.......and I helped!

Anju and Gingy

If you don't live in MN, you may not know that in order to have lovely outdoor Christmas lights to turn on the day after Thanksgiving, you have to put them up in early November.  Usually the snow hits in late October, and by mid-to-late November, you're putting up lights in 15 degrees and a foot of snow.  Let me tell you from past experience, you don't want to do that if at all possible.  This year, it snowed early, but our November has been stellar.  Our high today was in the low 50's!  With the forcast calling for rain and snow, and cold temps sure to arrive soon, I figured the days of being able to put up the lights without bundling up and getting frostbitten fingers were waning.

Last year we didn't have any lights, as we were otherwise occupied (meaning there were about 100 things more pressing) before going to India, and afterward, I was physically unable to separate myself from my little princess even if I had wanted to brave the extreme cold temps to do it- which I didn't.  So, two years after their last use, I was digging out lights to test them and finding our decorations and extension cords.  

With it getting dark soon after my older kids get off the bus, I decided the only way this was going to get done was if Anju helped.  And I use that term loosely, of course.  She was actually helpful sometimes.  She carried things for me.  She handed me lights.  Her eyes lit up when she saw the decorations (her first time) and lights and that made me happy and want to continue- which was a BIG help and encouragement for me.  Mostly, I gave her tasks like holding onto the end of an extension cord I wasn't even using, or holding empty light boxes, but she was beaming with pride to be helping her mom.