Last year was not a banner year for our family blog. We had only 10 posts, and none from Joshua’s birthday (October 18) forward. Remembering my previous assertion that “if it wasn’t on the blog, it didn’t happen” I am moved to remember a few of the ‘lost days’ of 2011.
About five or six years ago, Kathy visited Lowe’s during the post-Christmas sales, and saw a deal on an artificial Christmas tree that she couldn’t resist. She brought it home, and we’ve saved $30 or $40 each year since, with our re-useable artificial tree. Sadly, it drives Joshua crazy — he actively hates the very idea of an artificial tree. But once you have a fake tree, you might as well use it; so we’ve turned a deaf ear to the grinding of his teeth.
Joshua examines a possible candidate
This year, he’d had enough. “I don’t care about the money,” Joshua insisted. “This may be the last Christmas I am living at home, and by golly we’re getting a real tree.” Sensing our objection, he headed us off at the pass. “I’ll pay,” he growled.
So we all jumped in the car after church on that fine December day, and we soon found ourselves in the Lowe’s parking lot. Dutifully, we trooped in behind Joshua, as he dismissed the lesser trees and settled on a sturdy-looking $40 specimen.
“Now that’s a Noble Fir,” I told the kids, showing off my arboreal expertise.
“Yeah, we can read, too, Dad.” They pointed at the ‘Noble Firs’ sign that I was trying to conceal.
It was truly a Noble Fir -- everyone agreed.
Soon we had bagged the tree and were tying it to the roof of our van, in triumph. We brought it home and found the tree stand that Debbie L. had somehow not forced us to give to the Goodwill in one of her several stints as our garage-cleaning and decluttering consultant.
Daniel and Joshua put their knot-tying expertise to good use, securing the tree.
It was actually quite a fun family outing, nearly worth the $40 that poor Joshua had to shell out for the tree. The only problem was that the tree was so perfectly formed, that everyone who saw it assumed it was a fake tree, which drove Joshua back to grinding his teeth. Still, it was very nice to have the scent of pine in the house — we kept it until the end of January, to eke out every last penny of value.
Admittedly, our whole family is very fond of Christmas
Even the new kittens liked it. Turning up their noses at their water bowls, they insisted on drinking out of the tree-stand at the base of the tree.
Tim
Notice the AWANA shirts! Was it AWANA Sunday and we went right after church? Nice! It was a beautiful Christmas tree.
…and it did smell so nice. Well done, Joshua!
Yes it was a lovely tree!And it was fun too!
But it looked the best with the ornaments!!!!
Yeah that was really fun!
I loved that tree!:(
But now it’s gone chopped up destroyed!!!!:*(
awwww so sad…… i wish our tree was still up and all pretty:( here we can both be sad cry……
:*( Wow you posted a comment!!!! I never thought this day would come!!!!!
Blhahahahahahhahahahhaahhah:*(
Well, Tim E. if you prefer not to have a real tree in your home next year, just point me to the tree stand and I will accidentally put it in the Goodwill pile. No one will have to know. : )