let's find a Christmas tree!

About 12 or so years ago I had the brilliant idea that we should cut our own Christmas tree. Not go pay to cut a nice tree, but a good ole fashion Charlie Brown tree. We live on 13 acres, how hard can it be to find a decent tree? Let me tell you, it's hard. It's really hard. After the fiasco last year (the thing was so spindly it actually fell over), I said enough. Of course this meant breaking the "tradition" that I somehow created. The kids were sad. And I was a little sad too. I grew to like those hikes and snowmobile rides through the woods. Even if they resulted in a not even close to perfect tree.

After I convinced the kids that getting all the ornaments on the tree without it toppling over was a good thing, we decided we would go buy one from our church this year. Then we had an idea, tree farm? Gabe shouts, "Yes! Everybody wins!"

And everyone did win! A nice hike on a gorgeous day through stands of way closer to perfect Christmas trees. We have a tree with more than 5 branches! Life is good.

o'christmas tree

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing one of our Christmas trees, you're in for a treat when I get around to taking a picture of this one. When we moved into this house 11 years ago, Joe & I started a tradition of cutting our own tree, typically on our property. I've been putting off the tree hunt this year because truthfully, I'm a little tired of the Charlie Brown look. I want the full, perfect, beautiful tree, but who am I to break a self-imposed tradition? So, Saturday afternoon the 4, yes 4, of us jumped on the (1) snowmobile and trekked into the woods. We stopped on the trail and hiked in. Joe commented on his love/hate of this process. Love being out in the woods in the winter, hate trying to find a decent tree. We walked for a good half an hour. Well walked, and waited for Ava to catch up. She can't resist eating snow and it really slows her down. Nothing. Back to the trail. I spied a little twig of a tree, maybe six feet high, but several branches (a plus). How about it? Joe says sure, Ava says it's cute, Gabe says no way. OK, we'll ride up the trail a little further and see what we see. Joe and Gabe went to get the sled. Ava and I started up the trail. I asked her again about the twig tree and got the same it's cute response. Let's cut it I said. Mind you the cutting of the tree is typically a big picture taking production with all gathered round while Joe crawls under the thing. Girl Power! Ava and I sawed the twig tree down and started dragging it back down the trail toward the boys. They laughed (well, Gabe cried because it was so ugly). Four+ tree on snowmobile and once again it's a Charlie Brown Christmas.

We decorated the thing tonight. As Joe predicted, it did fall down. The headless angel is sitting on the counter now waiting for some good glue or her replacement. I guess life's never dull in the backwoods.