just call us the griswolds

yesterday we attempted to solidify a family tradition. i say attempt, because we have done this 2 other times before, but purchased trees other years, blah blah blah. this year was the year where it is tradition: the day after christmas the leavitt family packs up the car and kids and heads into the mountains to cut down the tree. *helpful hint* if the tree looks really, really, really small in the wilderness, it might, just might fit into your living room. seriously, this thing is huge.

now, we had a really fun time all together and ty and i realized that we are getting used to this parenting thing because we had a really fun time despite the following things happening:

• the oldest child car sick after 20 min, crying to go home
• 5 min after oldest stops crying, the 2 year old lets out a toot that leaves us questioning whether it is just a toot or a changer
• after 30 min of driving we pull over to get the car sickies gone
• 10 min later the two oldest are sick again and asking when we will get there
• stop for lunch, feed the birds, nurse the baby, take 3 potty trips while stopped, change a diaper,2 year old face plants into her ranch packet
• get back in the car, head to blm office and then up mountain
• find a place to cut a tree dad style. which means, up a rocky cliff full of obstacles my children can impale themselves on.
• find tree
• wait for daddy to climb back up mountain to cut it, play "i spy" and sing christmas carols while you oldest rolls her eyes at you
• hike back to car holding 2 year old and 20lb 5 month old at the same time
• try and take 4 year old to the bathroom, unsuccessfully
• play in dirt while daddy ties tree to car
• take a family picture
• drive home
• stop to let the whining kids play, change 2 diapers, successfully teach 4 year old to go outside, take pictures, get in car
• car has flat
• sit and watch daddy change the flat
• head home and set up tree

the best quote of the day was from our oldest while hiking down the mountain, "wouldn't this be cool if it was a ride at Disneyland?" at first i felt like i had failed as a parent, but then i realized, she thought it was fun and held onto the one positive nugget.

i swear i don't teach them how to pose

we saw a beautiful blue heron on the way home, and a golden eagle

if you have any family traditions, i beg you to go call your parents and tell them thank you. because it's a whole heck of a lot easier to just stay at home.  it really was a great way to start off the holidays.