O Christmas Tree

On Black Friday we went shopping. Not for electronics, toys, clothes, or other doorbusters, but for a CHRISTMAS TREE :)

For the last six years, we have had a beautiful artificial tree that I got with my Mom the first Christmas we were married {while David was in Iraq}. But since I have fond memories of going and cutting down a Christmas tree each year when I was growing up, getting a real tree once I had kids {that were old enough} has always been my plan {and luckily, David was on board :)}. Thus, we decided last year, that 2011 was the year, the year to start creating similar memories for Ryan and our family :)

The Kinsey Family Farm was beautiful and had tons of trees to choose from -- live, pre-cut or cut your own. It was a super nice day {although it was so warm, it felt like spring rather than the start of the holiday season}. We looked around and then went on a wagon ride out to the fields to see the cut your own trees, and take our 2011 Christmas card picture.

After lots of shots and many different backgrounds {it was so sunny, the lighting/shading was funky in a lot of the pictures}, we finally got a picture that we were happy with. It's not my favorite family picture ever, but it will do for this year. And I do love the setting and the fact that every time I look at this picture hanging on the wall, I will be reminded of our first family Christmas tree outing :)

Coming soon to a mailbox near you :)

Then we headed back to the barn, and got some popcorn, drinks, and a s'more kit. After enjoying our snacks and roasting marshmallows over the fire, we set out to pick out the perfect Christmas tree from the barn {although it turned out that David primarily picked out our tree while Ryan and I ran around the barn playing hide-and-seek amongst the trees :)}

While David paid for our tree and got it loaded on the roof of the car, Ryan and I ventured over to the petting barn to see the goats before we headed home. Ryan is a sucker for animals!

Once home, we got the tree {some type of fir tree} into the stand {which I bought on sale at the end of the season last year ... score!} and put 600 white lights on it. Then it was time to add our ornaments, which I love because they all have a special memory or meaning :)

Ryan had so much fun putting ornaments on the tree this year!

And we now have a "Kinsey Family Farm 2011" pewter ornament in our collection to look back at for Christmases to come. What a neat idea, to give a yearly ornament with your Christmas tree purchase!

It was a fun day, and a great start to our new family tradition!! And we are now enjoying our beautiful tree {David picked a good one!} and all of our Christmas decorations :)