The Christmas Tree Angels Have Smiled Upon Us!

This is the story of "The Year We Almost Didn't Have a Christmas Tree" :-)

First, some background. We have a 24 year tradition (before kids!) of tromping around the Christmas Tree farm to find THE perfect Christmas Tree to grace our home during the holiday season. And over the last 17 years of the kids being part of the tradition ... it is just one we would never give up. No trees selected from parking lots for us, no artificial pines gracing this house. Must be real, must find it and cut it down, must drag it back to the tractor and then tie it to the top of our vehicle and drive it home!

That being said ... this year was a bit difficult. We have found our tree in previous years through sleet and rain and blinding snow, through cold and frigid temps, but this year the problem was a busy schedule! We always wait until the 2nd weekend in December so as not to have a "withered pine" in the house by the holiday. On December 1st, a snowstorm dumped about a foot of snow on the area ... and of course, on the trees at the tree farms. The second weekend they were still covered in snow and ice ... and we had to travel to Canton Fri-Sat-Sun for TJ's basketball tourney, plus be in Tremont Sat night for Drew's Madrigal Dinner and on Sun for Drew's Christmas Cantata. The weekend was shot.

But the Christmas Tree Angels heard of our plight and smiled upon us! First, they granted us a rearranged family Christmas gathering from this weekend to Dec 31-Jan 1. Our family holiday was supposed to happen today ... but just try and get 3 busy young families together, it is conflicts to the extreme! So thankfully we were rescheduled, and this weekend opened up for the big tree adventure!

But of course, Mitch worked this morning and TJ had a basketball game this afternoon ... which is where the Christmas Tree Angels smiled upon us again when the game was cancelled! A free afternoon. But what about that foot of snow from two weeks ago?

Oh the Christmas Tree Angels would not let a "little" snow get in the way! Over the past few days, the temps have been in the mid-50's and the snow is completely GONE! And today was a balmy (for Dec in IL!) 58 DEGREES! So we ventured out in light jackets and boots to handle the mud from the melting snow, and the Christmas Tree adventure was a big success! Found the perfect tree, Mitch got the cutting underway ... and then TJ got the honor of cutting it down the rest of the way! It is in the house, and since Drew had a Christmas party to go to tonight, we will decorate it on Sunday. But it's here! Enjoy our Photo Show of the big adventure ...

http://www.photoshow.net/tremontscotts/family