last nite the tree went up and the kids circled it like hungry predators. it took 5 of us to get the tree straight and stable. that of course involved 1 baby laughing as the needles tickle his face, and 1 moose to use the flashlight in the ever-popular 'strobelight' fashion. keeping with my childhood tradition, we strung the lights while the kids danced to the john denver & muppets christmas album. big e mainly just spun in circles and in his dizzy-drunken state, often fell into the tree. moosie did all the things that make me crazy, but remind me that hes just a 4 year old boy. not the intellegent, capable grown man i see him as. the house feels more and more cozy as christmas creeps in. im still fighting the tiresome battle to get THE angel on top of the tree. the fact that it has been the staple in every single one of my christmas' hasnt convinced my mother. you see, it doesnt go with this years 'christmas fruit' theme. hey ma, its called tradition.

tra-di-tion.

come hell or high water, that angel will sit atop that fucking tree. this isnt over yet.