Flashback Friday: The Tree

Our tree hunt each year is always an adventure. Some years more so than others, to be sure. This year we were completely prepared for whatever may come.

We were ready for some serious choppin'.

The weather was perfect. The trees were beautiful, as usual. They were practically beckoning to us to bring one home.

Uh...no, Gabriel. That's not quite enough tree for us.

Admittedly, we did get sidetracked for a moment. I'm sure you can understand.

Racing pigs naturally draw the crowds.

I mean, just take one look at this face and tell me you don't want to watch pink cuteness scurry around a mini-dirt track.

The livestock, as usual, were drawn to Atticus, aka the Animal-Whisperer.

See what I mean?

While animals are always lots of fun, what's there to DO around here???!!

Yup. A giant mound of hay, complete with slide, oughta do it.

In fact, this spot is a boy's dream!

Noah always meets a friend wherever he goes. These two rough-housed to their heart's content. I loved this shot but wish I could have been on the other side of the stack and captured my OWN boy's face.

Turns out girls like this spot, too.

Of course, there's always swangin'.

And let's not forget about the trailer ride.

What an awesome view (if you're a little boy).

We ate peanuts...

...and had hot chocolate. (For some of us it was our first time.)

He seemed to like it.

So then we finally got our tree.

What do you think?! Big enough??

Nah. We didn't really get this one. I was afraid we'd have to trim some off the top. Ha!

Admittedly, part of the fun is watching the guys shake all the spiders out of your tree (grin) and wrap it up nice and secure.

If you're like me, once atop your vehicle, you will marvel at how the dark green contrasts so beautifully against the painfully-gorgeous blue sky, and you will try to capture a photo of that color, but you won't succeed. You'll come pretty close, but it will have to live on in your memory of this day. Just as the way you are feeling right. at that. very. moment.

But whatever the case, you're free to go. (Though, as you know, the work has only just begun.)

Just ask this eight-year-old, who was determined to help saw off a portion of the trunk before bringing it inside.

P.S. Daddy got a chainsaw for Christmas.  :)