Christmas Catch-up: Getting the Tree

I think we've officially made it a tradition to go to the same "u-cut" Christmas tree farm for our tree each year. This makes 4 years. Last year I told you all about this small-town spot where you can just drop your money in the box if the owner isn't there. When they are there, there's a fire burning and candy canes for the kids. Last year, the fire wasn't quite as necessary. We got to choose our tree under sunny skies. This year, the skies were white with snow. All the more festive, right?

Here we are in front of the winner. It looks a little Charlie Brown in this photo, I must say. It turned out to be one of our smaller trees, but it did the job nicely--well, nearly. It wasn't quite sturdy enough on top to hold up the star. All the ornaments fit, though just barely, and there was plenty of room for the "loot" underneath. (My brothers and I always looked for that feature in a tree.) Okay, back to the event:

Holly had the best deal on this excursion. I found myself wishing I'd worn my parka, as the coat I did wear was merely water resistant and I ended up with wet shirt sleeves. Holly got to ride in the backpack under a rain cover. Although her view might not have been the best, she stayed warm and dry. We did end up losing that pacifier, though, so I guess she wasn't totally secure.

Gunnar wanted to help cut it down. Maggie also took a turn at the saw. I think Adah had already high-tailed it back to the bonfire and candy canes by this point.

Father and Son with their conquest:

I just love the tradition of the Christmas tree. I love choosing it and decorating it together as a family. It has always been one of my favorite parts of the season. I hope my children enjoy it just as much and will have fun memories of the times we spend doing it.