Oh Christmas tree

Aaahhh... the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. It should be the source of great childhood memories. We figure we'll wait a few more years before attempting a trip into the woods to cut down our own tree. But I still wanted the kids - especially AJ - to remember helping us pick this year's perfect tree.

Alas, it was not to be. We apparently packed in a few too many activities on Saturday. By the time we stopped for the tree, our two little elves were off to the place where visions of sugarplums could dance in their heads.



One funny note about buying the tree. For the last couple years, we've gotten our tree from a place just a few blocks from our church. This year, the guy who normally helps us was busy with another customer, so his wife came out to help. She wasn't able to help lift the tree onto the Explorer, so Jeff did it himself. As he was tying it down, the husband finally was freed up to help us. He looked at what Jeff had done, which apparently was not too aerodynamic, and said, "How far do you have to go? I normally try to tie the tree in the opposite direction."

We told him we lived less than two miles away, to which he replied, "Well then, you should be okay. At least you'll be able to get rid of all the dead needles that way."

That's looking on the bright side! I'm happy to report that we, and the tree, made it home safely.