Friday Brain Dump

21

Yah, twenty-one days until Christmas.

1.  Trader Joe's

With that in mind, Gunnar and I headed out early to be at Trader Joe's when they open.

(Because we'd like to park in the same hemisphere where we shop.)

I could tell you about Trader Joe's (in case you're not familiar)

but if you've read Skipping Christmas think of Chip's,

and if not, read this comedienne's account of visiting Whole Foods...

it's pretty much the same.

2.  Popcorn

You know the giant cans of popcorn everyone has for five bucks?

I thought the can at Trader Joe's was kind of cool, and everyone likes popcorn, right?

So I bought one.

Of course, you'd expect three kinds of popcorn -

salty/buttery, cheese, and caramel.

But not from Trader Joe's.

Noooooo.... 

there are FOUR flavors, none of them normal.

We've got:

Olive Oil  - hmmm, okay, could be salty/buttery?

Caramel cheese - what? together?  What madness IS this?

Hot chocolate - popcorn???

Sriracha lime - popcorn that bites back, apparently.

I have a feeling we'll be putting it all out at our Christmas party ;D

But I really like the can.

Of course, we bought lots of chocolate for gifting,

some two-buck-chuck,

and the famed and much anticipated Candy-Cane Jo Jo's.

3.  Christmas Tree

No, I don't have photos yet.

But how about this?

The cutest Christmas tree ever. :D

Meeting Aunty Tami - home for Christmas - at the airport, 2001.

We went out to get a Christmas tree yesterday.

I'd been going over our calendar, because this weekend is kind of crazy,

and we're trying to figure out how to get everyone where they need to be when they need to be there,

AND when we could all five go get a Christmas tree.

Apparently we can ALL FIVE go...

maybe in January.

*sigh*

So, with Wyatt's blessing, we went without him.

I was thinking we ought to go to the tree farm before the weekend,

because they might get kind of picked over.

Oh boy, was I right.
Our hot dry summer really did a number on the evergreens.
They don't look very healthy.
We walked the whole lot and found one that's green,
but it doesn't exactly have that stereotypical (i.e. groomed) look they usually do.
Let's just say we're embracing a more "natural" looking tree this year ;D

So glad we went before the weekend, or we might be embracing a new tradition...

So classy ;D

4.  It's December; where's the snow?

Because the boys are hoping for scenes like these...

5.  We may not have any snow, but at least we have a decorated house.

I'm trying to simplify - fewer trinkets.

What I love are my nativities :D

And candles - real and electric.

And lights.

Lots of lights :D

6.  Tonight is the Messiah performance...

and I won't be singing.

Because - cough, cough, cough - I have a cold.

So sad :o(

The upside is,

I have tomorrow free to decorate our Charlie Brown tree.

What are you doing for the weekend?