Merry Christmas from the family

(Why, yes, I did just quote Robert Earl Keen...)

I lagged in putting up the Christmas tree this year. Just got it up yesterday. Given how pretty it is with the LED lights that are built in, I decided to leave it as it came from the box.

The daughters, apparently, took exception to this:

(Don't ask me why I put it on the kitchen counter. Seemed like a good idea at the time.)

The possum, soda can, and reindeer were all part of their decorations. I cannot explain the placement of the cookies and popcorn kernels.

The green yarn bow around the possum's snout has a paper scrapbooking tag hanging from it which says Words of Wisdom. Apparently, it's a wise possum.

There are small, torn pieces of paper at its feet. When I was putting the nachos I'm making for a late lunch in the oven, Esther told me--in an exasperated tone--"Mom, to make Nerds we have to have a possum to poop in the can!"

Bobbie quickly agreed, adding "That's why the trash is there." Because when asked what they eat, I said I wasn't sure, but I knew they ate trash (as in, food scraps...sigh).

So, now y'all know where Nerds candy comes from. Christmas possums.