This year we decided to break away from the usual tradition of getting the Christmas tree at the flower shop. Instead we really wanted to go to a tree farm and cut one down. We found a list of tree farms in town and headed out to one that was closest to us. All the kids were tired and crabby from Thanksgiving festivities but I was determined to push through and get the tree that day. When we got to Spikler's tree farm I was dissapointed to find out that if we wanted a 9+ foot Christmas tree there weren't any to cut down we would have to get one of the imported trees.
We headed into the barn to take a look at what they had. They had some really big and beautiful trees. Robb is always a bit of a Scrooge and wants us to get a smaller tree than the kids and I would like. My motto used to be "I need a tree as tall as me." Well, I'm not all that tall and our ceiling are really tall so I feel like we should make good use out of our space. This year was our opportunity, they had many 9,10,11 and 12 foot trees. We had a hard time deciding on which one to get.
Caleb was in a terrible mood and so any tree that anyone else wanted he immediatly hated. I think the kids and I made a good compromise and decided on this tree. I wanted the one that was a bit more symmetical but they wanted one that was a little bit taller.
This is the beauty we all agreed on. It was a little pricey for a tree and it was huge at 10 foot, but no one was stopping us not even the Grinch (Robb) so off we went to tell the owners that we had picked our tree.
My first clue that this might turn out disastrous is that it took 3 large men to move it to the shaker stand. But, so far so good, we will get to the dissaster part eventually.
The kids had fun seeing it get wrapped. I however was a little worried that is was going to break all the branches.
Two men carried it out to our car and tied it on. Now thats service! Most the time it is Robb and I, out in the freezing cold trying to tie it onto the car. Not to mention we are never very successful and usually someone ends up sticking thier arm out the sun roof and holds on for dear life all the way home.
We were all set to go but they offered free popcorn and hot chocolate so we had to take advantage of that first.
When we got home, luckily our nice neighbor Matt saw that there was no way that just Robb and I were going to get that tree in the house. We got it in the stand and Robb was ready to cut the net off. All I could think about was the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie where they cut the net off the tree and the branches bust out a bunch of windows. Well luckily that didnt' happen but it was HUGE!
I definatley got my tree that was taller than me. In fact it was taller than a 6 ft 4 in Robb with an Abby on his shoulders. Look there is even ceiling space to spare.
Robb and I put all the lights on which is something that I just handle myself but this year that was too much of a task. With all the lights on the kids set about putting on the ornaments. Unpacking the ornaments is one of my favorite things about Christmas time. Almost all of our ornaments have a story to go along with them. I have ornaments from when we got married, when we bought our first house, when the kids were born and now that they are bigger we have ornaments that they have made us as gifts.
The kids did a great job of decorating and this year they even spead the ornaments out pretty well.
Our tree was beautiful! We all sat down to eat supper and about half way through I see Robb jump out of his chair. This was followed by a huge crash and some words that aren't usually allowed in our house. Our tree had fallen over! I guesss we did buy a tree that had a trunk about the same size as our stand. I was devestated! I was SO Done! I was tired, the kids had been trying that day, and all of our hard work was lost. Not to mention I could see some of my ornaments broken on the floor. I helped Robb stand the tree up and headed up to the bedroom to have a good cry. I know thats not very grown up of me but thats what I did. After I recovered a little I came downstairst to survey the damage. Only a couple ornaments had broke and although it was sad I decided I would probably live through it. Caleb was crying unconsolably so Robb took him and they headed to the hardware store to get sandbags to support our tree.
Abby and Bryce helped me pick up the pieces of ornaments. I guess (as much as I hate to say it) the Grinch may of had a point when he stopped us from buying an enourmous tree evey other year. Robb and I got it standing up and stable. It really is a pretty tree and and even better story to share with the kids when they get bigger.
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