OK, so this is going to be a bit longer post than the other daily tidbits, but you see getting our Christmas tree somehow became a bit of a saga. You see, it took THREE days. Trips to more than FIVE stores. The help of two other families with bigger vehicles. WAY more money than I had hoped, and more tears from my kids than I would have liked. Interested? What if I promise lots of pictures? Ok, here we go:
Day 1 - I had my last scheduled teeth fillings and Brent was home in the afternoon watching the kids. Post- nap we headed to the store to buy a tree. We tried two stores with no luck. Brendan is confused and sad when we head home with no tree. M is sick of the cold weather. Brent thinks I won't ever like a fake, excuse me, artificial tree due to my long-standing preference for live trees. We ponder getting a live tree and decide to go home and worry about this the next day when my parents are there with their Jeep.Day 2 - I try a couple more stores with my Mom while shopping in the afternoon. I find one that I can live with (note I didn't love it, but it was OK) and we decide to have Brent and my Dad pick it up later that day. Maggie starts screaming as her first baby cold sets in. Brent and my Dad go to get the tree much later (M is at home screaming with Grandma and Mama by now).
The display is the only one left of this tree. My Dad notices that part of it isn't lit, but they are assured it isn't all plugged in.....right. Brent forges ahead as I'm hard to please when it comes to trees. My parents leave and we begin the exitement of the new tree (see the first two pictures). M suppervises, B happily helps, and I photograph the "event" as Brent begins assembly.
As you probably guessed, bits of it are not lighting. We decide to put B to sleep and work on it a bit more. While I work with M and her cold issues Brent works on the tree with no luck so back in the box it goes.... Not sure how we'll return it as our cars are too small, but it is going back.
Day 3: We have to explain to a two year old why the tree is back down and that we have to go to yet more stores to find a tree. He is beginning to doubt us. On the recommendation of Brent's Dad we head to North Pole City. We know it is going to be more expensive, but we've accepted that for a tree I might actually like and that actually works.
The store is gorgeous! See the third picture for a small snippet. Of course, the one I want here is sold-out too. B only wants tree with colored lights which I veto. We get an interesting tree that has a little bit of tinsel wrapped in to the tips of the branches. We're feeling optimistic.... cautiously. I take a deep breath and pay for our purchase and run into old Pioneer acquaintances while Brent and B discuss riding the train and ultimately that ends in lots of tears. (Yes, there is a small riding train in the store!) We make our escape and discover that, as feared, the box won't fit in our cars.
We call up the Hoppers. We had contacted them earlier in the day with this possible situation and they drove over to help after both our families had their lunchtime Sonic fix. With the tree affixed to their car, we head back to our house (Brent takes the long way, randomly with a crying baby). The Hoppers are already there when we arrive and we all head inside.
Tree set up goes well! I do the "shaping" while Brent worries about electronics, tags, the lifting, etc and Scott lends a hand. The Hoppers snuggle Miss M and the boys create chaos as they usually do. We had to take breaks for B and my special popcorn, but it all goes relatively quickly and well. By the time the Hoppers headed out the tree was assembled, all the lights work, and B put his first ornament on the tree; a small sparkly, colorful train from Grandma B.
Shortly thereafter, B discovered we had many more ornaments. He helped hang all those I'd purchased this year that were in the house. He was not satisfied and got his Daddy to fetch more from the attic. Better still, he climbed up too and helped carry the boxes inside. We decorated some more and he was distracted by other things. I think both guys thought the tree was full well before I stopped:)
The store is gorgeous! See the third picture for a small snippet. Of course, the one I want here is sold-out too. B only wants tree with colored lights which I veto. We get an interesting tree that has a little bit of tinsel wrapped in to the tips of the branches. We're feeling optimistic.... cautiously. I take a deep breath and pay for our purchase and run into old Pioneer acquaintances while Brent and B discuss riding the train and ultimately that ends in lots of tears. (Yes, there is a small riding train in the store!) We make our escape and discover that, as feared, the box won't fit in our cars.
We call up the Hoppers. We had contacted them earlier in the day with this possible situation and they drove over to help after both our families had their lunchtime Sonic fix. With the tree affixed to their car, we head back to our house (Brent takes the long way, randomly with a crying baby). The Hoppers are already there when we arrive and we all head inside.
Tree set up goes well! I do the "shaping" while Brent worries about electronics, tags, the lifting, etc and Scott lends a hand. The Hoppers snuggle Miss M and the boys create chaos as they usually do. We had to take breaks for B and my special popcorn, but it all goes relatively quickly and well. By the time the Hoppers headed out the tree was assembled, all the lights work, and B put his first ornament on the tree; a small sparkly, colorful train from Grandma B.
Shortly thereafter, B discovered we had many more ornaments. He helped hang all those I'd purchased this year that were in the house. He was not satisfied and got his Daddy to fetch more from the attic. Better still, he climbed up too and helped carry the boxes inside. We decorated some more and he was distracted by other things. I think both guys thought the tree was full well before I stopped:)
At last, Brent lifted B up to put the star on top. Hmm... well, he couldn't quite reach so Daddy had to do the honors. It is lovely. We have a lot of sparkly, glittery ornaments just now and I love the effect. Brent even took some pictures without the flash using the tripod for the best effect.
The Happy Ending is that we all love the tree, the decorations and having done it together despite the struggles. I am also very
happy that we won't have to procure a tree again next year. 
The Happy Ending is that we all love the tree, the decorations and having done it together despite the struggles. I am also very
happy that we won't have to procure a tree again next year. 
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