Over Thanksgiving weekend we went to the farm for the annual tree cutting party.  Many years we've had snowy, icy, blustery, freeze-your-face-off and slide-on-the-road kind of weather.  This year it was warm and sunny; the kind of day where you take off your coat in the sun, and put it back on when you're in the shade. 


The kids wandered around the Rooster Condo as we waited for more guests to arrive.


"Let's get a picture of the three of us" I said.  One said fine, the other said no thanks.  We got them both in here anyway, even if one is busy tending the fire you cannot see.


Dad was happy to have everyone at the farm - seeing everyone together, enjoying the farm, finding Christmas trees that he planted just for this purpose.


This year, because the weather was so cooperative, dad took us out on a hayride.  The kids filled their pockets with corn they found in the field and prepared to throw it like they were on a parade in a float.


The kids held tight while my cousin Angie and I bounced around the back end. 


After scoping out dozens of trees, we went to the part of the farm where they were a bit taller.  After ruling out a few trees that were too tall or too fat, we selected the perfect one.  Dad and Martin cut it down and we loaded it on the trailer.


It was a beautiful drive back to the Rooster Condo; such a relief not to have ice forming on our faces and coating our mittens.


Once in the house, the tree was a bit larger than I'd originally thought.  It was so big, that I had to cut some branches so that we could sit at the kitchen counter without getting poked.  It touches the ceiling and fills the entire room.


The tree is so tall and wide we were not able to decorate the top half.  We threw lights at the top and chucked lightweight ornaments and hoped they would find purchase.  Just look how much the kids enjoy the tree.


We enjoyed it further when we heard it crash in the middle of the night.  Miraculously, it didn't break a thing.  Martin thought it was amazing.  Sophie just wanted me to know that she didn't do it.


Dad came over and helped me to get it upright.  We placed it on a board and dad nailed and wired it straight into the floor.  Decorating it a second time lost its luster, so it has less ornaments and placement is hit or miss.  No one minds.