it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

I got my tree. It's not a 9-foot tree because we just could not fit one in the foyer opening. Oh, well. It's a 7.5 foot tree, which will still brush our ceiling. I got a new tree topper--it's a fleur-de-lis metal one, but I'm going to embellish it since it's kind of a dark gray metallic. I want it to glow, so I'm going to paint it with metallic paint and add glitter.

The tree was on sale for half price, so I feel great about it. It's pre-lit, but with only 650 lights, not the 800 I'd wanted, but it's the spruce look with tiny little pinecones, which are adorable. I know the purists and traditionalists out there sneer at my artificial trees, but if they like bringing bugs and birds into their houses inadvertently (both of which have happened to us and to members of our family), and if they adore the falling needles and fire hazard, then they can do what they want to do, and I'll have my lovely safe artificial tree.

I've also bought several other Christmas decor items: a new wreath for the front door, some candles, some plastic dishes and serving platters, etc. My boys and my daughter-in-law are coming, so I'm doing it up right!

I'm equally as excited about the countertop replacement that will occur on Tuesday. Yeehaw! It will be beautiful, and despite Esteemed Spouse's fear that the plumbing will become an issue requiring skills above and beyond his own, I am expecting nothing but happiness. And crossing my fingers. :-)

We've got to clean out the kitchen tonight and empty the top drawers so the workers will have room. I'm heading up to Big Rapids in the morning (Monday), and of course, my spouse has classes all day on Monday, so that's an issue for his time, too.

Thinking of Thanksgiving has fallen by the wayside since we'll do what we usually do: sleep late, eat a late breakfast, watch the parades, have a late lunch at Cracker Barrel, come home, watch football and nap. It's possibly going to snow on Thursday, so we don't want to do any going out other than for our meal. In case the weather turns really nasty, I'm going to pick up something we can fix here.

Monday and Tuesday I'm going to sit in my office and grade papers and conference with the occasional student. I always plan for optional conferences on the classday before we get out for Thanksgiving since students will be absent in droves, whether or not we have class. This way, I can catch up with some of my work, and they get a chance to go home, get over their colds, flu, bronchitis, and strep throat, and we'll all return refreshed after the holiday. I'm feeling positive. It's a good thing. Right?