The Xmas Tree Takedown!

This was a first for me, as I'd never cut down a Christmas tree before.  Although some of the ones from IKEA could have been cut down for firewood.  I still remember the Charlie Brown tree we got from there the first time Kieran and I first picked up an IKEA tree.  We wanted the coupon, since we planned to use it.

This year I picked one up from Home Depot.  The HD guy told me they were from BC (as in Before Christmas).  I said "it IS!"

The tree I picked out turned out to be pretty decent!  I usually leave it in the garage for a few days, but then I thought.  Ah. What for! so I brought it in right away and it was so much easier to bring into the house when its tied up versus when it's completely open.  Plus I didn't even have to trim the trunk.  They did that too.  So I set it up in the stand and put in some water and hoped it didn't fall over during the night.

So far so good. Tresa and I did have to straighten it a bit, but it's been 3 days now and it hasn't fallen over and it hasn't budged.

When we went to visit Kieran's cousins, they hadn't gotten a tree yet.  So off we went to Ayer's farm down the road to look for a tree that would 1) fit in our car, and 2) fit through the house.  Lou said he didn't want one that was 10ft.   Didn't matter what tree you selected it was the same price - $60.  And you get a wagon ride and apple cider, and a view of cows that would eventually end up on a bbq grill.
There were trees shaped like cats.  Fat cats.  Sort of like their cats.
And then there were dead trees like the one Raelen dragged around and ended up taking home to put in her room.

It wasn't that busy on the farm, which was nice.  It also wasn't that cold.  But glad it wasn't muddy.  It took some hunting around but we found a tree that was a nice height and shape and didn't look like it was half dead and could ignite when you shone an LED flashlight at it.

Afterwards we had some cider and warmed ourselves by the fire.  We had some Elk sausages and hot dogs and a burger with texture that was a little gross.  Emerson only took a few bites and handed it to me.  I ate it, but I was just hoping I didn't get the runs afterwards.  We were at Lou's so I figured he'd have something in the cupboards that was only recently expired that I could take.

The cider was good.  It was warm and the fire was great to sit around with the other newbie Christmas tree chopping half immigrants.


They put it through a machine to wrap it up for us.  I was hoping we'd find a Fraser Fir tree, as it's needles don't drop so much like the regular pine trees.  As long as there wasn't a nest of bugs, or some live animal living in it, I guess that was ok.  I'm not used to wild animals hitching a ride with me, like these yahoos.  A chipmunk got into their car, obviously smelling all the junk food that's made it's way into every nook and cranny of the car.

You know what Lou needs.  A better vacuum.  That Shark one he got a year or 2 ago, sucks.  Or doesn't suck.  And when I looked at it, the hose had some Tuck tape around some parts.  It barely picked up all the needles in my car.  We were going to just take 1 car, but then where would the kids sit, if the tree was in the car?  I didn't put the roof rack on.  I guess I should put it on before it gets too cold.

I figured the vacuum was probably full of smarties and jolly ranchers.
We brought a tray of jellies and candy.  And Raelen ate all the RED ones.  She's got braces on now.  I asked if it was to hold her teeth together from all the candy/sugar she was inhaling.

Got to try the hoverboard too.  At first I was a little iffy on it, cuz I thought I'd go flying off of it, but then I got used to it.  Pretty neat.

Photos