The Sarge of 4: The Christmas Tree Debacle

I LOVE CHRISTMAS...everything about it...Jesus being born (had to put that first)...presents, the food, the smells, presents, the decorations that are all glittered up sparkly and shiny...the lights, carols .....did I mention presents......and of course the Christmas Tree!

The first house Jesse and I built had massive ceilings in the great room. The kind you can't reach with a latter of any kind. So we wanted a big full Christmas tree to accent it. We were so very excited when we found the perfect pre-lit tree. Up until this point we had always purchased a real tree.

So we put it up and it was perfect! Look how happy we are....I don't think Gus was so happy...but we needed a Santa!

Year after year we put up the faithful, beautiful tree always loving it's shiny sparkly lights.

When we moved to Kentucky and Christmas time rolled around we pulled out the tree and set it up......only to realize a couple of limbs not working. We worked and worked on them and finally got them lit. (Sorry I had to throw in a few pictures that just made me smile...this has nothing to do with the tree...just my sweet little Eli....this gives me baby fever just looking at him). Moving on....

Notice the limbs out in the middle of tree here

The next year same thing (yeah, these are the only pictures I have of the tree) The bottom limbs started to not work...hince the reason we are blocking it with our bodies!

and the next...bottom limbs still not working

Last year we had, had it! There were limbs all over the tree that were not working and try as we might we couldn't get them back on. We vowed that was the last year for our beautiful NOT so shiny sparkly tree. To goodwill it went and the search began for our new and improved super sonic shiny sparkly tree! This was the last family picture with the late tree (you all should be familiar with this picture by now).

I got on line and started my search for a 9 foot pre-lit full Christmas tree. When I found that fit my critiria I quickly glanced at the price and was overwhelmed. They do know that these things are plastic right??? What makes them worth ALL that $$$$$$$$? Finally I found one that was in our price range....and it was FREE shipping....so of course I ordered it!
I will go ahead and admit I am one of those freaks who loves to set up for Christmas in the middle of November, way before Thanksgiving! If Jesse would let me I would set up in October!
Anyways, It came and I was ready to put that bad boy up! Jesse and I put the whole tree up and then plugged it in.......only the same limbs that didn't work on our other tree DIDN'T WORK ON THIS ONE EITHER!!!
We just stood there dumb founded! Scratching our heads in a certain disbelief. Asking ourselves one question: Are we cursed with Christmas trees?
This is Jesse working on the tree....cursing it in his head....

After calling the help desk and trying our best to fix it we gave up and loaded it back in the box. We took it back to the store to exchange...but guess what...THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYMORE!
We are cursed!
So the search began again! Finally I located another tree that was only $1.00 more. We drove over and grabbed one of the two that were left...WHEW!
Yesterday we spent the day decorating the house and putting the tree up. Only this time every time we put a section together we plugged in the lights to see if they worked...holding our breath every time!
Notice a much Happier Jesse