Hunting For Trees!

For me and my family the holidays are all about traditions.  

I am BIG on honoring traditions that I started when my husband and I got married.  And if we decide to change or forgo of one the kids will make unhappy noises about it no doubt.  I think traditions are family memory makers, they continue the traditions hopefully with their own families one day so that the memories live on and on.

Some of our fave traditions are:

-Buying special ornaments each year for the kids so they will have their own box of ornaments to take with them when they have their own homes & families

-Driving around to see Christmas lights at night and judging them on a scale of 1-10

-Going to see ICE at the Gaylord each year along with a stop to see the Washington DC holiday tree

-watching our fave holiday movies snuggled up on the couch, drinking hot cocoa and eating cookies...Elf & Home Alone are our faves

-We make Scavenger Hunts for the kids to find their BIG Christmas present each year

-The making of yummy homemade fudge

-Leaving cookies & milk for Santa of course...even when the kids are teens

-Decking the halls & house with yummy scents, sights and lots of pretty trees

**AND**

The annual hunting of our live Christmas tree for the family room!

something we've done since James & I were first married.  

One year the tree was so tall it hung over both the front & back of our car and we had to carry it up 3 flights of stairs to our penthouse condo..no lie..GOOD TIMES!  Oh the memories & stories we have.  Good weather, cold weather, crying kids, arguing over the best tree even though mom (ahem ME) makes the final call.  There's just something about wandering around a beautiful farm in search of the tree to make more memories around for that holiday season...and add in some hot cider along the way with some groaning of who is going to drag the tree down the hill :)  

So here are the pics of us from this Annual Hunt below!

(warning: Photo Intensive Post)

Since we've lived in Virginia for 7 years we've always gone to Snickers Gap Tree Farm out near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Lots of beautiful trees, great environment and great place to spend some time.

Look at all those baby blue spruces just growing and waiting for the perfect holiday home one day!

A beautiful day for hunting trees, mild weather and blue skies...what more could you ask for?

Alexa, Me & Riley

Some hijinks with the tree saw are always in order..with the safety guard on of course ;)

Alexa, Queen of the Trees...bwahahahaha!

Riley, James & Alexa

We FOUND the tree...the one that we all agreed on..the one that is lit up in my family room

as I type.  Will have pics this weekend of it all decked out in its finery!

Time for a tree sacrifice...hubby always gets those honors!

TIMBERRRRRRRRRR!

James got the lucky job of hauling the 10 ft tree this year...hahahaha...thanks honey!

Such a cool wintry sky....loved the trees silhouetted in the light!

Photo Moment with Alexa lol!

Time for the tree to gets its shakedown and dress...errrrr.....baling :)

We get all our trees drilled thru the trunk as we have a special tree stand for it to slide into.

Then we get some hot cider while we wait for the tractor to come pick up the tree to the car lot!

Lots of dogs here to pet, wine sampling and just chatting with others happy to be out with their families on the hunt for the perfect tree.

This is the farm down the lane you walk to get to your car.  I have a "thing" for old red barns and this one is no exception....I adore it.  And the winterberries growing along the fence line...I wanted some badly..but I was good and didn't touch :)

I love seeing all the cars and trucks leaving with their trees on top, inside, hanging out and just happy to be on their way home to be decorated in holiday finery.  There's just nothing like it and it is MY FAVE thing to do during the holidays with my family!

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