Hey December, you're off to a busy start...

It is only December 1st and already this month is bossing me around!  Wyatt had his first wrestling tournament as a high schooler.  He gave wrestling a go way back when he was 6 years old or so...but he didn't really enjoy having his face rubbed into the mat by kids who were his age but bigger than him.  So he decided wrestling was not his thing.  This fall as part of a PE unit he got to try wrestling again.  The high school wrestling coaches came in to lead the class.  They told Wyatt he would be great at wrestling and convinced him to go out for the team.  Today was his first tournament!

He was awesome!  He had three matches at won all three by pin!  Killing it!

Mid-tournament I had to run Clare over to Dance Fusion for her dance team picture day.  She hurt her shoulder last month and hasn't been dancing much.  She was all in for the photos, a new hair cut will do that.

Mid-photo shoot I slipped back up to Wyatt's tournament.  Thankfully, the two activities were only a few miles apart.  Wyatt continued to do well in his matches.

He won the bracket, we were all super proud! 

After wrestling and dance pictures we needed to pick out our Christmas tree...an activity normally accomplished the weekend after Thanksgiving.  We were driving back from Utah last weekend so we couldn't make that happen. 

Somehow, Lorien convinced us to get a 9-10 foot tree.  I heard on NPR that tree prices are higher this year because ten years ago we were in a recession and tree farmers planted fewer trees.  It takes 10 years for a Christmas tree to be ready for harvest so we are in the years of fewer trees now.  Our tree was more expensive than we usually paid, extra feet tall and all.  It's a lovely tree and worth the extra dough.  Thanks Lorien.

Clare had a friend holiday party at night.  They got in the hot tub (crazy), made gingerbread houses, and had a gift exchange.  I'm glad my kids have friends whose parents organize these things...I cannot do it right now.

Once we got the tree up and let the branches relax, I started wrapping the tree in lights.  Several of my children reminded me to take it easy and not use up all the lights on the bottom third (like I always do).  Wyatt even reminded me via a note he wrote last year or the year before and tucked into the light boxes.  I have very considerate children and I love them!