Making Memories

This year is the first year of new traditions.
We cut down our Christmas tree. Before our move, we sold our faux Christmas tree. It was big & heavy & took up A LOT of space in storage. It was gorgeous, but it wasn't pre-lit, so I hated putting lights on it. But I really did love the tree. We got it the second year into our marriage. It was time it moved on.
We thought we'd save a little bit of money and buy a $10 tree cutting permit and go chop one down.
So the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we set out to the National Forest in Nebraska (don't laugh, there really IS one!). It had snowed the day before so the word was a beautiful, white wonderland!
After driving along backroads (whiteknucke, mind you because I thought we'd get stuck several times) we found the next backroad that we needed to go down to cut our tree. Well, it was REALLY deep snow there, so we parked at the end of the road and hiked in.
I carried Grand Duchess the whole way and helped Thor along with my other free hand. The snow was about 6 - 8 inches deep, the wind was bitter cold and blowing from the side & no one was really enjoying themselves. Okay, me and the littler kids weren't really enjoying ourselves. The others were fine.
After hiking 3/4 miles in, I reminded Popeye that the best trees were by the meadow and he had already passed the meadow. So we turned around and headed back to the meadow.
We found a little tree (out of desperation because my arms were sore and I wanted to be done holding the babe) but then Popeye found another one a little way off.
YES! It was gorgeous! Nice and full and pretty but not too big.
So he fired up the borrowed chainsaw and started chopping.
It fell and we all cheered.
I started heading back with Grand Duchess and Mr. Fantastic so that I could run back and help carry the tree in.
Popeye had to chop off a little more because it was pretty heavy. And by chopping it down a little more came off some of those glorious branches.  But we eventually got it back to the van and tied down on top.
We headed home. Brought it inside. Lo and behold, it was STILL too big. So Popeye took the chainsaw to it again and cut off more branches and stump.
And now it is a "Branch with Style".
Check it.

(This picture is kind of hazy because Popeye started the chainsaw in the house and it's kinda smoke-filled...)

Pathetic, huh? It is the absolute ugliest tree I've ever owned. Every time I look at it I start laughing and crying. I wouldn't even let the kids help decorate it because there weren't really good places to put any of the ornaments. Most of them stayed in boxes this year. Don't think I didn't try putting all of them on, either. I did. And then the tree fell over because it got top heavy. So now it is more of a leaning tree, into the corner, so I could put some on. I couldn't even put my star on top - it now graces the garland across my piano.

Anyway.

Popeye and I debated on heading to Bomgaars for a beautiful $30 7' precut tree. But decided against it.

It's all about making memories.

Here's our Branch with Style all blinged up for the Holidays!

Yeah. Pretty sweet, right?
Merry Christmas!