What would Christmas be without a Christmas tree... A real Christmas tree. If you ask my dad he would tell you life is GREAT without a real one when you have to hunt for it like we did growing up. It was quite common to cut 3 trees together to make one bushy enough to hang ornaments. I guess that is why dad never like to go get real ones in Africa. Finding a pretty one at Home Depot or Lowe's was always nice while we were in the States for Christmas. Oh the fond memories of going and cutting Christmas trees in Africa.
But Living in Alaska provides us with a real one EVERY year!! As long as it warms up enough to go get one. This December has been a VERY COLD one. Going out in -30 is not my idea of fun and honestly... NO tree is worth it to me! And that is coming from a Christmas tree lover! I have one in every room of my house! But I am not one to venture out in frigid weather just for a tree. Plus if you cut a tree at -30 by the time you get it home there will be no leaves or branches on it due to the extreme breakage. But one day there was a break in the -30 and it warmed up to -18 and Keith and I knew that was the ONLY chance we were going to have to get out. So we called our friends the Tullochs, who went out with us last year, layered up with winter gear, loaded up our boys and headed out. It was quite the trip and it was still FREEZING. But one we got off the snow-machine and started to walk it warmed us up pretty good. We found a nice tree, I am not commenting on Ross' tree, but let it be known, I had nothing to do with picking that tree! Sorry Wendy I really tried to get him to pick a different one! =) But we picked our trees, got a picture and chopped them down. Then Loaded them on the sled and headed home to some nice hot chocolate with Marshmallows. According to Kaden that is the BEST way to warm up! I have to agree with him on that. While our tree got to warm up in the garage. For the record, don't ever try to squeeze a frozen tree through a hallway and a few doors or your fluffy tree will be a little bit skinnier by the time you put it up. We decorated our tree with home made ornaments and it is beautiful! But don't touch it, the leaves are barely holding on. Anytime someone runs up the stairs or jumps or makes a big move you hear the dropping of a few leaves. By 3 Kings day it will be bare! But we just keep adding tinsel. You know shiny silver tinsel makes everything look pretty! =) Though next year I might be tempted to pull an Zambian trick and tie 2 trees together to get a really fluffy one!
Ross and the girls picking their tree
I am looking for a really nice one that would still fit in my dining room.
The boys and I with our tree, to the left
Loading it on the sled
Loaded and ready to go get some Hot Chocolate. next year we may have to borrow another snow-machine because 4 people on one is a bit tight! But it kept us warm!
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