Decorate

'Tis the Season to be Jolly~~~~

We (mostly Keith, with lots and lots of supervision from me hehe) has our CHRISTmas decorations up. The kids are estatic. They love how "pretty" the tree is, and how Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus lights up the whole front island, and Santa is over there in the grass on the other side with his lighted tree, and the stars are shining and the angels are flying in the windows!! I love the season!! But I am realistic enough that they just love the decorations and the lights. Christmas has no value to them other than "presents". Notice tho' - there are no presents under our tree. We have scenes. We have our nativity scene and they can tell me any time who all the people in it are. It's a small step. Of course we have my 1 nutcracker and our white doggies under there - guarding it from evil~~ Of course, we will have gifts - but I just won't put them under the tree. A new tradition in our house.

And the picture below is one that I've been promising my sister Sharen. The first winter after we had moved here permantly, Keith had to be gone for a couple of weeks, so he arranged for Sharen to be able to come visit me. We had a great time - and while she was here - we planted this "Hibiscus bush" so we could watch our landmark of her visit grow. Well, first off - I don't think it was a bush - I think it was one of those wrap around tree plants. And this "bush" has been pushed over by Francis, Jeanne, Wilma, and again by whichever storm came thru with heavy winds this summer. And look at it grow!! It is 20 times the size as when we planted it! And I promised Sharen I'd post a picture of it so she could see how bit it has become. So. . . . here it is!! And I know it needs to be shaped. . . but I don't know how. Maybe she'll do it when she comes out this winter ~ ~ Whoppee ~~ Company!!