Over the river and through the woods

We have our tree up.

 Photo Dec 11, 7 36 13 PM
Photo Dec 11, 7 33 14 PM (HDR)

The LED lights photograph blue but they are rainbow colored. (including purple which gram pointed out was different) Our first real tree together. Only took 15 years. We never lived anywhere we could have one really. Florida then tiny Boston apartments. I only had enough ornaments for a tiny 2 foot tree. But that's OK I don't want to load it. Most my ornaments are Hello Kitty honestly. I have 5 different types and over 20 total. I take it back we have a LOT more ornaments but they are all glass. Robots and Star Wars but Waffle can't be trusted. All the Hello Kitty ones just happen to all be plastic and wood.

 Photo Dec 11, 7 37 11 PM

I made Dave a set of Chicken McNuggest one Christamas after he was first diagnosed and knew he couldn't have them anymore.

 Photo Dec 11, 7 33 50 PM Photo Dec 11, 7 33 58 PM Photo Dec 11, 7 34 19 PM (HDR) Photo Dec 11, 7 35 25 PM (HDR) Photo Dec 11, 7 34 45 PM

We also have this Santa dave has named "fire hazard Santa" which is funny because it isn't. He appears to be 50's - 70's and has one of those old goofy skinny cords and he is all rigged up in the back with tape and string to keep the light in place. We have no idea where he came from. After my birthday we found him on the counter. Neither Dave nor I saw it put there. We called all our family and asked who left it. No one is confessing! Our topper was made by my Great Grandmother who was nearly blind towards the end when she made these. She had eye transplants twice.

Gram came for her first sleepover at our house. I hadn't been able to get her to Boston until recently (we had a horrible family tragedy in the city before I was born) and so I schemed with Dave on how to get her to come and stay over. She was scared of traveling alone. But literally she takes a train 5 minutes from her house, rides it until end of line and we pick her up. Easy. I called her and asked if she wanted to come and stay. She did her typical "well let me think about it' I said NO, no thinking, Yes or No right now. She said yes! ha. I know the trick now.  We took her to have Thai food for the first time.

Photo Dec 10, 5 40 38 PM

My (annoying) loving father told her is was going to be spicy and she wouldn't like it. What the hell does he know he hasn't ever had it. I had to keep reassuring her it wasn't. We got her Chicken Satay and Shrimp Pad Thai. Not only did she love it she asked for more sauce! We also took her for a chair massage. This type. She says a lot how since Pop passed she doesn't get her neck rubs. It was Pop's birthday this week (which is why I wanted her to come so bad) We also put up the tree and watched Lifetime Christmas movies. It is a well known fact gram doesn't like cats. She is allergic (me too) and thinks they shouldn't go on furniture, beds, bedrooms.. the list goes on. She was worried about it. So we locked her up in our bedroom and kept the cats out at night. But you know what? They totally won her over.

Photo Dec 11, 11 40 55 AM

Daisy miss "I hate the world and most people in it. I am fussy" loved gram. I think she is what won her over. She still doesn't want to sleep with them or want them on counters but she gave Daisy a lot of love. She kept calling Waffle cute too.

She is totally cute. As she robs you blind.

Photo Dec 09, 10 31 28 PM

How was your weekend?

Oh and I put a tree up at work. This was from our first Boston apartment originally.

Photo Dec 06, 8 11 45 AM

Comments

Unknown said…
Your tree is adorable. Mine is going to have quite a few HK ornaments, too (though they will be in company with waaaay too many other things. my mom is one of those people that thinks if there is a bare branch, it's a sin) I'm especially jealous of your chicken nugget ornaments, totally made me lol
Anonymous said…
Beautiful tree! I really love the look of the icicles. Did you make those? The chicken nuggets crack me up!

That's so great that your Gram came to visit you. Your stories about her are always fun. :)
byhillary said…
@cassykins there used to be 4 of them but only 3 are still around.

@whenlifehandsyouapear
I got them for christmas one year they are I believe aluminum. They were pretty cheap I believe and you get 16 in a box. My MIL got them at a local discount chain called Christmastree shop (which has a misleading name, they are kinda of like a big lots)
david said…
Did you notice as the weekend went on she started to make comments about having cats? Like "the company would be nice" and "it wouldn't be so bad if my cat did such and such."
Shanna Sandmoen said…
I love your tree! Hello Kitty rocks :)
Franca said…
oh I wish we could have a tree, yours looks great! Just a light (as in, it's made from lights) one unfortunately.
EvaNadine said…
your trees are lovely! (both of them!) and of COURSE your cats are cute. i always think of you now, whenever i see HK -- when we were in Epcot recently, in the anime shop, i kept thinking "oh, hillary would love this..."

i have the same "icicles" on my tree -- i have them in silver and red. they came in an ornament set that we bought at target a few years back.

good on you for getting gram to come visit. :)
Cara said…
I love the rainbow the lights create on the wall beside the tree! And the chicken mcnuggets are adorable! Of course, now I'm craving those. And thai food. Hmm... Nuggets dunked in yellow curry? I think so!
Megan G said…
The trees look great! I cracked up at that photo of Waffle. Kitties are such little sneaks! I'm amazed I haven't "accidentally" taken a cat home from my mom's yet.

I'm finding out I have a mild dog allergy (we've had my nephew's 8 month old basset for about a week)... and I do have to admit I have to keep her out of our room/off my stuff because her dander is killing me. She's a sweetie though!
Love the personal touch of your tree!

And what a fun visit with your Gram!
byhillary said…
David it never tells me you comment! Yeah she said they would be fun to talk to. She's scared of the unknown so once we show her things, travel, cats, Thai she seems
To be a-ok
HollyElise said…
Love the HK ornaments! I love HK stuff... my daughter has HK (cloth) diapers XD
Lonestarcasie said…
First, I really like the curtains by your tree. Second, I LOVE the relationship you have with your grandma. So precious. I miss my Memal back in Texas a lot.

www.stylinggame.blogspot.com
byhillary said…
@lonestarcasie on the curtain. It is just IKEA fabric and we took it right from the bolt and just hemmed it on top and bottom, didn't touch the sides. Super easy.
Haus of Style said…
Aww, hello kitty ornaments, so cute! And is that cat digging into your coach bag? OMG!

Would love it if you visit my blog when you have time ;)
Unknown said…
lovely tree.
*sigh*im not getting a xmas tree this year. +_+

oh well, merry christmas!