Oh, Christmas Tree

Every year for years we have cut our own tree in the nearby mtns. The first year was magical (except for C and me falling in the snow, etc.). You know the stuff of books. You drive down the windy (long I) dirt road looking here and there for just the one, just the perfect tree. Then you spot it across the meadow standing all by itself. Ahhh...that was many trees ago. Most years have been, well not as magical. This year, was different. The kids didn't want to go. I think they are mountained out. They stayed with some friends. Very nice drive! R and I were driving for about 2 hours (maybe a bit longer), we marked certain trees with toilet paper (biodegradable). But when we came upon a small side road there it was. I knew it! After getting out, inspecting and debating over this and a tree nearby, I knew this was the one!

Can you see the smoke from the chain saw! Nice!

Man vs Tree

Man...the winner! It's even got it's official tag!

In the house! We are trying a new spot in the house. The kids really don't seem to care. (I guess their friends who are spending the night are more interesting.) I guess this is how it goes as they get older.

Thanksgiving Menu

Here's the scoop: we were honestly waiting to be invited to someone else's Thanksgiving festivities. But no invites came. We did not want to spend the holiday without friends again (once is enough). So we invited people here. Most everyone was already taken.

You know what I am actually excited to cook and clean this year!!
We are having:
3 families and a single lady

Turkey (R is making that)
Sweet Potato Casserole (the bomb)
Mrs. Aulson's mashed potatoes
Eilene's Bacon Green Bean Casserole
Steph's Spinach Salad (The best)
rolls and drinks
Pecan Pie with homemade crust
Messer's Jello Dessert
and I am going to make another dessert with pumpkin pie with almond spiced whipped cream, lemon ice box pie, or pecan shortbread cookies (I may just save these for Christmas.)

Have a great Thanksgiving!!

After that we are going to cut our tree on Friday!

Then the following week my mom will be here for a really quick visit. Then R & J are off to hunt elk. One of R bosses has a cabin near where they are going to hunt. He is letting us use it for free! So C and I are going to be mountain mommas for a few days!! Funny little story...R told me that maybe C and I could walk to the country store while we were up there. We drove to try and find the cabin (couldn't) Sat. The country store...was about 15 or so miles from where the cabin's supposed to be. Um...C and I are NOT walking thank you!

See you soon!

18 years today...

Flexible

I remember as a young girl I would walk to and from school. After some storms I noticed that some trees had broken limbs. I would wonder why it was always the big sturdy trees that would be broken and not the young saplings. I figured surely it would be so much easier to break a little tree than one that has been there for years.

I asked my mom about it. She explained that the younger trees can bend much easier then the older trees. The older trees get dried out.

It still took me awhile to fully understand that.

Today, as life keeps throwing me curves balls. I am reminded of the young trees I'd see bending in the wind and the old trees with some branches in the ground.

God, help me to keep flexible like the young tress!

Photo update

The timeline on this is backwards.
R and C went to a Jeremy Camp concert last week. It was an early Christmas present. The two got to spend a fun two days with each other! We all went to the Museum of History in E.P. They kids actually had a REALLY good time.

This photo really struck me. The lady's are taking a typing test...blindfolded!

Not only did we get history in at the museum, we got Spanish in too. This Mexican restaurant had Spanish only menus. We went for the burritos! R had read about this place a few years ago in a newspaper, saved the article and here we are.

We also met Nancy in E.P. a couple of weeks ago. Here's C's drawings on the table.

N & R...

Tomorrow we (R & I) go to E.P. again to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary!