last week...

last week when we bought our Christmas Tree it was my duty to load the tree on the car, set the tree in the stand, and put the star on top of the tree

the boys fully enjoyed putting the ornaments on the tree
a few got broken... a few more than expected
but that is what happens
breakable things break
today an ornament that lisa said was her favorite broke
my sister gave me that ornament like a decade ago
kids are better at product testing than preservation

one of the Lionel train engines got burned out
not totally.... but it does seem to have lost some zip in its step
a boy was over from down the block
he was invited by the boys to come and play with the trains
there was some excessive blockage on the track
boys will be boys... a carboard box? sure
but a full size T-Rex?
come on! you are gonna burn out my engine
ya know what... I think you burned did burn out my engine with that T-Rex on the track

it is not fair to be angry at a child for doing something without a formal setting of the rules before hand

my older son did try to control the other boy's behavior
but... dean's words were not law
child to child is not the same as adult to child
my words are the rules
I am sure dean just sounded like another child saying no

the kid is 8 years old
a boy needs to be older than that before he can understand the consequences of his actions
the whole if than and this than that is part of discovery

the tree looks good... while Lisa and the boys decorated the tree... dad decorated the front yard
like a character from a Black Flag song I put up my lights
not quite the first on the block... but they were hung with supplies from my well stocked garage

the trike needs some more lights
the sled could be better placed
and I will get more pine needles and pine cones this week
the first draft is good
but the touches before christmas will make the front yard look better