Three Tree Family!

I'll be the first to admit it... I'm obsessed with Christmas.

As soon as I flip the calendar to October, my brain starts racing towards Christmas trees, sparkling lights, and the smell of cinnamon Yankee candles filling the air.

Last year, we spend the holidays snuggling our newest addition to our family from the comfort of our little apartment. My focus was definitely NOT on Christmas decor. In fact, it probably was the only year I didn't add something to my collection of snowmen, Santas, and garland.

This year is the first Christmas in our new house. All kinds of nooks-and-crannies I've never decorated before. Score! I knew we'd do it up big this year...but I didn't realize we'd end up with three, count them, three trees. Whew!

The first tree...
A tall, skinny tree to accent our living room. It's tucked right in the corner of our living room, right next to the fireplace and window facing the backyard. Small, petite, and subtle.

Tree number two...
I wanted to start a family tradition of picking out a real Christmas tree to decorate. And, we have a big window in the front of our house that is screaming for a Christmas tree to be in front of it.

Off we went...to Howell Tree Farm in Cumming, Iowa. Rows and rows of perfect little Christmas pine trees. It was simple: pick a tree, take the tag, write your name on it, and they cut it down for you! It wasn't long before we found the one. A tall, fat, green pine tree soon to become our family Christmas tree...the very first real one we've ever had.

Oh, we ran into Santa, too!

It was a great little family adventure.

Until...

We got the tree home.

First, the tree stand holder was too small. Uh-oh. It was the BIGGEST tree stand at Menard's. I finally found a bigger tree stand...

...we untied the string holding the tree together...

...and...

IT WAS HUGE! Massive. Gigantic. Literally, the tree takes up half of our little den/office room. Oh man.

Two hours later, a vacuum bag filled, and thousands of dead pine needles picked up, we had our tree!

I'd like to call it big and beautiful :)

The third tree:
A cute little whimsical tree on my new table for the entryway. Simple and cute!


PS - As I type this blog, my little man is wandering all over our house with a shiny, gold, glittery ornament singing "la ba ba mama na la ba". I'm sure he's going to share my love for Christmas...and I think his babbling is his version of jingle bells? =)