Oh Tannenbaum

This past Sunday we woke up early, packed up the kids, a stroller, many bottles, a bag of Ritz Bits for Landon, and about 85 bibs because Claire drools through one every 7 minutes, and drove out to the Evergreen Christmas Tree Farm in Elgin, Texas. It's only about an hour away, but it was much colder (thank goodness for hats, we did not bring warm coats) and the air smelled SO good. The farm has been owned by the same family for 21 years (the husband is a retired forestry professor from Texas A&M and the wife is a retired middle school teacher and past president of the National Christmas Tree Association, something I love for merely existing) and it is so cute.

(and so is Landon's hat, which only barely fits on his big head)

We rode on a tractor (Landon was thrilled) out to the section of the farm where trees could be cut this year, they handed us a saw, and we started walking. Landon took off in search of the perfect tree.

We found it! JP got to be a manly man and chop it down. He felt the action matched his beard which has grown way too scraggly for my taste.

The tree is much bigger and more impressive than it looks. Like really big and grand and noble, and not at all stunted because of the horrible drought we had back in 2009.

conquered by the Biscuit

I supervised the whole process and took pictures to document our attempt at reliving my grandfather's stories of walking out to the woods behind his farm and chopping down a Christmas tree. I coaxed JP into taking a picture of me and the kids, but he cut off my tan cowboy boots (worn for maximum faux ruggedness, plus they're awesome and I never get to wear them) and Landon forgot how to smile and Clairebear wouldn't look away from Landon. It's like a candid shot that was actually trying to be posed.

Of course Landon remembered how to smile when I wanted a picture of him with his daddy. This picture is now pinned on my bulletin board at work. (That is Landon's OWN "tree" in his hand; it came back with us on the tractor but ultimately remained on the farm to stay "with its friends.")

The rest of our morning was spent roasting marshmallows (a perfect breakfast treat), petting an adorable miniature donkey, feeding goats, conquering a wooden maze, attempting hopscotch, schooling JP in a bean bag toss game (oh wait that was just me, I won 5-0 and I RELISHED it), and painting pine cones. You could also buy the famous Elgin Sausage, but my stomach just couldn't handle that after marshmallows at only 10 a.m.

It was a most excellent little excursion. Our tree is so handsome (pictures to come; we haven't had time to decorate it yet) and it cost less than half of the one we bought pre-cut in Austin last year. The Biscuit, who spent most of the weekend yelling at us about her ear, gave the whole experience two thumbs up.

But next year she wants to roast her own marshmallow.