Pine Needles and Other Things That Drive Me Crazy

I knew there was a reason that I did not particularly enjoy fresh, live Christmas trees. Sure they smell great, but who likes having to water them practically every day and who likes getting rid of them when they become dead as a door nail? Yesterday afternoon was the dreaded event. The live (well by now a dead brown twig) Christmas tree had over stayed its welcome at the Gibson house. It was time to go. I had the children strip the tree of all it's ornaments. (note to self: tinsel sticks to everything in sight....carpet, hair, the cat) I had the boys take what was left of the tree to the woods in our back yard. I figure it can decompose among it's own. Of course, taking the tree out of the living room meant a trail of pine needles to the front door. Did I mention I HATE pine needles especially when they have taken up residence in my living room rug? I vacuumed like a crazy woman (that description is not too far off actually). I still think there are pine needles out there, but at the time I became tired and had worked up a sweat with all the vacuuming so I gave up. I was defeated by the pine needles. I vowed to come back later to complete the task. Oh, I also hate tree sap especially when it gets on stuff in the living room. Trying scrubbing sap off of a side table. Not fun and certainly not easy. Really, there is a reason God made trees to live outside. He knew what He was doing.