It's Christmas Time

Today K2 and I conquered putting the lights on the house with a little help from K4 and a smidge of help from K1. K3 was at a friend's house - calling every half hour or so to see if I changed my mind about letting him drive his dirt bike a couple streets over...ummmm, NOPE! But thanks for asking!
We got all the lights out of the garage and tested them a couple nights ago. Yay! All but one section works! But that is okay because we don't need that section as long as we put it at the end of the house. The last part of the lights get tucked in the gutter where no one sees them anyway! (When will they plan houses so that you can put the perfect set of lights on??)
Today was a very nice day for putting lights up. I only wore my jacket to have pockets to keep the gutter clips in. We started with the biggest peak. We got the ladder out and I started and got two clips on. Then we had to extend the ladder and move it over. Two more clips, maybe three and repeat... for the peak, we had to extend the ladder all the way... that ladder sure is wiggly when it is extended all the way... I wondered quite a few times if people I knew were on duty today at the Fire Station... also, made sure I had good undies on - you know... if it's people you know rescuing you, you don't want to give them anything else to talk about besides the stupidity that caused the accident they are rescuing or saving you from! Anyway, made it up and over the peak and lowered the ladder and moved it a couple times. K4 helped by holding the lights and making sure they were not tangled and the icicles were straightened out. He also tapped them against the house, but failed his attempts to frustrate his mom by breaking any of the little lights :). He left us to play legos then came back outside later to play football with the neighbor. We proceeded to the porch area and it went fairly smoothly. Finally the smaller peak. K2 asks if she can do this one, so I said "sure!" (also I figured if she fell, at least we were in the yard now and not the driveway and the yard is still soggy and squishy so if either of us fall there is somewhat of a cushion!). At this point, we also realized that one set must have been broken last year and we were going to be a string of lights short. So, we hopped in the car, drove to Walmart, grabbed a new set of lights (after making sure the cord color was right!) made our purchase and walked out of Walmart with only what we went in for! Only a half hour delay and back to work. She did a great job! We proceeded much the same as the big peak, just not extending the ladder as far.
K1 walked out while K2 was at the top of the ladder so I mouthed to her to get my camera. She sneaks back out and we switch places (she holds the ladder for me). I get a picture, then K1 leans forward and a little roughly puts her hands on the ladder, scaring K2... so much so that K2 asks "can you see any brown in the seat of my pants?!!"(Totally implying what you think she is implying!) K1 apologizes and told K2 she didn't realize how wiggly the ladder was. At least there wasn't an argument and it really was funny once K2 realized her life was not in danger. She finished putting up the lights and then I hung the new 42" snowflake. We think it looks great! We have decided, however, that DADDY will be taking the lights down!!!