O' Christmas Tree & A Give Away...

Usually within a day or two after Thanksgiving our family heads to Fulton Farms to search out and cut down the perfect Christmas tree. This time of year is filled with many traditions. This is the 9th year that we have gone to Fulton Farms. It is a family owned business, and just so happens that the owner was one of my husband's high school teachers. It's fun to pull up every year and catch up with what's being going on in each others families over the last year. It just somehow wouldn't be the same getting our tree from anywhere else.

Finding our Christmas tree really is an adventure. This is a job that is taken very seriously- by all of us. Because of having five very different opinions as to what we each think the "perfect" tree is, Steve and I decided a few years ago that each of the children would take turns choosing the tree. Whosever turn it is, also gets to choose what dog (we have three) goes with us to the farm. This year, it's Jessica's turn to choose the tree...

And Lily got to come along. We don't know if she had more fun chasing the little mice around...

Or when she went on a full out sprint to take these guys down...

After going back and forth and up and down the rows many times, Jessica finds the tree...

What the boys love most about this whole adventure is being able to carry the saw and cut down the tree. When they were younger, they needed a lot of Dad's help. They aren't needing so much help anymore though...

Thanks for the added muscle Jessica! She's always there to lend a hand...

Loading up and heading home...

Another tradition that our family has is that the children are given a new Christmas ornament each year. This started back with my grandparents when I was young, and now my parents do the same with our children. Steve and I also pick out an ornament for each of the kids and I know that it is something they really look forward to. In choosing the ornament, we always try to find one that has some significance to that child for that particular year. This year, Jessica received these beautiful Vera Bradley (she works part-time at a gift shop that sells these) ornaments...

Sam began playing the trumpet this year, so this it what he received... 

And finally, Ben received this ornament because as far as he's concerned, he is Indiana Jones...

What are some of your favorite traditions for this time of year?

Also, today at The Secret Is In The Sauce, you can enter to win a TARGET GIFT CARD for $200!!! 

All you have to do is post your Christmas picture for this year and leave a comment on their blog to enter. Oh Happy Day!!!