Birthday and Annual Tree Getting

We have had an eventful couple of days. First it was Eli's first birthday. He still is leaning to swallow his spit, so please disregard the thread of shimmering slobber extending from his lower lip to the neck of his shirt.

You can plainly see Wendi's handi-work of the bear cake. It has become tradition for Wendi to slave away for an hour or two decorating the bear. We consider it a success if the child dives into it, decimating the cake and dying their skin the color of the frosting. However, this go-around, Eli was not impressed. He just stared at it at first, then I unintentionally scared him by moving it closer. This put him on edge and he just cried until it was taken away. So much for his first tastes of all-he-could-eat chocolate cake.

The next day was our annual tree getting. We travel into Idaho (with permits) to get our sad little Christmas tree. Yes, the trees are sad. Never as full as the ones you can get from a tree lot, but we enjoy the traditional search for the tree for traditions sake. So here am I, "swords" in hand (as I mistakenly called them by slip of the tongue) with little Kate.

As soon as Carter got out of the car he was sledding down an embankment the snowplow had made off the side of the road. We hiked half way up a small hill where we found our Christmas tree. While I sawed, Carter decided to roll some snowballs which ended up as big as he is. He only stopped because he couldn't move them anymore.

For some odd reason, and I think it was deliberately planned, we didn't get any pictures of Wendi on this trip. The trip in which she looks better than ever and she is camera shy. We may have to make the trip again, make her stand in the snow and take a picture for picture-taking sake. Wendi's brother Tanner accompanied us on the trip. He was invaluable in helping to get the trees and take care of the kids.

We had an enjoyable time picking out our trees and enjoyed a chicken nugget lunch and pizza dinner afterward. Next year we will try to bring Eli. He was getting over a cold and stayed home with grandma.

ADDENDUM:

Well look at this little gem that was just sent to me from Tanner. There were some others but I am sure Wendi would not appreciate the photos of her when she fell down and was struggling to get up because the snow was so deep.