Monday, November 24, 2008

Tackle It Tuesday: The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Tackle It Tuesday Meme

(Note: If you haven't entered my giveaway for FREE laundry detergent yet, click here...you've only got until Wednesday.)

As I have mentioned several times over the last month, I have been dreading decorating the Christmas tree because of a certain kitten that has graced our home.

When Minnie was a baby two years ago, she got stuck in the tree about a half hour before we had to leave for Christmas Eve church, had to be CUT OUT, peed all over the floor, and the tree went into the garbage before Christmas morning.

Wonderful memory, huh?

I was determined to not have a repeat performance.

So I decided to try a spray that I read about online. This one was Boundary Cat Repellent.




(FYI... this was not a review product and I received nothing to write this...I just discovered what works)











I was curious to see the difference so first I brought the Christmas tree upstairs and left it in the box in the middle of the living room floor. Within a minute, this is what I found...



One cat IN the box, the other observing as if deciding whether to join the adventure.















What would happen if I sprayed the tree before I took it out of the box?




Both cats ran away and hid on the other side of the room to observe at a safe distance.














So I figured it was safe to go ahead and put it up.

Putting lights on the Christmas tree is OFFICIALLY the worst job in an entire year that one needs to battle. Steve and I would get in shouting matches every year while we did it.

I decided this year to try to put them on a little at a time, one branch at a time. It worked very well, until...




Oops, Big Sister has ventured to try a nibble...










Grab the spray...cats gone!

I had two of the three sections up with lights by the time we had to go get Noah from school so the tree was missing it's top for the rest of the evening.

After the kids went to bed, I put the top on and finished "poofing"

Aaron woke up in the morning and exclaimed

"WHOA...IT GROWED!!!!!!"


So, finally it was time to allow the boys to start decorating. In years past, I would have followed behind, directing then where to put the ornaments.

I am proud to say that I resisted the urge.









Because I was so restrained, this is how the tree looked when they were done...
















So as they started playing with the nativities (see next week's T13), I rearranged the ornaments, putting their cheesy character ones further to the back and our nicer ones in the front. I also added some bows to bring more color.

We used to have BEAUTIFUL colored glass and really nice ornaments. Then two little boys graced our home, followed by two cats, and I have opted for safety over beauty. Maybe in a few years, we'll get out the pretty balls again.

I also used to have a really pretty tree skirt, but I read an idea in a magazine last week that I am going to try, even though it looks a little silly at the moment.

I got a simple red tree skirt and the boys each put a hand print on it. Then, I outline it with glitter glue and label it.

Every year we will add their hand print. I imagine my the time they are older, it will be fun to look at all of the hands through the years.

This picture was taken before we got Aaron's print on the skirt.






So it needs a few more ornaments and it's not exactly the prettiest tree, but while were watching a movie Friday night as a family, I turned and saw Aaron just gazing at the tree with this sweetest dreamy look



I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture. If I could bottle that look of contentment and sell it, I would be a millionaire.











and I decided that I now understand haw Charlie Brown felt.

(P.S. If you're wondering how the spray is working, each time the cats start trying to get near, I spray the bottom and the cats stay away for hours. I think it was WELL worth the $12.99 I paid.)



9 comments:

Shannon @ Gabi's World said...

Hey Kristi! So sorry I have been away for awhile! My life has been hectic. Obviously I took an extended break from the blogging word while doing a couple quick posts to my own just so everyone knew we didn't fall off the face of the Earth!

I love the tree! And I really love your hand print idea! I may have to invest in some of that spray, too! Hollis is gone though (we evicted him). He was more like a dog than a cat and was chewing up things.

Veronica @ Luv My Quiver Full Of Arrows said...

Kristi,

You are a better woman than I. Each year I try to tell myself to let the kids put the ornaments wherever they want, and when they aren't looking I move them to my desired spot. I know, I am terrible!

I think your tree is so pretty and seeing that picture of Aaron. It sure makes it all worthwhile, doesn't it?

We should have ours spoofed up and ready soon, too. We started today, but with all the nausea, the task was halted all too quickly.

Deb said...

I'm definitely going to get some of that spray to help keep Pumpkin's mischievous sisters away from our tree when it goes up.

Hey - I thought we were going to do the handprint thing together?? I like the glitter glue idea for outlining it though.

Your tree looks really pretty - can't wait to see it in person!

Shannon Donley said...

I think the tree looks great. Leave it and take pictures every year and then you will have wonderful keepsake.

I love the tree skirt thing. It's kind of like the "artwork" hanging in the little bathroom.

If you notice, the family tree upstairs has unbreakable ornaments on it and the kids each have a little tree in their own room for those "interesting" ones.

I wonder if a catnip tree in a different corner of the house would be cheaper? LOL

See ya soon,
Shannon

Courtney said...

I like your tree. Ours often only has ornaments on the bottom of the tree because we let the girls do all the decorating themselves. The first year it bothered me a little, but now, it doesn't at all.

Now if I could find that spray for a two year old that would be great!!!

Susie said...

Great tackle and great advice on the spray:-)

Amy Plumb said...

The tree looks great. My will go up after Thanksgiving.
I agree with you about the picture, now to figure out how/or who to sell it to and end up rich. He is cute! LOL

Anonymous said...

My cats used to live under the Christmas tree when they were still alive. Every now and then, the tree would start shaking if they got too rumbunctious under it....

Mom Knows Everything said...

I love the idea of the hand print!!!