the hunt for the perfect christmas tree

it was a beautiful day today, so we went out to get our christmas tree.

since we moved here, we've just cut down one on our own property.

but this year, a neighbor has bought a christmas tree farm, so we decided to support him.

do you think this one is about right?

we'll take it.

kidding.

how about this short, chubby one? (our ceilings are low, after all.)

husband tried to get us to think outside the conventional beauty standards for christmas trees.

more than once.

in the end, we chose a tall slender one.

(gee, wonder whose idea that was?)

sabin did the honors of sawing it down.

it is a rather fetching little tree.

and husband carried it.

that's what he gets for always saying he's superman.

getting a slow start on christmas

i've been wrapping sabin's calendar presents one at a time, but today i finally pulled myself together and wrapped the rest of them and put them into a stocking for her. i hadn't been that good at wrapping every day and she actually got to open 3 this morning. i don't know what it is, but the christmas spirit has been slow to arrive this year.

the storm blew down a rather fetching stick and i brought it inside and hung a few ornaments on it and hung it up in the entryway. it's not the most inviting room in the house, despite being the one we all step into when we arrive. this surprisingly helps quite a lot.

we don't have our big tree up yet, but despite today's steady drizzle, husband and sabin went out and found a little one for her room and cut it down. it smells wonderful and it does make for a very warm, cozy atmosphere.

sabin and i decorated it together. her calendar presents are a daily ornament this year, so she'll keep decorating right up 'til christmas. the cats were pretty excited about it as well. i hope they're going to leave it alone. it was a good way to spend a rainy, dreary sunday - indoors, getting into the christmas spirit.