The Ugliest Tree E.V.E.R.

I told Ryan that this was the year of the "REAL TREE!" I am a firm believer that at some point in every child's life they need to experience the - "go and cut down a real tree for Christmas." I have been wanting my kids to get this experience for SEVERAL years now, but a coal furnace that dries trees out ruined that plan for me. Last year, however, we got a new furnace so this year......REAL TREE!!! YAY!!We had originally planned to go to the Kilgore Ranch to get the tree because there are some beautiful trees that would make wonderful Christmas trees there. The plans changed though when Dallin headed to the Bone Ranch with his grandpa to snow machine. I was kinda bummed he was going to miss the cutting of the tree so we headed to Bone hoping that we would maybe run into them. Bone didn't have alot to choose from. :( This was the tree....and Ryan if you look really hard....on the mountain. The tree isn't really all that bad....but decorated...ummm...that's a different story. You'll see!
These are the two hikers. Oakley had really high blood and felt like she had been hit by a train. Plus....when she has high blood she has to pee ALOT and the outhouse she went in at the snowmobile parking lot spit almost everything back on her. So she was wet and cold before we ever even started. Poor little girl! Did I mention that I HATE DIABETES!!

We never found Dallin and grandpa so that left Rhett and Laiklie to be the tree picker outers. They didn't have alot to choose from and Rhett was upset when his dad chose for him. Infact, he cried all the way home and told us he WAS NOT putting that tree up in our house and hoped it blew out the back of the truck. :) Kids make me laugh!

So, here is our pretty sad looking tree. The branches are flimsy and won't hold up the decorations or the lights for that matter. The lights are all around the trunk making it look pretty funny. The decorations fall off more than they stay on. It doesn't smell good like I was hoping it would. :( I gotta say....it is SERIOUSLY the ugliest tree EVER.

BUT....I also have to say....WE LOVE IT!! I am TOTALLY in love with the popcorn stands my kids made by hand the other night as part of our family home evening lesson. I am also in love with the lack of wirey branches that come with fake trees. I love that we have fewer decorations (since the branches won't hold them) so it is so plain and simple. I love that we have a story that goes behind this tree. I love that it is my kids 1st real tree and hopefully not the last!