6 Days... and some amount of hours... refer to the holy countdown clock on the side bar...I have managed not to unpack and do inventory on the suitcases for a period of 24 hours. A good thing.
Yesterday, I was preparing to untie the little tree when the grandparents called and muttered something about helping put up their Christmas tree... and then said something about scalloped potatoes. The race to beat all of the rest of the family to their house to ensure that I got the majority of the top (the browned cheese) was on. I started sneaking it directly out of the pan while no one was looking. Wolf style. I think I managed to eat about three times the normal amount of food. This clearly means I will have gained about 17 pounds. Worth every bite. Will not surprisingly have to spend a solid 24 hour period on the treadmill today... that should be fun.
So, everyone saw the tree firmly affixed to the roof on their way in to eat my scalloped tatoes. Everyone had to comment.

Aunt number one, "Did they pay you to take that tree?"
Aunt number two, "Oh. Hmm. I...uh...see... you got a tree? Did it look like that when you got it?"
Aunt number three... laughing and pointing. Stop. More laughing and pointing.
And my son, upon arriving home from school peered out the window at the tree and with a perplexed little face asked, "Will it look better when it's up?"
OKAY PEOPLE. I LIKE MY TREE. Almost as much as scalloped potatoes...and, you might be hurting the little tree's feelings. It's time to stop.

And now for something completely unrelated...

Carrie and I have come up with a fantastic fundraising idea;

We were talking about how I told Spartan that I wanted to have a wrestling match with him in those sumo wresting suits. She said she wanted in on it. She said so would several of her friends. From there we decided that we would invite the whole neighbourhood and we would charge $10.00 a person - and that we would donate the money to the Children's Hospital. It has taken on epic proportions in our mind's eye. This may just have to be an annual event.