and the hunt begins

Since we are currently in the Northwest I decided that we had to get a real tree this year. Its frowned upon in TX as its a big fire hazard AND the trees are actually farmed in from OR... sad but true. Anyways, the girls and I ventured out for our first Christmas tree hunt. Now keep in mind that in my adult life I have never actually purchased a Christmas tree. Its always worked out that someone else got a real one or we had a fake one for years. So I wasn't sure how this was going to work out and that I drive a sedan perplexed me. How was I going to get this thing home?

Well the answers were simple enough. The tree lot we went to was empty (of people, not trees) and so the gentleman was completely ours. He offered to walk around and hold up the trees so that we could find the perfect one. Carmen, however, thought the first one we saw was the best (easy to please, if only she could stay that way). He shook out the dead needles and then trimmed the bottom all nice and flat for us. He then stuck the tree in my trunk!!! Yeah, its a 6.5 foot tree and all but 3 feet fit perfectly into the trunk. Imagine that... So we headed home to "Christmas up" our house tree and all.

The tree made it soundly home, getting it out was a little of a struggle, its alot heavier than it looked. I got it set up in the stand and watered it... then realised that the top piece was kind of off. Oh well, its stable and if it looks like its leaning.. well it is, kind of. lol

The lights went on with no problem and the ornaments were a snap (other than the need to constantly tell the girls "no don't touch that!")

I decided that it needed protection though and pulled out a folding gate/cage thing I bought years ago. It fit perfectly around the tree and for the most part keeps the kids from touching much of the tree, mostly.

I took pictures of it during the day and then that night. The night ones are fun because they look like you are squinting your eyes and shaking your head!! fun times...

The other parts of the house got a little Christmas-fying too. The banister that leads upstairs is in our entryway so I added swags of garland with ribbon and bows from my wedding. I have a small table in the entryway also and put our stocking holder train set up there. I had to get sticky wall hangers for the stockings this year, so the train set is just for decoration.