Christmas 2012
The day after Thanksgiving we started our holiday extravaganza here at the Coombs house. We were all loaded up to go tree hunting when my brother-on-law Trevor blew out his knee and needed to to the ER. So we killed some time with my sisters kids and waited. It was nice dry day and the sun was even out while we waited. So we waited, and waited, and waited. Finally they got back from the hospital with some good pain meds for Trev, and we left him at home to take a nap.
My sister and her 5 kids with Caleb and I with our two, and we went to go hunting for trees. The tree lot we use donates all the money to the schools, which is an added bonus.
We got to the tree lot and both of my kids were passed out asleep, and it started pouring down rain. We left the kids in the car and went to find the perfect tree. As we hunted, we would leave one of my sisters kids by the trees we liked as a marker. Pretty soon all the kids were wet, cold, and had to use the bathroom. They were yelling at us to come find them, they didn't want to stand by the trees anymore, and being very dramatic. It was pretty hilarious to walk around and hear these girls yelling at us pleading their case. Luckily nobody else was at the lot because who goes tree hunting when it's pouring down rain?
We found Rhoda's tree quickly but cutting it down was not so easy. We brought two chainsaws but neither of them would start. We started both of them at the house before we left, but that must have jinxed us. Caleb's saw is so dull that he was literally trying to use it as a saw even when he could get it running. Rhoda's chainsaw just wouldn't start at all. The boys just add to the drama of the girls because now they are upset too and getting frustrated quickly.
As the boys continue to struggle with Rhoda's tree, we went hunting for mine. Caleb and I always debate what size tree to get, so this time he was occupied and I could look on my own. I want a huge tree, around 10-12 feet would be great. I want to teeter on deaths door as I struggle to decorate it and hang lights. I want Caleb to freak out about how huge the tree is and tell me that I am ridiculous when it comes to Christmas. The problem is this: my sister is 5'2" and I am 5'4", and everything looks big to us. We have no concept of height whatsoever. It was raining so hard our boots got stuck into the ground, and we almost lost two more kids in the forest of trees that were "marking the good ones".
Finally Caleb gets Rhoda's tree cut and loaded and we bring him over to the top two choices for our tree. He looks at them both and tells us they are only 8 feet tall. What?! It's pitch black at this point and we are using our cell phones as flashlights because we are too cold and tired to go to the car and get the real ones. Caleb turns to a tree right next to one of my favorite trees and says "How about that one? It's much taller and it looks good". Rhoda and I try to make the tree out but it's just too dark. It really does look pretty good, and the boys are losing their cool. Sure, whatever. Cut it down.
What are the chances that my perfect tree was right beside another tree that I picked and that I just overlooked it? Slim to none! We get the tree into Rhoda's shop to dry and call it a night. We let it dry the next day as we watched some football and I wasn't even tempted to go see the tree. I think I knew what it was going to look like. Here are my kids trying not to touch the lights as we begin to decorate the house:
I invited my parents over and Rhoda's family to feed them all dinner and decorate my house. They brought the tree with them and once we got it inside I could see the problem. The back half of this tree is dead. Calvin can walk inside the tree because there are just no branches anywhere. Nothing. The front tilts to one side, the top is very stubby, and the bottom of it is very lopsided. So what can we do? Go get another tree? Oh, don't be silly. I'm not that high maintenance. OVER DECORATE! Of course, I can do that. Back to the store for more lights and more ornaments. I can fill this thing up so fast that nobody will notice. Here we are with my kids and my sisters kids decorating the tree. You can tell that none of them are very tall and this is including them standing on chairs to decorate:
One more trip to the store to find some ribbon that will hide that hideous top, done!
And everybody who comes over tells me what a lovely tree I have. I don't argue with them either. I just say thank you, I love it. Next year, I will go pick out my tree in the day light. This year, I will enjoy my silly tree and fun day we had together bonding as a family.
My sister and her 5 kids with Caleb and I with our two, and we went to go hunting for trees. The tree lot we use donates all the money to the schools, which is an added bonus.
We got to the tree lot and both of my kids were passed out asleep, and it started pouring down rain. We left the kids in the car and went to find the perfect tree. As we hunted, we would leave one of my sisters kids by the trees we liked as a marker. Pretty soon all the kids were wet, cold, and had to use the bathroom. They were yelling at us to come find them, they didn't want to stand by the trees anymore, and being very dramatic. It was pretty hilarious to walk around and hear these girls yelling at us pleading their case. Luckily nobody else was at the lot because who goes tree hunting when it's pouring down rain?
We found Rhoda's tree quickly but cutting it down was not so easy. We brought two chainsaws but neither of them would start. We started both of them at the house before we left, but that must have jinxed us. Caleb's saw is so dull that he was literally trying to use it as a saw even when he could get it running. Rhoda's chainsaw just wouldn't start at all. The boys just add to the drama of the girls because now they are upset too and getting frustrated quickly.
As the boys continue to struggle with Rhoda's tree, we went hunting for mine. Caleb and I always debate what size tree to get, so this time he was occupied and I could look on my own. I want a huge tree, around 10-12 feet would be great. I want to teeter on deaths door as I struggle to decorate it and hang lights. I want Caleb to freak out about how huge the tree is and tell me that I am ridiculous when it comes to Christmas. The problem is this: my sister is 5'2" and I am 5'4", and everything looks big to us. We have no concept of height whatsoever. It was raining so hard our boots got stuck into the ground, and we almost lost two more kids in the forest of trees that were "marking the good ones".
Finally Caleb gets Rhoda's tree cut and loaded and we bring him over to the top two choices for our tree. He looks at them both and tells us they are only 8 feet tall. What?! It's pitch black at this point and we are using our cell phones as flashlights because we are too cold and tired to go to the car and get the real ones. Caleb turns to a tree right next to one of my favorite trees and says "How about that one? It's much taller and it looks good". Rhoda and I try to make the tree out but it's just too dark. It really does look pretty good, and the boys are losing their cool. Sure, whatever. Cut it down.
I invited my parents over and Rhoda's family to feed them all dinner and decorate my house. They brought the tree with them and once we got it inside I could see the problem. The back half of this tree is dead. Calvin can walk inside the tree because there are just no branches anywhere. Nothing. The front tilts to one side, the top is very stubby, and the bottom of it is very lopsided. So what can we do? Go get another tree? Oh, don't be silly. I'm not that high maintenance. OVER DECORATE! Of course, I can do that. Back to the store for more lights and more ornaments. I can fill this thing up so fast that nobody will notice. Here we are with my kids and my sisters kids decorating the tree. You can tell that none of them are very tall and this is including them standing on chairs to decorate:
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