Wednesday, December 19, 2012

picking out our tree!

(be prepared for picture overload)





we get a real tree every year.
and every year my husband tells me it's time to purchase an artificial one.
but i just. can't. let. go.
you see, my parents owned and ran a greenhouse and nursery operation for many, many years.
and my grandfather ran it before my dad took over.
green is in my blood. (just don't look at my indoor plants... because they always wither and die)
so to move to an artificial one, just seems wrong in my case.
i do covet the ease that comes with one.
no mess... no needles... no watering.
but i'm just not ready to go there, just yet.
maybe one day.
but, for now, we will keep getting our real one.





the thing i love about getting a real one, is our annual tree picking tradition.
we get in the truck and drive the 10-15 minute trek into the country to a tree farm.
there are trees everywhere.
plus all the extras... sleigh rides, hot chocolate, trails to walk down.
you can go out and cut down your own tree.
however, i prefer the frasiers and the balsalms to the scotch pines.
and there's only scotch pines to chop down yourself.
so we do not cut down a tree ourselves, but purchase a pre-cut variety that was shipped from the south.
but we still do the whole experience of the sleigh ride, bonfire and outdoor play.
and we have a grand old time!
a great family day!








on our sleigh ride around the farm property we even noticed a large hornets nest.
we walked back towards that area after we hopped off the sleigh.




the girls were interested to see it up close.
big M, naturally, wanted to knock it down. (what a boy!!! can you tell i don't have them?!)
i said, "no!"
i thought, maybe the hornets were hibernating in it?!
i have no idea.
suppose i could wiki it but just haven't yet.
so we left it as is... and took pictures of it instead.
then took a family picture right close by.






it was such a perfect mild winter day and so our annual tradition continues.
two days later, after the tree had thawed out in the living room, we set to decorating it.
putting all our colorful trimmings upon the branches.
it's a bit wild with colors but it's ours, and we love it!
and we will keep buying a real tree until my husband convinces me otherwise.




(i will apologize for a lot of the pics that are dark... forgive me for not having time or putting in effort to edit them?!)

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