Really Really "Real" Tree

i've dreaded the colorado ritual of cutting down a live christmas tree.  we aren't talkin' texas style, sawing a tree at a tree farm with hot cocoa & hay rides wearing shorts.  it was finally time though. 



we loaded up with no plans other than to follow 2 of our friends from church up into the national forest.  there's a boy scout ranch where you can cut down any tree for $10.  the boys were all geared up and christmas tunes were on the radio. falala.



aaaaannnddd then we get up there.  no joke.  that's our friend sam's truck up there emerging from a ditch of ice and snow pack.  where exactly are we going again?



look at all the people to cut trees!



gwyn, me and jenny (with janelle) that's me looking cold ;) and extremely bundled.  it was between 10 & 19 degrees.  i had on a million shirts and pants, but unfortunately only tennis shoes.  boots are definitely on the short list of things to buy.



all the guys, big & little.  sam, jon & jon.  mine's in the middle.



smokey the bear stop.  that totally looks like a fake backgound! it's not :)



lil smokey.



the kids were all so excited.  all nine of them. they took off. even if it was in the wrong direction.  they were so excited and having a blast.



almost everyone was excited.  finn's just like me.  miserable in the cold.  like completely miserable.  when i say he whined the whole time.  i mean the. whole. time.  he's only 3, he's only 3...



off we go!  there's a tree.  why are we still walking.



yeah, that's a saw in the pack.



a little finn encouragement.



gathering some boughs.  lemme just tell ya what a woman jenny is, packing that baby in.





ok, we picked a tree.  did we deliberate? nope.  we were contemplating just ditching the whole tree thing cause finn was just miserable, but thanks to jon, and the great daddy that he is, we weren't leaving without one.



everyone got to saw.
note my lack of manual focus skills coming into play.



timber! she's down!  we totally thought we picked a cute "little" tree we could put on a table in the corner of the family room.



look how deep that snow is! we're talking rustic national forest.



after we got the kids warming in the car, jon and i decided to not get back in lol.  we just layed in the snow talking for about an hour until everyone else got back to the cars.  see, the tree doesn't look all that big.



you guys are fine in there.  daddy and i are talking...



the temperatures dropped and snow started falling on the way out.



ahhhh, heading for home.



and there she is folks.  in all her glory.  why yes, it does look scraggly.  don't judge.  we thought it'd sit on a table in the corner, and it touches the ceiling.  the plan is for the boys to make all the decorations.  it needs a little paper chain huh?  it has little pinecones still attached and smells so good.  i'm super happy that we did it.  it will for sure become a yearly tradition especially as the boys get older.  ah memories.