The Great Christmas Tree Adventure of 2010.

We ventured out a few weekends ago to choose our Christmas tree. This year, we went to the same tree farm that we went to back in 2008 , but unfortunately, it wasn't nearly as fun this year. (Check out Bella's video from that 2008 post...hilarious! I hardly remember Bella that small and oooh! her itty-bitty voice! Scrumptious!) This year, we tried really hard to make it fun and exciting because we chose to go to the farm on a day when there wasn't any snow on the ground yet. In addition to no snow, it was freeezing cold that day. (What were we thinking?!?) No snow + frigid temperatures=no tractor or horse-drawn rides. Call us scrooges, but we really wanted our children to keep from losing their noses, ears, and fingers to frostbite!

Like I said, we tried so hard to make it fun, but it ended up being the fastest Christmas tree pickup ever. In all, I think we spent about an hour outdoors. Because it was so darn cold (and that wind!!!), we didn't actually venture out to the field to search for, and chop down a tree. Instead, we chose one from the lot. We tried to get Bella involved in choosing the tree, but she wanted nothing to do with it. She thought pounding on some ice with a stick was more fun. (I had visions of her slipping on the ice and poking her eye out daddy-style.)

"What about this one?"

Bella played for a few minutes on the play structure with the other kids. This was followed by some hot chocolate (or rather, some luke-warm water with a sprinkle of chocolate-like-substance), and cookies by the firepit. (Even Bella said: "This doesn't taste very good, mommy!"... and then there was the 2 cookie limit, because, you know, the $55, 6-ft Christmas tree couldn't possibly cover the cost of having 3 cookies!! There was no need to be greedy, people!)

A bit warmer by the fire. Me: "I'll stay here, thank you very much!"

Ed...doesn't he look all warm and fuzzy? ;-) (Did I mention that it was reallly cold that day?)

While papa secures the tree, Alex warms his frozen little nose inside the van.

Can you hear Ed swearing? I think his fingers were about to fall off. And Bella was being a big, big help! har har har.

It took a few days to decorate because I had to go out and buy some plastic ornaments for Bella to put up. (She broke a glass ornament by accident and it just about traumatized her.) And I won't mention the 3 separate attempts it took for me to string the lights properly...

All in all, it was certainly an adventure. But I think next time, we'll try to go when there's snow on the ground and when the temperature isn't -20C.