IIIIIIIIIT's Christmas tree season!
Since the beginning of time, my family has had a real Christmas tree. Not one of the ones you run over to Home Depot or Safeway to pick up, though. We chop the sucker down ourselves. It is quite the process, really. We pile into the car, sing along with Karen Carpenter, and settle in for the drive. We go out of our way to find the good tree farms, but it is always worth it. Some years it takes a lot of searching, marching through the rows and rows of trees with a meticulous eye, searching for just the right one thats not too big but not too small, not too fat but not too naked. It has to be the right kind of green, with healthy and yummy smelling needles. Other years, before we are even out of the car mom shouts, "There! There it is! I found my tree!" Mom is always our tree expert. She bustles around through the maze of trees more quickly than the rest of us (we are usually distracted by trying not to spill our free, watered down, scalding hot chocolate) and dad shouts out the occasional "Marco!" and then we wait for her "Polo!" so we know where to find her.
Once mamma has picked out her tree, her job is done. Then its up to us to cut it down, haul it to the car, wrap it up, hoist it on top, and tie it down. Admittedly, dad does the bulk of this work... But ya better believe I cut that baby down all by myself this year :)
This is the first time in four years i've been home to participate in this favorite tradition of mine, and I realized how much I have missed it! So much family fun. It doesn't get much better!
The ghost of Christmas tree hunting past has come to visit.
Is it even possible that i'm the same girl in these pictures? Yes. It is. I went through a lot of... well, phases. Can you guess which one of these successfully captures my "look as boyish and baggy as possible with ugly glasses and grandpa's old vest and a bright orange cast on my broken wrist" phase?
The past couple of years, Aunt Pam and Uncle Bill have joined in on our tradition. Having Kevin and Carli living in Washington means they and the girls get to join in as well! Little miss Paige is going through a phase of her own that requires no cameras pointing at her and never addressing her directly. Thus... this is the only picture I got of her that day. But we love her!
Anya, on the other hand, was such a trooper! She was passed from person to person all day, enduring the rain and wind like a champ. She is just too cute.
Except that I don't think she likes being squished between us :)
I'm so thankful I was home for Thanksgiving this year. I'm thankful that even though my parents have transitioned to empty nesters, they keep our family traditions going. Things like this help make coming home such a joy! I'm thankful for the long drives and the cold search and the traditional post-tree going out to lunch. I'm thankful for a real, fresh Christmas tree that fills our home with delicious smells and incredible beauty. I am so thankful for the Savior, the real reason for this holiday season and celebration! It's after Thanksgiving now, and it is currently snowing buckets in Provo, so now I am justified in saying this...
Merry Christmas everyone!
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