Christmas Tree Hunting

This year, we did something with our little crew that we have yet to do - go pick out and chop down our own Christmas tree. The first few years we were married, we had a hand-me-down artificial tree that did the job just fine. When we moved to Austin, we donated it, and started getting "real" fresh cut trees. But this year, was the first time we actually went out and took our sweet time wandering the fields, in search of the perfect tree for our home and family. I have wonderfully fond memories of going to pick out a tree as a child. My grandparents would take us up into the snowy mountains of the Pacific Northwest, and we'd make a whole day of it! We would hike around in the snow finding the perfect tree, usually laden with beautiful white powder. We'd shake it off, and grandpa would saw it down, shouting in a loud, joyful voice "timberrrr!" And then, we'd go sledding down those old logging roads, buried in snow. We'd fall deep into the fluffy white and make snow angels. And then, we'd warm up with hot chocolate from an old thermos, and roast hot dogs over the portable little camp stove. Ah, the best. What I wouldn't give to re-live a day like that! 

Of course, the event looks a lot different when you live in Texas. You wear shorts. And sunglasses. And short sleeved t-shirts - and hope you don't get too sweaty. We went to the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm - about a 30 minute drive from Austin. It's a family run, really cute little farm. The farm has a little train you can ride, and huuuge hay bales the kids can climb like a mountain and jump from. But I think my kids' favorite part was watching as they shook the loose needles off our tree in a special machine, and then sent it through to get netted. A very different experience from my childhood - not nearly as remote or rustic, and perhaps not even as magical in the way we are led to think of all things Christmas. BUT. It is their childhood, and it is not my duty to compare - it is my duty to CREATE the magic, to make it memorable, to make our own little set of traditions. Maybe, just maybe, one day they will look back and think about those hay bales, and how we hiked and hiked to find the right tree. How Daddy let them help saw it down, and how we all yelled "timberrrr!" I hope they remember and appreciate how we simply spent time together, enjoying each others company. I hope their childhood is filled with little moments worth remembering...and I hope most of all that they remember how much we love them. And always will. That they remember the feeling of being loved, more than the event itself. And with that, we found our tree. And it was perfect :)