Long Time No Post!

So I have started feeling guilty at our lack of posts, but not guilty enough that I am willing at this moment to get up and download the pictures from our camera onto the computer. So you get some old pictures for a new post!!!

During our Christmas Break we did something that was really fun. We cut down our own Christmas tree. It is becoming a new tradition for us. I say new, because we have only done it twice.

Christmas of 2008, we went to Maryland and my parents hadn't put up a tree yet. Well, my brother Robby and I decided to take matters into our own hands. We dropped Christine off for a 45 minute piano lesson (we were conveniently driving the suburban) and then RACED off to a tree farm. I mean raced, because it took 20 minutes just to get there. Now the whole way I was doing the math, 20 minutes there, 20 minutes back, 45 minute lesson... we only had 5 minutes to park, find the tree of our dreams, cut it down, pay for it, load it into the car, and get out of there! Needless to say, we ran to the clearance lot (who wants to pay $50 for a tree when you can the same one for $25 if you go to a different lot!), ran until we saw an acceptable tree, cut, cut, cut really fast, then ran as fast as we could while pushing a tree on a cart back to the car. So we didn't make it in 5 minutes, but my mom was nice enough to pick up Christine for us. And we got a beautiful tree out of it!!!

This year, we felt like we needed to do it again. We chose a day with lots of time and brought most of the family. But Robby and I couldn't resist running to the clearance lot (while the rest of the family headed to the normal lot) This time it was even more fun because we were running in 2 feet of snow. So really running is the wrong word to use but falling all over the place doesn't sound as fun. We found the perfect tree for half off again and Robby ran back to get the rest of the family. We used a chain saw (illegally) to cut it down and then took our time walking back! It was a lot of fun. So enjoy the pictures of our adventure!

Me with Jeffrey and Ben (the only two of my boys willing to brave the cold)

Robby, Dad, and David after successfully cutting the tree down

Dad and David cutting down the tree (it only took 30 seconds with the chain saw)

This is our tree

David and Ben with "the Chainsaw"