After three years chopping down a tree at a Christmas tree farm in Washington, I was ecstatic to get back to the family tradition of going to the mountains for one. The day after Thanksgiving was absolutely beautiful in Strawberry Canyon, but the amount of snow made it impossible for the 4-wheel drives to get up to where we normally go. (Affectionately known to us Becksteads as "Christmas Tree Heaven.")
Instead, we parked in a parking lot off the highway, and divided into two groups - a tree hunting group and a kid sledding group. Garreth and I were in the tree hunting group and set off through waist-deep snow in search of "The One." We didn't trudge too far from the road before deciding that our standards would have to come down a little this year. It was hard work! We finally settled on this beauty:
Did I already mention what a breathtaking day it was?
Meanwhile, back at the sledding camp, the kids had a ball and, more importantly, totally wore themselves right out.
