I got your merry...

On Thanksgiving night Gregg had the idea that we could decorate the house for Christmas after putting Scarlett to bed. We normally do it each year on the day after Thanksgiving. Gregg has to work this Saturday and Sunday which is when we would normally get our Christmas tree so this plan would free up our Friday to handle the tree festivities. I was pretty tired and looking forward to unwinding but I decided it was a great plan. So we merried up the place right quick - it only took an hour and a half! A new record!

We can't wait to see Scarlett's face when she walks into her little Christmas-town! We set out our Elf on the Shelf on Thanksgiving night and she saw him right away - and was pretty excited... "Mama, wook! The elf is here!" (I had been mentioning him over the past few weeks so she sort of knew what to expect).

She named him "snoozy" and is going to have a ball finding him each day! What a fun little tradition.

Looking forward to our tree farm trip this morning in the c-c-c-c-olllllllld temps. Hoping it is a fun day decorating the tree for the first time with our sweet girl. Last year she watched from the play-yard, drooling over the sparkly ornaments. This year should be a heap of glittery chaos! FUN!

our newly altered tree-getting experience...

As most of you already know, one of my favorite days of the year is Christmas-tree getting day! And that just happened to be this past Saturday. Twas a wee bit different this year however ...

It started on a chilly Saturday morning. After a quick breakfast I hastily chose my daughter's first annual Christmas-tree-getting outfit. I had been playing paper dolls with her in my mind for days, I knew just what to pluck from the drawer...

She was very agreeable that morning but naturally required another diaper change, bottle and burp session before we finally headed out the door at 1pm.

Gregg and I insisted that she come with us to both tag the tree and chop it down. For the tagging expedition I clumsily navigated our way through the stump-filled tree farm like an adamant new mom. Hey, those strollers are built TOUGH these days, it worked out just fine. Scarlett, however, wasn't havin' it. She cried the majority of that outing unless of course we were blasting full speed ahead up the dirt road. Needless to say we the only picture we took that day was of me pushing that stroller up said dirt road. For the tree-chopping event, we bundled up that little fuss-bean in numerous layers of clothing, a  hat, socks, boots, a sweater, a blanket - you name it. She was covered. The drive to the farm is definitely long enough for her to conk out - but she didn't remain conked once we arrived. We decided to unfasten her anyway and take a couple of pictures in front of this year's tree. Terrible idea. Swaddled in her pink, fleece elephant blankie she WAILED in the open field as if we had her packed in ice. 

That was a very short-lived photo shoot. She continued to holler at me whilst Gregg dealt with an over-sharing tree-cutter clad in black & white camouflage with last night's gin on his breath. Okay, so I exaggerated a bit with the gin. His eyes did tell a similar story though. Back in the Jeep and over to the bailing station Scarlett maintained her position as Cranky Avalon and I was forced to climb into the backseat and "la-la-la-la" her to sleep, thankfully. We headed home. Gregg began the chore of setting up the tree (and shaking it down for any vile creatures) - with Brody's help...

 ...while I fed and tended to a much calmer Scarlett June.

She napped for three hours while Gregg prepped the tree and twisted the lights around it. She woke up during the beginning stages of the decorating. We were happy to have her with us, taking turns holding her while we placed our favorite ornaments on the pain-inflicting branches.

 

Then she pretty much cried for five hours while we worked hard to take care of her and basically throw the remaining ornaments on randomly to finish up the tree.

But when all was said and done Scarlett did sit in front of the shiny, glowing tree and eventually smiled her little face off.

We made it through!!

Here's the finished product...

      
Hope you all are enjoying the holidays! Merry Merry Happy Happy Fa-La-La-La-La!

Tree Day 2010!!

 Prepped for take-off

He was guarding the tree while we had lunch

(not to mention drooling and spitting on the door apparently)

A couple of goofy pics of us

Lights ON! Nice job, babe

Annual "Fred goes on the tree first" photo

Gregg's favorite ornament...

...and Brody's

 Photos of some of my favorite ornaments...

This bear was part of my mobile when I was a baby - Thanks Mom!

This guy has been in the family for about 40 years!! 

I've called him "the corn man" since I was a tot, no idea why

This strawberry is also quite old

Ta-Daaaaaa!!

Weird mantle this year, not sure I'm diggin' it

Happy December to you!!

"how 'bout this one?"

Ahhhh the Christmas Tree Farm.

Every year, usually on opening day, Gregg and I trek out to Leyden's Tree Farm to tag our one-of-a-kind Christmas Tree. They opened this past Saturday and we continued our tradition. I sort of cornball it up by shuffling a playlist on my ipod of holiday favorites while we take the twenty minute ride. When we come to the driveway I always laugh at the sign because it says "Big John's" and for some reason I find that hilarious. We pull into the lot and find our parking space. This time Gregg accidentally hit my elbow with the door of the Jeep so that made for a memorable entrance as I flailed around laughing at the top of my lungs. Like I have mentioned before, graceful and elegant, I am not. We walked past the Tim Horton's trailer and I, of course, remarked "mmmm coffeeeee" while Gregg said "I want a coolata" ... random. We made our way to the little hut o' farm employees for our tag. The line was super short to my amazement. We received our tag in exchange for a coupon and some loot and with tag and ribbon in hand we set off to hunt down our pine.

 The weather could not have been more perfect. It was just chilly enough for me to state that I should have worn a warmer shirt and gloves but warm enough for me to enjoy a light vest. Gregg asked if I was going to take my sunglasses off and I was curious about that. We were outside. It was bright out. I could see the trees just fine. Does he hate my sunglasses? What gives? It's not like we are in the grocery store and I have them on while carrying my dumb, tiny dog in a $5400 bag. Hmm. (Okay, I will admit that I occasionally keep them on when shopping simply because it is comfortable and I feel like I am undercover). Anyway, we walked through various fields of trees joining the other hunters in saying "how 'bout this one?" twenty times over. I wondered if trees could think would they be pissed about the repetition. I know I would. We found a bunch of great looking possibilities but they were either too short, too tall, too bare, too full, too skinny, too fat or just friggin' dead. Some even had spiders in them. Instant no-no.

Finally though, we did find our 2009 champion. Persistence pays off. Gotta keep a sharp eye out and really visit each row, sometimes twice. Gregg tied the tag onto our extremely sharp-needled, painful tree and we headed back to the hut to record our field and row number.

 

 

I contemplated entering the coloring contest but ultimately decided against it. Satisfied with our selection, we drove away smiling. Actually, I think we were laughing at a conversation we overheard in the parking lot... but either way - it was a great experience as always.