Still Decorating, Still Iced In

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  Day 87,452 of being iced in here at Ao4 Headquarters.  Or at least Day Three of no walks.  Mom says it might be safe to go this afternoon.  I hope so - Cam and I are going stir crazy!

We spent yesterday doing more Christmas decorating. Here I am, ready to get busy!

"Let's get decking the halls, Mom!"

We were going to start with the tree behind me. I couldn't wait to get started! I am learning more and more about all the Ao4 traditions - and am making new ones! For instance .. see this little brass bell?

"How did you know I was by the tree?"

It used to be called a Zim Detection Device!  It's been renamed this year, and for some reason is now referred to as a Maggie Motion Monitor.  Odd, don't you think?  It seems to give Mom and Dad special powers that let them know when I'm admiring the ornaments on that tree.  There's also a famous saying that goes with it -- it goes something like this:  "Every time a bell rings, a Siberian is too close to the Christmas tree."  Hmm.  I'll be sure to learn more about that in the days to come and promise to keep you posted!

We have all kinds of special ornaments on the tree:  ones Mom made, ones friends have made or sent us, ones from Germany and Belgium - it's full of special things!  Here's one we haven't shown on the blog before:

Teeny-tiny snowman!

A friend of Mom's made him about 15 years ago. He is only about 1/4 of an inch in diameter! He's the smallest snowman I've ever seen!

We even have a Kansas State University Wildcats ornament:

"Go Cats!"

Someone who works at the university gave it to Mom and Dad years ago!  It looks a bit too much like that Maggie Motion Monitor for me to relax around it.

We also started decorating our favorite tree yesterday - a tree in nothing but patriotic ornaments! Every year, we put a small tree up in the living room to honor all those who served and who are currently serving in our nation's military. I made a contribution of my own - look!

Who needs tinsel when you have Sibe fluff?

Festive, don't you think? Mom said it didn't quite fit the theme of the tree, though.

Long-time readers of the Ao4 Digest may remember this tradition, but since we have lots of new friends, we thought we'd share this will you; it's a great military family tradition from the frontier days! Mom ties some of our dad's brass Army uniform buttons and even some of her dad's buttons to our tree! She takes spare brass buttons from their uniforms, loops ribbon through the shank, and ties them to our tree! Here is a button from Mom's dad's days at West Point:

And here is one of our dad's uniform buttons:

They help us remember all of our troops all over the world.  We'll show you more of the ornaments on that tree - and the others - in the days to come!

Just this morning, I noticed this little vignette by the house phone:

"I'll get it!"
"Wait - it's for me!"

I didn't even see Mom put those out! Oh, how I wanted to   eat  meet those reindeers! They seem to not be there any more; I have no idea where they are now.  All I heard was Mom mutter something about "Uh-oh, she spotted them", "Need to find somewhere else", and something about "up high".  Hmm.  I didn't know reindeers could be so elusive. Fear not - I'll find them! Trust me.  They have a history of tormenting Siberians!  (Please click here and then here to read the story of what they did one year!)

Oh. But in case that Santa guy is reading the blog:

Me and Cam.  The picture of innocence!

See? We're perfect angels. Honest.

Meanwhile, since it looks like this outside today ...

Ao4 Headquarters

... we'll be inside doing a lot more decorating.

I hope all of you are having as much fun with this decorating thing as I am! And to our fellow Midwesterners in this ice storm: we pray that you'll stay safe, stay warm, and that your power stays on!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher