Christmas Tree Hunting

The Tradition Lives On!

We went up on Friday after Thanksgiving to the Big Horn Mountains to harvest a Christmas tree!

Dave and I have been doing this every year since we started dating and it is one of my very favorite tradtions.  We haven't missed a single year.  Even though all of our babies are fall babies, we took them up and bundled them in to the front pack or the back pack, relative to their size and age, and have really enjoyed this tradition.

 Meg is searching and searching for the perfect tree

 This year, the Michaud's joined us - Meg is with Bryce, Brock, and Bridger - taking a break from the hiking through the deep snow

 Jack was in the back pack for the most part this year... maybe next year, he'll be ready to run around in the snow on his own!

 He did venture out when we found our tree and were waiting to cut it down - he didn't last too long though as his mittens were not water-proof and his fingers got COLD!  It was also getting close to naptime!  So, while Dave and Meg cut down the tree we had chosen, I packed Jack back to the truck and Ella tagged along with me, too.

 Brook enjoying the tree hunt

 Dave with Ella and Meg and our tree

 Brock, Krista, and Bridger

 Meg helping cut the tree

 Brock helps cut their tree

 Rob and Krista haul their tree to the truck

 After lunch at Bear Lodge and hot chocolates all around, we enjoyed some time on the sledding hill.  It was still a bit deep and not packed down so it took a few runs to get the speed we all enjoy!

 We got home Friday night and got out of our snowpants and headed downtown for the Christmas Stroll - a small-town thing here where the stores are all open and have their store fronts decorated for Christmas.  They close down Main Street and have carriage rides and the trolley is running and the stores serve hot cider and chili -- we love it when we're home and are able to participate in this tradition.

So on Saturday, the girls unloaded and unwrapped our ornaments and we began decorating the tree.