Picking out the perfect tree

The Sunday after the boat parade we went to Hidden Springs Tree Farm to pick out our Christmas tree. It is the kind of place where you get to cut down your own tree, they give you a saw and a mat to kneel on. I love getting a nice fresh tree!

Some hot apple cider and we are ready to begin our hunt!
There were so many great trees to pick from, it was so much fun to walk around and look at all of them!

When we found our tree, I was in love! It is a perfect tree! Cut it down baby!

After some skilled saw work, she's down!

Arnold loaded the tree up onto a cart and Alana helped pull it back to the cashier.

They have a machine that they put it on that shakes all the oak leaves and other debris out of the tree.
Then they bail it up to make it smaller and easier to transport.

We are ready to take our tree home and get it settled into it's new home. A good time was had by all finding our tree!

Lighted Boat Parade

On Saturday December 6th we went to the lighted boat parade in Morro Bay. We went with your friends Tyler and Sutter and their two kids Campbell and Monet. We Got yummy burritos to eat at the park where we watched the parade from.

I am not very good at taking night pictures (although I am getting better and learning how to use my camera!) So none of my pictures of the boats turned out! I have since learned how to adjust the settings! There were really only about 20 boats so it was a very small parade, next year we may skip it for the big parade in Paso. It is just one of those things that you remember being so great when you were a kid and now that your an adult it is some how not quite what you remember. I would love to do Newport one year, I can't believe I have not done it yet!

We all had fun watching anyway!

Off to the next Christmas festivities!

Hospitality Night

The first of many holiday celebrations that we plan on attending this Christmas season took place on Thursday the 4th in Cambria. It is a annual Christmas open house that the whole town participates in. The businesses and restaurants open up and give away free samples, cookies, cider, cocoa, there are raffles to enter and plenty neat things to look at.

So here we go all dressed in red and green, we heard a rumor that Santa might even make an appearance!Our first stop was Santa. Alana and Cael waited in line very well until it was their turn.
Alana was very excited to see Santa!

Santa was a big cuddly guy with a big lap. Alana would not talk much, what else is new, but she was very interested in Santa. She talked about the candy cane he gave her long after it was gone. I have a feeling this is the first of many Santa's we will visit this year!

We spent some time wandering through the shops, enjoying the holiday decorations and tasty treats. Our last stop was JJ's pizza where we got a pepperoni, artichoke and olive pizza, it was yummy!! We saw lots of people we know who we don't always get to see. You could feel the holiday excitement in the air, it was the perfect way to kick start the Christmas season.

And the Season begins.....

So I really have a hard time saying that any particular time of year is my favorite. Each season, every holiday has their own special qualities that make it truly wonderful. However, I will have to say that Christmas time really is one of my favorite times of the year. I know a lot of people say that, but I really mean it! I love it all, sometimes to the annoyance of people around me (Bah Hum Bug!), the lights and decorations, hot chocolate and candy canes, brightly lit trees with garland and wrapped packages, the music, the cookies, the parties...oh I could go on and on. But that is not what I truly love about Christmas. What I really love is the feeling of lightness and the sparkle in the air, I love the compassion and the giving, I love the thoughtfulness, the cheerfulness, the happiness. I love the traditions, the family, the friends. To me it is a magical time. So I hope that all of you are feeling and spreading the Christmas spirit! Go ahead, bake those gingerbread houses, put on your favorite Christmas C.D., get out those boxes of lights, pick out the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, just do it with true Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas, and here's to the start of a wonderful holiday season!