Christmas bells are ringing

Observant readers may have noticed that we were supposed to be moving into the new house this week and yet we aren't. Now we're hoping to be in before Christmas. It will be close.

There have been a few setbacks but the delay is mostly because our house is on the back burner. The house that's been getting all the attention lately is closing on Thursday. Its owners have been living in a camper for two months, so it's impossible for me to complain.

This is going to be a great week for our house, though. It's being painted, plumbing and light fixtures are going in, trim is finally just about done and the garage door was installed today. We cleaned up the back yard a little so we'll have room for some grass in one area (but we left all the trees between us and the neighbors).

Since we won't be in the new house in time to decorate for Christmas, we're going to get a Christmas tree for this house. We'll have to take it down before Christmas in order, I HOPE, to move, so we're going to get it on Wednesday even though we usually wait until we're a week or two into December. We have to get our money's worth!

I love the way Christmas trees smell and look. I love the night of playing carols and decorating the tree and then curling up on the couch to admire our handiwork (and this year we can incorporate drinking coffee!). We have so many good ornaments, many of which date back to our childhoods.

We bought our tree topper for $2 at Target the first year we were married. It's a silver star dotted with glittery puff paint. I love it. It was never supposed to be permanent, but every year pulling it out of the box makes us laugh. I think we'll be using it until the puff paint falls off.