The Great Christmas Tree Hunt

Yesterday we ventured out on our annual Christmas Tree Hunt. These trips are always, ummm........ an adventure. (One year after our tree was cut and strapped on the top of the suburban, we got the SUV stuck kind of sideways in the road that lead out of the woods. After a lot of work backing-and-forthing, the mountain boy got the truck unstuck, but we were still backwards in the road. So he just backed down the mountain- 2 MILES DOWN THE MOUNTAIN (!!!!) until we could find a spot wide enough to turn around without getting stuck sideways again. Call me a weenie but I was hyperventilating.)

Anyhoo, we usually load up the kids, a saw, rope, home made hot chocolate, the dog and plenty of cold weather items in case we get stuck in the wilds of Montana. Then we venture out.

This is the road to the "most-beautiful-Christmas-tree-in-the-World". The tree is out there waiting for us. We just have to find it. The-most-beautiful-tree-in-the-world presents itself after we have looked over ever square inch of about 123 acres of state owned woods. (Every. Square. Inch.) Many trees are considered but only one has the perfect shape, height and attitude.

Everyone gets to have their opinion. All get their choice considered. But in the end, only one is chosen as "the most-beautiful". This year took a little longer than usual. Mostly because of the snow. We were trudging in snow up past knees and thighs (and I'm pretty tall for a girl). We almost lost several kids in the process.

("Randy lay there like a slug. It was his only defense". Name that movie.)

Then, it showed itself to us!

We found it! The most-beautiful-Christmas-Tree-in-the-World!!!! The mountain boy discovered it. It was just standing there amongst the other pines, standing tall and straight. Strong. Proud. It had Attitude. And it was kind of close to the road......kind of.

The kids took turns cutting and chopping........

and dragging the behemoth to the 'burban.

Finally, we got that beauty to the car.
And here we are---- kids, dog, parents and a tree with 'tude---- and we didn't even have to drive home backwards !
Thank goodness! I didn't feel like hyperventilating this time.