Searching for the 'best' tree...

A couple of years ago we bought a fake tree because of J's allergies and because I always broke out on my arms from the sap when putting on the lights....yeah I'd wear a long sleeve shirt, but it would get caught up in the branches as I was working, so off it'd come...and no one offered to do the lights instead (ie: Steve) so I bought the fake prelit one.

Not too long ago we picked up a chocolate lab and took care of her for almost a week. The owners were so glad that we'd found and took care of her that they offered us a free Christmas tree in thanks. We headed over there on Friday afternoon and looked a bunch of them over. I saw one I really wanted, but at the price that it was marked for, I didn't want to take it. After all it's their business and we didn't want to take too much even though it was offered to us.

Steve made me laugh when he walked up to this little short thin tree and said: "This is the one I want!" The poor thing was barely taller than him and he's a whopping 5'6". LOL

Can we have this one?! It's perfect! LOL Um no guys...putting a hole in my roof for that monster is not going to happen!

J kept playing with a tree stump he dubbed his "magic tree stump". It found it's way into most of the pictures of our hunt for the 'perfect' tree (see first pic between little bitty tree and Steve's arm). He never did say what was so special about it, but it's sitting out there in the yard now looking very unmagical like...He also found a cute little pinecone that he had to have me take a picture of. "Look, it's so tiny Mom!"

B was just a bugger about the couple of trees we were deciding on...I don't know what was up her bum that day, but she was so bratty about getting the little tree-she kept saying she wanted her big tree at home and how the little one was ugly! I was really irritated with her behavior and had warned her to behave. Then dad warned her and true to form she kept on about it in her usual drama induced self. Steve took away her priviledges when she didn't straighten up for acting like such a pill (translating into no video/computer games and she hates that!). She of course was 'sooooooooo bored' all night, LOL! Her father said that was the point. Was the misbehaving and not listening worth being 'bored'? Of course she mumbled something about liking the tree and went to her room to play. Stinker!

We'll be trimming the little tree today. They can't wait.

And then there were two....

After screening a few prospectives for Dukes new home, we made our decision to place him with Dennis and his wife. Oh my is Duke going to be spoiled! I called the references and spoke with their vet; everyone had nothing but nice things to say. We took Duke over to their house yesterday afternoon and visited with Dennis. His wife travels during the year for her job and their other dog travels with her. Dennis wanted a buddy there at home to have with him since he's retired. They have 3 acres, a huge house, a huge pond in the back and no chickens! Although the ducks come up from time to time, but atleast they can fly off if he tries to give chase! Duke warmed up to him quite well and when I called yesterday evening, Dennis and he were sitting on the floor together watching TV. He's taking him to the vet here shortly to get him microchipped and get his rabies vaccination taken care of. I'd like to think that we take really good care of our animals here, but Duke is going to get even better care there and I am so thankful that they wanted him! They also live 20 minutes from our house and next week or so I'm taking the kids up there to visit him again. Even though they sometimes fussed about him, they really miss him already. Dennis said that Duke seemed a little leery when we left and when he took him on a walk after we had gone, a truck had driven nearby and he perked up and got all excited...I was sad that he missed us and sad that I couldn't really explain it to him although I had tried to. He will understand one day...

Oh and there is a good ending for the Chocolate Lab we found as well. The fellow at our local Christmas tree farm has a couple of kids and they own the dog. She'd ran off while they were target shooting their black powder rifles. Unfortunately they didn't realize that she was so scared. She is now back at home and the fellow was so grateful to us for taking care of her, that he offered up our pick of a Christmas tree this year from his farm for free! The kids are so excited since we normally have a pre-lit fake tree.

So now we're down to Perdi and Maggie...two totally different personalities! One that weighs in at 145 lbs and the other when wet at 21 lbs!