Last night Toby took us to the farm across the street and bought us a ginormous Christmas tree. I would have been happy with a little twig of a tree or our old pink fake one but it made him happy to spoil Bug. I can’t complain.

Our neighbors came with us too and considering Christmas is still pretty new to them, I think it was extra special for them too. They ran around crazy pretending all the trees were a forest and posing like fools for cheesy photos.

Especially this fool.

Then they found the perfect tree and claimed it.

Mohammed claimed a little branch for me. I think I might try to make a wreath out of it.

Then we had it delivered to my little apartment and got to decorating. Toby strung the lights.

Bug hung the ornaments.

Bug and Toby have a running joke about how this glass icicle ornament is snot. I just roll my eyes.

Have you all experienced six-year-old humor? We are in the thick of it here. Bug will tell a joke, something thrilling like: “What does one hundred plus one hundred equal?” Then she’ll answer, “Two hundred eighteen million! Hahaha hahahahaha hahaha hahah hahaha haha hahahah ha!” like it’s the funniest thing in the whole wide world. She’ll laugh at her own joke for a good fifteen minutes straight and hear absolutely nothing that comes out of my mouth—especially any admonitions to get her shoes on or to brush her teeth or anything like that. It must be some kind of strange developmental phase she’s going through. I’m glad she’s got a sense of humor but man, I think I need to buy her a joke book for Christmas. She needs some new material.

Back to Christmas…It was fun looking through old ornaments. So many old memories.

So many news ones…

I remember when I bought these reindeer for Bug. She was probably one or two. I thought they were so cute at the time but she was really too little to get my joy. This year when she discovered them it was like my long ago dream came true. There’s a big one and a little one! she exclaimed gleefully.

She gets me.

And then we started a new tradition: Post Decorating Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies!

The end.