Ghetto Wal-Mart Tree. Year 5.

{danielle w/ pink tree. Year 1.}
One cold snowy Provo night, as an overenthusiastic (and overweight) BYU Freshman Co-ed, I ventured to Wal-mart, at midnight, with all 6 of my roommates. We were in search of holiday cheer in purchasable form. I found a $30 artificial tree and got it for our apartment (we decked it out in sparkly pink decor, much to the chagrin of one particular roommate). I went cheap, supposing it was a one year venture. Little did I know that the tree would go beyond the horrible semester.... 

{it certainly didn't help that Zaza liked to hang out in it. Year 3.}
 Said tree is in our apartment right now. Going on year 5. And lets just say, its not going strong...

We decided to continue the tradition started last year of each picking one new fancy ornament. We made a whole date night out of it and ventured to several locals in search of THE ornaments. In the end, Dan got a robot. I opted for the Abominable snowman petting rudolph in an homage to my favorite Christmas movies. Beat that.

Next year we shall have a real tree. So be it if I must personally go to Pioneer Park and cut one down out from under a homeless man. It will be real. There will be no Ghetto Tree Year 6, so help me. 

We're getting in the christmas spirit here as we count down the days till our return to Zion. A Peppermint Twist candle, some candied almonds, and Pandora providing holiday tunes make our apartment down right festive. Also, it's a good thing that Santa no longer brings me things (the ultimate sacrifice in getting married), because I'm not sure he'd like this year's wish list. My wants are rather unsleighable:

1) A brown Doberman Pinscher. 

The one I see on Saturday morning runs. I will love him more than his present owner. I promise.

2) Acura MDX. 

Call it a Soccer Mom Car. I call it true love.

3) An Apartment in the Avenues. 

With a washer/dryer, dishwasher, wood floors. And allows my Doberman. And doesn't have noisy/crazy/messy/cross-dressing/trashy neighbors.  I'm really not asking too much here. 

4) Dan to magically become an officer and us to be stationed in Germany, so I can spend my weekends in Paris gorging myself on croissants. 

Yes, that is what I want more than anything. 

Maybe there will be a Christmas Miracle....I'm trying to be REALLY good. Because as my mom always used to say/threaten: "Santa's Elves are watching! And they're taking notes!"