Our Christmas tree

It was time for our annual Christmas tree hunt! Where we go out to a tree farm and cut down our Christmas tree. This year it was Katheryn's turn to find a tree.

 

I thought that this year Nick would go in the wheelchair. There wasn't any snow on the ground so I thought we would be able to manage it. Last year Nick went in the wagon and he didn't like it.

But this year he wanted to go in the wagon.



 

Katheryn found the tree she wanted and stuck to it!
It was just as wide as it was tall!

After some renovations in our family room we had changed the corner that the tree goes in to.
The kids were very excited to start decorating and were off to a great start.
They fizzled out after about 30 minutes and then I go to finish it all off

They were really excited finding any of the decorations that they had made or that had their name on it from other years.
Rory wasn't really sure what to make of a tree in the house

I think that our tree with year is Perfect!

Chopping down our tree

Another year of our family tradition. Cutting down our Christmas tree.

This year we visited the same farm we went to last year. Spademan Tree Farm.It has nice trees, close to the parking lot, without a lot of hills. They also have wagon rides and hot chocolate.

We have the wagon for Nick to go into the fields with. It has big wheels so go over rough terrain.
Nick seemed happy to be in the wagon at first.

He even got to meet the newest member of our dog-family (Macklyn)

And this year was Nick's year to pick out the tree

Kyle and Katheryn cut it down

 And counted how old the tree was

The tree is beautiful and has a huge and full bottom.

But Nick wasn't very happy. Yes he smiled for the pictures, but the rest of the time he just looked sad. Nothing hurt, he wasn't cold, he said that nothing was wrong.
When we got back to the fire he cheered up

I think he was upset being in the wagon. Not being able to move around on his own. So we are going to have to think about how we will be able to make this happen next year. We'll have a whole year to think it over. And it will depend on if there is snow or not.

It can't be a family tradition if it doesn't work for the whole family.

O Christmas Tree…

Every year we pick out the most beautiful Christmas tree. And after we defrost it’s time to decorate!

I don’t really mean we. This is more of a mommy job. Kyle is in charge of putting up the tree, lights and angel/star (depending on who’s year it is) and he brings up all the boxes of Christmas stuff.

Katheryn liked that we had a TREE in the house! And playing with the branches that were taken off.

Then I take over. Decorating the tree, decorating the house, listening to Carols and teaching the kids all my favourites.

Katheryn thought the tree was great! Especially when we put all this stuff on it! That she can pull off and hide all around the house. At the moment we have most of the decorations on the top 4 feet of the tree, not so much on the bottom 3 ft.

And Nick is happy to play with whatever he can get his hands on! And by this I mean crawling over to get whatever he can get his hands on. He is army crawling all over the place! And sometimes getting his hips and knees helping as well.

So it might look  like Katheryn is helping to decorate - but really it's the other way around. She LOVES those candy canes! I've actually taken off the hooks so she can carry and collect them around the house.

So this is the finished product!

 And a couple of really happy kids! Even if they do look kinda goofy in these pictures!

Christmas Traditions

I've been thinking alot about Christmas traditions and the kids. At first thought I would say we don't have any. But this is as we come back from picking and cutting down our Christmas tree. Something we've been doing since I was a child and something we did the first year with Katheryn.

Last year was a complete Christmas write off. We did not have a Christmas tree, we hardly decorated for Christmas. Nick turned 6 weeks old at Christmas, we had spent 2 weeks and 4 days at the hospital, we had nurses and all kinds of people coming to the house. I just didn't have time or energy to do Christmas. AND we already knew we were staying at my in laws over Christmas. So last year we really didn't have any traditions. And the year before that was Katheryn's first Christmas. Hard to believe.

So here is our first Christmas tradition...

Getting the tree.

So when you go to get a Christmas tree, it is important to dress for the occasion...

First we have to get warm, and cute

Then out comes the sled (snow is not necessary - as we found out). 

Katheryn is all ready to fill in as a sled puller!

And we are on our way!

Then we find a tree we like. Or a couple of different trees we like!

Katheryn found one she likes!

  

And the decision is made...

Katheryn is ready to help!

 (note the keys in the grass! Luckily we did too!)

 Katheryn did find the only patch of snow in the whole place! 

We are ready to go!

Katheryn's turn to be pulled!

 This tree hunting business is tiring!

 A great way to get ready for Christmas!

Thanks to my parents for coming and help with the kiddie wrangling!

So we do have some Christmas traditions, but I think we are still in the rookie period.