Traditions

I love this time of year!

I love traditions! This week they started.

Well, I guess that isn't entirely true, we have traditions for other holidays as well and other things, but Christmas traditions started this week.

We got our Christmas tree, and no we didn't just set up a fake one or pick one out at the Christmas tree lot in the store... my friends we went out into the mountain and cut it down.

First, I have to tell you a story though.

So, every year my family likes to wait until everyone can be home to cut down the tree... even if it means waiting until like two days before Christmas, they wait. So let's imagine back to last year, three days before Christmas, my family is treeless. Husband and I and my little sister finally get to my parents house and we go to get the tree the next day.

We stop by my uncle's house to get a chainsaw because my dad's is MIA.

We ask, "Uhh, Dad should we take a regular one too just in case that one doesn't work?" He says, "No, it will work." So we drive out to get the tree, while listening to my Mom read The Forgotten Carols out loud and listening to the music at all the right parts, as we traditionally do. We are in the Christmas spirit! Not too long after we get to "the right place" (aka where we can actually cut down a tree), we find THE tree. So we take a picture by it, which is tradition; however, my sister's eyes traditionally aren't closed. After we take the picture, my dad pulls out the chainsaw and tries to start it. Nothing. He tries again, Nothing. This goes on for quite some time. Husband gets out and tries to help, I get out for moral support. I ask something along the lines of well maybe we could go home and get a hand saw and cut it down that way, my dad says that if we go home we're not coming back. At some point, we give up on the chainsaw and get in the car and go home... without the tree. We're all heartbroken, as many are without a Christmas tree... it is now remembered as "The year without a Christmas Tree".

I guess that name is not entirely true, as we did have a tree, it just wasn't as beautiful as the tree above.

Behold:

This is our traditional Christmas morning in front of the tree, before we can open presents picture.

As you can see, my little brother was REALLY excited.

Okay, so before I go on with my story I'd like you to scroll back up if necessary to look at the tree that wouldn't be from last year.

Now look at this picture:

It looks awfully similar doesn't it!

Well, folks that's because it is! It's the same tree!

This year my dad tried the chainsaw before we left

(and his chainsaw that was once lost, is now found... and works like a champ).

Husband and I got it instead of my family, but we love it just the same.

We all laughed that it was still there, and that we were able to find it.

Although, it wasn't that hard, it's a nice tree and pretty much right off the road.

Have no fear, my family did get a tree.

It's a little small, but so is my family (in height).

So it works for us.

It's a cute little tree.

We have many more traditions, hopefully I'll get to share them with you throughout this Christmas season! I love Christmas! Oh, and Thanksgiving was great too! And I forgot to take a picture of the whole crowd eating, but I think I figured out why that was. I was eating, and I was afraid if I went and got my camera I wouldn't get any food. I have a BIG extended family and while there was a ton of food... you just never know! He who waits is lost. Anyways.

Merry Christmas!