When we got home, first order of business was to put up the Christmas tree. Mer is still sorting out the complicated idea that it is Christmastime, but not Christmas (i.e., not time to open presents). She helped her daddy put some white lights around and around our little trees in front, but would really like to have �silly� lights like some we have driven by, with glowing figures and lots of frantically circling colored lights.

Part of the reason for getting the tree, et al up right away is that it�s almost time for me to descend into finals season, where there are no weekends at all and I dream about trying to find something in the Uniform Commercial Code. Yes, this is to thrill anyone who may be considering going to law school. It�s a good feeling that I�m almost done, though � just finishing up this semester and then a light semester in the spring (plus having a baby in March/April, of course). We�ll get there!

Reaching back a bit more, Halloween was also a lot of fun. Meredith was most proud of her chicken costume. She was cute, and better yet, very warm in a hooded feather jacket and orange fleece pants, on top of more clothes. Halloween in Minnesota can be an endurance contest. She was excited to walk up and down our block with me and see what kind of candy our neighbors had, and excited to come home and give candy away to the other trick-or-treaters, and excited every day since then to eat said candy, just one a day. It will last us several more months, I expect. I dressed as an egg for Halloween, since I am rather round in the middle these days. Derek was a pirate, but could not be persuaded to wear the fake mustache on top of his real mustache, which was a truly funny look.