The Journey to Our Christmas Tree - Feedback Friday

It's always a production when we decide it's time to find our Christmas tree. Want to join us?

First, we drive to the tree farm, then jump onto a hay ride out to the fields:


After lots of looking, we mark our tree with a photo. (notice how sensitive #1 son's eyes are to the sun?)


The Big Guy pulls out the saw and they get to work.


Off into the sunset they go, their prize in hand.


We take it back to the barn for a shake:


And a binding.


Pretty soon we have a neat, little bundle to load onto the top of the car.


We put on a Christmas movie, then set to decorating.


It's always a little precarious when it's time for the star!


So, that's the journey our Christmas tree makes - how about yours? It's Feedback Friday, so let's talk!

There are three types of Christmas tree people...Cut 'em down-ers, go to a tree lot-ers, and artificial-ers. Which one are YOU? .

*ps(I've had some requests for a paper snowflake tutorial, I've got one set to post tomorrow, so come on back!)

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Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

Sounds magical doesn't it? Pile into the car to the Christmas tree farm to cut you own tree, singing and happy...except that two kids are in the back seat fighting, one is crying because he can't stand Christmas songs ("It's the same three songs over and over with different people singing them!!!"), and soon everyone is crying (including me because I'm stuck in the car with these people!)

But, eventually, we get there and the excitement kicks in (well, that is how my warped mind is going to remember it). We climb aboard the wagon "sleigh" pulled by the tractor "horse" and ride out into the field.( You can see my neighbor who snuck into the picture behind the kids, I never noticed her until I just uploaded these photos! We were all a little punchy since we were recovering from the neighborhood Christmas party the night before.)


Things are going well at this point at we search for the perfect tree. I can hear my kids voices all around me in the trees "I found it!" "Where are you?" "Come over and see the tree I found!" "I can't find you!" "I'm cold, can we go in?" "Moooommmm, I have to pee!" (wait, that might have been my husband)


Finally, we find the perfect tree and everything is moving along nicely when one of the kids gets poked in the eye with a stick. Lots of crying and arguing, (I half expect to see his eye dangling out of the socket the way he is crying) some comforting and scolding then time to get the annual photo of the kids with the 2008 tree. "Smile!" "Never mind, just stand there."


Everyone gets a turn with the saw


and then the tree is down and we're dragging it to the waiting tractor. Load up and let's get out of here, it's cold! No one is smiling, except my husband and I. Ahhhh, family traditions...

Have you cut down you own tree before? For all you city folk, here is the drill. They take it to the "shaker" to shake all the dead leaves, sticks, squirrels out(ha, just kidding)

Then they stick it into the string tying thingie to bind it up

Then you fork over half your paycheck and walk off with a nice tight tree bundle