Deck the Halls or Your brother...It's Christmas TIME!

Last year as we were getting all of the Christmas decorations out, I told the boys how next year they would be big enough to do this with their dad. I was excited, they were excited... and then reality set in. As with most siblings, my boys find it difficult to work together. They used to do the dishes together, until they started fighting so much that they now have "assigned" days for dish washing. They used to clean their bathroom together, until the fighting became too much for me to handle so they now have "assigned " weeks for being in charge of keeping their bathroom clean. They even shared a room at one time...that didn't work out so well either. So, why I thought that they could get the Christmas stuff out and decorate with out there being any punching and shouting is beyond me. I must have been drinking.

So Saturday, after much begging on the part of my boys, Agent Daddy went into the attic to hand down the Christmas decorations to my fine strapping boy/men. The boy/men in turn worked together to bring all of the decorations to the family room so we could put up the tree and decorate it. I was so proud to see them working together. I was happy that it was not my back that would be sore tomorrow from lifting those heavy containers. Then the fighting started. Did I mention that Agent daddy's mom was here for the "festivities"? First the Tech Monkey wanted to get out all the ornaments before the tree was even up.  Airborne took exception to this as he was helping put up the tree and wanted to be getting out ornaments.  So we got everyone back on track. Then out came the lights. there was much squabling with Agent daddy as to how to untangle the lights. Agent Daddy won. Then Agent Daddy decided to put the lights on the tree in a manner that his mom did not approve of. She of course came to me to "make him stop". I tried to politely tell Agent daddy that he should string the lights the way we always do. Agent Daddy objected loudly to my suggestion. I backed off but Agent Daddy's mom wasn't willing to give in. So she starts in on me about how I need to make Agent Daddy do it the right way. I remind her that I had TRIED to get him to do in the other way and that she had wittnessed his reaction. She stated again that the tree looked funny and that we needed to redo the lights. I reminder her that Agent Daddy is her son, and that she was more than welcome to try to get him to change his mind but I was done with the conversation.

While this was going on, Agent Daddy ran to the store to get more hooks for the ornaments. Because no matter how many we buy they are ALWAYS missing when it is time to set up the tree the following year. Since they couldn't put up the ornaments, the boys decided to have a fight over the ornaments and who would get to place the first ornament on the tree. this resulting in some punching and crying. to which my mother in law decided to school me on how to handle my children. Did I mention that Agent Daddy is an only child? What the
H E double hockey sticks does she know about refereeing siblings? I sent them all to their rooms and I sent myself to my room leaving my mother in law alone with the tree and ornaments ( which I think is what she secretly wanted all along). Agent Daddy came home to find me locked in our room and both boys wanting to tell "their side" first. Long story short . Agent Daddy saved the day...as he usually does. Mother in law went home boys cleaned their rooms and Agent Daddy finished the decorating.

OH, OH Tideings of comfort and Joy, comfort and joy!