O Christmas tree, O flippin Christmas tree. Why does it have to be such a pain to enjoy something like a live Christmas tree?

I don't remember the details of what happened last year but when I went to pull our tree out of the basement Sunday night I couldn't find the bottom part of the tree... and the other pieces were in 3 different boxes. "How'd THAT happen?" I asked myself. The I remember that the bottom part, the metal pole, got terribly bent (Copper or Lincoln, I forget) any I can't find it and assume it had been thrown away - but I don't remember throwing it out. Anyway, the stand is bent and impossible to fix, I don't want to buy a tree at this time of year (I'm an after-the-season sale girl) so off the 4 boys and I went to buy a real tree. Yay! We're all excited.

I found a nice tall, 7 foot Douglas Fir or something. It was wrapped up tightly so I could tell what it was going to look like but that was my choice. Celso Henrique wanted this little 3 foot scragley tree and I said it looked like Charlie Brown's tree and he agreed - that's why he wanted it. So we voted - 4 to 1 for the tall tree. We get the tree into our cart and ask for help in picking out a base. We get our things and go home.
Now the problem starts. We set up the tree trash bag (for the needles to fall) and put the base down and I bring the tree in and put it in the base. The kids hold up the tree and I tighten the bolts to hold the tree up. The bolts just touch the tree - not enough to make the tree stand up. The boys and I get frustrated so I just leaned it against the windows and we went to bed. This was all Sunday, here it is Thursday and it is still leaning against the windows.
AND I let the water well go dry and it ruined the tree. Guess it didn't matter much since the freaking thing can't even stand upright. So today I'm going to go back to where we bought it and insist they give me a new tree since they sold me the tree and the base and they didn't go together. I need a bigger trunked tree!

Tonight Henry has some gingerbread event with the other first graders and the principal of this school. After that we'll get our tree and set it up. Late night, yes.

Tomorrow I rush home from work as friends are coming for a "holiday photography session". We'll use the Christmas tree or fireplace for a background. It is the deal where "I'll take your picture if you'll take mine" type of thing. Yay for friends! After that I've invited them to stay and others to come to hang out, drink, eat and be merry