The Christmas Tree Experience

Thanksgiving evening Amberlea suggested we put up our Christmas tree. I usually do this Friday but with the offer of help I took her up on the suggestion. Mel and I brought the tree in from the garage. We got it set up and plugged in the lights. Well, only part of the lights would work. After finagling with it a while we decided it was not going to work. The options of what to do next were discussed. The decision that a new tree was needed was reached. I called to see if Home Depot was open - no. The only place left in small town Ada, Oklahoma on Thanksgiving evening was Walmart. Yes, they were open. Mitch, Am, Jett and I made a trip to purchase a tree. Amberlea suggested we might do a "real" tree this year. I was not convinced to do that until I saw the options and prices of the artificial trees at the store. They did have a "real" Douglas Fir tree that was beautiful. My mind was made up that a real one it would be this year!
Mitch & Amberlea thought Mel & I needed to have the "Famous Elliott Family Night Nachos". We bought the ingredients for them.
Time to head home and put up our real tree. The clerk had told us we needed to trim off a small piece of the trunk so it could absorb water. Evidently the trunk had been sealed after it was cut. I called Mel to check about a saw for this. The one time that all of his tools are not in the blue barn was now (he had been using them at the Annex cutting down trees getting ready for the new fence). He told me where a couple of saws should be. We stopped at the blue barn and Mitch found a battery chain saw that was perfect for the job.
The tree was put up and is beautiful. We even had one ornament to begin with - a pinecone was on this tree. The pine tree smell is wonderful!
The tree was set up and then everyone decided they were hungry for the famous nachos. Mitch & Amberlea prepared them. Mel & I definitely agreed that the nachos were delicious! Thanks Mitch & Am for the delicious recipe and experience of your "Famous Elliott Family Night Nachos". They may be come the "Famous Bradford Family Night Nachos" for us.
I decorated the tree on Friday.
(I will add more pictures later.)

Our old tree in the back of the pickup to go to the barn for Mel's investigation of how to recycle the parts of the tree


Our beautiful wonderful smelling "real" Christmas tree - Thank you Amberlea for the suggestion of a "real" Christmas tree. I am thinking now we will do this every year.


A couple of funny stories to go with this:
Mel told me he could have gone down in the pasture and cut us a real tree.
Mel is taking the old tree apart and thinks he can use part of it for a coat & hat rack. Knowing how creative my sweet hubby is, I am sure he can do that!