Day Twenty One: I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now!
When I was pregnant with Harper, I purchased Christmas lights to hang on the outside of the house.
And because I often have no idea how things work, I didn't realize that you also need to purchase hooks to hang the lights.
When I finally figured out the process, all of the hooks in this town had sold.
2005 = No Lights on the House.
In August of 2006, we replaced the roof and the gutters on the house.
Because we're fancy, we chose the covered gutters.
When it was time to purchase hooks for the Christmas lights, I went straight out to Home Depot and stocked up.
And because I often have no idea how things work, I bought the sort of hooks made for gutters that aren't covered.
When I finally figured out the process, all of the hooks for covered gutters had sold.
2006 = No Lights on the House.
In early 2007, I returned to the store and purchased the correct hooks.
On November 20, because the weather was lovely, Jeff took a half day off from work and used the afternoon to hang lights.
When Meredith came home from school, she decided to sugar up and help.
(Harper decided that the mulch needed an imaginary watering.)
2007 = The Pudding Family wins the award for being the first house in the subdivision with Christmas lights.
And when we plugged them in, Meredith begged me to go Christmas caroling with her.
My answer: "I need thirty days and a bit more liquor, my friend."
(We DID sing Rudolph, Jingle Bells, Happy Birthday, and Crank Dat.)
And because I often have no idea how things work, I didn't realize that you also need to purchase hooks to hang the lights.
When I finally figured out the process, all of the hooks in this town had sold.
2005 = No Lights on the House.
In August of 2006, we replaced the roof and the gutters on the house.
Because we're fancy, we chose the covered gutters.
When it was time to purchase hooks for the Christmas lights, I went straight out to Home Depot and stocked up.
And because I often have no idea how things work, I bought the sort of hooks made for gutters that aren't covered.
When I finally figured out the process, all of the hooks for covered gutters had sold.
2006 = No Lights on the House.
In early 2007, I returned to the store and purchased the correct hooks.
On November 20, because the weather was lovely, Jeff took a half day off from work and used the afternoon to hang lights.
When Meredith came home from school, she decided to sugar up and help.
(Harper decided that the mulch needed an imaginary watering.)
2007 = The Pudding Family wins the award for being the first house in the subdivision with Christmas lights.
And when we plugged them in, Meredith begged me to go Christmas caroling with her.
My answer: "I need thirty days and a bit more liquor, my friend."
(We DID sing Rudolph, Jingle Bells, Happy Birthday, and Crank Dat.)
Submitted by
Aurora
at 11/21/2007 2:32:04 PM- Oiy! Yay! awesome pictures! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who never understands how things work!
Merry Happy!!
--Aurora
PS I second the love on the eye patch!
Submitted by
FP
at 11/21/2007 2:33:49 PM- Jane--I can't wait to hear how your 7th graders respond!
Aurora--The same to you!
We get our patches at Patch Pals. (Click here for the link.) They're surprisingly affordable, so I let her pick a new one out every few months. (She ordered the Christmas one back in October and has been itching to wear it. I finally broke down and let her a few weeks back.)
Submitted by
Meghan
at 11/21/2007 3:26:12 PM- The patch is super cute. I'm so proud of her for being a good sport, we had a terrible time getting my brother to wear his. That was also 12 years ago, there weren't that many fun alternatives available.
Submitted by
Raquita
at 11/21/2007 5:01:16 PM- WHileI am morally opposed to that song - and would kill my daughter if I heard her sing it - That video was funny - I ahve to give it to you on that one....
Congrats on the light thing - you certinaly beat us
Submitted by
Alli
at 11/21/2007 5:07:57 PM- Good for you, Puddings! Because I am on bedrest my husband just took down our Halloween decorations today. He also just made me chicken n stars soup for dinner (last night was Stouffers French Bread Pizza), Sigh. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Submitted by
FP
at 11/21/2007 5:38:06 PM- Meghan--We're proud, too. She doesn't fight the patch at all, and on most days she patches for at least four hours.
Raquita--(Meredith doesn't know Crank Dat. I was kidding.) And you still have plenty of time for your lights. In fact, I wonder how many of our neighbors shake their head as they drive by our house. "It's not even Thanksgiving! Those crazy Puddings!"
Alli--Confession: I still have my Halloween stuff up inside the house. Take care of yourself, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Submitted by
Amy in KC
at 11/21/2007 9:58:34 PM- If I asked my husband to hang Christmas lights he would laugh at me. And laugh and laugh and laugh some more. So now that I know I have to buy hooks and I have to check the gutters, please tell me how to get over this final obstacle...
Submitted by
Sarah
at 11/22/2007 4:43:58 AM- Ah, you could say you've finally seen the light!
What a lovely blog you have...
Submitted by
Carroll
at 11/22/2007 12:18:52 PM- Now, for a really good time, you can go all white trash on the neighbors, leave those lights in place all dang year, replace the yellow and green bulbs with more red white and blue ones, and really wow the kiddos on 4th of July! Why not, (?) I ask you. <--(and how the heck does one properly punctuate such a rhetorical question, anyway??)
Submitted by
witchypoo
at 11/22/2007 2:11:51 PM- I would say that Mr. Pudding is either very motivated (by whom, she speculates slyly) or just a darned good sport.
I'm hoping you are a master motivator.
Your younguns are beyond cute!
Submitted by
Mizmell
at 11/23/2007 8:43:42 AM- And I am hoping to see a photo soon with LIGHTS ON. I'm imagining a suburban gingerbread looking house...
Submitted by
Erin
at 11/26/2007 1:11:37 PM- Your kids are so cute!!
Oh My Sweet Jesus. Thank you for the link to that video. That made my whole damn day. I have a whole homeroom of 7th grade girls who think that song is the greatest. I'm so making them watch this on Monday. It's ON.
BTW, am loving the red Christmas tree eye patch. Homemade? If you have to patch, do it in style!