Tuesday, December 02, 2008

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!!!






16 comments:

  1. Looks like so much fun....I found your blog through Sandy's....I had a deja-vu moment so I think I've been here before...I need to bookmark it this time. I kinda wish we still did a real tree, but I do bring in a lot of fresh pine and magnolia and berries to decorate with and the smell is delish!

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  2. A Vera Bradley bulb..how cute!!! What great pictures at the Farm...what memories!

    Me too! We get the kids ornaments each year!
    -sandy toes

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  3. Christy! Thank you for the pictures, we might actually try this place. We have been going to a little place in Xenia off of Timothy Lane for years, but the trees are getting to be slim pickins and we are actually looking for a new place. We have Monday set as the day that the entire family can go, and I know that the girls would love those horse.

    I would love to enter the sweepstakes...but I can't get to my pictures yet :( My pictures are still all being restored because of the crash :(

    I love the ornaments, we do that as well.

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  4. Our Christmas tree tells the story of our (married) lives together. Isn't it so wonderful to get the ornaments out each year and enjoy the memories!

    The pictures you took are so sweet. It looks like you had the perfect day to get the tree. And your doggy is too cute!! Thanks for sharing...

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  5. What fun traditions! We do the ornament every year too. It is fun to look back over those.

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  6. What sweet pictures you have :) And I've never heard of a Vera Bradley ornament, but those are so cute!

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  7. What a special time with your family! We do the same thing with the ornaments, and our tree has become a scrapbook of our lives.

    Thanks for sharing your beautiful family with us!

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  8. What a FUN....FUN...day you had with your family.

    I LOVED seeing each and every picture and learning about your family traditions.

    I can't wait to see more decorating pictures. :-)

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  9. Oh so fun....and what a beautiful tree! Be sure and post another pic when you get it all up and decorated. :) Ang

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  10. What fun memories. Great pictures too.

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  11. I love those horses!! Your tree is PERFECT!! I had no idea Vera Bradley made ornaments. They're so pretty!!

    The kids each get a new ornament every year as well. This year JK's ornament is a dinosaur. He was so thrilled with it!

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  12. Jessica is such a poser! Your tree is going to look beautiful, I can't wait to see it in a few weeks! It looks like Lily had a good time too!

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  13. What a neat family tradition. We do the ornament one also...actually my mom does it for all of us. It really is neat to see what she comes up with and some of them come from eBay.

    You have a beautiful family and I love reading your blog. Just recently started getting into decor blogs and found your...lovely!

    Happy Holidays!

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  14. It looks like you had a wonderful tme with your family. I've never been to a tree farm, but might have to find one. You take great pictures! I love your blog!

    Please go to my blog and pick up an award I am presenting to you for having Christmas Spirit!

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  15. I just found your blog, and I love it! OOOohhh, and I love the VB ornaments!!

    Suzanne

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