O Tannenbaum

To help set the mood, I would like you to know that as I type this post I am listening to the Vince Guaraldi Trio's version on O Tannenbaum (Charlie Brown music) and looking out the window at 7-8 inches of beautiful fluffy snow on the ground.  We are snowed in and I am happy.  So get ready for multiple possible posts today.

Last weekend Cliff and I had a really festive Saturday.  We donated food to the local Mission, bought Christmas presents to support Small Business Saturday, and went to Northern Lights Tree Farm to cut down our Christmas tree.  This is our third visit to the farm but only our second tree purchase (as we couldn't fit a tree in our original Springfield dwelling back in 2007).

Tree prices ranged from $4.50/foot - $7.50/foot.  In the past, we have always selected the cheapest as we are pretty frugal people.  This year, we decided to go fancy.  We opted for a $7.50/food Nordman Fur as we were told that they were the best at holding heavy ornaments.  Plus they are beautiful.  They look like how Christmas trees are supposed to look.  Their color is nice and mossy green and their undersides are white with green lines.  Pretty cool.

I always forget how difficult it is to select a tree at a tree farm.  You walk down rows of trees upon trees.  They all look ok and it is hard to compare.  You size up the tree, note the pros and cons and then walk to the next trying your best to remember which one was more awesome.  In the end, I always feel bad when we select a tree as that means we are going to cut it down from its home.  That sounds a little Eugene crunchy...but it is true...I get a little emotional and feel guilty.  We counted the rings and our tree was (is) nine years old.

This year we picked a winner.  Fun Fact: Nordman Firs take a long time to cut down.  In the past it has been a two minute process and we are on our way.  This year it was like five-seven minutes of sawing away.  Also, we always forget to bring something to kneel on so Cliff always has to get his pants dirty.

 Once back at the barn, we asked them to shake the tree and bail it.  We normally don't opt for the $3 bailing service but this year like I said...we went fancy.  Plus we knew it would help us get the tree in the Honda Fit.

Which brings me to the fact that I love our car.  We picked a winner.  We fit a 6ft Christmas tree in it! The seats all fold independently so the tree got the right side of the car and Cliff and I got the left.  Oh and we buckled it up for safety.

We learned a very important lesson this year.  Always know the size of your tree stand before you leave the tree farm.  When we got home we found that our tree trunk grew slightly curved and it was too fat in some areas.  It didn't fit.  We currently do not own a saw so Cliff had to use a serrated kitchen knife to trim it up.  It took us, no kidding, 45 minutes to get the tree to fit and stand kinda straight.  We got the tree up and I decorated it while Cliff rowed (holiday challenge).  It looks beautiful.  However, it is a pain to water.  It is still really round so it is pretty difficult to find an area that allows for water to flow down into the well.  It requires two people and a flashlight.

The house is now decorated and it looks like Christmas threw up all over.  I am particularly happy this year as I found the red, green, and white warm round lights that we used to have when I was a kid.  I loved them and have been looking for years.  I bought them at Walmart the day after Halloween (yes, I was that girl).  Oh man, I love Christmas decorations.  Love.  Love. Love.

The Holidays in Oregon

First off, happy new year!  I hope that everyone's 2013 is off to a good start.  It is hard to believe that the holidays are over (although Cliff keeps telling me that they aren't over until this upcoming weekend when we take down the tree and decorations).  This was an odd holiday season as this was the first time we were away from the east coast and on our own for Christmas.

Cliff and I did an excellent job of getting into the Christmas spirit.  We went with friends to see holiday lights (see Coos Bay post), we watched holiday movies, ate chocolate, listened to Christmas music, decorated the whole house, and drank egg nog.  We were in good shape until Christmas eve.  We were really homesick and sad.  So we made dinner, chatted with our lovely family, watched "It's A Wonderful Life", and headed for bed.  On Christmas we finished opening presented (we snuck a few ahead of schedule) and packed up to head to Portland to spend the night with Kathy, Jill, and our friend Zoe who flew up from California.  We were actually supposed to go up to Portland before Christmas but postponed the trip as Zoe's flight was cancelled and she came in a few days late.  I'm really glad we changed our plans as spending time with friends helped to make a really nice Christmas.  Kathy, Jill and Zoe made a delicious lunch/dinner (ham, vegetables, bread and cheese, green bean casserole, stuffing, mimosas, and homemade cookies!).  We Skyped with our friends Sam and Steve in Pittsburg.  Afterwards we all went to the movie to see Les Miserables.  The theater was packed.  I love going to the movies on Christmas.  We all really enjoyed the movie and cried a lot...well....I cried a lot.  I get so emotional with musicals.  They are magical to me.  After the movie we opened presents and ate Chinese food.  It was a solid day.

We came back from Portland on Wednesday so that I could work the rest of the week.  Cliff and I were both looking forward to the weekend as REI was having their scratch and dent sale.  We really want to start backpacking but are missing a few essential items and we had Christmas money burning a hole in our pocket.  We got there 2 1/2 hours before the doors opened and we were about the 70th or so folks in line.  It was cold but dry and a friend waited with us so the time went by pretty quickly.  Once inside, Cliff did it.  He found the exact tent we wanted.  The tent sells for about $350 and we got ours for $70 because a non-essential zipper was broken.  Totally excited!  We also got a fuel bottle for our future stove and I got a fuzzy fleece jacket.  We were pretty proud of ourselves.  We put the tent up in the living room quite a few times that night.  Rudy was very confused.  We are now a few steps closer to our first spring backpacking trip.

Last night we went out to dinner with a friend from work and stopped in at our neighbor's for a get together.   The clock struck midnight as Cliff and I were going to bed.  We decided to ring in the new year with sleep.  This morning we got up and Cliff suggested that we climb Spencer Butte.  It has been dry this week (awesome) and the sun was out.  Everyone and their mom, brother, cousin, and dog was at the butte today.  We all wanted to take in the view and the sunshine on the first day of 2013.  There was quite a bit of frost and even some ice on the butte.  I took a photo of some as it was a cool shape. It was clear and we could see the Three Sisters and even up to Mt. Hood.  The whole hike was relaxing and wonderful.

I've failed to mention that Rudy had an awesome Christmas.  He got a new bed, treats, a long and leggy Santa monkey, a Rudolph rope/squeak toy (via Kathy and Jill), and a new tie (via mom).  He has been a happy camper.  He won't leave his new bed and when he does it is to either eat, go to the bathroom, or frolic with his new toys.  You can't see them all, but he is sitting on top of them in this photo.  He likes to snuggle with them.

As for the new year, 2012 was full of transitions for us and for the family.  We are looking forward to 2013 and the new challenges and the opportunities that await.  We don't really do resolutions but Cliff and I have a few hopes for the upcoming year:

• Spend more time outside
• Start backpacking (the goal would be once a month in the dry times)
• Be more active and eat healthier (we both have quite a big sweet tooth)
• Finally get the dog to walk properly on a leash
• Cliff wants to row another marathon before April
• I want to improve my ability to balance work and life

May the new year bring you all lots of love, laughter, prosperity, and happiness!  Bring it on 2013. 

Thrift Store Christmas Decor

As you know, I really enjoy estate sales and thrift store shopping.  From Thanksgiving to Christmas might be my absolute favorite time to hit up the stores as they have their holiday decorations out.  This year I've collected a few new goodies.  

99% of the items cost me $.49- $.99 except for this creepy little cutie.  He set me back $1.99.  In case you can't see it, he is holding a banner that reads Merry Christmas.  He chills with the garden gnomes and greets people on our stoop.   

So I found this little guy two years ago but I still wanted to post about him as I found him in a CHKD thrift store in Virginia.  He is a 1999 Annalee.  He is our version of elf on a shelf.   Favorite.

Stained glass Santa!  He looked really beautiful yesterday as it was sunny for a few hours.

I like to call this decoration "inappropriate snowman" as he looks a little suggestive.  Perfect decoration.

So I apparently really love Annalee holiday dolls as I have two other little ones.  I found these guys at St. Vinnie's in Eugene last year.  One is a Santa mouse and the other mouse is in it's nightgown.  Cliff has the genius idea of putting them on top of the coo coo clock (like hickory dickory dock).  Awesome.  Love it.

You gotta believe.  Maybe I like this sign so much because of my time in Baltimore when the "Believe" campaign was going on but it doesn't matter... I really like this sign.  Believe in Santa!

Speaking of Baltimore I found this awesome ornament in Goodwill.  As a Maryland girl, how could I not buy it?

We even got a new stocking for Rudy (in case you can't see it, it is a dog with a Santa hat on hanging by his tail).  We have to wait to fill it until Christmas as otherwise he would be a pest.

For work I bought a mini Christmas tree, a Hallmark Rodney the reindeer (like the one we had when I was little), and a little alpaca.  We named him Horacio the Holiday Alpaca.  He instantly makes people happy.  Cliff kinda giggles when he sees him as he likes Horacio so much.  He is handmade and awesome.

I love Christmas decorations!