Hunting for a tree

When I was a kid, more than once we would hike out into the woods near our home and find a tree. My brother would saw it down, and we'd load it up on a sled and bring it home. Sometimes with our little cocker spaniels pulling it. 

My mom inherited a love of Charlie Brown trees (ie, ugly) from my grandma. It seemed the homlier the better. 

When I met Jeff, he did not remember ever having a real tree and was not to keen on the idea. That was fine with me. Fake trees are cost efficient because you don't have to buy one every year. 

Finally in Rhode Island, we got our first real tree. It was lovely, but the kind we got was super poky. It hurt every time you got near it. And it had all these little bugs all over it. That just confirmed for Jeff that a real tree was not worth it. 

Fast forward to two years ago. Our fake trees were "dying" and the kids and I REALLY wanted a real tree. Jeff, agreed, albeit a tad reluctantly. We found a beautiful tree at a tree farm that had a bird's nest in it, what luck! But the price tag, 72 bucks!!! was not ok!

Then last year, a friend of ours who is a tree wholesaler, gave us a real tree. It was so pretty, and we loved it, and it seemed that we were on our way to being regular real tree people.

So this year, I asked Jeff when we could get a tree. Meaning, budget wise. He said, "Why don't we get a permit and go find a tree in the mountains?"

Now I have really good memories of doing this as a kid. But as a mom, I know that this means cold feet, tired kids. Since we live where it rains instead of snows, we don't have snow boots or clothes. But oh well cuz what could be more fun than that? 

So we went and got our 10 dollar permit for up to a 12 foot tree (you can buy them for up to 20 feet even) and headed up Snoqualmie pass. Not too far from where we would go huckleberry picking when I was a kid. 

Thankfully, due to the demise of our 12 passenger van, we now have 4 wheel drive which was necessary on the dirt roads covered in mud and snow.

But we made it, and donning as much winter stuff as we owned we got ready to hunt a tree! I brought our camera, but forgot the sd card in the computer. Thankfully phones these days are as good as 700 dollar cameras it seems:)

Thankfully my mom has kept us supplied with homemade hats. Otherwise our little heads would have froze.

The younger kids were seriously in heaven. What could be better than dirty snow to throw at each other?

Ok, that is clean snow. But when we first arrived, they were throwing the snow at each other from the ground where everyone parked. Eww!

The boys especially were in Heaven. Including my oldest one, Jeff.(he had his phone though, so he was taking the pictures instead of being in them) Something about the woods, and snow and being male. 

This is Anne Marie's brave face. Poor girl was pretty cold.

Kate is always a good sport. And so cute!

And my twin Julia, 

it seems we like the same colors:)

And there are no words for this picture. Be still my heart.

Speaking of very loved people, I think my husband loves me the most. 

Jeff was so excited. It WAS really fun, and as everyone's feet got colder, and we walked farther, our standards lowered for what the tree should look like. But weirdly, it's my favorite tree ever. And I love my tree hunting man!

And his sons could NOT stay away. Seriously, the girls all watched, and the boys just climbed and got wetter and wetter, and they didn't complain one bit! It was love for sure.

We were all excited to stop at McDonalds on the way back and get hot chocolate and french fries. But sadly, this particular micky D's was out of hot chocolate! What?!!!! It was still fun. And french fries never tasted so good, huh Kate? (She LOVES McDonald's french fries like no one else I know!)

I hope your tree hunting is equally fun and exciting!! I love the holidays!