What a wonderful start to our Christmas season!!! Since the day after Thanksgiving officially starts the Christmas season, we kicked it off by getting out our decorations, and turning on our lights that Mike put up on Thanksgiving day. Keeping it going, on the second day of Christmas, we got our tree. Mike found a Christmas Tree Farm near us! My Grandpa and Grandma Johnson owned a Christmas tree farm in the Mother Load in California when I was a kid. It was so special to share this tradition with my own family! We read from my grandma's history on the drive up, so the kids could learn a bit about why it was such a special experience for me. I am hoping to make it a yearly tradition, the farm, and the family history.It is only about 40 minutes away, in Horseshoe Bend, and it was GREAT!!! I tried to take pictures to tell the whole story...let's begin.
The kids enjoying the hunt.
We found the tree!! It doesn't look so big, out here in the great outdoors, but it is a beauty. It's amazing how glossy and soft the needles look. It is just beautiful.
The tree farm is also a chestnut farm. Here are some fallen nuts.
There was a fire for the kids to roast marshmallows...
And of course, there were chestnuts roasting over said "open fire"..
Once the tree is cut and driven up the hill, they stick it in the shaker to get all the loose needles off.
Then they load it into the bailer. We really didn't need it bailed, but this is one of the only things I remember from my grandparents' farm, so we got it bailed just for me!
Just to commemorate the moment, here we are by the sign.
It just barely fits in our living room.
The kids love their tree.
Once it's out of the great outdoors and into our mediocre indoors, it seems MUCH BIGGER!
Archie loves it.
Here it is! It makes me smile every time I see it because it is so ridiculously HUGE! I smile because I remember how we picked it out, and what it means to me to have a tree from the farm. I also laugh because we picked a great, HUGE tree, and I love it.
The kids love their tree.
Once it's out of the great outdoors and into our mediocre indoors, it seems MUCH BIGGER!
Archie loves it.
Here it is! It makes me smile every time I see it because it is so ridiculously HUGE! I smile because I remember how we picked it out, and what it means to me to have a tree from the farm. I also laugh because we picked a great, HUGE tree, and I love it.
3 comments:
that is all so awesomely awesome!!!! I love the tree and the history behind it! I LOVED all the pictures and how I felt I went to the tree farm with you, minus all the cold!
simply awesome!
Love from AZ, Christa
That is beautiful!!! I LOVE THE TREE!!! YOU MAY WONDER WHY I AM TYPING IN ALL CAPS? IS IT BECAUSE THE CAPS LOCK IS ON? NO!!!! IT IS BECAUSE I AM HAVING A CHRISTMAS ATTACK!!!!!
Bonnie, What a sweet saga complete with illustrations. I am sure that Lund, the father, and Mother Laura are delighted to be remembered by their familym like that. You do, and always have, kept traditions alive.
Thank you,
MOM and DAD
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