically jumping up and down and amy trying not to laugh and trying to keep the vacuum hose straight and and and ... like something out of an "I Love Lucy" show ...

anyway, my mom tells me i should be pleased because spiders like clean homes and not dirty ones ... but i think that's rather like telling the bride on her special day that the pouring rain brings good luck ...

alas, the house is in the christmas spirit now ... the table has been set with a vintage tablecloth i found for a steal on ebay ...

i've been in the kitchen making some festive treats ... with the help of trader joes gingerbread mix ...

but the best part is spending time with friends ...

we had our "canadian" dinner on friday night, a christmas party last night and this afternoon we are off skating with friends ... we'll come back here and warm up the cider, put on a pot of soup ... share some laughs ...

hope you are enjoying the season ... spending time with family and friends ...

but keep the doors and windows locked up tight ... those GIANT house spiders are always looking for a way in ...