Cutting Down the Tree

Yesterday we headed out to Benjamin Tree Farm to pick out and cut down our Christmas tree! It would have been nice to go last weekend (since the weather was REALLY nice and it was the first Sunday of Advent), but we were busy, so this worked too. It wasn't too cold and the ground froze enough overnight that it wasn't super muddy!

We've been going to this place to get our tree since we moved into this house and we find every year, we have to walk a little bit further to get a tree! This year Scott and noticed that several of the fields had been planted with corn this year and recently plowed. We worried for a second that in a number of years, they would run out of trees! Until we were driving away and noticed field after field of trees on the other side of the road! There will be trees for many years!

Just heading in.

Jacob was waving at Santa and saying "HI" over and over until Logan turned around and said "Jacob, that's not really Santa, it's wood!" Haha.

I thought I'd start tracking the prices of the trees. I think these were the prices last year when we were there too.

We got there at 9am right when they opened hoping to beat the crowds. So although there wasn't any snow, they frost at least made it appear as though it was winter.

The sun was starting to peek through the trees.

In search of the perfect tree...

Found one!

Scott cuts it down.

Negotiating who will pull which part.

Everyone needs to help.

At least they're having fun!

Jacob took the tree pulling VERY serious.

At least it distracted him on the walk back to the van.

Logan found more space to help at the back of the tree.

Trimming up the bottom.

For some reason, I stopped taking pictures at this point. We went inside, had juice and cookies and then headed back to the van. Rather than struggling to tie the tree to the roof, Scott just shoved it in the back, haha. It was much quicker. It's sitting in the stand in the living room now...I'm not sure when we'll get a chance to decorate it. I'll post pics when we do though!

"We're going camping..."

Yesterday morning after we finished breakfast, I cleaned the boys up and sent them downstairs to play while I tidied up the kitchen. This is something we do EVERY day; so it was nothing new.

I took maybe 10 minutes to tidy up the dishes from breakfast and get everything put away. They were happily playing downstairs. There wasn't any fighting, nor was it silent, which usually indicates a problem.

I ventured downstairs to see what they were doing and I quickly found out exactly why, they had been playing so nicely...

That's pretty much every single toy we own.

This is where they belong.

I asked Logan what in the world they were doing. His answer? "We're going camping, Mommy!" I guess he has a pretty big vehicle to go camping with!

Luckily they're pretty cute.

I did take the opportunity to vacuum the carpet well and to clean the toy shelf which was long overdue for a good cleaning. AND they even helped me put the toys away.

Getting Ready for Christmas

We won't be getting our Christmas tree until this weekend but we've started to get festive and put some things up around the house. I didn't take too many pictures because it got a bit chaotic with all the "help" from the boys, but you get the point.

Setting up the Nativity scene.

Logan showing Jacob where everything goes and how it works. (Today Logan came to me quite distressed because Jacob had cleared everything out of the stable and loaded a couple motorcycles in instead. I later found Mary and baby Jesus under the couch. Oops.)

Watching the skaters go around the rink. Scott's Grandma gave us this last year from her collection. Apparently it was Scott's favourite when he was younger and Logan took a liking to it last year when we were visiting them. They both still really like it.

I'm trying to teach Jacob NOT to touch it...it's a slow process, haha.

Jacob Tries "Hot" Chocolate

We hauled out the Christmas decorations on Tuesday evening (remind me next year to decorate the house AFTER the kids go to bed...) and I thought that a little hot chocolate might help everyone get in the mood.

I made it just warm for the boys and Jacob quickly realized that hot chocolate would be on his list of faves from now on!

Putting in the marshmallows.

Blowing on it since I told him it could be hot!

He put the mug down and said "YUM"! But I'm pretty sure he didn't get any that first try.

Trying again...

Success! (If you click on this picture to make it bigger, you can see the chocolate mustache)

Very happy.

Going in for more!

Logan loves hot chocolate too!

Going Back in Time: Trick or Treating

These pictures need little explanation. :)

I have no idea what he is looking at.

Logan's pumpkin.

Jacob's pumpkin.

And he's off!

Trick or Treat!

Jacob was reluctant to surrender any of his candy to the wagon even when he could hardly carry the bucket anymore!

Ummm, yeah. That's a lot of candy.

Going Back in Time: Pumpkin Carving

We got our pumpkins just before Hallowe'en (hmm, did I post about that yet?) and carved them up just a night or two before. Logan asked EVERY day when we were going to carve them. Maybe next year we won't pick them up until it's time to carve, haha.

Cutting off the top of Logan's pumpkin.

Logan gets right in there!

Posing for the camera.

Daddy helps to get the last bit cleaned out.

Despite this picture...

Jacob was not really a fan of cleaning out the pumpkin. He gagged when he first put his hand inside and then wouldn't touch the pumpkin again. So Scott helped.

What IS that stuff?

Apparently it's not too bad with a spoon.

Helping with the actual carving.

:)

I didn't seem to have any pictures of the finished product...they might be on the other camera, I'll have to check!