Searching for a tree

This last weekend we rounded up our snow gear, loaded up the boys and our dog Brody and headed up the mountain in search of a Christmas tree. In five years of marriage Brad and I have never had a live tree, always an artificial tree, thanks in part to my allergies, but this year we decided to go out on a limb (thought you'd appreciate that humor) and go in search of a real one. We drove for about three hours Saturday with no luck. Sunday we drove a bit less and found a rather unique tree. I am happy as it is the one that I picked out when we first started looking. Brad is a bit more particular and wishes it were a bit more full, a bit larger around the bottom etc but after putting the finishing touches on it last night I have decided that I LOVE our tree - even if it means my eyes are all red, my nose is all runny and my throat all itchy. It is so very worth it.

As you can see in the third photo, Wy found himself a "tree" that he dragged to the truck and insisted that it too be put in the back and taken home to decorate. It didn't make it home but he did rescue a tiny little branch that Brad cut off and it now rests in the tree stand right next to the big tree. I guess it is his version of a Charlie Brown tree.

Wy wasn't too sure about being out in the cold and boy was it cold! It was 0 degrees when we stopped driving and I think it was just a bit colder as the wind was blowing the entire time we were outside. Luckily Brad had prepared ahead of time and we had nice steaming hot chocolate to enjoy once we were back in the truck. Conner wasn't too impressed as he had to stay in the truck the whole time. Maybe next year he too can venture out into the snow with his dad and brother in search of the perfect Christmas tree.

We also had a chance to see some wildlife on our excursion. We saw a few head of deer, a herd of elk grazing in the sun - the little bit that we saw - and a bull and cow elk.