Christmas Cometh

This past Thanksgiving weekend I joined in a Bedinghaus family tradition - Christmas tree cutting the day after Thanksgiving. I have very fond memories of cutting down a Christmas tree as a child with my family too. Going to the same far every year, talking to the ancient people who owned the farm, tromping all over the place looking for that perfect tree, and counting the rings to tell how old the tree was after my dad cut it down. Usually our tree ended up being the fat and scruffy kind, but we didn't care, it was ours. 

That was how I felt this year too going with Rob's family to get a tree. It was time for us to start our own Christmas tree cutting tradition and get our own tree. 

It didn't take us long to find it -- just the right size for our little house, just for us.

Our first Christmas tree!

Rob, the master wood cutter, chops down our tree

Ever since my brothers and I were born my mom has given us an ornament every Christmas. The deal was when you got married you got to take your box of ornaments with you. Since we weren't in Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving my mom sent my ornaments along with my brother Luke and Rob and I decorated our tree on Sunday afternoon. It was a fun time for us, hanging ornaments on our little tree. The tree itself still has some bare spots (guess you better keep giving us ornaments mom!) and no topper yet, but it looks pretty and is so cheerful to look at. 

Now that we have our tree, the Christmas season can officially begin. This is a special time of year and aside from all the commercialism of it and the rage to "buy, buy, spend, spend" it's a good time to reflect on the year gone by and make new traditions with friends and Rob. So early Merry Christmas to you! Enjoy this season. 

P.S. I forgot to mention the other part about Bedinghaus Christmas tree day. They are always joined by their aunt Julie, Uncle Doug, cousins Ross and Melissa, and this year, six dogs! This is a big deal for the dogs and they love their annual outing. Check out those fancy sweaters the little ones got to wear! They are definitely trend setting dogs. 

(I am rather reluctantly holding Cocoa Beans, a mini-poodle of some sort. Dogs aren't my favorite, but these are ok. Ross obviously did not get a dog and someone decided he was old enough to carry saws....:)