Third Time's the Charm

The Tall One, Little Man, and I moved at Christmas last year.  When a home's bread winner is a public school teacher, Christmas break is magical.  Magical, as in, "We can finally do everything on that four-page to-do list" magical.  Last year, that involved moving into our newly-purchased home.  At Christmas.  There was no decorating last year.  Except for a tree.  Our realtor was also the president of Mr. Chadwick's booster club, and she had (obviously) means of getting into the house before we did, and she and the members of the choir came over, set up a tree, and filled it with ornaments.  That tree was ours to keep.  It's prelit.  With a foot switch.  I feel oh-so-modern.  Having this prelit tree has freed up the strand of white lights we used to use.  I was bound and determined to put that strand of twinkle lights out for enjoyment this year.  I was just stumped as to where the best place for them would be.  I was stubbornly fixated that they would go in the den.  That is, after all, where we spend the most time, and part of me really hates that we don't get to see more of our grand, prelit tree in the Great Room. And yet...

Notice how I don't have pictures of the first two locations I tried.  They were that bad.

Their first awkward home was on the shelf above the couch.  They resided there for several days until I just couldn't take it anymore.

This is the shelf of which I speak.  Notice, though, no lights.  I just couldn't bear to take its photo with them on it.  

The award for Awkward Location Number Two goes to the mantle.  The lights stayed up there for all of three days.

Once again, take note of the absence of lights.  Refer to Photo 1.  

This morning, I made up my mind to once and for all find a resting place for these lights even if it was the ONLY thing I did all day.  And I have a toddler, people.  Three years ago, my Pawpaw Gilliam passed away.  In cleaning out the house, I came across a box with those Shiny Bright ornaments in it.  I was told I could have them, so I guarded them closely on the 16 hour drive home, dreaming all along the way what I could do with them that Christmas.  There was a Michael's in the town where we lived in North Carolina, and I often found myself there (as in a couple of times a week), walking up and down the isles looking for ideas to jump off of the shelf and strike my fancy.  I came across a little 12" white tree on sale for a dollar (read:  $1!) and snatched it up, immediately knowing it's new purpose in life.  My Shiny Brights looked so great on that tree.  And there they stayed, until I made a new home for them on the wall here in our new house a few weeks ago.  So not only did I have a lonely strand of white lights on white cords, I had a lonely white 12" tree looking for a new purpose in life.  That's right. You guessed it.  I wound that entire strand of lights around that little 12" bit of tree.  It's more wire and lights now than tree, but those lights will never again find themselves untangled and removed (or lonely and without purpose).  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have created my very own non-prelit, prelit tree.  

I find that I like the balance it provides to the room.  And the sparkle.  (Maybe I should say "burning glow" instead of sparkle.  It is a little intense.)

Please ignore the ottoman and the toys and musical instruments scattered about the floor.  I am the mother of a toddler.  

I do believe I have accomplished the one and only task I set for myself today.  And it's still morning!