The frosted white, snow-kissed Christmas tree simply had to come home with us. Its fullness and light, fluffy icicle look—though not the traditional green—embodied a chill this side of the U.S. rarely, if ever, sees. But as we unboxed it, I realized the error of my ways. Watching it release a whirlwind of styrofoam “snow” into the air, I wondered if this tree, like a firework, might only be breathtaking for one brilliant moment, never to truly shine again.
I’m being dramatic—it’ll be fine.
Now the living room is graced with an 8-foot Christmas tree, and the dining room has finally transformed into an actual dining room. I’m sitting at the table, which under it usually hosts Evelyn’s sprawling Brio train tracks. It feels more like a home this way.
To clear the dining room, I employed a little manipulation. I convinced Evelyn to pick up her toy train set by promising her a fun craft with the neighbor girls. She’s easygoing, but her 5-year-old sense of time made her ask twice if the girls could come over immediately—right at dinner time.
Tonight, Dave’s brother came over, and we just wrapped up a game of Terraforming Mars. I lost so badly it wasn’t even funny. Thankfully, my competitive spirit was taking a nap, so when I realized my plant accumulation counted for diddly beans in the end, I shrugged, grabbed another Cheeto, and moved on.
Did I mention how cute and cozy the living room looks now with the tree? I’m snuggled up under my fleece mushroom blanket, and from my vantage point, the vaulted ceiling—usually just a plain white wall—now frames the glowing tree perfectly. When Christmas is over, I’ll need to find something equally colorful and spirited to fill that space.
An aquarium or a cool lamp are ideas I’ve brainstormed so far, but during my Googling, I got distracted (as usual) and ended up finding quilt-like patterned pillows for the armchairs instead. My distraction game is top-notch.
Before I head to bed, I have to share about the tree topper. Evelyn picked it out herself—a six-pointed, LED-lit star that can switch between white and blue. Of course, she insists on the blue. With the tree’s multicolored lights complementing the topper’s icy glow, it all looks pretty slick.
Now for my gratefuls:
- I’m grateful for being interviewed by a college student for their assignment. Reflecting on my job, my growth, and my passion was so much fun.
- I’m grateful for bumping up the house’s temperature three degrees. The cozy warmth of 71 degrees feels divine.
- I’m grateful for Evelyn needing me to carry her because she didn’t have shoes. For a minute—maybe two—her head rested on my chest as we hugged tightly, telling each other how much we love one another.
That’ll do for today. I hope your Friday was awesome.
Love,
Jaclynn
Going On 40 