O Christmas Tree Farm

I taught an old dog a new trick this year.

My husband, who makes his living by knowing a lot about trees (he's a forest engineer) had become a bit citified (in a small town!) when it came to getting our Christmas tree. Years ago, when I was pregnant with our first child, he took me on a wilderness walk up a steep hill through snow up to my aching thighs -  tired from the early stages of pregnancy - to find the "perfect" tree he had tagged in the woods a few days before. Well, we searched and searched and trudged and trudged; I whined and complained and he cajoled and reassured that we would soon find it and be on our way with "the perfect tree."

Well, what felt like two hours later, we stumbled upon it (the marker had come off!), and let me tell you: it was a Charlie Brown Christmas tree minus any and all charm. I harumphed and marched towards the truck in a pregnancy-induced full-on snit. Sheepish, as even he couldn't remember what he had found so perfect, he placated me by forking out $25 for a tree from the tree lot - no small defeat for a man as frugal as mine.

Fast forward to the present and I now have a husband who is perfectly content to head to our local grocer and buy a tree from the parking lot - one sheared to death and definitely lacking in any and all imperfect charm. Afull 180 from his more natural roots! And too far from even mine!

But this year, I got my way. I convinced my man to head out to a tree farm where the three of us (the boys were sans interest) chopped down our own tree and had a great time doing it!

 We snapped photo after photo (Sophie wanted to go with a kissing theme, hence all the smooching that follows). She thought they would make for a great Christmas card photo, and remarked that she could simply kiss the cheeks of her brothers once home and we'd be all set. Although all this bussing won't make the cut for The Christmas Card, the sentiment behind it is worthy of a mention here...a recording for posterity, if you will.

After all, who needs mistletoe??

I somehow don't think the boys will go for this kissing theme!!