Tuesday, December 7, 2010

finding the tree

Last weekend we headed out to find our Christmas tree. While the tree we cut down from the mountains isn't as "pretty" as the one you could go buy at your big box store, it sure was a great adventure!
Getting ready to head out...


Searching for the tree.
Loading up the tree.
After we'd found our tree we headed a little further up to find snow. Jackpot.


Yep, that's the stuff.

We had a great day. I have to say that it's taking some getting used to for me to be o.k. with a tree from the hills. I've always been one of those people that has to have the perfect tree and will spend hours at a tree lot opening and examining multiple trees before choosing the right one, much to the dismay of my family. Then we end up paying about $50 for the tree that will be going through the chipper in less than 3 weeks. Silly, isn't it? I had been pondering this and wondering how in the world I got so caught up in the commercialism. Christmas isn't about the perfect tree or emptying your pocketbook till there's nothing left. It's simply about the gift that God graciously handed down to everyone, the gift of His Son.

We're doing a much simpler Christmas this year. Less spending, more handmade, simpler things. We're going to focus more on what Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of, the birth of a Redeemer!

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Great fun. I miss those days of picking out a tree. But we can't have a real one anymore because of our wood burner. And we just don't have a place elsewhere to put it.

I love the pictures. Fun memories.

Michelle said...

My family has always made a tradition of finding our own tree up in the snowy woods. Five dollars for a permit plus a fun day trip to the snow sure beats a fifty dollar tree trucked in to a parking lot!

Unknown said...

Looks like a wonderful time and I bet your tree is beautiful. I used to be much like you, walking for hours at the tree farm for the perfect tree. It was the joke in our family that there wasn't one that would meet my high standards. :) Silly isn't it? I'd much rather enjoy a day out in the the beautiful mountains, taking in all of the Lord's amazing creation and it's beauty. :)

Merry Christmas!!

Holly said...

LOve Love Love Layons snow outfit. Love the pictures of so-cute.... he's still so cute! Really love the picture of Timby on her Daddy's knee!

Cindy said...

Love it. Perfect is in the eye of the beholder!

Anonymous said...

and you know what the kids will always remember. this year... picking out their own tree in the woods and playing in the snow. It's about the memories and traditions made. Happy Birthday Jesus!

We have always cut down our own tree. Actually, I think one year we bought one from our youth group, they were saving money for a Mexico mission trip.
I definitely prefer the natural Charlie Brown trees to a manicured one.

Karen said...

Mason is growing up. He is so cute!

Anonymous said...

Hi Heather, I need your opinion/advice on something.
What do you think about Etsy?
Is it worth it?
Are the sales pretty consistent?
Does it help with making a little extra money for the family?
How do you decide what to charge?
Some things I see on Etsy are ridiculously priced and some seem way cheap. I would definitely want to keep my prices fair.

I'm thinking about opening shop but just not sure it will be worth it. I guess it depends on what your selling. I was thinking about baby bibs, soft toys, hats, doll quilts. All with a country farm flare. Nothing real modern.

What do you think?
I would have emailed you but I'm on my husbands work laptop, so I can't. You can email me back at my normal address or comment on my blog.

Have a great week. I bet the kids are getting excited for Christmas. I wish it could stay Dec. 14th forever!

Unknown said...

So true, Heather. Glad your day was special and hope your Christmas is blessed!

Renata said...

Looks like so much fun! Takes me back to the couple of times we had a real tree for Christmas (of course over here they die really really quickly with it being the middle of summer).
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Renata:)

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