Christmas Tree

This being the first year the kids would really notice Christmas, we wanted to get our tree and decorate as soon as possible. We weren't able to make it out last weekend, but were excited to pack up this morning and head out. 

The year before the twins were born, we went to Varner's in Collegeville, PA with friends to choose and cut our tree. Although we were plagued by sleet and snow, we had a blast. Last year, we picked our tree from a handful of those available at a local place. Though there's nothing wrong with doing that, we really wanted to establish a tradition of cutting our own tree. I grew up riding a tractor out to a field, bundled and cold to pick out our family tree followed by hot chocolate, etc. I have wonderful memories of this time of year and so does Steve. 

We were out of the house just after 10 with a quick stop at Target for snacks and a tree stand. Yankee candle was having an awesome sale, so we stopped there to grab a couple more candles. We seriously love that place. 

Still being sick, they've been miserable without additional rest throughout the day. We were happy they were able to nap on the drive to Varner's. Once we were in the area, we stopped at Wegmans (a super HUGE Wegmans) to grab lunch from the cafe. The kids were awesome! They had Chinese, Steve had a calzone and I had a hoagie. They were excited to sample from all available options. We got several comments from strangers how great they were, how friendly, how cute. We were proud. 

Excited to be on our way!!!

As soon as we turned the corner on the street Varner's was on, we knew something was wrong...it was closed on Sundays! I'm not sure how we forgot to check ahead of time.

We pulled over to do a little research; thankfully there was a tree farm (Yaeger's Farm Market) relatively close. Crossing our fingers, we decided to go there next. We loved it!

The kids were excited about the tractor and hay ride!

Perfect 70 degree weather!

Steve's brilliant idea; we marked the trees we were interested in so we could make a better final decision.

Josiah gave Lilly a hug.

So cute.

Unfortunately, they were on a hill and toppled completely into a nearby tree.

Scratched and scared, it took a while for them to calm down.
It was hard for Steve and I to stop laughing...

With my babies

Josiah loved helping Steve "shaw" the tree

Time to drag it away! Everyone helped out.

Quick kiss for his favorite girl

Sitting on his throne

Our second and third choices

Taking a rest in their store. Time for a quick snack.

Time to leave...

Best wishes to all during the start of this holiday season.
May it bring you joy, perspective, and many happy memories...